In the midst of the attacks on human life we read of every day, we must not permit ourselves to be distracted or forget about the #1 enemy of life so it is time to revisit the work of Planned Parenthood. In recently released figures from Planned Parenthood for 2000, abortions committed at Planned Parenthood clinics increased 7.8% from 182,792 to 197,070 between 1999 and 2000. Planned Parenthood is the single largest provider of abortion in the USA. The increases at PP clinics occurred at a time when the national figures for abortion were decreasing. The reported revenue for PP was $672,600,000. 30% of their budget comes from the American taxpayer.

One of the major pushers of "emergency contraception" (morning after pill), even selling it on the internet, Planned Parenthood has sold 310,000 kits to women, a 275% increase in just one year. PP claims "If made available to all women who need it, emergency contraception could reduce the number of abortions in the U.S. by more than half." In fact, emergency contraception often prevents an already conceived human person from implanting in the womb. In other words, emergency contraception is an abortion. You can't reduce abortions by using a different method of abortion.

At the Winter Olympics in February 2002, first reports related that Planned Parenthood was distributing a few thousand condoms to the athletes' Olympic Village in Salt Lake City. It was later reported that 250,000 "safer-sex kits" were distributed to the public at large in downtown Salt Lake City. The project was named Safe Games 2002 and PP was joined in their efforts by the American Red Cross.

The latest outrage is an investigative report issued by Life Dynamics. Mark Crutcher reported calls to over 800 Planned Parenthood and National Abortion Federation clinics, self-identifying the caller as a 13-year old girl impregnated by a 22 year old man. In 91% of the calls, clinic employees told the girl to conceal the illegal sexual activity, many of whom acknowledged the requirement by law to report statutory rape. Crutcher's report was released to the press and was picked up in Associated Press, Fox News and WorldNetDaily. The Chief State?s Attorney for Connecticut, John Bailey, after hearing the tapes of the calls, stated: "Planned Parenthood is violating the law."

It is up to Pro-Lifers to keep the evil practices of Planned Parenthood before the public. It is important to note that PP has never backed away from the philosophy of their founder, Margaret Sanger, and they annually give "Maggie Awards" to those who promote her beliefs. Planned Parenthood envisions a world where people are "free to make life's most profound choices about childbearing and relationships as they see fit." Its stated goals are to impose its own brand of immorality on the entire world, a world which focuses on the pursuit of personal autonomy that includes total sexual freedom, abortion on demand and a rejection of traditional Judeo-Christian morality. We can't let that happen.

Mary Anne Hackett