Texas Independent: Texas lawmaker seeks to reverse Planned Parenthood ban

For those who are unaware, at the beginning of 2013 Texas cut funding for Planned Parenthood, a non-profit organization that provides reproductive health care to 40,000+ women in TX. This controversial ruling was no doubt driven by conservative state leaders’ continuous fight to prohibit abortions - and in a sense, a woman's right to chose what is best for her body and her life. In a recent Texas Independent article, Mary Tuma further discusses the potential consequences of such a bill as well as the recently introduced legislation to nullify the ruling.

It is truly essential everyone becomes more aware and broadens their understanding of this issue, for the restrictions of contraceptives and abortions affect more than the woman and child's life but our society, economy, and planet as well. Moreover, we must strive to put aside our subjective moral perception in all political issues, especially ones which inhibit an individual’s liberty.

Furthermore, if this was simply an issue of conservative and religious affiliates objecting to fund a practice they do not morally agree with, I could empathize. There are several governmental practices our tax dollars fund that I extremely oppose (i.e. drone strikes, funding of both sides of the Afghanistan war, big oil + big agriculture subsidizes, billion dollar plus bailout…). However, as Tuma highlights, there is a previous law in place that "…restricts federal and state funds going toward abortion services.” Thus WHP funds Planned Parenthood centers receive are already financially and legally separate from those providing abortion services.

Also it's important to stress that the only true way to reduce the number of abortions is to universally promote safe sex education and accessibility of contraceptives.

"Abortion, like war, is a failure of society to come to the grips with a much more fundamental problem...In this care the fundamental problem is the prevention of unintended pregnancy."

- Werner Fornos, Population Institue

Here are a few side points I'd like to share:

By hindering the funds to centers which "affiliate" with abortion providers - centers such as Planned Parenthood - this ruling also severely limits thousands of low-income women to accessible breast- and cervical-cancer screenings, diabetes and STD testing, birth control, and other women health care services.

Non-coincidentally, the states with the highest number of teen pregnancies, abortions and cases of sexually transmitted diseases are also the ones who strictly teach abstinence as well as restrict women’s access to reproductive health care. (Center for Disease Control + Prevention: STD 2010 Review, see Huffington Post article below)

An unproportionate amount women who use the services of Planned Parenthood are in the low socioeconomic bracket. They are financially unable to take care of another being without the aid of welfare. Furthermore, their child will likely follow suit without proper social and educational programs our society lacks (See Think Progress article below)

There is a distinct difference between pro-life and anti-choice. Pro-Life would also want to protect the mother’s life, yet anti-choice subsequently forces women to seek unsafe alternatives or carry out unsafe pregnancies, some of which from rape incidents. Pro-Life would also be against guns, death penalties, drone strikes and war. Additionally, Pro-Life would assure the child - regardless of sex, race, religion, sexual orientation, or socioeconomic status - would receive only the best social services and educational opportunities.

Every year the US slaughters over 9 BILLION factory farmed animals, who live in unsanitary, inhumane, and disheartening conditions. Yet since Roe vs. Wade’s ruling forty years ago, there have been approximately 53 million abortions – again is this a stance of Pro-Life or Anti-Choice?

Currently the number one threat to our environment, and the survival of the human species, is overpopulation – there are simply not enough resources for us to live in our consumeristic society and with our Westernized diets and lifestyles.

Here are some other great resources to check out: