Abortions in the Ohio African American Community Spike in 2012

State   |   Katie McCann   |   Oct 7, 2013   |   5:45PM   |   Columbus, OH

The day after the Ohio Department of Health released the 2012 Ohio Abortion Report, revealing that abortions spiked 5.6 percent in the African American community, Ohio Right to Life took to the streets of Downtown Columbus to spread the word about the crisis.

At the same time, the Democratic Party and Planned Parenthood held a rally against the pro-life provisions that were signed into the Ohio Budget in July of 2013. When the women of Ohio Right to Life attempted to attend their “protest,” we were told to move beyond the boundaries of the Statehouse lawn.

As a result, we had a much more successful day, probably to Planned Parenthood’s dismay.

We displayed a banner right on busy South High Street:

Conveniently located on the bus line, we interacted with average Ohioans who were waiting for buses and dodging to and from lunch and appointments during the busy 12 o’clock hour.

We shared these cards with our fellow Ohioans:

 

 

 

 

 

 

Several African Americans expressed shock and sadness over the racial injustice that is happening to their community.

One woman told us that she hated Planned Parenthood—that she received contraception from there that caused her to have a stillborn baby.

Another woman told us that she was thinking about having an abortion a few weeks ago—but decided not to.

Another young woman rolled her stroller over to us while waiting for the bus. Her beautiful twelve month old daughter sat tucked beneath the stroller’s hood. The mother told us that when she found out she was pregnant, she wasn’t in a particularly great financial state—but that it was nevertheless the happiest moment in her whole life.

Time and time again, we met women and men who thanked us for what we were doing—who turned away from the Planned Parenthood rally, shaking their heads in disbelief. One man walked away, saying, “I appreciate what you’re doing—I like being born!”

We have a crisis on our hands in the African American community. Planned Parenthood overlooked the alarming number of aborted African American babies while holding their rally. As their pink-shirted, caucasian supporters throw our cards in the trash, we need to continue to spread awareness and bring the rate down every year hereafter.

African Americans simply don’t want this for their community.

LifeNews Note: Katie McCann writes for Ohio Right to Life. This originally appeared at the Ohio Right to Life blog.