Planned Parenthood Director Quits After Watching Abortion on Ultrasound
Sound of Trumpet
Planned Parenthood Director Quits After Watching Abortion on
Ultrasound
Foxnews ^ | 11/3/2009 | Staff
Posted on 03 November 2009 12:49:41 by Red in Blue PA
The former director of a Planned Parenthood clinic in southeast Texas
says she had a "change of heart" after watching an abortion last month
— and she quit her job and joined a pro-life group in praying outside
the facility.
Abby Johnson, 29, used to escort women from their cars to the clinic
in the eight years she volunteered and worked for Planned Parenthood
in Bryan, Texas. But she says she knew it was time to leave after she
watched a fetus "crumple" as it was vacuumed out of a patient's uterus
in September.
'When I was working at Planned Parenthood I was extremely pro-choice,"
Johnson told FoxNews.com. But after seeing the internal workings of
the procedure for the first time on an ultrasound monitor, "I would
say there was a definite conversion in my heart ... a spiritual
conversion."
Johnson said she became disillusioned with her job after her bosses
pressured her for months to increase profits by performing more and
more abortions, which cost patients between $505 and $695.
"Every meeting that we had was, 'We don't have enough money, we don't
have enough money — we've got to keep these abortions coming,'"
Johnson told FoxNews.com. "It's a very lucrative business and that's
why they want to increase numbers."
A spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood told FoxNews.com that it offers a
range of services at it 850 health centers nationwide, providing
pregnancy tests, vaccinations and women's health services, "including
wellness exams, breast and cervical cancer screenings, contraception,
and STD testing and treatment."
"Planned Parenthood's focus is on prevention," wrote Diane Quest, the
group's National Media Director. "Nationwide, more than 90% of the
health care Planned Parenthood affiliates provide is preventive in
nature," explaining that a "core component the organization's mission
is to help women plan healthy pregnancies and prevent unintended
pregnancies."
But Johnson said her bosses told her to change her "priorities" and
focus on abortions, which she said made money for the office at a time
when the recession has left them hurting.
"For them there's not a lot of money in education," she said. "There's
as not as much money in family planning as there is abortion."
Without a doctor in residence, she said, her clinic offered abortions
only two days a month, but the doctor could perform 30 to 40
procedures on each day he was there. Johnson estimated that each
abortion could net the branch about $350, adding up to more than
$10,000 a month.
"The majority of the money was going to the facility," she said.
Johnson said she never got any orders to increase profits in e-mails
or letters, and had no way to prove her allegations about practices at
the Bryan branch. She told FoxNews.com that pressure came in personal
interactions with her regional manager from the larger Houston office.
But she said she got involved with the clinic "to help women and ...
[do] the right thing," and the idea of raking in cash seemed to go
against what she felt was the mission of the 93-year-old organization.
"Ideally my goal as the facility's director is that your abortion
numbers don't increase," because "you're providing so much family
planning and so much education that there is not a demand for abortion
services.
"But that was not their goal," she said.
A spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood refused to answer questions about
Johnson's accusations, but released a statement noting that a district
court had issued a temporary restraining order against the former
branch director and against the Coalition for Life, an anti-abortion
group with which Johnson is now affiliated.
"We regret being forced to turn to the courts to protect the safety
and confidentiality of our clients and staff, however, in this
instance it is absolutely necessary," said spokeswoman Rochelle
Tafolla.
It is unclear what made Planned Parenthood seek the restraining order.
Johnson said she did not intend to release any sensitive information
about her former patients at the clinic.
A hearing is set for Nov. 10 to determine whether a judge will order
an injunction against Johnson and the Coalition for Life, which has
led protests outside the clinic and joined her in a prayer vigil there
last month.
Johnson hasn't found a job since she quit on Oct. 6, but she said
she's enjoying the time off to be with her 3-year-old daughter.
"It's been great just to spend some time at home and get a break," she
said.
Syd M.
wrote:
> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2377256/posts
>
> Planned Parenthood Director Quits After Watching Abortion on
> Ultrasound
>
Sorry, Sound Of Stupendous Lies, but we believe you even less then
Junkie Young.
> Foxnews ^ | 11/3/2009 | Staff
>
And that is why.
Faux News is not a news outlet.
PDW
Phlip
> > Ultrasound
>
> Sorry, Sound Of Stupendous Lies, but we believe you even less then
> Junkie Young.
I believe this story.
I also believe Fux News does not want to actually lower the rate of
unwanted pregnancies. That would require more women's rights, more
universal health care, and more sex ed...
x
Liz
>
> Planned Parenthood Director Quits After Watching Abortion on
> Ultrasound
And she had the freedom of choice to do so. Let's hear it for choice!
Liz #658