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A Little Research Makes Convert of Planned Parenthood Backer

salonWhenever you tell someone that you’re opposed to contraception, people look at you like you’re crazy. Or like you’re a right-wing wacko. So I enjoyed reading this article by Kirsten Powers, who happens to be a Democrat.

The opening lines of her article, “Busting the Birth Control Myth,” really grabbed my attention:

During the recent debate over whether to cut off government funding to Planned Parenthood, the organization claimed that its contraceptive services prevent a half-million abortions a year. Without their services, the group’s officials insist, more women will get abortions.

I’ll admit I bought the argument—it makes intuitive sense—and initially opposed cutting off funding for precisely that reason.

Then I did a little research.

Powers goes on to explain that pro-contraceptive/”abortion rights” publications themselves are the ones providing the evidence that proves that the availability of contraception has only increased abortion. (We explore this connection on our FAQ page.)

Ad Homs Abound on Comment Page

But, because the presumption is that anyone opposed to contraception is a conservative nut, there’s been a lot of (admittedly amusing) ranting about Powers’ political leanings.

Here’s a sample from the comments page:

powers21

This, my friends, is a favorite logical fallacy of mine, the ad hominem: Your argument is wrong because you’re ugly. Or because you’re a conservative/not liberal enough, in this case.

Here are links to Powers’ bio, for those interested in seeing her liberal credentials (here and here).

I don’t have hours to read through every comment, so there may be better ones, but here’s my absolute favorite, from Elaine Mills:

I hate it when women like this give blondes a bad name. This is such trach [sic] I can’t even believe that The Daily Beast printed it. LIES and more LIES by FOX

Planned Parenthood’s Real Agenda

Another scary tidbit that Powers points out is found on page 78 of Planned Parenthood’s 990 form [pdf].

According to its most recent tax filing, the purpose of Planned Parenthood Federation of America is to provide leadership in “[a]chieving, through informed individual choice, a U.S. population of stable size in an optimum environment; in stimulating and sponsoring relevant biomedical, socio-economic, and demographic research.”

Overall the article is worth the read, and I’m glad to welcome anyone who wants to join the “non-contraception” camp!

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