A big win in court and the deception of NARAL and PPFA revealed
By Dave Andrusko, NRL News
U.S. District Judge Deborah Chasenow
NRL News Today has covered the systematic attack on pregnancy care centers/CPCs going back decades, and, particularly, of late NARAL's all-out offensive. Let's catch up with the good news, of which there is plenty this last week.
Montgomery County (Maryland) has thrown in the towel in its assault on Centro Tepeyac, a Montgomery County pregnancy care center. The county chose not to appeal a decision by Judge Deborah K. Chasanow of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland [which we reported on at nrlc.cc/1jAzess] that struck down the entirety of a 2010 law that forced pro-life pregnancy care centers to advise women against using their services
This particular victory is, of course, important in its own right. But there are other NARAL-inspired laws being challenged in the courts in Baltimore, New York City, San Francisco, and Austin, Texas. We can reasonably hope that the strength of Judge Chasanow's powerful reasoning will help shape subsequent decisions.
The Montgomery City Council passed Resolution No. 16-1252 on February 1, 2010. Among other things, the resolution required what they called "limited-service pregnancy centers" to post signage (in English and Spanish) stating that "the Center does not have a licensed medical professional on staff" and "the Montgomery County Health Officer encourages women who are or may be pregnant to consult with a licensed health care provider."
As Alliance Defending Freedom observed, "The county intentionally crafted the law so that it doesn't apply to pro-abortion centers, such as Planned Parenthood, even if counseling is offered there by non-medical persons."
The nub of the rationale for these ordinances is they are needed to "safeguard the health of pregnant women." But instead of relying on what pro-abortionists alleged to be going on, Judge Chasanow actually investigated. She found (according to her opinion) that
- Dr. Ulder Tillman, Montgomery County's Chief of Public Health since 2003, testified "in that time she has not received one complaint from someone who had sought service at either Centro Tepeyac or Birthright. She had not received any evidence that any actual pregnant women who went to an LSPR delayed seeking medical care."
- Mariana Vera, Executive Director of Centro Tepeyac, "submitted comments and stated that at least half of the women who come in for a pregnancy test are referred to them by the public clinics in Montgomery County." Judge Chasanow added, "Those referrals continued even after passage of the Resolution."
- Ms. Jacqueline Stippich, executive director of Shady Grove Pregnancy Center, "stated that they received forty-three percent (43%) of their clients from their advertisements where they are listed under 'Abortion Alternatives' in the telephone book. They opened in 1983 and have served over 30,000 women 'without ever receiving a formal complaint for giving inaccurate information or misrepresenting our services.' She stated that their website has four disclaimers, including one that states 'we are not an abortion provider.'"
- "Councilmember Phil Andrews opposed the Resolution, finding that it is unnecessary as he had not received a single complaint from anyone who went to an LSPRC in his eleven years as a Councilmember."
That's on the legal front. Along with other pro-life sites, we reported on the dustup created by NARAL's assertion that Google was taking down "deceptive" pro-life advertising. (The irony that pro-abortionists could accuse anyone of deception is too obvious to belabor.)
But from the beginning, reputable, well-established pro-life CPCs/Pregnancy Help Centers flatly denied deceiving anyone and noted that not one of their ads had been pulled, contrary to the impression of pro-life capitulation fostered by NARAL. (For example, see "When it comes to Google advertising, it is pro-abortion sources who are the real deceivers")
Subsequent investigations have shown that the lone ad NARAL offered as "proof" of deception proved not pro-life intent to deceive but was likely a product of the way Google's AdWords' real-time bidding engine works.
Many have pointed out (as noted above) that the real deceiver is the Abortion Industry. Although the following is incredible, I assure you I did not make it up.
I went to Google this morning, typed in Crisis Pregnancy Center and the FIRST link is to…Planned Parenthood. Specifically
Crisis Pregnancy Center – plannedparenthood.org
Ad www.plannedparenthood.org/ (877) 616-3351
Learn About Pregnancy Care and Your Options. Get Advice Today.
When I put quotation marks about "Crisis Pregnancy Center," the above came second. What came first?
Expert Abortion 4-24 weeks-americanwomensservices.com
Ad www.americanwomensservices.com
14 offices 25 doctors; 30 years exp call 1-888-ABORTION for immed appt
An abortion clinic that aborts up until almost the end of the second trimester listed under "Crisis Pregnancy Center." You can't make this stuff up, right?
Actually, if you are NARAL and Planned Parenthood, you can.
