Ooo, this is interesting. You know that the vast majority of crisis pregnancy centers that list themselves under “abortion services” are really about talking you out of having an abortion and, often, into handing your baby over to people who belong to certain sects of evangelical Christianity. I know we’ve talked before about how these women are often kicked to the curb by these places if they decide to not give their children up for adoption or, in some cases, once they have given their babies over.
Well, now the Feminist Majority Foundation is petitioning Congress to pass legislation that would more closely regulate crisis pregnancy centers, to, in part, insure that the information they’re distributing to pregnant women is medically accurate and that they can’t get federal funding unless it is.
You know we have a problem with medically inaccurate information about birth control and abortion in this state, so get on over there and sign the petition, if you feel so inclined.
Tiny Cat Pants 
There has been previous legislation on it that has never made it out of committee (have a post pending at OBOS on this, too).
Aunt B,
Thanks so much for writing about this! It’s so great to see so many local progressive bloggers writing about feminist and reproductive justice type issues! Keep up the good work!
“often, into handing your baby over . . .”
What “baby”?
But this is a double-edged sword for abortion centers . . . which have a >financial< incentive to tailor their diagnosis about gestational age and ignore evidence of criminal offenses.
Ned, you’re welcome to comment here, but you’re going to have to not be an idiot about it. Which means, in part, not passing along lies you wish were true. You the whole rest of the internet for that.
“insure that the information they’re distributing to pregnant women is medically accurate and that they can’t get federal funding unless it is.
You know we have a problem with medically inaccurate information about birth control and abortion in this state”
Would this include published reports citing the actual in use effectiveness of different birth control methods? Most people probably do not realize that the actual effectiveness of condoms is much lower than that claimed by the manufacturers. I also wonder how many women think they have nothing to worry about because they are on the pill – do they know that it does nothing to prevent STD transmission?
Jim, your concern is touching, but to get birth control pills, a woman has to see a medical practitioner. In case we miss the part where the doctor says “these do not protect you from STDs,” we can also read the packaging that comes with them each month. Or read a city bus when they have the ads that tell us that birth control pills do not prevent STDs. Or look it up on the internet. Or talk to other women…we discuss those thing among ourselves sometimes.
Jim,
The solution to the problem you mention is comprehensive sex education. Something of which I think you’ll find most of the regulars here are proponents.
And, ya know, comprehensive sex ed has been demonstrated to lower the rates of unintended pregnancy, which would give the “crisis pregnancy center” fewer people to lie to.
Eh, that was me. I don’t know what happened to my login.
Well, you know nm, the end justifies the means, right? What’s a little obfuscation to save the life of an innocent unborn human?
I thought you were a Christian, Ned. “Thou shalt not lie” ringing any bells?
Aunt B responds to me!
You are correct; I do claim to be a follower of Jesus, and I should have been clear that I do not agree with deception, although I find it refreshing to see moral relativists concerned about it. “Thou shalt not murder” definitely sounds familiar.
That being said, I think it is unfair to paint all crisis pregnancy centers with such a broad brush and to attempt to draw a nefarious connection between CPCs and adoption. Adoption is an obvious option for a woman who does not have the intention of raising a child but chooses not to abort the child. The Left accuses Pro-lifers of not caring about >born< children, but efforts to place children for adoption directly contradicts that characterization.
I am all for comprehensive sex education that stresses birth control. Again, it should be made abundantly clear that birth control does not work 100% of the time. I am against abortion and especially in the case where the parties involved thought they were being “safe.” Sex education should stress that there is no such thing as “safe” sex. There is “safer” sex, but there is only one 100% effective method of birth control for people to utilize. Failure on your part to understand the consequences of your actions should not lead to the murder of a child for your convenience.
sorry – that was me.
Ned, if you’re just going to make crap you wish were true up, don’t comment here.
Yes, Jim, I could have guessed. But it’s still not your decision. If you really believe in freedom, you have to respect a woman’s right to control her own body. Period. You can try to talk her out of having an abortion (though I will think less of you, as I do of Ned and his lying CPCs). But once you start throwing the weight of the state around to enforce your religious beliefs on me, we have a problem.
Aunt B,
What did I “mak[e] up”? And can you truly not accredit ANY measure of legitimacy to the claim that there is a competing interest–that of a human life, in this issue?
But your reply to Jim–jumping immediately to “religion” is interesting. Which opinion is more “religious” or less “scientific”: that a living human fetus is a living human being and therefore categorically worthy of some measure of protection by society or that a living human fetus for some list of reasons is not really the type of human worthy of protection from society?
So you are in favor of aborting only the male babies without their consent, but the female babies should have a right to control her own body? Seems like a wierd position to have on this B.