Roundup: CPCs on the Defensive

Aug 5, 2010, 9:41am

NARAL has crisis pregnancy centers in California running scared as Baltimore defends its posting requirements for CPCs. And in Utah, young women forget how to eat and seek medical care once they leave home, so they made a website.

NARAL Pro-Choice California has crisis pregnancy centers in a panic over their call for legislation to require the anti-abortion “clinics” to post a sign stating that they do not refer for abortion or birth control.

“NARAL is really putting pressure” on the crisis pregnancy centers, said Carol Hogan, California Catholic Conference spokeswoman.

LifeNews.com (inadvertently?) makes an excellent case as to why the legislation should pass:

The cover letter to NARAL’s report on the centers, “Unmasking Fake Clinics: The Truth About Crisis Pregnancy Centers in California,” notes that 41 percent of California counties do not have an abortion provider while 91 percent of California counties have at least one crisis pregnancy center.

“Our daughters, granddaughters, nieces and friends are at risk of unknowingly turning to one of these centers seeking honest and accurate information,” Amy Everitt, NARAL Pro-Choice California state director, said in the letter. “Misleading women, especially those struggling with difficult decisions, is unacceptable.”

Ironically, Vicki Evans, respect life coordinator in the Office of Public Policy and Social Concerns of the Archdiocese of San Francisco, says:

“NARAL’s use of ideology to trump science and medicine is bad enough, but its attempt to pass laws silencing those with opposing views is more alarming,” she said.

Wait a second, “ideology trumping science?” And defending “free speech?” Welcome to an alternate universe, where up is down, wet is dry, and cats and dogs are living together!

Meanwhile, in Baltimore, city officials are defending their notification requirements for crisis pregnancy centers in federal court. Last November, the city passed an ordinance the centers to post disclaimers that they do not provide or refer for abortion or birth control. The archdiocese then sued. The Baltimore Sun reports,

Attorneys from the city defended the law during the three-hour hearing, arguing that the signs protect expectant mothers who are seeking pregnancy information from being misled upon entering centers that oppose abortion.

Lawyers for the archdiocese argued that church counselors shouldn’t be forced to talk about procedures they disagree with, because any mention of abortion goes against what the church believes. Attorney David Kinkopf said the church was being targeted because of specific services it does not recognize as options, while other organizations were not mandated to offer alternative services, such as adoption.

But one of the arguments from the church is that they really DO provide birth control:

Sean Caine, Communications Director of the Archdiocese, says the law forces centers to say they don’t provide birth control, when they actually do.

“They provide education on abstinence,” says Caine. “They also provide information about natural family planning, which are both medically recognized as forms of birth control.”

U.S. District Judge Marvin J. Garbis is expected to make a ruling in a few months, but he said that “he believes people should know what services pregnancy centers offer and compared the law to the recently passed national legislation requiring credit companies to disclose interest information on long-term minimum payment plans.”

Mini-Roundup: The state of Utah has created a new website for young women’s health, that among other things, tells pre-pregnant women that “smart gals know when to take their vitamins.” Also, alcohol makes you ugly. Tell us, spokesperson, why is such a site necessary?

Many young women, “having relied on their mothers all their lives for maintaining health checkups and eating correctly, they leave home and they’re struggling with being able to assume that responsibility for themselves,” said Lois Bloebaum, who oversees the health department’s Maternal & Infant Health Program.

Our link issue is mostly squared away. Thank you for your patience!

August 4 and 5

Let’s have more nuanced debate on Kenya’s proposed constitution – The Guardian

Women’s groups to Congress: Allow ‘safe and legal abortion’ – GMA news.tv

Teaching our children about the ‘S’ word – The Express Tribune (blog)

Abortion ‘common among teenagers’ – Daily Nation

Keep the faith, Ms. Rice – change the venue – Washington Post (blog

‘Trust Women’ License Place Moves to Production Phase – Sun Gazette

GOP Senate candidate: No abortion in cases of rape or incest – Washington Post (blog)

Rights Group Denounces Illegality of Abortion in Philippines – New York Times

Watchdog rejects abortion ad complaints – Netdoctor

Archdiocese Of Baltimore Sues City Over Pro-Life Abortion Centers – WAMU