Behind The Assault On Planned Parenthood by Ryan Grim, The Huffington Post

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/02/24/planned-parenthood-funding_n_827886.html 

This blog posted on the Huffington Post’s website by writer Ryan Grim attempts to sort out the truth and fiction behind recent allegations made against Planned Parenthood after a college student, Lila Rose, went undercover as a potential patient to videotape her interactions with Planned Parenthood program staff. Rose sets up scenarios in which she portrays a pregnant underage teen trying to obtain an abortion, and at another clinic she teams up with another actor to portray members of a human trafficking ring. Rose has released her videotapes alleging that Planned Parenthood staff violated the law, and in other instances acted unethically, such as by allegedly pushing a patient to obtain an abortion while discouraging adoption as a viable option.

The videotapes have been promoted and circulated by conservative media as a smear campaign against Planned Parenthood, and of even more concern, Republican leaders have cited the videotapes as just cause for stripping the organization of its federal funding. Republican figures such as Mike Pence of Indiana and Cliff Stearns of Indiana back up Rose’s accusations that Planned Parenthood gave out unlawful information as well as neglected to report knowledge of criminal activity. 

Ryan Grim takes a closer look at these videos, the only ‘evidence’ held forth to support claims of wrongdoing by Planned Parenthood staff. Along with his analysis of the full length videos, he provides readers with a link to the videos to watch and formulate their own opinion: http://big.assets.huffingtonpost.com/AppletonTranscript.pdf

A full viewing of the videotapes becomes quite telling, exposing Rose’s use of heavy editing and splicing to create the story she wants told, the stance promoted by the Republican agenda. While Planned Parenthood provides a vast array of affordable, much-needed and often life-saving services to women of all ages, the far right narrows these services down to the hot button issues of abortion and sex education in schools. I agree with this blogger’s take on the videotapes; remove Rose’s creative editing and the allegations evaporate.

Will America take a deeper look at the sensationalized materials that grabbed their attention, or will they choose to cling to the propaganda that made headlines and furthered the political goals of one party? I hope for the former, but fear the latter.  I also hope that this author is right about the potentially overwhelming support women will offer in order to keep Planned Parenthood’s doors open; he cites that one in five women have accessed this community clinic for women’s health services, making it a well recognized and established institution for American women. I believe that closing Planned Parenthood’s doors would be an attack on women and their right to affordable healthcare, choice, and privacy; the de-funding of this organization is just one of many legislative tactics this session aimed at stripping women of individual liberties.

Read the post, and you may be concerned enough to get involved yourself. Follow the link below to become a supporter of Planned Parenthood:

http://www.plannedparenthoodaction.org/