Dr. Willie Parker of Chicago is often viewed as a savior to many Mississippi women. According to Esquire, he flies from Chicago to Mississippi twice a month to perform abortions, a job that many doctors in the state refuse to complete. Many terrified women come to him seeking help. His humble office known as the Pink House is one of 1,793 independent women’s health clinics in the US, according to the Guttmacher Institute.
Dr. Park’s practice and others are often overlooked by women because of the overwhelming popularity of Planned Parenthood. Because Planned Parenthood is a federal business, it receives support from the government. However, in the recent months, videos and information about what Planned Parenthood does beyond closed doors has surfaced.
The Center for Medical Progress (CMP) released a secretly filmed video this July, revealing that Planned Parenthood has been selling parts of aborted fetuses. More and more information is being uncovered and the move to defund this organization has been stronger than ever. Regardless of your stance on abortion, it is extremely difficult to defend Planned Parenthood’s recent actions. If Congress defunded Planned Parenthood, they could put an end to the illegal doings of the company.
As stated in the New York Times, the eight minute video released to the media by the CMP includes Dr. Deborah Nucatola, Planned Parenthood’s senior director of medical services, conversing with potential buyers of fetal tissues and parts.
According to the 42 US Code 289g-2, it is considered a felony for any person “to knowingly acquire, receive, or otherwise transfer any human fetal tissue for valuable consideration if the transfer affects interstate commerce. Breaking this law as Planned Parenthood did results in up to ten years in prison.
The video also suggests that Planned Parenthood is altering abortion procedures so that the fetus’ body parts are more intact. Because such alterations could be harmful to the mother, abortion physicians are not allowed to alter procedures to produce “better” tissues. Since the first video was released, eight more have surfaced, each more horrifying than the other. In the seventh video, released Aug. 19, the Executive Director Dr. Ben Van Handel of a company that buys the fetal parts admitted that sometimes a baby’s heart is still beating. Handel said “there are times when after the procedure is done that the heart actually is still beating.” As each video was released, more questions arose concerning Planned Parenthood’s priorities.
By Congress defunding Planned Parenthood, they would stop the company for a year. During this time a more thorough investigation of the company will take place. This law will not stop abortions, but it will put a pause and hopefully an end to the horrid actions taking place. Regardless or a person’s stance on abortion, myself and countless others believe the gruesome actions of Planned Parenthood go against all morals and must be stopped. No fetus deserves to be mutilated and sold for profit.
Every life has value, but by thoughtlessly trashing an aborted fetus or its parts, society sends the public the message that life is worthless and disposable.
