A local Rotary International club in Washington state is coming under fire from a pro-life organization upset that it is co-sponsoring an event with the Planned Parenthood abortion business.
Life Decisions International is urging the Rotary Club of Walla Walla (RCWW) to cancel a planned event titled, “Serving Our Community With Vital Health Care — Planned Parenthood,”scheduled for February 2011. Anna Franks, chief executive officer of Planned Parenthood of Greater Washington and North Idaho, will be the keynote speaker.
Kenneth C. Garvey, director of communications for Life Decisions International, told LifeNews.com today the national organization has a history of supporting pro-abortion groups.
“We are not surprised that a Rotary Club is involved with Planned Parenthood,” he said. “But we continue to be appalled by the increasingly close relationship between the two pro-population-control groups.”
In 2007, Life Decisions International published a report showing that Rotary International funds the pro-abortion group UNICEF, allows its chapters to fund Planned Parenthood, and works closely with the UNFPA, which backs abortion and works hand-in-hand with the Chinese family planning officials that rely on forced abortions to enforce the nation’s one-child policy.
The pro-life group says Rotary has an “fascination with and promotion of population control from within its own organization through the Rotarian Fellowship for Population & Development.”
The report concludes with these words: “It is impossible for any person with an intact conscience to turn a blind eye to Rotary’s ungodly associations and population control works. One may offer up any excuse or justification he or she desires, but there is no way that anyone who truly cares about human life, born and preborn, could be associated with Rotary International. No way whatsoever.”
“Rotary has been in bed with Planned Parenthood on many occasions,” Garvey said. “We suggest that Rotary protect itself from further denunciation by canceling the event scheduled for February 2011.”
RCWW is headed by Pedrito Maynard-Reid, who holds a doctorate in theology, LDI indicates. Maynard-Reid once studied at Fuller Theological Seminary.
The Seminary’s “Purpose and Mission Beyond the Mission” states, “We aim to participate in other concerns that rightly evoke the attention of many Christians [including] the cavalier attitude toward human life which has encouraged the frightening rise in abortions.”
Maynard-Reid is currently a professor of biblical studies at Walla Walla University, which is associated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The church has a conflicting view of abortion, by both condemning it and allowing it.
“The Church does not serve as conscience for individuals; however, it should provide moral guidance. Abortions for reasons of birth control, gender selection, or convenience are not condoned,” its abortion statement says. “Women, at times however, may face exceptional circumstances that present serious moral or medical dilemmas, such as significant threats to the pregnant woman’s life, serious jeopardy to her health, severe congenital defects carefully diagnosed in the fetus, and pregnancy resulting from rape or incest. The final decision whether to terminate the pregnancy or not should be made by the pregnant woman after appropriate consultation.”
The pro-life group urges pro-life advocates and Rotarians to complain about the event.
“Life Decisions International urges pro-life advocates, especially those who are, for now, Rotarians, to contact RCWW and strongly urge that the event be canceled. It is advisable that all pro-life people, particularly those who intend to contact RCWW, read the aforementioned report,” LDI said.
Contact: Dr. Pedrito Maynard-Reid, President, Rotary Club of Walla Walla, P.O. Box 418, Walla Walla, WA 99362; Phone: (509) 529-0135.
