Reactions to the Franken ruling, MPR 6.30.09

More reactions to Franken’s Senate victory, Minnesota Independent 6.30.09

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Contact: Kathi Di Nicola
Director of Media Relations
(651) 755 – 9557  

(St. Paul) Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota (PPMNS) calls on Governor Pawlenty to immediately sign the election certificate so that U.S. Senator Al Franken can begin to serve our state.

“Today’s ruling restores full and fair representation to the citizens of the state of Minnesota,” said Sarah Stoesz, President and CEO of Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota.

“Health care reform, probably the most important legislation of our generation, is being debated in Congress and Minnesotans deserve to have two United States Senators representing their interests in Washington,” Stoesz said “We urge the governor to honor the Supreme Court’s ruling and certify the election without delay,” said Stoesz.
 

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Contact: Kathi Di Nicola, Media Relations Director, 651.755.9557
                           
 

Judge To Hear Arguments on S.D. Abortion Law Requiring Statement That Procedure Ends Human Life, Daily Women's Health Policy Report 6.29.09

by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

Seriously though. Planned Parenthood is pretty big deal to the health and lives of millions of people.  So often people think of abortion when they hear Planned Parenthood. But abortion is just a very small part of the health services we provide.

90% of Planned Parenthood’s work is preventative. And over half of our patients consider Planned Parenthood to be their only source for health care.  Clearly, Planned Parenthood is essential for women’s overall wellness.
 
And as an essential community health provider, it is vital that Planned Parenthood be part of any new health care system.  President of Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Cecilia Richards emphasized this very point:

Via huffpo:

Family planning and reproductive health care are unfortunately still not fully part of mainstream health care, even though 98 percent of women use contraception at some point in their lives - there's nothing more universal! Maybe one day we won't need a special campaign to support women's health. But until then, Planned Parenthood is here to make sure women aren't worse off after health care reform than before.

If you want to learn more about health care reform, come to our Live Action Camp in July and learn all about it! Contact shassell@ppmns.org for details.

Secret Abortion Donor  Hearing Set in Sioux Falls, Keloland.com 6.23.09

Klobuchar bill condemning  Tiller murder faces GOP opposition, 6.22.09 

by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

It couldn't have been done without volunteers on the ground making phone calls, knocking on doors, and talking to friends and family about how misleading and intrusive this ban was.  As a thank you to all those who worked against this ban, please take a moment to reflect on your amazing success, and relive the excitement of November 4th, 2008 by checking out the video below.

South Dakotans and other readers; you know there is still a tremendous amount of work to be done on behalf of women's health in South Dakota and across the country. Please stay connected and continue to stand up for reproductive rights!!

South Dakota

Seeing Red is Not Always What You Think, Sarah Stoesz RH Reality Check 6.16.09 

Web Correspondent

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund 

June 15th through the 21st is National Men’s Health Week. Men's Health Week is celebrated each year as the week leading up to and including Father's Day. Sometimes on this blog it seems like men’s health can be put on the back burner compared to our discussion women’s reproductive health. But, obviously affordable reproductive health care for both women AND men is imperative to our overall health.

And now for some interesting tidbits on men’s reproductive health: According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s study ‘Fertility, Contraception, and Fatherhood: Data on Men and Women From Cycle 6 (2002) of the National Survey of Family Growth’, adolescent men (15–19 years old) were more likely to report receiving a health service (72 percent) than adult men (51–53 percent). They were also more likely to report a testicular exam (57 percent) than older men (35–37 percent). Services like checkups for reproductive or sexual health problems, routine physical exams, testicular and prostate cancer screenings, to name a few, are very important to the overall health of men of all ages.

Additionally, the life-expectancy gap between men and women has decreased; still it is clear that there is much room for improvement. Men tend to smoke and drink more than women. They do not seek medical help as often as women. For more info, check out this cool test from the CDC to test your knowledge about men’s health here.

Many of the major health risks that men face can be prevented and treated with early diagnosis. Screening tests can catch diseases early, often when treatments are more successful. This is a good reason that shows the importance for all men to have regular checkups and screenings.

Men and women both deserve health services and to have affordable access to testing and education options readily available to them. Planned Parenthood offers a wide array of health services for men.

For more information and event ideas for National Men’s Health Week, click here.

Recently, the national unemployment rate reportedly hit 9.4%, the highest figure in over 25 years. A daunting number in and of itself, the effects of unemployment are incalculable as of yet, but are felt acutely by those who are losing their health care coverage and falling into the category of ‘the uninsured’. The American health care system has been employer based for decades, ensuring the affordability of even basic coverage guaranteed through an employer’s company or business, with only a relatively small number of people eligible for Federal or State programs receiving any sort of comprehensive public aid. As unemployment rates increase, the number of uninsured individuals and families also follows and now, more than ever, health care providers such as Planned Parenthood are needed to supplement reproductive health care and family planning as people find themselves increasingly without private health insurance.

Not surprisingly, Planned Parenthood (PPMNS) has seen the effects for those uninsured due to job loss or prospective job loss. According to Kathi Di Nicola, PPMNS  Director of Media Relations, Planned Parenthood has seen a 51% increase in long-term birth control use such as IUDs and Depo-Provera, methods that can last from 3 months up to 10 years. This indicates that women are planning ahead and ensuring that they will have more long-term solutions to their contraceptive needs rather than deciding month to month how they will afford the pill. The most interesting and perhaps most indicative effect of the employment and insurance conundrum is the increase in returning clientele. Women who relied on Planned Parenthood in their early 20’s are returning again as patients once they have lost their jobs, and thus their regular insurance. The need for Planned Parenthood’s services and low-cost solutions to medical needs is obviously increasing and will continue to increase until a solution has been resolved on health care reform on a national level.

Until then, Planned Parenthood will continue to be a community provider of accessible reproductive health care for Minnesota men and women.

In light of our current economic problems and health care insecurities, Planned Parenthood’s funding and ability to continue providing services and programs such as 4NOW (which makes birth control affordable and free for uninsured women) are incredibly important. Watch this blog for more information on the upcoming budget hurdles for Minnesota and family planning programs.
 

Letters: Basic right to insurance, Argus Leader 6.10.09

by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

Did you know that the US has the highest teen pregnancy rate in the industrialized world? That 30% of teenage girls in the US will become pregnant at least once before the age of 20? How about that less than 50% of teen moms will graduate from high school and less than 2% will obtain a college degree? (Stats via stayteen)

Teen pregnancy is a huge issue in the US. And a new series from MTV, 16 and Pregnant, will attempt to document the trials and tribulations of being a pregnant teen.

Via stayteen:

Each story offers a unique look into the wide variety of challenges pregnant teens face: marriage, adoption, religion, gossip, finances, rumors among the community, graduating high school, getting (or losing) a job. Faced with incredibly adult decisions, these girls are forced to sacrifice their teenage years and their high school experiences. But there is an optimism among them; they have the dedication to make their lives work, and to do as they see fit to provide the best for their babies.

Check out the trailer:

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Barbara Shelly: A closer look at the people Tiller helped, Pioneer Press 6.9.09

Closed Clinic Leaves Abortion Protesters at a Loss, New York Times 6.7.09

My Choice, Washington Post 6.7.09 

Web Correspondent

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

As we mourn the death of Dr. Tiller, we must keep his spirit alive in our lives and work.  He was a man who dedicated his entire life supporting and protecting the lives of women, even in the face of continued threats to his life.  He was murdered at his place of worship, a place where people go to come together, a place whose peace was shattered by this senseless act.  We all need to come together and promote women’s health care in this country and continue our work to ensure that all women have access to reproductive health care. Can we not agree that free access to maternal care and health care for our children should be a priority? Let's open the dialogue between parents and youth to ensure that all our children have the facts about sexual health that they need to stay healthy and strong so they can make informed decisions.  Remember Dr. Tiller, support women’s health care, volunteer in your community and keep the dialogue open. 

For Some Sexually Transmitted Infections, Secondary Prevention May Be Primary (pdf), Guttmacher Policy Review, Spring 2009

President

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

When the news hit that Dr. George Tiller had been shot to death in Wichita, Kansas, my thoughts turned immediately to his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his fellow churchgoers and the many women and families who benefited from his compassionate care. 

I thought, too, about the safety of our staff, our patients, and the legions of volunteers who support the work we do at Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota. I vowed, as has our board of directors, that our security team would overlook no detail and spare no expense in protecting them.

I also thought about the angry protesters who gather every day outside our Highland Park clinic – and clinics around the country. They hold up distorted images and attempt to dehumanize our patients and staff. Their overheated, hate-filled rhetoric, fueled by the likes of Bill O’Reilly and too many others, feeds the paranoid fantasies of vulnerable, mentally unstable people.

What happened to Dr. Tiller is more than tragic. And if there’s one thing on which we can all agree, it is to tamp down the rhetoric. It’s time for ethically based people to come together, put a stop to this madness and start working toward practical solutions.

Dr. Tiller’s work was born of compassion. He was one of a handful of doctors willing to provide abortions in the most difficult of situations: when the life and health of the mother was clearly at risk or when there were fetal anomalies not compatible with life. He simply would not be deterred by the relentless threats against his life, assaults on his person, damage to his property and ceaseless verbal attacks.

Those with whom I’m privileged to work at Planned Parenthood are equally principled and committed. They will let nothing stand between them and the many people who need their services and care.

One of our volunteers, in fact, was spurred into action on Jan. 22, the day a man intentionally rammed his SUV into the front of our Highland Park clinic. This volunteer now serves as a clinic escort, ensuring that our patients and staff can come and go from the building with as little harassment as possible from protesters.

He responded the way many of us did to Dr. Tiller’s death: “With profound sadness, then anger, then just determination that this cannot stand.”

And, like Dr. Tiller, he will not be deterred: “I’m frightened,” he said, “but I can’t let this stop me. It’s very important to stay committed and focused on continuing to provide access to safe and legal care.”

Dr. Tiller stayed calmly and serenely above the fray. We admired his strength, his refusal to back down and, above all, his kindness toward his patients. We will remember him as does his colleague Dr. Shelley Sella. In an interview with Amy Goodman, she said: “Dr. Tiller . . . did everything out of kindness, justice, love and respect. Those were some of the words that he used to describe the doctor-patient relationship that he thought was so important, but those are words that describe him and the way that he provided care.”

As we mourn and remember Dr. Tiller, we will move forward with determination, courage and civility. We will stay focused on ensuring that our patients get the primary and preventive care they need at our clinics: cancer screenings, contraception and immunizations. We will renew our call to respect each other’s differences.

It is the only way to honor a man who refused to be intimidated.


 

Candlelight vigil for slain abortion doctor tonight in Twin Cities, Star Tribune 6.2.09

Slaying Raises Fears on Both Sides of Abortion Debate, Washington Post 6.2.09

Slain abortion doctor no stranger to violence, but refused to back down: `I know they need me', Star Tribune 6.2.09

Rather than letting this unspeakable act divide us, let's work together with civility and respect. Let us offer our encouragement and support to those that continue to make women's health care a priority.

Please join the Minnesota Choice Coalition in a candlelight vigil for Dr. Tiller this Tuesday, June 2nd from 9-9:30pm in the South West corner of Loring Park in Minneapolis (near Hennepin and 15th).

There will be no speaking program, no bullhorns, no chanting and no political rhetoric. We just want to gather to silently reflect on one man's life and contribution to the pro-choice movement, and to mourn among other pro-choice supporters.

Please bring your own candle, and meet us in Loring Park tomorrow night from 9-9:30pm. This event is open to the public.

If possible, please RSVP so that we have an idea of how many people to expect. You can email us at mnchoicecoalition@gmail.com or RSVP via Facebook.

Thank you for all you do for the pro-choice movement; we hope to see you tomorrow night in Loring Park.

“I join with President Obama and others in expressing my shock and outrage at the killing of Dr. George Tiller, a prominent Kansas physician.

I extend my heartfelt sympathies to Dr. Tiller’s family. 

There is no room in America to ‘justify’ murder in the name of ideological differences.  I condemn the act committed against Dr. Tiller as well as those who take comfort from his death.

I am grateful to President Obama and Attorney General Holder for providing additional security to certain doctors and clinics.  However, no doctor or family planning provider should have to fear for their lives.  Nor should they have to live with stalking, threats, harassment, intimidation or other acts of illegal demonstration.

Americans have ideological differences that we feel strongly about – but it is wrong to commit murder because of them.”

by the Planned Parenthood Advocate Editorial Team
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund
http://www.plannedparenthoodadvocate.org

By now, you have likely heard the horrible news of Dr. George Tiller's murder. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time.


Dr. Tiller, an abortion provider, had been harassed by abortion opponents for much of his career - his clinic was burned down, he was shot in both arms by an abortion protestor, and he was recently targeted for investigation with a jury acquittal coming just a few months ago. Despite all this, he remained committed to providing women and families with the abortion care they needed.

Dr. Tiller's death is a profound loss for women and their families across the country and an immeasurable loss to those working to ensure women have access to all safe, legal health care, including abortion, even in some of the most difficult circumstances.   

President Obama, said it well:

However profound our differences as Americans over difficult issues such as abortion, they cannot be resolved by heinous acts of violence.

Rather than letting this unspeakable act divide us, let's work together with civility and respect. Let us offer our encouragement and support to those that continue to make women's health care a priority by providing them the full range of their reproductive choices.


Please, share this note to further condemn this brutal act and to show your support for those who continue to provide access to abortion in the face of violence.

Please keep the family of Dr. Tiller in your thoughts and prayers.

  

We are deeply saddened and shocked to learn of Dr. George Tiller's murder today.  Our thoughts and prayers are with his family during this time.

We denounce this act of unspeakable violence and brutality and remain steadfast in our commitment to provide health care to every woman that relies on Planned Parenthood.  Obviously, the health and safety of our patients and staff is paramount.

Dr. Tiller had been harassed by abortion opponents for much of his career - his clinic was burned down, he was shot in both arms by an abortion protestor, and he was recently targeted for investigation with a jury acquittal coming just a few months ago. None of this stopped the courageous Dr. Tiller from providing women and their families with abortion care they needed.

Dr. Tiller's death is a profound loss for women and their families across the country and an immeasurable loss to those working to ensure women have access to all safe, legal  health care, including abortion, even in some of the most difficult circumstances.   We mourn with his family and with our entire community.

by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

What's a Planned Parenthood volunteer clinic escort and why are they needed? Well, unfortunately, everyday outside of our Highland Park clinic there are protesters who harass our patients as they enter and exit our clinic.  Our clinic escorts perform a very criticial role; they help ensure that our patients can enter and exit safely and with as little harassment from anti-choicers as possible.  It's a challenging position, but at the end of the day, escorts know that they are making a big difference.  Check out the video below to learn more about the important work our escorts do.

A big thank you goes out to all of the people who have worked as clinic escorts. We can't thank you enough!!!

If you are interested in becoming an escort for Planned Parenthood, email us at volunteers@ppmns.org.

You can subscribe to our podcast in itunes for free HERE.

Stay Connected 

Anti-abortion group sees a few successes this session, Minnesota Independent 5.27.09

President 

Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund 

A recent Gallup Poll appears to show a shift in public opinion on abortion, with more Americans than ever identifying as “pro-life.” But experience shows that such labels as “pro-life” and “pro-choice” are hopelessly dated and serve to drive wedges between us, and that the poll itself might be asking the wrong questions altogether.

Read deeper into the results of this and other recent polls and you will find that, no matter what the label, most Americans want to keep abortion legal.

We know from our work in Minnesota, North Dakota and South Dakota, that the more we engage in substantive discussion about the issues that affect the health and safety of women, the more people understand and honor the complexity of the abortion issue and recognize the need to leave these personal decisions to women and families.

The truth is that many people have some level of moral ambivalence about abortion. Most South Dakotans, for example, self-identify as "pro-life" and are opposed to abortion, but they have defeated statewide measures to ban abortion in two elections. Even the most conservative Americans want to keep abortion safe, legal and rare. Why? Because abortion is a morally complicated issue, which is precisely why woman are entitled to think it through and come to their own conclusions.

It’s high time that the rest of the country follow South Dakota's lead and stop using the divisive language of the past and start acknowledging and respecting the internal conflict felt by many voters on this issue.  Acknowledging moral conflict is not something to fear, but rather, a measure of respect for an individual's capacity to make the best decision for themselves and their families, rather than being left at the whim of government decision makers.

South Dakota voters didn’t reject abortion bans because they are suddenly “pro-choice.” Rather, they said “no” because they understood the consequences of banning abortion and did not want government intruding on personal family decisions.

The key to expanding the conversation and creating the common ground that President Obama so eloquently called for in his address at Notre Dame is to acknowledge differing views and concerns about abortion while also reinforcing the idea that abortion is a personal matter in which government and others should not interfere.

President Obama’s speech mirrored the sentiments of most Americans and underscored the importance of the work Planned Parenthood does every day to provide family planning services and reduce unintended pregnancy.

Roe v. Wade has been settled law for decades.  Those who try to rekindle that debate with heated rhetoric are taking the focus off the common goals most of us share of reducing unintended consequences and the need for abortion.

These are goals we can all agree on. Let's move beyond labels and toward meeting these goals.

Abortion Polls Back and Forth, Chicago Tribune 5.19.09

by Karina
Web Editor
Planned Parenthood Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota Action Fund

You may remember the exciting news from a couple weeks ago that Governor Pawlenty had signed a bill that bans the chemical Bisphenol-A in baby bottles and sippy cups!

By signing this bill, Minnesota became the first state to ban the use of Bisphenol-A in any product.

Planned Parenthood is thrilled to be part of the Healthy Legacy Coalition; the driving force behind these landmark pieces of legislation.  

Last week, I sat down with Healthy Legacy Coalition Coordinator, Peter Starzynski, to talk about the Bisphenol-A ban immediately following the Governor’s signature.  Listen to the podcast below or subscribe to our podcast for free in itunes.

 Make sure to check out Healthy Legacy's website for info on safer products.