I really enjoyed reading The Cross Eyed Bear's blog on the defunding of Planned Parenthood. Although at first I did not realize that they did abortions at that clinic, but after the big controversy arose a couple weeks ago I found out that was pretty much all they did. I read the back story on the founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, and found her whole approach to abortion and what we believe now to be very different. She actually promoted birth control, and even stated that the amount of abortions a year even back then were a disgrace to society. At first I heard a lot of people discussing how she was a racist and set out to kill minorities babies, but I feel the exact opposite, her view of the sexual anatomy and outlook on boys and girls at a young age was only to help and provide knowledge and birth control, and to prevent what could have been mistakes. She was an advocate, even when birth control was illegal. Nonetheless, in her 1938 autobiography, Sanger notes that her 1916 opposition to abortion was based on the taking of life: "To each group we explained what contraception was; that abortion was the wrong way—no matter how early it was performed it was taking life; that contraception was the better way, the safer way—it took a little time, a little trouble, but was well worth while in the long run, because life had not yet begun." She also stated that no one can doubt that there are times when an abortion is justifiable but they will become unnecessary when care is taken to prevent conception. This is the only cure for abortions. I definitely do not think our tax payers dollars should be funded for this type of program but do not blame Planned Parenthood for the rise in teen pregnancies or abortions. Knowledge really begins at home and it is the families responsiblity to inform their children on safe sex or no sex at all. But since so much money is spent on funding programs like Planned Parenthood and providing sex education in our schools, then I really do not feel it is the tax payers responsiblity to help out with clinics such as these. It doesn't seem to be changing things. Maybe everyone as a whole should focus on the planning part, and maybe if we changed our stance and became more of a Christian Society, then Christian tax payers who were pro-life may not be against the program as a whole. But seriously people be smart, there are ways to prevent pregnancy so use them. We now have the controversial Plan B and you can use it up to 5 days after unprotected sex.
