Spring Break
An objective Advocate?
Daily Vidette Editorial Board
Issue date: 3/17/08 Section: Viewpoint
Controversy has surrounded Planned Parenthood because of the organization's mere existence. It often seems inseparable from the debate between pro-choice and pro-life.
However, recently more controversy than usual has ridden the coattails of the non-profit organization as it has been accused of having a racist agenda.
After a phone call that was made to the Idaho Planned Parenthood office in July by a reporter of the Advocate, a pro-life student magazine affiliated with University of California, Los Angeles, the whistle seemed to have been blown on the office's acceptance of racism.
The reporter, posed as a donor, wanted to donate money for abortions to be given to underprivileged black women.
His motivation for the donation, however, turned out to be less than generous as he told the Planned Parenthood employee, "...we just think, you know, the less black kids out there the better," in reference to affirmative action and it keeping his own child from getting into college.
The employee's response to such racially motivated comments was nervous laughter followed by comments such as, "Understandable, understandable," according to the Web site IdahoStatesman.com.
After the Daily Vidette Editorial Board had a chance to review the transcripts from the telephone conversation, we wondered how many people subscribed to the idea that the findings of a pro-life magazine about a non-profit, pro-choice organization were solid fact.
While the telephone conversation did reveal that the employee of Planned Parenthood was probably too eager to obtain a donation for the organization, it revealed little else about Planned Parenthood.
Similar to NBC's "To Catch a Predator," the Advocate seemed to set the employee up to make comments that could later be used to incriminate Planned Parenthood.
Had there been financial records of Planned Parenthood accepting donations for minority abortions given by racially motivated donors consistently over the years to supplement the taped phone calls, this information might seem more reliable and less biased, rather than just trying to catch Planned Parenthood doing something it was set up to do.
It is unfortunate that one employee would so easily accept a donation made on behalf of racism. But, it seems more unfortunate that the name of an organization whose purpose is to provide a resource, not for only abortion, but for contraception and reproductive health to women who might otherwise feel as if they have no options, is smeared by the findings of a magazine that might not be completely objective.
It is our hope that those who read the investigative reports done on Planned Parenthood by the Advocate, take them with one large block of salt.
However, recently more controversy than usual has ridden the coattails of the non-profit organization as it has been accused of having a racist agenda.
After a phone call that was made to the Idaho Planned Parenthood office in July by a reporter of the Advocate, a pro-life student magazine affiliated with University of California, Los Angeles, the whistle seemed to have been blown on the office's acceptance of racism.
The reporter, posed as a donor, wanted to donate money for abortions to be given to underprivileged black women.
His motivation for the donation, however, turned out to be less than generous as he told the Planned Parenthood employee, "...we just think, you know, the less black kids out there the better," in reference to affirmative action and it keeping his own child from getting into college.
The employee's response to such racially motivated comments was nervous laughter followed by comments such as, "Understandable, understandable," according to the Web site IdahoStatesman.com.
After the Daily Vidette Editorial Board had a chance to review the transcripts from the telephone conversation, we wondered how many people subscribed to the idea that the findings of a pro-life magazine about a non-profit, pro-choice organization were solid fact.
While the telephone conversation did reveal that the employee of Planned Parenthood was probably too eager to obtain a donation for the organization, it revealed little else about Planned Parenthood.
Similar to NBC's "To Catch a Predator," the Advocate seemed to set the employee up to make comments that could later be used to incriminate Planned Parenthood.
Had there been financial records of Planned Parenthood accepting donations for minority abortions given by racially motivated donors consistently over the years to supplement the taped phone calls, this information might seem more reliable and less biased, rather than just trying to catch Planned Parenthood doing something it was set up to do.
It is unfortunate that one employee would so easily accept a donation made on behalf of racism. But, it seems more unfortunate that the name of an organization whose purpose is to provide a resource, not for only abortion, but for contraception and reproductive health to women who might otherwise feel as if they have no options, is smeared by the findings of a magazine that might not be completely objective.
It is our hope that those who read the investigative reports done on Planned Parenthood by the Advocate, take them with one large block of salt.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
Vegan
posted 3/17/08 @ 3:50 PM CST
Likewise, should one take the comments of a newspaper editorial board that is obviously a fan of Planned Parenthood with a "block of salt" when that editorial board is addressing concerns over an investigative piece showing Planned Parenthood misdeeds?
Claude Henderson
posted 3/18/08 @ 11:02 AM CST
The Advocate's "investigation" includes a recording that was EDITED to make it appear as if the employee at PPI was agreeing. This same 'magazine' (8 pages long and a total of 3 editions so far) has been threatened with lawsuits in the past for the same kind of tactics. (Continued…)
JimClark
posted 3/19/08 @ 6:01 AM CST
The issue here is not racial as much as it is human. Murder is the taking of the life of another human being. Youth that manages to be born must consider the difference between education and indoctrination. (Continued…)
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