Texas Newspaper Vilifies Pro-Life Group, Promotes Planned Parenthood
by Paul Nowak
LifeNews.com Staff Writer
May 12, 2004
Lufkin, TX (LifeNews.com) — In an editorial Tuesday, the Lufkin Daily News blasted the Brazos Valley Coalition for Life for its efforts to cease funding for Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas, going so far in its bias as to openly solicit donations for the abortion business.
"Want to stand up to and fight back against a bully who, lacking a better way to get his point across, tries to use fear and intimidation? Write a check, big or small, to Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas," the editorial states.
The Coalition for Life recently published the names and contact information of corporations and organizations that did not end their support of Planned Parenthood after a letter campaign sought to educate them on the nature and mission of the nation and Texas’ largest abortion provider.
Eleven organizations had pledged to cancel their financial support, but many more continued.
Referring to the Coalition’s strategy as "right out of the Joseph McCarthy playbook," the editorial attempted to draw a parallel to the 1950s Red Scare created by anti-communist Senator McCarthy.
"The donor information is easily obtained by examining public tax records for non-profit groups like PPHSET, but there is a viciousness to the Coalition for Life’s tactic that even most abortion opponents should find appalling," states the editorial. "Instead of appealing to the hearts and minds of the donors, they threaten them with blackmail."
The Lufkin Daily News refers to Planned Parenthood as an organization that provides "important services" to the community other than abortion.
Claiming that offering women’s health services other than abortion "would require more work and more creativity on their [the Coalition’s] part than it takes to hold a sign outside of a clinic or e-mail a blacklist," the editorial misrepresents the goal of the Coalition as well as that of the nation’s largest abortion business.
However, pro-life advocates point out that, in every state where legislation has been proposed to require doctors to adequately inform women of the risks and alternatives to abortion, Planned Parenthood has opposed and even actively lobbied against such measures.
"So how to fight back against the bullies at Coalition for Life? Send your donation to: Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas," the Lufkin paper writes. The editorial lists the web site and address for Planned Parenthood.
David Bereit, executive director of the Coalition for Life, told LifeNews.com that the Lufkin Daily News has promised him space for a rebuttal, either as a guest columnist or a letter to the editor.
ACTION: Contact the Lufkin Daily News with your comments about their editorial asking for donations to Planned Parenthood. Call (936)632-6631 or fax a letter to (936)632-6655. Email Gary Borders, Publisher at [email protected] or Marc Masferrer, Editor at [email protected].
Related Sites:
Cut Planned Parenthood Funding – https://www.cutppfunding.com
Brazos Valley Coalition for Life – https://www.coalitionforlife.com
