Every day at work on my way to Mt. Auburn International Academy to deliver food, I pass a Planned Parenthood. And every day, whether it’s raining, scorching hot or snowing (back in the winter), protesters were outside; they hold signs like, “Life is God’s choice,” and there’s even a truck parked opposite the building decked out in signs. By no means is it a lot of protesters, I would say around three to ten depending on the day.
Far be it for me to deride people protesting for something they believe in. That act in itself is laudable. However, I feel it’s somewhat misguided. According to this chart:
Abortions account for 3% of what Planned Parenthood offers. The bulk of what they do is cancer screening/testing and STDs testing and treatment. I guess if you’re hardcore pro-life, that 3% is important to you, but again, I find it weird for two more reasons. 1.) Like I said, protesting is laudable; it’s better than simply liking a pro-life picture on Facebook, but how many people are those three to ten protesters really impacting? Are they changing hearts and minds? I feel odd about lambasting that because even if they only change one person’s mind, then it’s worthwhile, I suppose. On the other hand…2.) In some respects, I think it’s disheartening to protest someone on what normally is the worst day of their lives. It’s not as if people “like” abortion or “favor” abortion. It’s just often the outcome deemed necessary. And for many women, it’s a traumatic experience.
Milam's Musings 