It was this pasted Friday, November 27th that a
man identified as Robert Lewis Dear infiltrated a Planned Parenthood clinic in
Colorado Springs, Colorado. During this attack Dear was armed and evidently wounded
9 people and killed 3. It has also been said by investigators that Dear
mentioned something about “no more baby parts” and later expressed anti-abortion
views.
Planned Parenthood is an organization that provides a place
for women to seek help whether it is for contraception, cancer screening and
prevention, abortion services, or other health services women could need. Planned
Parenthood has become an asylum for women in need and have provided helpful services
for them since 1921.
Recently, many rumors have been spread about this non-profit
organization. Some Conservatives have accused this organization for illegally
selling baby parts, which has been publicly denied numerous times by Planned Parenthood.
Although there has not been any confirmed link to this rumor and the shooting
done by Robert Lewis Dear, it appears there might be a connection.
With the negative imagine Planned Parenthood has been given
by rumors or even voiced opinions, it has now evolved this safe asylum for
women into a high risk environment. Some could argue that this hateful rhetoric
in the media has created a platform for acts of violence. After this incident
it seems like a more believable argument.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion on the services
that Planned Parenthood has to offer but for those who are demonizing this
organization have helped escalate matters to a drastic high. The ruthless image
that has been tagged onto Planned Parenthood has now become pivotal to recent
attacks. Not only are extremist’s feeling comfortable to take action on this
organization after the negative talk in the media, but it now been a place
taken from women.
It is shameful that such a beneficial non-profit
organization is now leaving women scared and hesitant. Hopefully this incident
that has occurred in Colorado will open the eyes to those who negatively depict
Planned Parenthood in the media, and perhaps prevent radical attacks like this from
happening again.
I really hate that we even have to have this brought up at all, but you're right.. It's SHAMEFUL and SCARY! Despite the fact that Dear was "protesting abortion," which was protesting that women/people should not have a right to decide whether or not they want to be a parent, or whatever. But going in and killing 3 people (ALL of whom were PARENTS!) does he not realize that he TOOK away these peoples rights to be parents?! The exact thing he thought he was making a point to prevent!? It disgusts me. Someone so negative and so unwilling to learn the helpfulness of something like Planned Parenthood took away 3 parents from their children. So sad and disgusting.
ReplyDeleteI have read a few news sources citing this attack, as well as other acts of violence against Planned Parenthood clinics, as being terrorist attacks against women. It is true that most of the services Planned Parenthood provides have nothing to do with abortion whatsoever and range from contraceptive help to gynecological work, cancer screenings, and everything in between.
ReplyDeleteYou are right in blaming the media for this, how we choose to label organizations like Planned Parenthood in public discourse has a huge impact on people's views. Dangerous people can have their dangerous views validated simply by having a news anchor on TV to back them up ideologically. We need to be more careful in how we debate controversial issues such as abortion.
I definitely agree that the media has a huge impact on people's opinion on this subject matter. Planned Parenthood has helped plenty of woman, this is just a sad and scary situation! Everyone is entitled to their own opinion about abortion and other hot topics, but it should not result in violence. Like said above if you are against abortion the deaths took away parents from their children. It is just a wrong situation.
ReplyDelete"With the negative imagine Planned Parenthood has been given by rumors or even voiced opinions, it has now evolved this safe asylum for women into a high risk environment."
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time figuring out this sentence. I assume you really meant to say "negative image". Given that, I was able to discern your intent. It could have been strengthened if you had shunned the passive voice, and instead written something like: "The rumors and voiced opinions have contributed to a negative image of Planned Parenthood, which has changed it from a safe asylum for women into a high risk environment."