Girl Scouts Convention Features Pro-Abortion Speakers

National   |   Steven Ertelt   |   Oct 28, 2011   |   5:39PM   |   Washington, DC

Girl Scout leaders and members from across the nation will come together next month for their annual convention and the event, dubbed Renewing the Promise, again raises questions about the organization and the issue of abortion.

The Girl Scouts have come under fire from pro-life advocates for various connections to the Planned Parenthood abortion business — with former Planned Parenthood abortion facility director Abby Johnson suggesting that pro-life Girl Scouts quit the organization.

The Girl Scouts of the United States of America (GSUSA) will celebrate 100 years of existence during its 52nd National Convention on November 10-13 with a slate of keynote speeches and plenary speakers. However, the watchdog group Speak Now Girl Scouts tells LifeNews today that they “underscore the once venerable organization’s penchant for far left agendas targeted for today’s young members.”

Speak Now spokeswoman Christy Volanski says the speakers build on the problems prolife advocates had with the 2005 Girls Scouts convention, where GSUSA drew criticism for having  Kavita Ramdas, the CEO of the pro-abortion group Global Fund for Women and Dr. Johnetta Cole, an abortion advocate whose views are reflected in the Global Fund for Women, at their event. In 2008, the Girl Scouts honored pro-abortion activist Marie Wilson, founder of the Reproductive Rights Coalition and Organizing Fund, president of the Ms Foundation for Women and the founder and President of the White House Project. Accompanying Wilson as a keynote that year was actress Geena Davis of SeeJane, another abortion advocate.

“Not to disappoint, GSUSA has once again invited a cadre of ultra feminists, a Planned Parenthood philanthropist, United Nations devotees and even a new age Taoist to inspire and instruct today’s Girl Scouts,” Volanski told LifeNews.

This year’s convention features Houston Mayor Annise Parker, who spoke at the opening of a massive new Planned Parenthood abortion business in June 2010, saying, “It’s not about the building; it’s about people’s lives; it is not about women, it is about families; and it’s not about what we do here today, it’s about our future.” Parker lives with her life partner Kathy Hubbard, campaign treasurer for Planned Parenthood and Parker’s upcoming bid for re-election as Houston Mayor is endorsed by Planned Parenthood.

Girl Scout 2011 convention speaker Swanee Hunt is a pro-abortion activist who organized women voters for pro-abortion President Barack Obama. During the 2004 election, Hunt was national co-chair of pro-abortion Dick Gephardt’s 2004 presidential bid and subsequently active in pro-abortion candidate John Kerry’s campaign. Hunt criticized Bush’s pro-life efforts as well as the President’s ban on partial birth abortion.

Sylvia Garcia is another speaker and her organization, National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) is heavily connected to Planned Parenthood through common goals and collaboration. In June 2011, Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA), Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast and Planned Parenthood Trust of South Texas joined the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health (NLIRH), Catholics for Choice, EMILY’s List, and Annie’s List as co-hosts of a reception celebrating champions for Latina health during the 28th Annual Conference of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Planned Parenthood CEO Cecile Richards praised Ms. Garcia for her help with the event promoting abortion.

Disney teen star and “role model” Monique Coleman is another speaker. Her group GimmeMo recently co-sponsored an event with the UN Population Fund, International Women’s Health Coalition, Global Leaders Council for Reproductive Health and others.

CJ Golden is another Girl Scouts convention speaker, whose web site, TaoGirls.com links to TeenWire, Planned Parenthood’s website for teens.

Speak Now Girl Scouts was founded by two teen sisters, Sydney and Tess, who left the Girl Scouts organization when they discovered the organization’s agenda conflicted with their pro-life views.

ACTION: Contact the Girl Scouts at https://www.girlscouts.org/help/contact_us.asp