Alaska Abortion Advocates Spending Big to Stop Parental Notification Vote
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
July 26, 2010
Juneau, AK (LifeNews.com) — Planned Parenthood is bringing in the big bucks in its campaign to persuade Alaska voters that they should not support a ballot measure in August that would allow parents to know when their minor daughters are considering an abortion. Jim Minnery, the chairman of Alaskans for Parental Rights, is battling back.
Nearly 50,000 Alaskans signed a petition distributed by Minnery’s group saying Alaska voters should be able to vote on parental involvement.
"Planned Parenthood, the $1 billion abortion corporation, is spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to deceive Alaskans through radio and television stations statewide," Minnery said today.
"Currently, they are outspending us roughly 10 to 1. Their message is inundating the airwaves and there is a very real chance that they will defeat us at the polls on August 24," he added.
Alaskans for Parental Rights is fighting back and has just released a hard-hitting television to share the pro-life side of the debate with Alaskans across the state.
"Simply put, they are outgunning us and unless we tell our story far and wide, victory is unlikely. They have a clear advantage when it comes to buying media," Minnery said of the smaller advertising campaign.
Meanwhile, Alaskans for Parental Rights has filed a formal complaint with the Alaska Public Offices Commission against Alaskans Against Government Mandates for reportedly violating state law campaigning against Ballot Measure 2.
The recently passed law requires ballot groups to identify their current top three contributors in all broadcast campaign message and Minnery says Alaskans Against Government Mandates has violated this statute in radio ads which began airing on July 19.
"Alaskans for Parental Rights has requested that the ads be pulled immediately and the appropriate fines be imposed. This statute provides for voters to have a clear understanding of any possible interest groups backing initiatives," he said. "As long as these ads are broadcast while not in compliance, voters are not given full knowledge of interest groups, knowledge which has been deemed necessary through the passage of SB 284. It is also with this in mind, that Alaskans for Parental Rights has requested an expedited review of this complaint."
"It is not surprising that Planned Parenthood is attempting to hide behind the misleading name of Alaskans Against Government Mandates. By thumbing its nose at clear APOC guidelines regarding campaign disclosure, they are proving once again that deception is their standard operating procedure," he continued.
Minnery is calling on pro-life advocates to help his organization get the word to friends, family and neighbors that the vote is coming up and Alaskans should support parental notification.
"Alaskans know that parents should have the right to be notified before medical procedures can be performed on their minor daughters – as young as 13 and 14 years old," he said. "We need your help in protecting teens before they make life altering decisions and in strengthening the God-given rights of parents to be informed, engaged and involved."
"If you have ever considered making a difference in today’s cultural battles, we need you now more than ever," he said. "We cannot compete with Planned Parenthood financially but we have the truth on our side and, if you are willing, we have you."
Related web sites:
Alaskans for Parental Rights – https://www.alaskansforparentalrights.org
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