Today’s weather has been lame. It’s icky, yucky, rainy and dreary. I’ve been so spoiled this past week that today has thrown me into a lazy girl funk! At work I didn’t want to do anything. Now that I’m home I don’t want to do anything.
Blah…
I had a bowl of fire roasted tomato soup with crackers for lunch just to warm myself up.
Since today is President’s Day and the girls were home from school I gave Linsey a little “homework” assignment from me. I know – I’m mean, but she’ll get over it!
I told her to pick one president that interested her and research him while I was gone. When I got home I wanted a full sheet of paper full of facts that she found to be of importance.
My mom took the girls to an indoor play place for the afternoon so when I got home from work I found Linsey like this…
Can you see her?? Yep – she’s hiding behind my laptop diligently researching President Abraham Lincoln. And here’s what she turned in.
Pretty impressive!
Here’s how Regan spent her time.
Look out Miley!!
In Other News…
House Republicans voted 240-185 to strip Federal funding to the Planned Parenthood organization. It was all over Headline News today and I spent most of the day screaming at the television or conversing with customers about their opinions.
According to Huffington Post Planned Parenthood received a quarter of the $317 million dollar funds allocated for Title X (a family planning program enacted in 1970).
Under Title X, Planned Parenthood is prohibited from using government money towards the performances of abortions. The money is allocated for comprehensive family planning and related preventative health services.
Planned Parenthood provides contraceptives, cancer screenings, well women’s check ups, breast exams, body image counseling as well as sexual health care for men. Only 3% of their services are abortions.
Planned Parenthood’s mission statement (taken directly from their website):
Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Mission Statement: A Reason for Being
Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility, regardless of the individual’s income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or residence. We believe that respect and value for diversity in all aspects of our organization are essential to our well-being. We believe that reproductive self-determination must be voluntary and preserve the individual’s right to privacy. We further believe that such self-determination will contribute to an enhancement of the quality of life and strong family relationships.
Based on these beliefs, and reflecting the diverse communities within which we operate, the mission of Planned Parenthood is
- to provide comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual
- to advocate public policies which guarantee these rights and ensure access to such services
- to provide educational programs which enhance understanding of individual and societal implications of human sexuality
- to promote research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care and encourage understanding of their inherent bioethical, behavioral, and social implications
What does this mean?
In my opinion this act by the House means many things, many things that aren’t good.
- More unwanted pregnancies:
If teenagers/women in general don’t have affordable access to birth control then the rise of unwanted pregnancy will continue to grow. Many college students and young adults have little to no health insurance and Planned Parenthood offers the pill at very affordable prices. - More infant deaths/killings:
If the number of unwanted pregnancies goes up with lack of affordable birth control then the number of abortions will continue to rise. Females who have no access to abortions will begin to do the unthinkable, i.e, giving birth in dumpsters, leaving infants in toilets, etc. These things are already happening, but that number will continue to rise as well. - More government funding:
With the number of unwanted pregnancies rising, for those females who keep their babies, the amount of government aid will rise as well. If a girl/women can’t afford birth control, gets pregnant and has a child, the next logical step will be for that girl/woman to apply for government health insurance. That means more government spending.
I find it appalling that men (the majority of the Republicans that past this vote were men) are passing legislature that directly affects my body. I am a mother. I am a woman. I have never agreed with abortion for myself. I just don’t think I could do it. However, I can understand that there are certain instances where that may be a females only choice.
I pass no judgement for another person’s actions on this issue.
As I was reading Huffington Post’s coverage of this issue today a certain portion really struck me. It proved to me that this, like most things, is a political issue rooted deep in the pocket book of a certain political group. It’s about money and passing beliefs of one onto another as opposed to keeping men, women and children safe and healthy.
“Democrats, particularly female members of Congress, came out hard against the Pence amendment, calling it an attack based on politics. It is not the first by the House GOP this year: Republicans have also proposed bills that would allow hospitals to turn away women in need of emergency abortions or would limit funding for abortions to rape victims who can prove their rape is “forcible.” (The latter language was dropped amid outrage from women’s rights advocates).”
As a 31 year old female I have used the services of Planned Parenthood for many years. There was a long period of time (before and after having Linsey) that I had no health insurance. Planned Parenthood was a place I could go for yearly exams, pap smears, breast exams and birth control and it was all based on my income.
I have two girls. I want there to be a place they can go (if they would ever need to) for affordable women’s health care as well. And for those who say that Planned Parenthood encourages abortions I can tell you from experience that is not the case.
Yes, they perform them at certain locations, one happens to be in my city. I see people almost every weekend outside their offices protesting with their anti-abortion signs, screaming horrible things to the females entering the building. The sad part is, performing abortions is only a small part of what Planned Parenthood does. If their funding is cut, all the amazing work they do for young girls and women all together will cease to exist. I fear the repercussions of that possibility.
As you can see I’m very interested, concerned with the outcome of this issue and am curious to know your thoughts.
Do you think Planned Parenthood’s funding being blocked is a good thing or a bad thing?? Why or why not??
Well – now that I’ve gotten everyone (including myself) all fired up it’s time for me to go. I have some tofu that needs baking, root vegetables that need roasting, a workout to be done and lunches to be packed for tomorrow. 
When motherhood becomes the fruit of a deep yearning, not the result of ignorance or accident, its children will become the foundation of a new race. ~ Margaret Sanger (founder of Planned Parenthood)
[...] planned parenthood funding – Real Fit Mama [...]
planned parenthood funding – Real Fit Mama…
Here at World Spinner we are debating the same thing……
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Maria Sparks, tsymons and Maria Sparks, Maria Sparks. Maria Sparks said: http://www.realfitmama.com/2011/02/planned-parenthood-funding/ [...]
[...] have to share this link, from Real Fit Mama, for two [...]
Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts. PP has long been villainized by conservatives for providing abortions, but what their clinics offer goes so far beyond that. I think you made that point succinctly.
I’ve never understand the conservative opposition to providing family planning, contraception, birth control, Plan B, etc. If you want to reduce the number of abortions performed in this country, isn’t eliminating as many unplanned pregnancies as possible a great place to start?
But again, it goes beyond abortion. I, too, have two daughters and I hope that if they find themselves without health insurance they will have a place they can go for affordable women’s health care.
Jeff – You took even more of my thoughts directly from my head!
Maria, I used Planned Parenthood for years as a teenager to receive low cost birth control pills (both for medical use and contraception), so I know how valuable this service is for young women. In a perfect world, there would be no teen pregnancy, no unwanted pregnancy, no teen sex, and everyone would have perfect, affordable health insurance. But we don’t live in a perfect world. We live in a world where people need assistance every day for choices that they make (and sometimes don’t make). I do not think abortion is right, but I know that Planned Parenthood is not the “walmart” of abortions that many people make it out to be. I found your post very logical, rational, and full of facts that most people fail to see or recognize. Taking the positive services that Planned Parenthood offers away from women is putting women in a vulnerable position, one in which severe repercussions will follow. And you are right; wealthy men should not be making decisions for middle-class and often indigent women and teens!
Courtney – I am often times out spoken and quick to let my opinions fly (some find that a flaw) I find it an attribute that I like about myself. I rarely worry if others agree/disagree with me, but more often enjoy the conversation that follows. This is one area that has me so outraged I took a very long time writing the post because I was so fired up. I didn’t want to put anyone off, but I didn’t want to sugar cote how I felt either. I hope I was successful!