Pro-Life Group Will Picket American Girl Store in New York Over Abortion 
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by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
December 9, 2005
New York, NY (LifeNews.com) — A pro-life organization will picket a large American Girl store in New York City on Saturday because of the doll company’s support for a group that backs abortion. The Pro-Life Action League will be out in front of American Girl Place on fifth avenue, a popular shopping area.
Pro-life advocates have been upset with the normally popular doll company after it announced a partnership months ago with Girls Inc., a New York-based group that helps girls with self-confidence and scholastic issues, but also backs abortion.
"December is the busiest shopping season of the year," said Ann Scheidler, director of the Chicago pro-life group. "Our picket will reach thousands of shoppers on New York’s Fifth Avenue with the unfortunate news that American Girl is funding Girls Inc., a group that strongly advocates abortion."
Scheidler’s organization called for a national boycott of American Girl dolls in early November when the company refused to end its ties with Girl’s Inc.
American Girl has been selling bracelets with the message "I Can" on them and donating proceeds to the girls group. The bracelets sell for $1 and 70 cents goes to the girl’s group for each one sold.
American Girl also plans a $50,000 donation above and beyond the bracelet sales.
The demonstration, like a recent one in Chicago, will feature pro-life girls who are upset with the company’s decision-making and Girl’s Inc’s support for the death of 1,800 baby girls each day due to abortion.
The girls will also have several of the popular American Girl dolls, including Samantha, Kit, Molly and others, and each doll will be holding a miniature pro-life sign.
Girls Inc., which helps girls with scholastic and self-esteem issues, has defended its pro-abortion position.
It posted a message on its web site blasting the pro-life group for the boycott and saying "our mission to help girls develop their self-esteem and self-reliance has become the target of false, inflammatory statements from people who are pursuing a narrow political agenda."
American Girl has also defended the partnership saying the money is intended to support a program helping girls with achieving excellence in science in school.
Related web sites:
Pro-Life Action League – https://www.prolifeaction.org
