Planned Parenthood's plan – deceit

For too many years, millions of government tax dollars, in the name of family planning services, have been given to abortion-promoting organizations like Planned Parenthood. But that may change because of the hard work of prolife citizens in Michigan and concerned legislators.

The thrust of "family planning" programs is to promote general reproductive health and prevent pregnancies. However, millions of tax dollars going to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, for these programs subsidize their staff salaries and operational costs, allowing them to carry out their abortion advocacy. Besides being the nation's top provider of abortions, Planned Parenthood makes no apologies for its position that abortion should be considered part of comprehensive family planning services.

For Planned Parenthood, abortion is considered a solution to a pregnancy – a right. Now is the time to prioritize tax dollars to health providers who are not abortion advocates. This is what Michigan House Bill 4655 strives to do.

House Bill 4655 directs that state health funding for "family planning" programs be allocated first to organizations that do not do any of the following:

• perform or refer for abortions;
• publicly advocate for abortion (lobby, political activity, file lawsuits);
• or maintain a policy position that "family planning" includes abortion.

This bill does not cut a single dollar of family planning funds. It simply gives organizations that aren't in the abortion industry the first shot at these funds.

Since the prolife bill H.B. 4655 was introduced in our state legislature, Planned Parenthood has been working to keep this bill from becoming a law. Planned Parenthood has written letters to their supporters, to the editors of newspapers, and written editorials warning readers of "prior dark times." The Michigan Abortion and Reproductive Rights Action League (MARAL) organized a rally for October 16, 2001, on the state Capitol steps to defend Planned Parenthood and attack prolife legislation. Planned Parenthood is not taking this issue lightly and neither should prolife people. In fact, Planned Parenthood believes a past slogan bears repeating, "Keep your politics off my body!" In reality, it isn't about politics, but life; truly, abortion is not family planning.

Throughout their campaign to stop this bill, Planned Parenthood has attempted to deceive the public. Their letters insinuate that without Planned Parenthood, family planning services would be non-existent and that low-income women won't be able to receive reproductive services. However, there are many other organizations that can provide family planning services, assistance which does not include abortion. Family planning funds won't be cut but will be prioritized to organizations that aren't involved in the dirty business of abortion.

Don't be fooled by Planned Parenthood – they are not the only organization which can provide family planning services.

If more information on House Bill 4655 is needed, visit the Right to Life of Michigan web site at www.rtl.org.

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