September 9, 2009
In this issue:
PP entices poor minority children with free food and school supplies
PP’s obsession with condoms
PP trains activists on college campuses
University of Connecticut partnering with PP
Bishop leads prayer vigil outside PP abortuary
Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida denied county funding
Embroiled in controversy, PP of Indiana will close 5 facilities; cites funding cuts
PP entices poor minority children with free food and school supplies
Planned Parenthood is baiting poverty-stricken school children with the promise of free food and school supplies in the communities of Coachella Valley, California. Parents bringing their children into PP on September 9 are promised the essentials free of charge, according to a Desert Sun article.
The Coachella facility is a part of Planned Parenthood of San Diego and Riverside Counties. Coachella Valley’s population was 97.30% Hispanic in the year 2000. With a median household income of $28,590 in an area where the median price of homes is $350,000 and the unemployment rate, as of August 2009 was 14.7% — Cabazon had the highest in the area at 33.8% — these families are prime targets for PP’s baiting-by-handouts.
The PP affiliate boasts on its website, under the heading “Teen Confidentiality,” that nurses and doctors at PP “will not tell your parents or guardians what you talk about…” and that young people do not need their parents’ permission to get abortions, birth control or treatment for STDs, with the caveat that they must be at least 12 years old to give consent for STD testing.
PP of San Diego and Riverside Counties also pushes the “3Rs” program, developed by “The Advocates for Youth,” which is chaired by former National Abortion Rights Action League executive vice president, James Wagoner, a tenacious opponent of abstinence education and avid promoter of abortion “rights.”
The 3Rs program is described on the “Advocates for Youth” website as
“A pragmatic approach to adolescent sexual health where science, not religious ideology, dictates public health policies and programs and education is valued, not feared; the effective use of mass media public education campaigns; a public acceptance of adolescent sexual development as normal and healthy; and a societal investment in youth as valued members of their community. The emphasis is on responsibility and respect, not abstinence.”
PP’s obsession with condoms
Making dresses out of condoms seems to be a favorite pastime of some PP affiliates. In our Aug. 12 Wednesday STOPP Report, we told you about an evening gown made entirely of condoms, which was part of the condom-themed art exhibit for the ribbon cutting of the Planned Parenthood of South Central New York facility in Binghamton last year.
Now Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio is giving students hands-on experience. They are promising cash prizes to Columbus College of Art & Design students who design clothing with their Proper Attire line of “designer” condoms. The PP affiliate says it will stage “a fashion show of spectacular custom-designed garments featuring Proper Attire condoms,” on Oct. 1 at BoMA on Broad Street in Columbus.
The Proper Attire condom line bears the teaser “required for entry,” and features “stylish” wrappers intended to make carrying condoms fashionable. One of the product lines is “taste-flavored,” and includes chocolate, mint, strawberry and vanilla.
PP trains activists on college campuses
Seventy percent of PP’s customer base is under the age of 25. PP specifically targets young people and attempts to do this in elementary schools, high schools and colleges.
In colleges throughout the nation, PP plants VOX clubs: Voices for Planned Parenthood, designed to create activists who will promote PP’s agenda on campus and beyond. According to PP, Vox will “educate and mobilize college students and young adults in support of health care access and reproductive rights. Vox groups across the country organize public events, educate their peers, support their local Planned Parenthood health centers, and mobilize students and other young people to speak out for reproductive rights and access to reproductive health care services.”
University of Connecticut partnering with PP
The University of Connecticut is teaming up with PP to provide free HIV/AIDS testing. The health education area of the university’s website is stacked with PP propaganda. What can you do? Contact the health education office and tell them what you think of PP! E-mail healthed@uconn.edu and call 860-486-0772.
Bishop leads prayer vigil outside PP abortuary
According to the Abilene Reporter-News, Bishop Michael Pfeifer of the Catholic Diocese of San Angelo recently led a prayer vigil outside the PP surgical abortion facility in Abilene, Texas. The office of the bishop counted over 200 people in attendance.
Bishop Pfeifer participates in regular prayer vigils outside PP abortion facilities. He also celebrates a well-attended Mass in Midland twice a year outside the PP abortion facility at 307 E. Texas.
Thank you, Bishop Pfeifer and the pro-lifers in the San Angelo diocese, for fighting on the front lines and making a strong impact in your area against PP.
Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida denied county funding
Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida reports on its websitethat Sarasota County commissioners denied its request for funding for the second year in a row.
Jim Styer sent this victory report to STOPP:
For the second year, the regional PP affiliate is not expected to receive Sarasota County taxpayer funds. Planned Parenthood of Southwest and Central Florida asked for $25,000 for 2010. The Human Services Advisory Council — by a wide margin — recommended no funding. The county board in October is likely to accept that recommendation.
PP sought 2 separate grants. It asked the HSAC for $15,000 for teen "outreach education." A motion to give it only $5,000 failed 5-9; another motion to give it nothing passed 10-4. PP separately requested $10,000 for teen "medical services."
That was denied 9-5.
Last year, PP also had requested $25,000. The advisory council whittled that to $12,500 and then the county board voted 4-1 to deny all funding, for the first time in at least 10 years.
The votes in both years did not appear to be based on moral or philosophical grounds. It took the economic crunch — does PP need scarce county funds, or does it need them more than other agencies?
PP told the HSAC that its operating reserves are down and it projects a loss. But a financial report by the HSAC staff showed that the PP affiliate has had a 6% profit margin and had revenue over expenses of more than $500,000 each of the previous three years.
At the county board meeting last fall, PP CEO Barbara Zdravecky was asked how the agency would fare if the funding were denied. "Donations are down; everyone is in a downturn," she said. "I can't assure we can make it up."
A few days later, Commissioner Shannon Staub wrote to some people who had e-mailed her, "I believe that Planned Parenthood will find the funds to continue to the program with voluntary donations."
PP soon sent e-mail to its supporters seeking donations to make up for the tax-fund denial.
In its application to the county this year, PP’s "outreach education" budget showed an increase in contributions of $26,936, which balanced out the loss of $25,000 in county tax funds. For the coming year, it budgeted reduced contributions in the programs for which it was seeking county tax funds.
The application also shows that PP has received funding for one or both of these programs from the county Health Department, Sarasota United Way, Bank of America Foundation, Rotary Foundation, Paddock Foundation and an "anonymous foundation."
Opponents have spoken out before the county board in most years that the PP request has come up, and in recent years they also have written to HSAC members.
Last year, county commissioners heard several speakers in opposition to the grant and received more than 50 e-mails, the most in many years on this issue.
This year, the PP request was considered by the HSAC a few weeks earlier than had been expected and, thus, no opponents contacted HSAC members. As it turned out, public opposition wasn't necessary.
The HSAC has been reviewing applications from more than 50 not-for-profit agencies to determine which of them will be recommended for a slice of more than $6 million in tax funds.
Besides PP, the HSAC also voted not to recommend funding for four other agencies that were denied funds last year.
For a second year, nonprofits were asked to reduce their requests because of the tight county budget. Many did. However, PP did not.
Embroiled in controversy, PP of Indiana will close 5 facilities; cites funding cuts
It’s been a hard year for Planned Parenthood of Indiana. Amid renewed claims of failure to report sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl, the announcement was made Sunday that the PP affiliate will be closing five of its 34 facilities. PP cited funding cuts as the reason for the closures.
Scheduled to close over the next six months are PP locations in Anderson, Kokomo, Franklin, Shelbyville and one in Indianapolis.
According to The StarPress.com, “Starting in October, the [nonprofit] Indiana Family Health Council… takes over administration of about $2 million in Title XX funds,” some of which previously went to Planned Parenthood.
Gayla Winston, the council’s president, said, “If you take our funds, you have to run that whole program at that site by our rules.”
PP issued a press release saying that the funding cuts will impact its remaining facilities as well. "PPIN has made the decision that many of our sites must now become fully self-sustaining, or independent, because of the restrictions placed on the funding," the statement read.
The Title XX Funding will be distributed to health care centers that provide comprehensive services. "We are hoping by putting this money out into the system, we will increase the amount of services that are available," Winston said.
None of the PP facilities scheduled for closure commit surgical abortions. PPIN operates surgical abortion facilities in Indianapolis, Bloomington, and Merrillville that are not scheduled for closure at this time.
