I want to respond to the self-congradulatory letter from Ms. Ruth Lytle-Barnaby, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of Delaware about the election results and their advocacy (Cape Gazette Nov. 9).
She basically extols the PP Advocacy Fund and PP Action Fund for their hard work in getting Barack Obama, Tom Carper and John Carney, among 28 other state politicians, re-elected. The advocacy fund is apparently their political action committee because she adds a shallow disclaimer denying any connection with any candidate or committee.
But she fails to mention the other "great" work that PP does. Most recently this year, they attacked The Susan G. Komen Foundation for its decision to discontinue grants ($650,000 last year) to PP.
According to an article by law professors Robert P. George and O. Carter Snead (Wall Street Journal Feb. 6, 2012), "the reality is that PP - with annual revenues exceeding $1 billion - does little in way of screening for breast cancer...They only offer referrals for mammograms elsewhere."
"Among Komen's reasons for discontinuing grants to PP was its policy of avoiding entanglements with entities under Congessional and criminal investigation (by attorneys general, local prosecutors and various regulatory agencies in Arizona, Indiana, Alabama, Kansas and Texas) for allegations including failure to report criminal child sex abuse, misuse of healthcare and family planning funds, and failure to comply with parental-involvement laws regarding abortion."
Apparently in fear of being destroyed by the behemoth and its allies, The Komen Foundation relented and has allowed PP to again apply for grants. How open-minded of PP to force someone to continue grants.
As to abortion, the article further states that "PP sells abortions to nine of every 10 pregnant women who come to its clinics." That's "more than 300,000 in 2010 according to PP...that translates to about $164 million of revenue per year."
I wonder if PP is upset that those babies will never have access to the affordable healthcare they so applaud? Probably not.
Geary Foertsch
Rehoboth
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