THE WEDNESDAY STOPP REPORT
Behold the Lord, Jesus Christ, who tries so hard to get our attention
Thanksgiving Special Edition
Giving thanks to
God for all of the victories against PP in 2007!
Here at American Life League, we are in the process of
conducting our annual survey of Planned Parenthood locations across the United
States. The survey will be completed in December
and we’ll let you know the results. But, it now appears that, once again,
despite a clear emphasis by Planned Parenthood to open new clinics in 2007, it
will have closed more than it opened.
That fact led us to thank God for directing our efforts
against Planned Parenthood. On this Thanksgiving, we look back to some of the
victories in the battle against Planned Parenthood this year. A total list is
much too long for this weekly report, but we bring you below some of the
significant ones in the various areas where we fight Planned Parenthood. The
victories, of course, are not those of any one group, but of pro-life people
all across the nation who come together to fight the evil that is Planned
Parenthood. To God goes all the glory.
Planned Parenthood losing in public
image war
Planned Parenthood
forced to sneak into communities
Planned Parenthood has always tried to gain a
positive public image, but its failure to do so became readily apparent as it
worked to sneak into cities of Oregon, Illinois
and Colorado. Admitting
that if the public knew that these facilities were owned by Planned Parenthood
it would be the subject of much opposition by the communities.
- The 22,000 sq. ft. Planned
Parenthood abortion facility was delayed in its opening thanks to the
pro-lifers in Aurora, Illinois
Special thanks to Eric Scheidler and the Fox Valley Families Against
Planned Parenthood as they continue to mobilize thousands of people to
fight against this killing center.
- The pro-lifers in Portland,
Oregon are putting up a fight
against the Planned Parenthood abortion mill that is scheduled to be built
there. Bill Diss and the Precious Children of Portland have put together
what many visitors are calling the most ecumenical fight against Planned
Parenthood in the country. Catholics, Protestants, Evangelicals and
Muslims are all working together to stop this clinic from being built in a
predominantly African-American neighborhood.
- Planned Parenthood in Denver,
Colorado is facing incredible
opposition to its plans to build a 50,000 sq. ft abortion facility that is
scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2008. Will Duffy and Colorado
Families Against Planned Parenthood are working hard to keep PP out of Denver.
Archbishop Chaput and the Colorado Catholic Conference have issued a statement
condemning Planned Parenthood and imploring citizens to fight against this
clinic using “every legal and ethical means at their disposal.”
Clinic
income declines for first time in 50 years!
Planned
Parenthood’s image problem is affecting its bottom line. According to Planned
Parenthood’s 2005-2006 annual report, its clinic income actually went down $1.7
million from the previous year. Although this is not a very large decline, it
is the first year-to-year decline for Planned Parenthood in over 50 years
Keeping Planned Parenthood out of our
schools!
The following are just a few stories
from pro-lifers who have worked together to keep PP out of the schools and away
from their children.
- Parents of eighth grade students oppose Planned
Parenthood
When
several parents from the Fieldstone
Secondary School in New
York were informed that PP would be teaching the sex
education in their school, the parents immediately took action and
contacted the principal of the school and demanded that Planned Parenthood
not be allowed near their children. Thanks to the parents, the school
revoked PP’s invitation and will no longer allow PP there.
- STOPPers celebrate victory in North
Rockland, New York
On May 16, pro-lifers celebrated a major victory in the North
Rockland school district. In the school board election, two
opponents of Planned Parenthood were elected. In the process, they
defeated the current president of the school board who was reportedly a
very strong supporter of Planned Parenthood.
- Planned Parenthood suffers major loss in Missouri
Governor Matt Blunt of Missouri
signed into law House
Bill 1055. HB 1055 not only classifies abortion facilities as
ambulatory surgical centers but, more importantly, it bans people
affiliated with abortion providers from teaching or supplying materials
for public school sex-ed courses. This will keep Planned Parenthood out of
all the schools in the state of Missouri!
Political
world
Since American
Life League is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization, we do not endorse or
oppose any candidates for public office, but we are happy to report the
following successes in the battle against Planned Parenthood.
- Congress takes vote on Planned Parenthood funding
In July of this
year, 45 percent of the U.S. House of Representatives voted to deny all Title X
funds to Planned Parenthood, by name. It was the first time ever that PP had
faced such a vote. To come so close to losing is evidence of the growing
political problems facing PP.
- Illinois governor takes some Planned
Parenthood dollars out of state budget
Illinois
governor Rod Blagojevich used his veto power to remove a total of $463
million from the state budget that had been passed by lawmakers. As part
of the cuts, a $65,000 grant to Planned Parenthood in east central Illinois
was axed.
- California legislature denies PP a $24 million budget
increase
On August 24, California’s $145.5 billion state budget for 2007-2008
passed, but it did not include an increase in reimbursement rates for
Medi-Cal services. This was a major defeat for PP.
Planned
Parenthood’s legal and other problems
More
evidence of Planned Parenthood’s public relations woes include:
- Planned Parenthood must defend itself against criminal
charges
In Overland
Park, Kansas, the local
district attorney, Phill Kline, has filed 107 criminal charges against Planned
Parenthood for violating provisions of the state’s abortion laws.
- Federal appellate court rules against Planned
Parenthood in contraceptive coverage suit
The New York Times reported that the
8th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruled that Union Pacific's health plans did
not violate the Pregnancy Discrimination Act and the company would not be
required to cover contraception.
- Hannity’s America
exposes Planned Parenthood’s lies and deceit
The Hannity’s America program on the Fox News Channel aired a
story that focused on the lies and deceit being practiced across the
country by Planned Parenthood.
- Planned Parenthood denied United
Way funds in upstate New York
Planned Parenthood of Buffalo and Erie
County in New
York asked United
Way for $3,000 to help cover moving expenses due
to its merger and United Way
said no.
- Planned Parenthood event brings in only one teen
The first attempt for Planned
Parenthood’s “Real Life. Real Talk.” workshop in Texas
was a failure for Planned Parenthood. No one showed up. The second
attempt, held at the Church of the Heavenly Rest, an Episcopal church in Abilene,
brought in only one teen.
- A Catholic University
stops running Planned Parenthood ads
President Charles J. Dougherty of Duquesne
University has ordered
the campus radio station WDUQ to stop running Planned
Parenthood advertisements.
- Planned Parenthood Federation of America
pleads for help
Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s President Cecile Richards
has sent out e-mail blasts pleading for help for PP in an effort to tread
water as the pro-lifers continue to fight this evil organization!
Protest success!
We thank God for the
talented people who created the American Life League Map Room
that is helping people all across the nation coordinate their efforts against
Planned Parenthood. The following are stories that we have collected this year
thanks to all of YOU and your work in defeating Planned Parenthood.
- Pennsylvania citizens refuse to be
intimidated by Planned Parenthood
Pro-lifers in West Chester,
Pennsylvania continued their
prayerful witness and saved a baby’s life despite Planned Parenthood’s
favorite scare tactic, pledge a protester program.
- 6,400 signatures collected to convene a grand jury
A
group called LIFE Coalition was
able to collect 6,400 signatures to assemble a grand jury in the
investigation of Planned Parenthood in Overland
Park, Kansas.
- 40 Days for Life vigils at Planned Parenthood
Thirty-nine Planned Parenthood clinics were included in the many across
the country that had pro-lifers praying outside as part of 40 Days for
Life led nationally by David Bereit
- Planned Parenthood employee leaves and cancels her
abortion
A Planned Parenthood employee
decided not to have an abortion and planned to quit her job after speaking
with a pro-lifer in Silver Spring,
Maryland.
- Peaceful protest affects PP security guard
A volunteer escort security guard at a Planned Parenthood in San
Antonio, Texas ended
up taking off his PP smock and went home for the day after a peaceful
protest got to him.
- Texans stand to protect children from Planned
Parenthood
Two vans full of children from a local church were spared Planned
Parenthood’s manipulation when their youth pastor spoke with protesters.
He was told that the conference was intended to teach abstinence. He had
no idea of PP’s involvement. The two vans left and they did not attend the
PP conference.
- College students protest International
Planned Parenthood’s actions
Students at the University
of Mary Washington in Fredericksburg,
Virginia participated in a
peaceful demonstration called “Food Not Condoms.” The protest was in
opposition to the contraception ideology International Planned Parenthood
pushes on impoverished nations.
- California STOPPers employ unique tactic in
fighting Planned Parenthood
A group of women in Napa,
California carry red umbrellas,
as symbol of blood shed, in front of the Planned Parenthood abortion
facility. The director of Birthright in Napa
reported that a client came in and said, “The red umbrella ladies sent me
here.”
- Picketing Planned Parenthood fundraiser in DC
On the evening of January 22, after participating in the March for Life,
several youth who participated in Rock for Life’s training and activism
weekend held a demonstration outside a Planned Parenthood fundraiser in Washington,
D.C. After learning the time
and location, they arrived a few hours prior to the event to chalk on the
sidewalk in front of the wine bar. The PP donors were then greeted by
pro-life messages even before they walked in the doors.
Babies
Saved from Planned Parenthood
Of course, the ultimate reason for our work is to
save the lives of babies scheduled to die at Planned Parenthood abortion mills.
This year, God granted us many victories and saved the lives of a number of
children because of your faithful witness outside the killing centers. Here are
just a few of the accounts of babies who will be celebrating their first
Thanksgiving this year, thanks to your efforts:
- Three lives saved from Planned Parenthood in three
weeks
Thirteen people participated in the abortion-day Prayer Vigil at Sarasota
Planned Parenthood in Florida.
At least three people contacted Sarasota
Medical Pregnancy
Center after speaking
with a sidewalk counselor in front of Planned Parenthood. And, for the
third time in three weeks, one of those was an abortion-minded mother who
decided to keep her baby.
- Baby’s life saved from Planned Parenthood in Pennsylvania
A Hispanic woman went in for an abortion even after pro-lifers tried
counseling her; however she did take some of the pro-life literature in
with her. Twenty minutes later she came back out and decided to choose
life after reading the pro-life brochure in Spanish.
- Babies saved from Planned Parenthood in Colorado
Since January 22 of this year, members of Colorado Right to Life have
reported at least seven babies whose lives have been spared because their
mothers changed their minds after talking with the peaceful, prayerful
protesters outside of the PP mill in Denver.
- Babies' lives saved from Planned Parenthood in Florida
During the month of February,
we received reports of at least two babies that were saved by the members
of Sarasota/Manatee Right to Life. In addition, there were also several
women who stopped on their way into PP and then left before ever entering
the clinic.
- Life saved at Planned Parenthood
A life has been saved outside of a Planned Parenthood in Bryan,
Texas. The mother, who was a
young woman, came up to the pro-lifers at a local restaurant and thanked
them for being outside of the PP because, thanks to them, she decided not
to have an abortion.
- High school student’s role vital in saving a baby from
Planned Parenthood
On Saturday, March 10, a student from Mariamante Academy in
Fredericksburg, Virginia saved a baby's life in Washington D.C. As one of
his teachers and some of his schoolmates looked on, Piero, who speaks
fluent Spanish, approached a Spanish-speaking couple outside the Planned
Parenthood abortion clinic on 16th
Street and engaged them in conversation. In the
end, the couple did not abort their child.
- Baby saved in Nebraska
Outside of a PP location in Lincoln,
Nebraska, a husband dropped his
wife off and the wife indicated that she had several young children at
home and walked inside the abortion facility. Each Friday, 40 to 80 prayer
people stand in witness to life as the abortion deaths are done. An hour
later the husband pulled up again at the end of the driveway. As the woman
walked past us, she smiled this beautiful smile and said, "I have
changed my mind!"
Special Thanks
We
give special thanks to American Life League president Judie Brown, our chief
operating officer Paul Brown, and all of our financial supporters for giving us
the tools needed to conduct this all-out effort against the operator of the
nation’s largest abortion chain.
Together
with you, the dedicated and persistent people all across this nation, we know
that we will see the day when Planned Parenthood is no more.
PRAISE
GOD FOR ALL OF THE BLESSINGS HE HAS GRANTED ALL OF US THROUGHOUT THIS YEAR.
May
all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving.
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