Virginia Calcagni, Special to Southern News-
For over 90 years, Planned Parenthood has been almost a safe haven for many women, a place to go if you could not afford health care, or couldn’t talk to your parents about sex.
On Feb. 18, the U.S. House of Representatives voted and passed to take away funding for Planned Parenthood health centers.
This vote bars and takes away all federal funding for the services of Planned Parenthood including birth control, cancer screenings, HIV testing, and other lifesaving care.
The worse blow about this could possibly be that the House has voted to allow the Pentagon to continue using taxpayers’ money to sponsor NASCAR racing teams.
Seven million dollars to fund NASCAR sponsors, but they vote to cut funding for a health care center for people who need help, people who have nowhere else to go get screenings, or their birth control.
This action could be called an attack on women’s health. There are people young and old that count on Planned Parenthood for their basic doctor appointments, screenings, or just birth control.
Planned Parenthood is also known to a lot of people as being a safe haven. I remember when I first heard about Planned Parenthood, it was talked about as being a clinic that helps women, and it is confidential.
Teenpregnancy.org, a site managed by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, states that there are “750,000 teen pregnancies annually.”
Confidential is the most important word; women are able to walk into Planned Parenthood, make an appointment, or ask for birth control, and are able to receive it without the fear that their parents may find out.
Without the fear of getting yelled at or kicked out their houses, young women are able to be on birth control for a reasonable price, and without the fear that their parents will find out.
There are women who rely on the confidentiality of Planned Parenthood. It is a place to go when you have questions you need answered, tests, or a hand to hold because you are going through a rough sexual experience.
Having experienced the good environment, the kindness, and willingness to help of the people who work and volunteer at Planned Parenthood, it is horrible to see funding get taken away.
It makes no sense to vote to cut off funding to a health care clinic, but to continue using $7,000,000 for a NASCAR advertisement campaign. NASCAR is one of the top sports in America, with tons of money, and tons of advertising. Where does any of this make sense?
However, the biggest debate as to why the House of Representatives took away funding for Planned Parenthood would be abortion. Planned Parenthood offers the option of abortion (only specific locations, usually in larger cities offer abortion). Pro-choice and pro-life are two terms that are heard often, and finding pro-life supporters outside of Planned Parenthood abortion clinics are a usual occurrence, however the abortions are not funded by government.
Taking away the ability to receive confidential funded professional care takes away the ability for some women to get checkups and exams, STD/STI testing, cancer screenings, and birth control, going to your regular gynecologist, doctor, or hospital.
MTV must be excited with funding being cut for Planned Parenthood I’m sure they can taste all the applications coming in for “16 and Pregnant.”
How could the government take away something that is there to help people, and prevent disease and ignorance of sexual information?
Social networks, for example: Facebook had users starting groups to support Planned Parenthood, and one of them sent visitors to a website so they were able to sign a petition to try and stop this horrific law from going forward.
Sign the petition; help Planned Parenthood continue what they have been doing for over 90 years.
