Monday, May 17, 2004
ANTI-CHOICE GROUP ATTEMPTS TO BLACKMAIL FOUNDATION THAT DONATES TO PLANNED PARENTHOOD
Once again, the nuts are using intimidation tactics to attempt to cut off funding for Planned Parenthood. This story is from the Lufkin Daily News. The irony of these anti-choice groups has always fascinated me - the same group that is so opposed to freedom of choice is the same group that is opposed to preventing abortion in the first place, by blocking women and their partners from having full access to birth control and a full range of health care options. It's not about choice, it's about control and submission of women. Don't ever let anyone tell you otherwise...
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Planned Parenthood confident about continued Temple support
By GARY BASS, The Lufkin Daily News
5/15/2004
Planned Parenthood officials are confident the T.L.L. Temple Foundation in Lufkin will continue to support them, after an anti-abortion group published a list of financial contributors to the agency, a spokeswoman said Friday.
"Someone affiliated with the Temple Foundation told us that they will continue to support Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas," said Michelle Green, director of community services for the Lufkin Planned Parenthood clinic. "The Temple Foundation understands the good work that Planned Parenthood does in the community."
Buddy Zeagler, the assistant executive director of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, said that he was not aware of any recent conversations the foundation has had with Planned Parenthood concerning funding issues.
"To my knowledge, we haven't had any conversations with Planned Parenthood along those lines," Zeagler said.
Green said Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas submits an annual grant request to the Temple Foundation. The grants are for approximately $50,000 each year, she said.
On April 27, the Brazos Valley Coalition for Life, which is based in Bryan, sent more than 300 letters to businesses, government entities and foundations listed as donors in Planned Parenthood's public tax records. The letters urged the recipients to stop funding Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas and stated that their names would not be released to the public if they pledged to end their support.
On May 8, the organization released the names of individuals and entities that donated to the PPHSET.
"Concerned citizens across the state are demanding Planned Parenthood's public records to know who is footing the bill for the abortion operation's harmful activities," David Bereit, the group's executive director, said in a press release. "We believe that these concerned individuals should have access to this public information."
Two of Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas' 10 facilities, but not the Lufkin clinic, perform surgical abortions. According to PPHSET's records, the clinics — one in Bryan and one in Houston — performed 6,876 abortions in the past 12 months, Bereit said.
"That is a tremendous affront to human life, and it can harm the mothers, both physically and emotionally," Bereit said.
Planned Parenthood focuses on helping people make lifelong, responsible choices, Green said. She said the majority of the organization's services deal with prevention.
"Unfortunately, even family planning services are under attack by anti-choice hardliners," Green said. "I am appalled that the Coalition for Life would harass the T.L.L. Temple Foundation and try to block family planning services for the low-income families of East Texas.
"We're talking about basic health care. Who in their right mind would try and block that?"
Services offered at Planned Parenthood's Lufkin clinic include: annual well-women exams; birth control; emergency contraception; breast exams; diagnostic care and treatment for abnormal pap test results; education presentations; HIV testing and risk-reduction counseling; pap smears and basic lab tests; pregnancy testing and options counseling; and sexually transmitted disease testing, counseling and treatment, for both men and women.
"If a woman tests positive for a pregnancy test, she is counseled by a trained professional on all options — to continue the pregnancy, to put the baby up for adoption or abortion," Green said.
She said the Lufkin clinic does refer clients to the Planned Parenthood clinics that perform abortions if the mother chooses.
According to Zeagler, Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas has yet to file a new grant application with the Temple Foundation. He said the foundation's Board of Trustees will review all the applications they receive on a case-by-case basis.
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Planned Parenthood confident about continued Temple support
By GARY BASS, The Lufkin Daily News
5/15/2004
Planned Parenthood officials are confident the T.L.L. Temple Foundation in Lufkin will continue to support them, after an anti-abortion group published a list of financial contributors to the agency, a spokeswoman said Friday.
"Someone affiliated with the Temple Foundation told us that they will continue to support Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas," said Michelle Green, director of community services for the Lufkin Planned Parenthood clinic. "The Temple Foundation understands the good work that Planned Parenthood does in the community."
Buddy Zeagler, the assistant executive director of the T.L.L. Temple Foundation, said that he was not aware of any recent conversations the foundation has had with Planned Parenthood concerning funding issues.
"To my knowledge, we haven't had any conversations with Planned Parenthood along those lines," Zeagler said.
Green said Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas submits an annual grant request to the Temple Foundation. The grants are for approximately $50,000 each year, she said.
On April 27, the Brazos Valley Coalition for Life, which is based in Bryan, sent more than 300 letters to businesses, government entities and foundations listed as donors in Planned Parenthood's public tax records. The letters urged the recipients to stop funding Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas and stated that their names would not be released to the public if they pledged to end their support.
On May 8, the organization released the names of individuals and entities that donated to the PPHSET.
"Concerned citizens across the state are demanding Planned Parenthood's public records to know who is footing the bill for the abortion operation's harmful activities," David Bereit, the group's executive director, said in a press release. "We believe that these concerned individuals should have access to this public information."
Two of Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas' 10 facilities, but not the Lufkin clinic, perform surgical abortions. According to PPHSET's records, the clinics — one in Bryan and one in Houston — performed 6,876 abortions in the past 12 months, Bereit said.
"That is a tremendous affront to human life, and it can harm the mothers, both physically and emotionally," Bereit said.
Planned Parenthood focuses on helping people make lifelong, responsible choices, Green said. She said the majority of the organization's services deal with prevention.
"Unfortunately, even family planning services are under attack by anti-choice hardliners," Green said. "I am appalled that the Coalition for Life would harass the T.L.L. Temple Foundation and try to block family planning services for the low-income families of East Texas.
"We're talking about basic health care. Who in their right mind would try and block that?"
Services offered at Planned Parenthood's Lufkin clinic include: annual well-women exams; birth control; emergency contraception; breast exams; diagnostic care and treatment for abnormal pap test results; education presentations; HIV testing and risk-reduction counseling; pap smears and basic lab tests; pregnancy testing and options counseling; and sexually transmitted disease testing, counseling and treatment, for both men and women.
"If a woman tests positive for a pregnancy test, she is counseled by a trained professional on all options — to continue the pregnancy, to put the baby up for adoption or abortion," Green said.
She said the Lufkin clinic does refer clients to the Planned Parenthood clinics that perform abortions if the mother chooses.
According to Zeagler, Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas has yet to file a new grant application with the Temple Foundation. He said the foundation's Board of Trustees will review all the applications they receive on a case-by-case basis.
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