{"id":679,"date":"2009-02-02T13:16:02","date_gmt":"2009-02-02T13:16:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/stevenwaldman\/2009\/02\/pro-lifers-respond-to-my-post.html"},"modified":"2009-02-02T13:16:02","modified_gmt":"2009-02-02T13:16:02","slug":"pro-lifers-respond-to-my-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/stevenwaldman\/2009\/02\/pro-lifers-respond-to-my-post.html","title":{"rendered":"Pro-Lifers Respond to My Post About Family Planning"},"content":{"rendered":"

Tom McClusky of Family Resaerch Council has a thoughtful post <\/a>responding to my item on why many pro-life groups oppose family planning.<\/a>
\nFirst, he argues that I make a false assumption: that being opposed to federally-financed family planning is the same as opposing family planning. Many pro-life people support family planning, of a particular sort:<\/p>\n

“What of abstinence? Or natural family planning? While many religions are opposed to condoms, there are a few who are not, however still religious organizations are pretty active on family planning — be it pregnancy care centers, churches with abstinence and pre-marital and marital counseling, abstinence programs, etc. Most religious conservatives, in my opinion, are more unified in opposing federal involvement. With sheckles come shackles.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Second, he disputes my assertion that government financed family planning tends to reduce unintended pregnancy:<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

“Many major cities have been seeing an increase of both pregnancy and abortion, despite also having liberal rules and regulations on family planning. Take New York City, which has liberalized sex education and even has its own brand of condom. In New York State 1\/3 of the pregnancies result in induced abortion. Additionally the state rate of abortions per 1,000 women of reproductive age is almost double the national rate.”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Finally, he says I gave short shrift to organizations that do family planning but not abortion:<\/p>\n

“what of the other groups that do not promote abortion, like pregnancy care centers, that because of their opposition to abortion, do not accept federal funds under the Title X program that distributes them? “<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

His full post can be read here.<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Tom McClusky of Family Resaerch Council has a thoughtful post responding to my item on why many pro-life groups oppose family planning. First, he argues that I make a false assumption: that being opposed to federally-financed family planning is the same as opposing family planning. 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