There is an interesting fight between Planned Parenthood and its former director in Bryan, Texas. (Yes, it appears the same town where the Virgin Mary was recently discovered in bird droppings, here). Abby Johnson worked for Planned Parenthood for eight years, but decided to leave after watching an ultrasound of an abortion procedure. This has led to the filing of a restraining order against her by her former employer after she joined forces with the Coalition For Life.
Abortion opponents have often litigated and legislated to try to force prospective mothers to watch ultrasound images before having an abortion. This case is likely to reinforce such efforts.
Johnson stated that, after seeing the images, she decided to quit: “I just thought I can’t do this anymore, and it was just like a flash that hit me and I thought that’s it.” She resigned on Oct. 6th.
She has claimed that the organization has changed its policies in the bad economy to push for abortions.
Last Friday, she and the Coalition for Life were hit with temporary restraining orders filed by Planned Parenthood, which seeks to prevent her from disclosing information about the organization.
Rochelle Tafolla, a Planned Parenthood spokesperson stated “We regret being forced to turn to the courts to protect the safety and confidentiality of our clients and staff, however, in this instance it is absolutely necessary.”
The parties are expected to square off in court on November 10th.
For the full story, click here
Pro-life is just code for anti-women’s rights.
That’s not open for debate because it’s, duh, the FACTS. If you call that mudslinging? Well so be it. But don’t come in whining about your perceived self-superiority in the morals department when your idea of morality is to give more rights to the non-existent over actual living women. They have a word for people who value the lives of the imaginary more than the lives of the living: delusional. Or Republicans in some states. The terms can be interchangeable.
There is no downside to abortion other than it takes the control over a woman’s health and returns it to her – where it should have been in the first damn place. No one is forcing anyone to get abortions so if you don’t want one, then don’t get one. It’s really that simple. Keep YOUR morals off someone else’s body. That should be a no brainer if you think a person cannot know what another is thinking by your own admission that is follows that what YOU think about their thoughts and motivations is ALSO WRONG AND IRRELEVANT SINCE YOU’RE OBVIOUSLY NOT A WOMAN. But that’s not going to stop you from trying to take that choice away from the women, will it? How do you spell “hypocrite”? If you don’t think abortion is about males controlling females in re reproduction, I suggest that if males got pregnant in our species, you’d be able to get an abortion and an oil change while you wait and the high end places would serve you a cocktail and have ESPN on the big screen while you’re riding the stirrups. However, your attempt at “dialog” is disingenuous crap from the start as demonstrated by your framing of the question. Smug much? You shouldn’t be considering you’re not very good at hiding your spin – which tells me you aren’t from around these parts or you’d know better than to throw out that kind of bait here. You’re just another pro-lifer troll and I’m really going to enjoy watching Mike dismantle your “discussion”. Your arrogance that your position will prevail will meet with the same end pro-lifers always get when they choose to attack human rights on a blog dedicated to free speech and human rights – the belief that some invisible man doesn’t want you to kill a fetus has not and will not ever withstand the light of logic and the proposition that your beliefs should never trump the self-evident rights of the individual. And there is no right more self-evident than the choice to do to your body what you will be you male or female.
Mike,
It’s mildly interesting, and short enough that if you don’t enjoy it, you’ve only lost an afternoon or so.
The story takes place in a society after a horrific nuclear war. The survivors decided that the war was evidence that The Devil had actually won his rebellion and human history was basically an exercise of his power. Anyway, the one thing they kept from their Christian roots was that women are “the vessels of the evil one.”
That got me thinking, it seems to me that viewing women as evil is a logical extension of any religion in which man is viewed as inherently flawed. Take the concept of a fertility goddess, who’s praised as the giver of a great gift. Now consider that same concept, but if the gift was instead a curse.
Jake,
I like the line “I’m interested in a discussion about the merits and pitfalls of abortion, not mudslinging,” coming at the end of the long insulting rant that was your first comment on the topic it.
Mike,
I find it funny that you speak of freedom of choice and enlightened decisions to only contradict yourself by asserting the intentions and motivations of other people. You can’t possibly know the motivations of anybody. With your approach, you are no less chauvinistic than the very patriarchy you denounce. On the other hand, you may imply that people have not thoroughly considered the full impact of their conclusions, which is, I’m sure, what you meant to do all along.
And for those who argue a “pro-choice” stance, you should realize that you will never come to terms with those who argue a “pro-life” stance. The very fact that you are not arguing the same moral foundation is proof that you will always pass each other in the hall before realizing what is being said. A valid, useful discussion on the topic means you need to address anti-abortionist stances on life, not on choice. This is because you will find that most pro-lifers will agree with you about the freedom of choice, sanctity of sexes, prevention as key, etc. Similarly, pro-lifers ought to consider the moral foundations for choice before going into some tirade about destroying life.
Forums like this always crack me up because people are just flaming one another, not listening. I’m interested in a discussion about the merits and pitfalls of abortion, not mudslinging.
I wish someone would look closer at this story and this woman’s history. The story sounds like total BS. I think she is probably lying. I doubt PP told her they wanted to do more abortions to make more money. I doubt she worked for PP for 8 years and suddenly saw an ultrasound for the very first time ever and suddenly decided to go join an anti-choice org. Real journalism, please?
“Then you agree that prostitution should be legal – also – should men have autonomy over their own bodies as well?
Sine men are responsible for half the genetic material what rights do they have re a woman getting an abortion?”
Charles,
Prostitution should be legal as it is in many enlightened countries. I write this as an older man who has never once used a prostitute, or even been to a strip club. If prostitution were legal it would cut down on the exploitation of women, lower STD’s, AIDS, etc. and put pimps and white slavers almost out of business. I have no proof but I also think it would diminish sex crimes.
As for men being responsible for half the genetic material, when they also have to carry a baby for nine months, then i might sympathecize with them. Throughout known and unknown history men have used women as vessels for their sperm and mainly discarded them afterwards. men have also throughout history held women in bondage and degradation. The anti-abortion movement is todays version of male patriarchy. These aren’t people interested in life, so much as they are interested in punishing women for being sexual. It’s the old “woman as temptress” theme from Genesis and other religious texts. pro-life equates to anti-female only its’ advocates are too self deceived to understand their own motivations.
“If my girlfriend became pregnant and she wanted to have an abortion, but I wanted to keep the child, I would have no say so in the final decision.”
Chris,
What part of “if my girlfriend became pregnant” did you not have a part in? I’m not bragging but I had many sexual experiences before my marriage, I’ve never been unfaithful since, not one ended in pregnancy. Why? Because one of the best pieces of advice my Dad gave me was to never have unprotected sex. I used condoms and yes they do take a little pleasure away, but also to with a rather busy sex life I’ve never had an STD either. The point is that men are responsible for themselves and for ensuring that they don’t cause an unwanted pregnancy. Remember too, I may be and old fart, but I well remember the hot blood of youth with the hormones araging. Rage as my hormones did though I never forgot my responsibility to myself, or to the woman I was having sex with.
So please don’t talk to me of it being unfair. If you want to play, then you have to pay, if your only concern is getting your rocks off. I apologize for the crudity of my remarks and I know you’re a good guy, but Chris please understand that we men have a long history of dropping our semen and dropping out of site, leaving many a woman’s life in tatters and crushing many of her dreams. I believe in pre-marital sex and lots of it, but with the function and the pleasure must also come the responsibility to ensure no lives are wrecked in its’ process.
Choice that’s all it is about. The choice to or not to.
I’m with Chris. I had to pay child support for an aborted fetus right through to the end of its adolescence and I didn’t think it was fair at all.
In the end the final word is not whether abortion passes a moral test, but that each woman should have autonomy over their own body.
Then you agree that prostitution should be legal – also – should men have autonomy over their own bodies as well?
Sine men are responsible for half the genetic material what rights do they have re a woman getting an abortion?
Mike,
If you don’t mind Id like you to consider the following scenario:
If my girlfriend became pregnant and she wanted to have an abortion, but I wanted to keep the child, I would have no say so in the final decision. I would then have to pay child support for the rest of the child’s adolescence.
But if she wanted to keep the child and I wanted her to have an abortion, I would still have no say so in the final decision but would have to pay child support.
How is this fair?
The COL is connected to 40 days for Life. This woman left planned parenthood as part of the 40 days campaign. Here’s a description of the board chairman of 40 days. You will see he is a man who is very concerned with life:
“JAMES OLSON
Board Chair
Jim teaches intelligence and national security at the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University. Before that, he served for over 25 years in the Central Intelligence Agency, mostly overseas in undercover operations, and he served as chief of CIA counterintelligence. He is the author of Fair Play: The Moral Dilemmas of Spying. Jim and his wife Meredith have long been active in the pro-life movement. They have three children and three grandchildren.”
MikeS:
I don’t know about the condoms, I assume they would if someone came prior to their “delicate” position. I will have to ask.
I think there is some truth in what you say about Christians. There are some that would fit that bill to a tee and there are others that think like you do.
Gyges,
I haven’t, only Brave New World, I take it that this is one I should add to my ever growing list.
Mike,
Have you ever read Huxley’s book “Ape and Essence?”
Byron,
I don’t doubt the statistic, but distrust the context. A woman who is pregnant, probably young and unmarried is someone with a
deep vulnerability. I have no doubt that your friend has a whole line of patter that goes with the Ultrasound. I personally believe life begins at birth and so does my religion. The other part of this is that I as the hippy had sex with many, many women, but I never once got one pregnant until I married her. that is know as responsibility. Most anti-abortion people are also against birth control. To me this indicates a base religious anger at women as”temptress.” People, like your friend could also be very helpful if they taught birth control and gave out free condoms. I bet they would do neither and that is their ultimate hypocrisy.
Mike S:
I have a friend that runs an alternative to abortion program. They try to help the woman have the baby and then they find parents or they find money to help the woman raise the child.
He has told me on more than one occasion that seeing a sonogram of a fetus in utero is enough to change the woman’s mind. In fact, if I have my info correct, he says about 7 out of 10 woman once they see a sonogram will not have an abortion and opt for adoption.
The one thing I do know is that this a very difficult issue and as such should be left to the woman.
Planned Parenthood is a formerly good organization that has been corrupted by its own success and longevity. The public sees non-profits, especially those that seem to espouse their cause as benign institutions. Having worked for three non-profits I found that they can be every bit as corrupt as the abuses they purport to deal with. that this woman had a position of authority and could be changed by viewing one ultrasound is an indication of the real commitment she felt. In the end the final word is not whether abortion passes a moral test, but that each woman should have autonomy over their own body.
Gotta luv it … catapulting the propergander …
Reminds me of the Brett Favre commercial where he is buying some electronic device and making absolute and dogmatic statements up until the very end.
Up until the last frame where he says “I’m not sure …”
All “sides” are this way and all sides have defections.
It is the unavoidable result of a world of deceit and propaganda.
http://blogdredd.blogspot.com/2009/01/deceive-business.html
I went to Coallition for Life’s website. Below is their take on Planned Parenthood:
http://www.coalitionforlife.com/index.cfm?load=page&page=4
The article is not clear as to why there is a restraining order. There does seem to be a great deal of hostility towards Planned Parenthood, which is singled out for criticism on their website.
Many people have changed their minds about abortion. Those who saw women die from illegal, botched abortions often became the most vocal supporters of it. People should support or oppose abortion based on their own experience and conscience. But for me anyone who really wants to end abortion should concentrate on the following: equality between men and women, excellent birth control which is cheap and readily available, universal health care, excellent maternal care to include health care, housing, food and financial support and finally, a high maternal wage paid to any woman for the purpose of supporting her child.
Hysterics. It has nothing to do how you “feel” when you look at someone else’s ultrasound. It will ALWAYS be the choice of the mother, period. It’s a legal procedure.
If you want to change your decision based on your OWN ultrasound, fine. That’s where it stops. It was not enough for this person to quit. She had to join an organization that seems to want to jail mothers for daring to get pregnant. How else can they assure live birth? Of course, once a child is born, these harpies disappear like roaches in the sun.
The busy-bodying of my conservative friends is one of the many reasons they are shrinking to oblivion in political power.
It’s no longer 1950. Butt out.