We don’t fund slavery; why abortion, then?

I am sure many supporters of Planned Parenthood, the largest abortion provider in our country, don’t understand why we in the pro-life movement are so adamant about defunding the organization and thereby eliminating taxpayer dollars going for abortions. Some may argue that the $345 million that goes to Planned Parenthood annually is used for mammograms and other services and not for abortions. However, common sense will tell you that money once distributed to an organization for one purpose can be used to indirectly fund other operations. In practical terms, taxpayer dollars going to Planned Parenthood can be used to cover overhead and other general expenses, thereby freeing up resources to focus on abortion-related services.

To truly get a perspective on why pro-life folks feel so strongly about this issue consider the following comparison. We believe abortion is unthinkable in the same way that all of us believe slavery is unthinkable. Consider your reaction, then, if slavery were still legal today and the federal government was distributing $345 million taxpayer dollars annually to plantation owners using slaves. I am sure pro-choice people would stand arm and arm with pro-life folks and demand an end to using taxpayer dollars to support slavery.

Well, some might argue that slavery can’t be compared to abortion, and we pro-life folks would wholeheartedly agree. Slavery denied innocent people their freedom while abortion denies innocent babies their very lives! Perhaps someday we all will also consider abortion unthinkable.

Richard Kaiser

Elk Grove