Pro-Life Organizations Form First National Coalition Against Planned Parenthood CHICAGO, Sept. 19 /Christian Newswire/ -- More than 50 leaders from pro- life organizations have formed a new coalition to put Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest provider of abortions, out of business.
Calling itself the National Coalition to Defeat Planned Parenthood, the group met for the first time yesterday at a summit in Rosemont, Ill., and today issued a joint resolution detailing a plan to coordinate efforts on a national level in order to counter Planned Parenthood's expansion effort. The coalition was spearheaded by the Chicago-based Pro-Life Action League, which led the effort last year to oppose the opening of a Planned Parenthood facility in Aurora, Ill.
"In the past, there have been may local and statewide efforts to thwart Planned Parenthood, but what makes the National Coalition to Defeat Planned Parenthood special is that for the first time, the major pro-life groups around the country are coming together to implement a unified national action," said Eric Scheidler, PLAL communications director, explaining that the coalition plans to hold regular meetings to discuss tactical matters.
In its first statement, the coalition accused Planned Parenthood of encouraging irresponsible sexual behavior among adolescents, shielding sexual predators by failing to comply with mandatory reporting laws regarding statutory rape and pursuing racist business practices by performing a disproportionate number of abortions on minority women. Coalition members pledged to take the following steps to counter Planned Parenthood's nationwide expansion effort:
· Mobilize pro-life supporters at the grassroots level wherever a new Planned Parenthood attempts to open its doors, following the model of action taken by the Pro-Life Action League and its supporters in Aurora, Ill.
· Eliminate Planned Parenthood's government funding at the local, state and federal levels
· Drastically reduce Planned Parenthood's corporate funding
· Utilize media to expose Planned Parenthood's attack on women, children and families
· Deprive Planned Parenthood of business and save unborn babies from abortion by expanding the pro-life presence at Planned Parenthood facilities
· Safeguard the health and innocence of children by empowering parents and teachers to remove Planned Parenthood programs from their communities
· Hold public officials accountable for enforcing all applicable laws, such as parental involvement and mandatory reporting of statutory rape
· Call upon all people of faith and conscience to unite in prayer for an end to Planned Parenthood and its detrimental programs and policies
"We're excited to work together and learn from each other's strategies that have been effective in the battle to save the lives of unborn babies," Scheidler said. "The formation of this coalition is the first step in taking down Planned Parenthood -- when it falls, the rest of the abortion lobby will crumble, and unborn babies will finally be safe again our country."
About Pro-Life Action League
Pro-Life Action League was founded by Joseph M. Scheidler in 1980 with the aim of saving unborn children through non-violent direct action. Through prayer vigils outside abortion facilities and sidewalk counseling, the League reaches out to abortion- bound women and couples with abortion alternatives, confidential counseling and access to pregnancy resources. Since July 2007, the League has been at the center of the controversy surrounding Planned Parenthood's flagship abortion facility in Aurora, Ill., dubbed, "Ground Zero" of the abortion battle by abortion supporters and opponents alike. The League has closed eight abortion clinics in Chicago alone and nearly a hundred across the country.
The Pro-Life Action League is a nonprofit organization, supported solely by private donations. For more information, visit www.prolifeaction.org.
COPY OF JOINT STATEMENT AVAILABLE UPON REQUEST.
SCHEIDLER AND OTHERS AVAILABLE FOR INTERVIEW.
Contacts for the Media
Amber Dawe, TC Public Relations: (312) 422- 1333
Eric Scheidler, Pro-Life Action League: (630) 896- 1200, (773) 251-8792 (cell)
Tom Brejcha
Chief counsel, Thomas More Society/Pro-Life Law Center
312-782-1680
Jim Sedlak
American Life League
540-659-4171
Kristan Hawkins
Executive Director, Students for Life of America
703-351-6280
Patricia Bainbridge
Life Decisions International
815-877-5433
Claude Allen
Gerard Health Foundation
202-446-7443
David Bereit
40 Days for Life
202-280-8993
Kathleen Sullivan
Project Reality
239-417-8057
Joe Langfeld
Human Life Alliance
651-484-1040
Janet Morana
Priests for Life
917-297-0946
