(More comments and sharing on this and my original post still encouraged!)

The downside of writing in a place like this, is that my readers are limited to more or less my friends and people I know. Not that I don’t love you guys, but it creates a protective bubble. Sure I’m aware that I’m posting on the internets for the world to see and some strangers will come across this blog. But mostly my web traffic comes from facebook which is comprised of a friend list of mostly people I’ve met at one time or another in real life.

As a result, comments are usually limited to a couple of friends saying things like “I agree” or “Awesome post” or something else completely unoffensive. There actually was a little bit of a debate that broke out on my FB profile when I posted a link for the Planned Parenthood petition and even that was for the most part reasonable and civil. Which is cool! I don’t like people being mean and unreasonable. I like productive debate. It’s useful.

Sometimes I venture outside of that protective bubble.

The other day I cross posted my entry on the budget cuts to Title X & Planned Parenthood on another site. One that’s also low traffic but the low traffic there are not folks I’ve ever met. They’re strangers for real.

I didn’t know what to expect and happily I really didn’t get any trolls commenting. But I did get people with completely different views than mine commenting. And I feel like it’s worthwhile to share those comments and, even more so, to share my responses. Because while I love my friends, I know we have different beliefs and it’s very possible that someone could read my thoughts, not agree with them, and yet not say anything. Not wanting to start a fight or whatever.

But I do have things to say to arguments defending cutting funds to both Title X and Planned Parenthood and it’s information I want to share more widely. So I will. Here. And now.

Of course I’m going to keep things anonymous and whatnot. I’m not trying to call anyone out or anything. I’m just trying to share some different view points. Also wanting to share more stats and info that I did not include in my original post.

For the sake of not putting up overwhelmingly long posts, I’m going split this up. Here’s the first comment and my first response. Stay tuned for more.

Comment: Would you be kind enough to cite statistics of percentages of people who walk into an abortion clinic and actually get Planned Parenthood help.* This is simply a front for abortions that MAKE MONEY upon the death of a living person!

Our scared daughter did have to approach her parents when she got pregnant. It wasn’t easy for her. It never is.

[Some other comments here about his family, making the point that he and his wife are loving grandparents]

Our children did go to classes mandated sex classes given in school, they did know right from wrong from their parents but as teens, they made a wrong decisions. It hasn’t ruined their life and in fact has given life.

Please, look up the statistics as to how many woman decided to give up their child to adoption via planned parenthood. You will find that number woefully low. Why, because abortions bring in instant dollars.

Be careful as to who you want your tax dollars to fund. There are true agencies out there that will give compassion to a pregnant woman yet also give them ALL the option they have.

Planned Parenthood isn’t one of them.

My Response: 4.7 million Americans got health care from clinics funded by Title X in 2008.

One quarter of poor women using contraceptives receive them at a Title X funded facility. 17% of women getting a pap smear, 20% receiving STD care.

Teen pregnancy rates in this country have been decreasing however we still have the highest rate of teen pregnancy among the most developed nations.

86% of the decrease in teen pregnancy is attribute to greater access to and use of contraceptives.

Women not consistently using contraceptives account for 95% of unintended pregnancies.

Since 1970 it has been illegal for Planned Parenthood to use Federal funds towards abortion services. None of the funds it receives through Title X go to abortions.*

If you’d like more detailed stats from each state: http://www.guttmacher.org/media/inthenews/2011/02/16/index.html

Or there’s tons more info at the CDC. http://www.cdc.gov/reproductivehealth/WomensRH/index.htm

Which, btw, is also facing cuts in the GOP plan.

I’m happy for your family and your children are extremely fortunate. There are so many out there who aren’t so blessed.

We can have an abortion argument all night and I’d bet that in the end neither of us would be convinced of the other’s POV. And that’s okay. The problem with these cuts and the effort to eliminate funds from Title X, even beyond what would be cut from Planned Parenthood, is that you’re not eliminating funds for abortions. It’s eliminating funds for all of the other health services. It’s eliminating funding for reproductive health education.

These proposed budget cuts are starting with the issue of abortion, an issue that immediately makes emotions run high, and then they’re going ten steps further and attacking reproductive health & education as a whole.

The sex ed classes your kids went through, the next generation won’t even have those.

*In a later comment I include a couple of more stats that answer that question a little more directly.
*I came back and corrected that to 1977.