Examining "Pro-Life" Propaganda

Planned Parenthood is opening a new full service health center in Aurora, Illinois. Joseph Scheidler, the head of a group called the Pro-Life Action League, sent out this truly disturbing fundraising letter, which outlines their crusade against the Aurora clinic.

In the letter, Scheidler refers to Planned Parenthood as an "abortion mill" and a "killing chamber." He makes no mention of the numerous other health services that Planned Parenthood provides to women and girls. He describes plans to try to convince contractors not to work on the building. He brags about his son taking photos of the contractors' vehicles. He writes about hiring lawyers to try to find a zoning ordinance or other flimsy excuse to keep the clinic from opening. He also writes about his other expenses:

"Bills from my printer alone are staggering. We have to print literally tons of leaflets, brochures and pamhlets to get the word out about abortion. Of course, it's all worth it, because we're saving babies with those pieces of paper."

But is "saving babies" really the PLAL's goal? Or is their goal to terrorize women, threaten healthcare providers, and enforce their personal views on morality?

The next section of Scheidler's letter mentions "sidewalk counseling" - in other words, protesting. Screaming at and threatening clinic personnel and customers. Waving gruesome banners and trying to frighten women with threats of eternal damnation and sometimes, physical violence. He even has a name for volunteers who try to protect these women from their "counseling": deathscorts.

This is what the "pro-life" movement is. Threats. Intimidation. Manipulation. Moral superiority. They offer no practical solutions for preventing abortions, only ways to make it harder for women in a desperate situation to receive the medical care that they need.

Planned Parenthood is doing more to prevent abortions than any so-called "pro-life" group. Planned Parenthood educates the public about sexuality and pregnancy and STI prevention. Planned Parenthood distributes birth control. Planned Parenthood prevents unwanted pregnancies. Fewer unwanted pregnancies means fewer abortions. Yes, they provide abortions, but they are first and foremost an organization dedicated to the prevention of unwanted pregnancies.

People genuinely interested in preventing abortion should be interested in preventing the causes of abortion. But most prominent "pro-life" organizations are actually opposed to comprehensive sex education and birth control. I've been reading How the Pro-Choice Movement Saved America: Freedom, Politics, and the War on Sex by Christina Page, which has shocking details about this phenomenon. I think it's one of the most important books you could ever read, no matter how you personally feel about abortion.

To help Planned Parenthood continue to fight for reproductive choice and women's autonomy, you can donate locally or nationally. Scheidler can probably get a lot of donations by claiming that he's trying to "save babies." Planned Parenthood has the truth on their side, but unfortunately, the truth isn't always what makes people get out their checkbooks.