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Pregnancy centers draw tax money, criticism from abortion-rights groups
South Florida Sun-Sentinel ^ | August 28 2006 | Patty Pensa

Posted on 08/28/2006 10:10:49 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o

Jennifer Hernandez walked in still unsure how the rest of her life would unfold.

At age 19, would she give up college to raise her baby? Or would she abort, the ultimatum her boyfriend made.

Hernandez, of Sunrise, left Hope Pregnancy Centers knowing what she would do.

"It was the biggest decision I have ever made," said Hernandez, now 31. "In retrospect, I would do it all over again."

Like most women counseled at the local crisis pregnancy centers, Hernandez decided to keep her son.

There's no mistaking how the Hope Pregnancy Centers -- like the estimated 4,000 centers across the country -- fit into the enduring debate over abortion. The centers' efforts to curtail the number of abortions, one woman at a time, are turning the heads of pro-choice advocates who say the centers scare and deceive women. While national reports decry their tactics, government funding is on the rise: Gov. Jeb Bush last year began a $2-million-a-year program that pays centers for counseling women.

[Criticism] does not bother center administrators such as McDonald, who believes strongly in what the centers do.

"I believe any rational person who really understands what we do wouldn't level those kinds of [negative]opinions," McDonald said. "We never tell her she doesn't have a choice. It's totally legal in our society. It's a choice everyone knows about."

Patty Pensa can be reached at ppensa@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6609.

(Excerpt) Read more at sun-sentinel.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; US: Florida
KEYWORDS: counseling; cpc; crisispregnancy; pregnancy; pregnancycenters; prolife
"One received a letter after her visit that said,"I'm thinking of you and your baby, who now has fingers and toes."

I was pleased to receive a heart-warming message very similar to this years ago, when I was pregnant with my splendid son, Ben (now a funny, smart,and very handsone young man of 16.)

I'm sure the woman who sent the message meant it to be friendly and supportive. For the woman who found this unaccountably "unsettling," I can only feel sorry for her. Sorry that, in her heart, she had no love for the child then, or now.

1 posted on 08/28/2006 10:10:51 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o
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To: Yaelle; Alouette; wagglebee; ELS

ping


2 posted on 08/28/2006 10:14:42 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o ("Pray (pray!) Oh yes we pray (Pray!) - We've got to pray just to make it today." ---- MC Hammer)
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To: Mrs. Don-o
The centers' efforts to curtail the number of abortions, one woman at a time, are turning the heads of pro-choice advocates who say the centers scare and deceive women.

Oh sure they're "pro-choice". They just want women to make the "choice" to abort.

3 posted on 08/28/2006 10:15:23 AM PDT by Paleo Conservative
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To: Mrs. Don-o
I may believe abortion should remain legal (at least pre-viability). But make donations, when I can, to organizations like this.
4 posted on 08/28/2006 10:16:32 AM PDT by Celtjew Libertarian ("Don't take life so seriously. You'll never get out of it alive." -- Bugs Bunny)
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To: Mrs. Don-o
"It was the biggest decision I have ever made," said Hernandez, now 31. "In retrospect, I would do it all over again."

Yeah, well, I'm sure for every Jennifer Hernandez, there's a woman out there who everytime she wakes up from a full night sleep, or hears some squeeling brat in a restaurant, or climbs behind the wheel of a luxury automobile, or sees herself looking sexy and svelte in a dressing room mirror, she thanks God that she lives in a country where it's legal to have that baby ripped from her womb, evicerated by swirling knives and vacumed out and flushed away...

Owl_Eagle

If what I just wrote made you sad or angry,
it was probably just a joke.

5 posted on 08/28/2006 10:17:07 AM PDT by End Times Sentinel (In Memory of my Dear Friend Henry Lee II)
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To: Mrs. Don-o

>The centers' efforts to curtail the number of abortions, one woman at a time, are turning the heads of pro-choice advocates who say the centers scare and deceive women.<

Have you ever read about abortions? It should scare you.


6 posted on 08/28/2006 10:23:51 AM PDT by Tzimisce (How Would Mohammed Vote? Hillary for President! www.dndorks.com)
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To: Celtjew Libertarian

I certainly respect you for supporting pregnancy aid centers. I do have a couple of questions for you, if you don't mind, especially relating to the fact that you describe yourself as a libertarian:

(1) If I understand you correctly, you support legalized abortion until viability. "Viability" is not a measure of the humanity or moral worthiness of the conceived child; rather, it is a measure of the efficiency of the child's support systems, both maternal and technological.

That being the case, how is it just to deprive the conceived child of his life, without due process, not as a punishment for any crime he committed, but only because of the inadequacy of his support systems?

(2) Do you believe there is such a thing as "parental responsibility"? Does it exist for male as well as female parents? If so, when, how, and why does it arise in the case of the father of the child?

I am sincerely interested in your answers.


7 posted on 08/28/2006 10:53:35 AM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (Mammalia Primatia Hominidae Homo sapiens. Still working on the "sapiens" part.)
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To: Mrs. Don-o
(1) If I understand you correctly, you support legalized abortion until viability. "Viability" is not a measure of the humanity or moral worthiness of the conceived child; rather, it is a measure of the efficiency of the child's support systems, both maternal and technological.

Actually, that is the point where I believe a fetus becomes a human being. I'd expand on my reasons for that, but I don't have the time for a long answer at the moment.

That said, before the point of viability, a fetus deserves respect as a potential human. Morally, I believe abortion should be the last resort for extraordinary cases. However, I don't believe law should be based on morality, but on rights. As a potential human, a pre-viable fetus does not yet have those rights.

(2) Do you believe there is such a thing as "parental responsibility"? Does it exist for male as well as female parents? If so, when, how, and why does it arise in the case of the father of the child?

I believe in parental responsibility.... As for the father, I generally take it on a case-by-case basis.... Put it this way: I'm the step-father of a young woman, for whom I'm quite glad the genetic father did not take responsibility.

8 posted on 08/28/2006 1:42:03 PM PDT by Celtjew Libertarian ("Don't take life so seriously. You'll never get out of it alive." -- Bugs Bunny)
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To: Celtjew Libertarian
I'm sorry you didn't have time to explain why viability -- which measures, not the humanity of the conceived child, but the adequacy of the support system --- would be a boundary between human and not-human. But kindly bookmark this so you can explain later, when you do have time. I really am interested.

The key to "personhood" cannot be that an individual possesses an optimally developed, continuously-exhibited rational mind. None of us do.

Rationality is inherited as an active potential --- something which, given proper nurture, support, and environment, can be expected to develop over time.

And no matter how well-developed it is, it is never exercised continuously. Our experience of it is intermittent.

It is hard to directly measure at any stage; even when we are fetuses, neonates, toddlers, and small children --- as well as in my 92-year-old father--- episodes of identifiably rational thinking are rare. My own rational mind is not manifest before my first cup of coffee in the morning. Nevertheless, at every age and stage we possess our genetic human identity: and human rights begin where human life begins.

Human identity is genetic, not performance-oriented. And human dignity extends to any being which belongs to the rational kind. That includes humankind: every man and woman, and all of their offspring. And upon these criteria, it would also include hobbits, dwarves, elves, wizards, vulcans, romulans, klingons, cardassians, and any other species we may run into which possesses even potential or intermittent intelligence. (Speaking hypothetically, of course: ref. LOTR and Star Trek.)

And all of their offspring.

:^)

9 posted on 08/28/2006 2:04:16 PM PDT by Mrs. Don-o (Mammalia Primatia Hominidae Homo sapiens. Still working on the "sapiens" part.)
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To: Mrs. Don-o; 2ndMostConservativeBrdMember; afraidfortherepublic; Alas; al_c; american colleen; ...
I'm glad JEB is doing something, the rest of his family could learn from him.
 
Call the President and your members of Congress and demand parity.  If Planned Parenthood can receive $265 million in Title X and Federal Grant Money, they should do the same with Crisis Pregnancy Centers and while you are at it, ask them why the morals-and-values Congress and Administration continues to give money to the largest abortion provider in the nation.  They should stop Title X appropriations right away.
 
Planned Parenthood Refers to Dobson, Others as "Terrorists"
 
You should contact Planned Parenthood and let them know how you feel about this taxpayer-funded organization calling pro-life leaders terrorists. And then you can Contact: Bush, Hastert and Frist and ask them why they pass Title X funds every year so that PP can kill 250,000 more babies each year.
 
Title X was created, written and passed by Congressman George HW Bush and signed into law by President Nixon. Planned Parenthood, took in $265 million in government grants and contracts in 2003-2004 and killed 244,628 unborn children.   Remember, it's our morals-and-values Congress and Executive who introduce, vote on and sign the Title X bill every year that supports this organization.
 
www.StopPlannedParenthoodTaxFunding.com
 
60 of 61

TITLE X

The flood gates of government money to Planned Parenthood began to open when the Title X program of the Health and Human Services Act was passed into law in 1970. It was introduced in congress by George H. W. Bush.   A thorough description of the Title X program can be found on the web site of the Department of Health and Human Services.

Besides being America's largest abortion provider it also part of the eugenics plan of Margaret Sanger.  Don't be fooled by the "family planning" aspect of the agency.

Here is a short summary of that description:

The Title X program is the only federal program devoted solely to the provision of family planning and reproductive health care. The program is designed to provide access to contraceptive supplies and information to all who want and need them with priority given to low-income persons.

Title X service funds are allocated to the ten DHHS regional offices. The regional offices manage the competitive review process, make grant awards and monitor program performance. Services are delivered through a network of community-based clinics that include state and local health departments, hospitals, university health centers, Planned Parenthood affiliates, independent clinics, and public and non-profit agencies.

According to a study done by the United States government's General Accounting Office, in 2001, Planned Parenthood received $59,027,083 in Title X funds.

ACTION ITEM: All opponents of Planned Parenthood should immediately contact members of congress (see list of committees below) to put an end to the Title X program. The minimum that should be accepted is that Title X stop funding giving underage girls access to "family planning."

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE

A full list of what congressional committees are responsible for the appropriation and authorizing these funds that support Planned Parenthood can be found in the GAO report on page 10.  The House Votes on the Bill and the President Signs it.  Contact your representatives.

Here are the Pro-Death Clinton administration annual funding of Planned Parenthood compared to the "Pro-Life" Bush administration annual Planned Parenthood funding.  (Compiled by The American Life League)

The total amount recieved under the Clinton administration was $1,279,000,000

The break down by year is :

1993- $  78,900,000
1994- $158,800,000
1995- $163,100,000
1996- $171,900,000
1997- $177,500,000
1998- $165,000,000
1999- $176,500,000
2000- $187,300,000

The largest amount recieved was $187,300,000 in the year 2000

The total amount (to date) received under the  Bush(43) administration is $1,235,900,000

2001- $202,700,000
2002- $240,900,000
2003- $254,400,000
2004- $265,200,000
2005- $272,700,000
2006- data not yet in

The largest amount (to date) recieved was $272,700,000 in the year 2005

If the yearly amount climbs by $10 million each year (as seems to be the approximate climb), the total  for the Bush administration should be about $1,809,900,000.


10 posted on 09/01/2006 1:28:06 PM PDT by Coleus (I Support Research using the Ethical, Effective and Moral use of stem cells: non-embryonic "adult")
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To: Coleus; nickcarraway; narses; Mr. Silverback; Canticle_of_Deborah; TenthAmendmentChampion; ...
Pro-Life PING

Please FreepMail me if you want on or off my Pro-Life Ping List.

11 posted on 09/01/2006 4:13:35 PM PDT by cpforlife.org (A Catholic Respect Life Curriculum is available at KnightsForLife.org)
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To: Coleus
Wait wait WAIT!

Are you trying to say that President Bush is not Pro-Life!? I mean, come on. Are you proposing that people should look at your post about Title X and a draw some crazy conclusion that he's not 100% solid on the Pro-Life issues? That's outrageous. I mean he did nominate Harriet Meyers, but he can't have a litmus test. And he did just allow Plan B to be sold OTC. But he's not a Doctor so he can't be held accountable, I mean come on, the FDA approved that years ago.

No, I'm fairly sure Dubya is the great Pro-Life President and is fighting the war on terror of the unborn as tough as the war on Islamo-fascism.
12 posted on 09/01/2006 4:57:01 PM PDT by cpforlife.org (A Catholic Respect Life Curriculum is available at KnightsForLife.org)
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To: Mrs. Don-o
The centers' efforts to curtail the number of abortions, one woman at a time, are turning the heads of pro-choice advocates who say the centers scare and deceive women.

This is the biggest lie I've ever heard. I worked at our local crisis pregnancy center for a year. We counseled the clients, gave them the facts, and prayed with them.
The last thing we ever would have done is to deceive & scare them. They are already scared.
13 posted on 09/02/2006 6:36:13 AM PDT by bearsgirl90
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To: Mrs. Don-o
Stop Planned Parenthood Tax Funding by republican members of Congress
14 posted on 09/25/2006 7:35:09 PM PDT by Coleus (Roe v. Wade and Endangered Species Act both passed in 1973, Murder Babies/save trees, geese, algae)
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