Illinois Right to Life Committee

Planned Parenthood can't be serious


PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, January 27, 2006

CONTACT:      Illinois Right to Life Committee
William Beckman, Executive Director, 312-422-9300

Planned Parenthood can't be serious

Planned Parenthood claims to have the solution to reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions.  They say such reductions can only be achieved with "comprehensive" sex education and easier access to all forms of contraception, including emergency contraception (e.g. the morning-after pill called Plan B).  Can this logic be questioned?

Planned Parenthood is the nation's largest abortion provider.  Their last annual report indicates Planned Parenthood performed 255,015 abortions in 2004.  They are now responsible for nearly 20% of the abortions committed annually in our nation.  Each year the number of abortions committed by Planned Parenthood increases at rates of 4-10% over the previous year.  In the last 20 years their abortion business has grown from 5% of the nation's total abortions to nearly 20%.

Given these facts, how can anyone take seriously Planned Parenthood's claim that their mission is to reduce unintended pregnancies and abortions?  They fault defenders of unborn human life, promoters of abstinence education, and pharmacists unwillingness to dispense the Plan B morning-after pill over-the-counter as the roadblocks to a 50% reduction in both unplanned pregnancies and abortions. 

Planned Parenthood is promoting one thing to the public (reducing unwanted pregnancies and abortions) while selling the very thing they claim their "family planning" will reduce.  Would any business that has increased market share from 5% to 20% over the last 20 years actually seriously intend to reduce the need for that very product?  Such a move would be financial suicide! 

We can only conclude that Planned Parenthood knows very well and actually intends for "comprehensive" sex education and easier access to contraceptives to increase unplanned pregnancies and abortions.  Planned Parenthood has at least a 20 year track record to prove that is exactly what happens.  If more sex education and easier access to contraceptives did what they claimed, why would demand for Planned Parenthood abortion services continue to rise rapidly year after year while abortions nationwide have been declining?

"Comprehensive" sex education sells casual sexual activity to children, but according to Planned Parenthood, using birth control makes it "responsible" sexual activity.  In other words, Planned Parenthood wants to make it as easy as possible for children to get started on birth control.  They offer all forms of contraceptives to 12 to 17 year-olds for half price.  Get teens hooked on sexual activity now to produce the big-ticket-item payoff later when they need "counseling" to get an abortion provided by Planned Parenthood.  The younger they get teens started, the more abortions Planned Parenthood will be able to sell them when birth control fails.  

Planned Parenthood did not get to be the largest abortion provider in the nation because their birth control options worked.  By providing "comprehensive" sex education and birth control options to teens, they know they will increase demand for their premium product, abortion.  Its time to get Planned Parenthood out of our schools and out of our neighborhoods.  Then we will see a reduction in unplanned pregnancies (aided by abstinence education) and abortions (with increased respect for unborn human life).

William Beckman
Executive Director
Illinois Right to Life Committee
65 E. Wacker Place, Suite 800
Chicago, IL 60601
312-422-9300
beckman@illinoisrighttolife.org
www.illinoisrighttolife.org

 

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Illinois Right to Life Committee, founded in 1968, is the oldest Pro-Life educational organization in Illinois.