Over the weekend, I was very encouraged to see the turnout and the passion at the Protest Planned Parenthood rally in D.C. Concerned Americans rallied at over half of the nation’s Planned Parenthood facilities. In fact, so far 280 of the 353 cities reported a total of more than 68,000 people rallying in 49 states and six countries at the largest protest of Planned Parenthood since its existence.
This is historic. The Washington Post reported on the “thousands” of protesters, but that number will likely be above 100,000 participants once all of the cities have been tallied-up.
The national momentum to investigate and defund Planned Parenthood is growing. There are now 13 states that have announced investigations and five states that have defunded their state Planned Parenthood. Yet, we must keep up the pressure. The rallies gave an opportunity for those who felt horrified and helpless after watching the gruesome videos released by the Center for Medical Progress to do something in their very own communities and stand up for women who are being exploited and for the unborn babies whose organs are being trafficked.
Planned Parenthood’s other non-abortion services can easily be replaced by the close to 15,000 federally-qualified health centers. In fact, Planned Parenthood’s annual report reveals that such preventive services as cancer screening and prevention programs and prenatal services, have dropped by half, while its abortion numbers remain up. And, by the way, Planned Parenthood provides no mammograms.
Not only can we do without Planned Parenthood, but we are better off defunding it so that over half a billion taxpayer dollars will be available to comprehensive women’s health clinics that actually care for women’s health.
We must continue to urge Congress and state leaders both to investigate Planned Parenthood for its blatant human rights abuses and defund it. Please join over 20,000 and sign this FRC petition calling for Congress to remove funds from Planned Parenthood. What the rallies across the country have shown is that our voices joined together are making an impact. We need to keep the pressure up in our local communities and states so that this organization does not benefit from one more dime of taxpayer funds and that it will be investigated for its indisputably evil practices.
