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“Black Children Are an Endangered Species” is a statement that is appearing on 80 billboards of different sizes in the African American neighborhoods of metro Atlanta. The face of a frightened child is seen on the billboards. These signs emerged in January and are expected to come down at the end of March.
On March 9, the pro-choice web site RH Reality Check held a news conference to refute charges that abortion clinics were targeting black women.
Dr. Vanessa Cullins, vice-president for medical affairs at Planned Parenthood Federation of America, maintains that the people behind the billboard campaign want to destroy Planned Parenthood within the African American community. She says that if they succeed in Georgia, they will use the same tactics across the country.
Ryan Bomberger of the Radiance Foundation, the group that designed the billboards, has said that pro-life activists in 10 other states and the District of Columbia want to sponsor the billboards. According to Diane Loupe of WOMENSENEWS, the source for this article, the statistic at the center of this controversy is the fact that black women are four to five times as likely to have an abortion as white women.
Carol Rowland, professor of epidemiology at Emory University near Atlanta, said that the reason for that higher rate of abortion is that black women have a higher rate of unintended pregnancies.
Catherine Davis is director of minority outreach for Georgia Right to Life, a predominantly white group that spent $20,000 to sponsor the billboards, (that figure is according to the Radiance Foundation.) Davis says that Planned Parenthood and other abortion providers are targeting the black community. Davis’ group maintains that abortion accomplishes what the Ku Klux Klan could only hope for – and that is the extermination of black people. What incendiary, dangerous talk! Not only is it outrageous, but it reeks of ignorance and a medieval thought process. I wonder what kind of education Ms. Davis and her fellow Georgia Right to Lifers have had.
Presently, Georgia Right to Life and other anti-abortion people are pushing a bill in the state legislature that would forbid abortion providers from targeting black communities or performing abortions based on a child’s race or sex. Do abortion providers actually do that targeting, and that race and sex selection? Not to my knowledge.
Loretta Ross, national coordinator of SisterSong, a pro-choice group, is lobbying to stop the bill. She said, “It is very hard to persuade African American women in the city of Atlanta that this legislation-headlined by rural white Republicans-is aimed at saving black families.”
Add a Comment19 Comments
This is a rediculous thread and you both need to stop. Let's have a pleasant discussion and empower eachother.
April 14, 2010 - 12:23pmThis Comment
I do not give anti-choice groups any credit at all. If you have any reason at all as to why I should give them credit, then please let me know. And I don't know what you mean by "intent."
April 13, 2010 - 12:15pmI am speculating that you have an agenda of your own you are pushing, and that is one of anti reproductive choice.
I am honest enough to come out and say what I believe in.
Anna
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Sorry, you're mistaken. The only agenda I have respect. You show absolutely none in any of the articles I've read from you. They're all condescending and rude. Makes me tune you out even when I agree with you. You're so consumed with YOUR agenda you see nothing but hate for those who with any time of opposing view. I swear if you said red was ugly, and someone else said it was pretty- you'd hate them and argue yourself to death!
April 13, 2010 - 12:49pmI'm just saying calm down a little... And stop being so paranoid that a pro-lifer is going jump out of your computer. geez.
This Comment
How ironic that you say your agenda is "respect." Calling me rude and condescending is certainly not showing me any respect. You speak in vast generalities, without specifically pointing out how I have been "condescending and rude", how I am "consumed with (my) agenda," and how I "hate" anyone with opposing views, how I "argue (myself) to death," and how you think I am "paranoid" about pro-lifers. If you can't substantiate your statements, then they are reduced to nothing more than cheap shots.
April 13, 2010 - 3:46pmGlad to see you you've read my articles.
Anna
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My proof began with my first comment- you wont even allow other opinions into your mind. But if you'd like more: There's the attacks on those who provided some solid information that you found disagreeable. Then there's the comment about the education of right to lifers and that they don't care about African Americans; and also the sweeping stereotype that "many" right to lifers resort to violence and murder. I believe that would be a select few or we'd be hearing about in the news several times a day. Also, your automatic assumption that I'm a raging right to lifer myself. Truth be told, that's not the case. I can understand why some women do it, but I also don't believe it should be used as common birth control.
April 14, 2010 - 12:12pmIf you fail to see that you are a rude, closed-minded individual who jumps to your little pocket of stereotypes and assumptions and believe anyone with an opposing view is automatically your enemy; then no amount of proof is going to help you out with that. That's just the way you choose to be.
And finally, I've shown a lot more class and respect than you so don't pull that condescending tone.
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Sorry, I don't really see your proof. For the sake of clarification I never said that you were a "raging right to lifer." I speculated that you were anti-choice.
April 14, 2010 - 12:47pmYou have made many personal offensive comments, and therefore I am not addressing any more of your messages.
Anna
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I was a manager at a Planned Parenthood clinic and would like to put to rest any notion that PP has any agenda besides that of offering reproductive health care and resources to women. Unlike the anti-choice individuals and groups, there is no judgement passed on a woman's choice whether to terminate or continue a pregnancy. Because PP does not at all push women into making one choice or the other, there is no hidden agenda. Planned Parenthood's role as a health care provider dictates that they offer medical screening, treatment, and counseling free of judgement or bias. If you want to look at the alleged origins of PP and say that what they are doing now is therefore disqualified or tarnished, I would look back to the days of abortion being illegal and women not having access to safe and confidential choices due to the agenda of the government and religious organizations affecting health care. The only agenda that Planned Parenthood has is to make sure that women have the resources and support they need in order to make their own individual choices. I am very thankful that Planned Parenthood exists and is helping to keep women healthy and empowered.
April 1, 2010 - 5:58pmSincerely,
Maya
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Hi Susan,
April 1, 2010 - 4:18pmI don't think the Nazi comparison is moot. You said that the origins of Planned Parenthood are very shameful. The origins of the moon landing are extremely shameful to say the least. This does not mean the moon landing is worthless.
You said that some people might believe that Planned Parenthood has a hidden agenda. They are entitled to their beliefs. I do not understand what this has to do with the latest dramatic and fear mongering tactic, (billboards depicting a frightened child), by pro lifers to try to stop women from having abortions.
Loretta Ross, who I mentioned in the article, said that the attempt to pass that anti abortion bill the pro lifers are pushing is part of a strategy in order to build a base of support for right-wing causes in the communities of color and "not so incidentally, to set the women's movement back several decades."
Anna
This Comment
Susan,
April 1, 2010 - 3:25pmPlanned Parenthood as well as other abortion providers are being accused of targeting the black community for abortions. You mentioned that Planned Parenthood is not open about its goals. Are you saying that it has a hidden agenda?
I do not know if right to life groups are using anyone's alleged fears to further their propaganda. I do not think that any implication of Planned Parenthood in fostering those fears should be used as an excuse for fear mongering billboards aimed at stopping a woman's reproductive choice.
You said that the origins of Planned Parenthood are very shameful. The Nazis invented the science that put a man on the moon. I don't think the moon landing should should be discredited or dismissed because of the origins of the technology that made it happen.
Planned Parenthood does great work today and now.
Anna
This Comment