06-12-98 More Questions About Planned Parenthood



If I may respond to the seven Planned Parenthood "community supporters" who asserted that I inaccurately portrayed the organization with my comments and questions on the TWIST Program. The seven women argue without facts.

They claim TWIST, the drop-in center for minor children ages 17 and under, reaches "young people and families." How can this be when parental consent is never required for Planned Parenthood products and services'?

The seven women rationalize excluding parents in the Planned Parenthood sales process because New York law does not require it. True, but this it not to say the law prevents Planned Parenthood from reaching Out to parents. The law as written establishes "rights" for Planned Parenthood by denying the natural rights of parents.

The women also engage in the repeated and false assertion that Planned Parenthood's educational policies reduce teen pregnancy and disease. This is simply not true. Our country is witness to an epidemic among teens with sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) under the policies of Planned Parenthood. The Medical Institute for Sexual Health (MISH) reports -one in five Americans between the ages of 15 and 55 is now infected with an incurable viral STD. And teens are 10 times more susceptible to STDs than adults ... that's 2.5 million teens each year."

Commensurate with the increase in disease is the increase in Planned Parenthood's bank  Account. This "non-profit" organization has a profit making arm that persistently  markets to a target audience, the minor female, (read: somebody's daughter). First sold are the money-making contraceptives. The last "Service" sold is the likely abortion. Even sadder the "client" will return. In New York State, at least 45 percent of abortions are repeat abortions.

Never forget that Planned Parenthood is, first and foremost, big business. Like the tobacco industry, we could expose tile unregulated, un-scrutinized abortion industry 's marketing strategies to the same audience the tobacco companies target --our children.

Philip Christe

 Mount Kisco