Full page "abortion hurts women" ad in Sioux Falls School District directory

Shame on you, Sioux Falls School District! This is *clearly* a political ad, very thinly veiled under the guise of an organization. The "abortion hurts women!" tagline has obviously been used by the Vote Yes camp for years now, and all that's missing is the "Vote Yes On 11!" half of it.

If this was like previous Alpha Center ads in other things, explaining the range of "services" they offer from pregnancy testing, STD testing, etc., it *might* pass muster. As it is, the Alpha Center has spent government grant money to run a political message in the district-wide directory.

That's unconscionable.

Anonymous - blah, blah, blah.

So, you think the that the Alpha Center would be committing a crime if they used 'government money' to run a political message? How about Planned Parenthood using 'government money' to MURDER unborn babies!-isn't THAT a crime?

THAT'S unconscionable.

So much for Planned Parenthood looking out for the rights of women (meaning here the right to get help), and yet they tout their "pro woman" stance. Now, they don't even want women to get help when they have problems after an abortion- more than likely one that was done in their building. As I know it, they don't offer post abortion counseling themselves, but yet are having a fit if someone else does.

The fact that abortion hurts women is not a political stance as many like "anonymous" try to make it. It is a sad reality. And, post abortion counseling is one of the many services the Alpha Center offers. I commend places like the Alpha Center in offering help to women in ALL stages of their crisis. Maybe if Planned Parenthood acknowledged and cared for women after their abortion, they could advertise too.

I’d just like to point out that your link to the Planned Parenthood’s “Take Care Down There” campaign is specific to a clinic in Portland, Oregon, not here in South Dakota or the Midwest at all for that matter. Since you’re an expert in all things Planned Parenthood, Steve, I’d expect that you’d know that what one affiliate does is just that. Not all Planned Parenthood affiliates across the nation run the same campaigns or even have the same focus. What the Columbia Willamette affiliate chooses to do is obviously going to be different from what the Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota affiliate, so if you want to direct your criticism to Shannon/SD directly, at least know what you’re talking about. It’s like making reference to Church at the Gate for something that another church is doing.

That aside, your suggestion that educating people about STDs often being asymptomatic contributes to unplanned pregnancies is absurd. Most of you anti-abortion zealots are also anti-birth control, anti-condom, and often anti-sex for any other reason other than pro-creation (even within marriage,) giving light to just how out of touch you are with moderate America.

And I’d watch out with your Alpha Center versus Planned Parenthood argument. It’s my understanding that only one of these directors has plead no contest to 19 of 24 charges in a plea bargain agreement (which included four felonies), been recently investigated by the IRS for violating federal tax law, and routinely lies to reporters. Interesting, isn’t it?

That Girl - Nonsense. Will Planned Parenthood SD,ND, MN then renounce the Portland website - Take Care Down There? If they do than I will publicly apologize for so unfairly lumping all your affiliates together. But we aren't stupid. We all know Planned Parenthood is driving all of this. And we know the same dark agenda drives every affiliate but that they package it regionally as you admit in your comment - "or the midwest at all for that matter" - the PP approach is incremental because they know America would run them off the planet if they revealed their real agenda all at once.

We'll see in November whose values are out of touch with a majority of Americans.

Old news as far as paragraph three goes - these folks were saving and adopting babies. And the IRS thing is something they were fully cleared of - if I'm right there, which I am, will you publicly take back your charges here that they are violating tax law? I know the answer.

Lying to reporters. Everything about UnHealthy Families is lies, lies, lies.

[…] Yeah, comprehensive sex education (teaching BC & Abstinence together) helps teens get pregnant. Actually countless studies have proven Abstinence only ed has no effect whatsoever. […]

Is it just me or have other people noticed that when truth is spoken on any of the Pro-Life issues the death camp doesn't even try and argue the statement, but rather do everything in their power to redirect people attention to something all together different?

The original post here was about a full page add that states Abortion Hurts Women, and we have "That Girl" talking yesterdays news and "Anon" is talking politics.

To me the fact that they try so hard to redirect our attention is the same as admitting that they agree with the original statement that Abortion Hurts Women, but are so deeply entrenched in their murderous ideology that they unable to admit they truth behind the statement.

"So, you think the that the Alpha Center would be committing a crime if they used 'government money' to run a political message? How about Planned Parenthood using 'government money' to MURDER unborn babies!-isn't THAT a crime?

THAT'S unconscionable."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

The law says: No. Most people in SD in 2006 said: No. Sorry, you lose.

Some Dude- aka Ghost Dude - You see, I have no idea what you even said - and I don't care - you lost me when I noticed you, as an anonymous heckler enjoy darkness more than light. Come out of the shadows, take off your mask and put your name and face with your words. You will find people take your words more seriously. As is, people write you off as the crazy extremists that you are - loud - and few in number. There is a reason many bloggers ban anonymous comments from the discussion - you have nothing of value to contribute.

Oh, I'm sorry. You all are right. It is old news that Leslee and Co. have a blatant disregard for the law…but glad to hear that you actually advocate breaking the law if it fits your position. Listen to yourselves.

Regarding the IRS thing: uh, I said they were INVESTIGATED for violating federal tax law, which regardless of the outcome, is still telling. People aren't investigated for no reason and plenty of people are acquitted of crimes they actually did commit.

Your comment, Steve, about how "the PP approach is incremental because they know America would run them off the planet if they revealed their real agenda all at once" sounds an awful lot like the anti-choice movement to me – chipping away at abortion rights to mask your adjunct agenda of abolishing birth control, condoms, premarital and recreational sex.

"Crazy extremists"?

Hmmm… I don't stand outside buildings and heckle people as they go about their business. I don't accuse people of murder for using emergency contraception. I don't go on national TV and shout "MORE BABIES" while my debate opponent makes reasonable arguments. Nope.
I simply don't believe that anyone has the right to impose their personal morality on anyone else.
I also think outright banning abortions is the wrong way to reduce them. Comprehensive sex-ed, access to contraception, and openess will do a lot more to address the real problem. People (especially young people) will have sex no matter how hard you try to shame them out of it.

Steve, anonymity is an American right. When I voted against #6 in 06, it was ANONYMOUSLY. You can blow off Dude's comments, and my own, purely on the basis that we choose not to make asses out of ourselves publicly like you and yours. My comments are meaningless, even if I chose to put my name on them. Besides, we’re just a bunch of bloggers. I might sound like an angry idiot most of the time, but at least my neighbors don’t know it. You on the other hand… I wonder what your neighbors think.

"That Girl"-
You said…"People aren't investigated for no reason, and plenty of people are acquitted of crimes they actually did commit."
So what does that say about pp in all the law suits brought out against them? Google 'planned parenthood investigates' and there are quite a bit of lawsuits or accusations against pp. You can argue that those planned parenthood's aren't mn, sd, nd but it's all under the same name of pp. It's the same organization (same name, same agenda) as all the rest. Breaking any law on either side is a shame but come on…pp (or anyone who represents them) should not be casting the first stone with all of the 'investigations' against them.

"some dude"
Most people in sd stated that they would have voted for an abortion ban with exceptions for rape, incest and health of the mother. This is a classic case of democracy at it's best! The lawmakers have listened to the voters and have put in #11 what they requested in 2006! So guess what…you lose.

Hearing you all get so righteous about keeping the law is humorous to me considering killing is what you advocate. Good people are investigated by the IRS all the time for no reason and it's no secret the attack dogs of George Soros and company - CREW - got the ball rolling on the IRS thing against the Alpha Center. Happens all the time to people on our side. Yep- many pro-lifers have been working toward an incremental approach to reduce abortions.

Angry Guy - Did you just admit you are an ass and that you are glad your neighbors don't know how extreme you actually are? Ghost Dude - I don't do any of those things either. "Personal Morality" ?? Societies have crumbled when people resort to doing what is right in their own eyes.

"Societies have crumbled when people resort to doing what is right in their own eyes." Turn that mirror around, "pastor".
Whos eyes are you looking through? It certainly isn't these poor women whose lives you are attempting to control with your religious beliefs gone political. Maybe they are the eyes of Jesus?

and you said it baby!
I'M EXTREME!!!! YEAH!

"Societies have crumbled when people resort to doing what is right in their own eyes."

Isn't that what you're doing?
Really, what is extreme about trying to reduce the number of abortions performed without actually banning them? This country is too free for banning anything to work. We've tried to ban alcohol before - it didn't work. We've tried to ban drugs - people still use them at an alarming rate.

Another point: I don't want to pay for your crusade against abortion. How much will a supreme court case cost? Do you honestly belive that we'll be "blessed" with a huge oil discovery and that the revenue from that will somehow be available before the supreme court can overturn RL11? If the pro-choice side is smart about this, they'll concentrate their message on something the vast majority of South Dakotans care about far more than your crusade: their wallets.

I just want to clarify that the Alpha Center does not run on any government money. Alpha Center runs strictly on donations of people that care about women and babies. Abstinence Clearing House does receive funds for education from the government, but not nearly the amount that PP receives from tax payers to kill babies and promote sex.

Also, I personally thank the Alpha Center for caring enough to run the ad. Women need to know that they have a place to go for help. I know because I was a woman hurt by abortion and a woman that received help from the Alpha Center.

Thank you Alpha Center and thank you Pastor Steve for all you do. I wish there were more like you.

I think it is funny how the pro-abortion people think it is terrible for those who value life to "impose their personal morality on anyone else", and yet it is OK for them to impose their personal morality (or lack of it) on a living human being that is just younger than they are by killing it.

I was very selfish & killed my children by abortion. Now I am just thankful that I was able to heal through the help of the Alpha Center.

If anyone reading these blogs is hurting from abortion, they should give healing a try. I promise you will like it.

Some Dude, "I simply don't believe that anyone has the right to impose their personal morality on anyone else."

Food for Thought:

Aren't you impossing your personal morality on everyone else when you make that statement??????

No he isn't. He's make a statement about something he beleives in. He isn't passing any laws. He isn't taking your turn. He's not buying it a beer. He's calmer than you are.

This imposing Morality argument is silly.

Is a vote, on anything, an attempt to impose the majority's morality on the minority?

Remember, every choice is based on our own personal belief system, or in another word our morality, that includes voting…

Hey Some Dude:
Your comment on what's so extreme about trying to reduce the number of abortions without actually banning them- I totally agree. Isn't that what Initiative 11 is about?- reducing the number of abortions WITH exceptions of life and health of the mother, and in cases of rape and incest?

In regards to the cost of a lawsuit- no one is forcing groups such as Planned Parenthood or the ACLU to challenge the law which would be the will of the people of South Dakota. Why not get on their case about the cost?

I would be honored to be your neighbor Steve!

Some Dude -

I think your idea of government is flawed. You say we are to free to ban anything, and you site drugs and alcohol as attempts. If we follow your line of thinking we would live in a total state of anarchy. What about theft? We outlawed it yet some people still do it.

Murder the same, rape, assault, and fraud you guessed it, outlawed but people still commit those atrocities.

You could go down the list of all our laws and argue the same point. Are you an advocate of repealing all law?

I believe that out of the many responsibilities that a government has, none of them (individually or collectively) are greater than its responsibility to protect the lives of its people.

And yes a fetus is a life, (a life at its most innocent point)!

"Travis: What about theft? We outlawed it yet some people still do it. "

Proof positive that simply outlawing something won't stop it.

If your goal is to stop it (which is a noble cause), then you'd be for better sex-ed, easy access to contraception, and open conversations between parents, doctors, and kids. If all you do is ban it, and then push to ban contraception and good sex-ed, you're simply sweeping it under the rug and washing your hands of it.
And to Steve: thank you for being a stand-up guy and allowing dissent on your blog. That takes courage - especially when this subject is involved.

I think that we are all aware that any time a law is passed there is the potential for that law to be broken. However; the point remains, that there are individuals out there that are unwilling to break laws. Therefore; we as pro-lifers and advocates giving a voice to the unborn, want to pass a law that would reduce the number of abortions performed in the state of South Dakota. Yes, there may be some who try to ignore that law. But there are many women who have already said they would've never persued that option if it weren't legal in the first place.

The truth is, even though banning something (which isn't what our goal is this time) may not work 100%, as there will be attempts to break the law, but it will save hundreds of thousands of babies from being slaughtered in this state.

And as for the whole "oil" comment - we will never know the countless ways in which God may choose to bless us if we don't get rid of the shedding of innocent blood.

One last thing - since this is actually a post about the ad in the directory — it's an advertisement. Anyone has the right to pay for advertisement space and run an ad advocating their cause or promoting their business. The ad didn't do anything more than explain a service that's available at the Alpha Center. What is so wrong with that? I don't get it.

I'm with Dude on this one… KUDOS to "pastor" Hickey for letting everyone make asses of themselves here. I'm lookin at you Herr Ellis…

"The truth is, even though banning something (which isn't what our goal is this time) may not work 100%, as there will be attempts to break the law, but it will save hundreds of thousands of babies from being slaughtered in this state."

Where to begin…
Banning something isn't your goal? Even laws against manslaughter have exceptions (ie. self-defense), but we don't call it "restricting" manslaughter. We call it a law against it.
Hundreds of thousands of babies? How many babies have been born in SD in the past 100 years? How many abortions have ever been performed in SD?
All this law does is restrict people without the means to leave the state to have an abortion from getting one near home -unless they meet certain criteria and the state says it's OK. So only the people who can't afford a baby in the first place will be restricted from aborting their pregnancy. Great plan.

Some Dude & Angry Guy,

Am I to understand that you advocate sexual promiscuity, without conseguence? That unique DNA does NOT establish personhood? That because sexual urges are "natural" that "nature takes its course" regardless of consequenes?

I assume you're rather young and haven't experienced parenthood, known a true and monogamous relationship over and extended period of time or been responsible for the care of rearing of children.

Perhaps you're trying to justify being responsible for an abortion (like I was a long time ago), perhaps you're fitting in with your peers or feeling like "it's a womans decision (not a guy thing).

My question to you is, have you REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT THIS?

Have you looked at not just a theological / religious arguement but looked at the SCIENTIFIC evidence that determined a newly concieved child has it's own unique DNA?

Don't just belabor the arguements of the past 35 years, those arguements lost credibility at least 15 years ago, if not sooner.

William:

Sexual promiscuity without consequence? Depends on who has to deal with the consequences. I have no problem taking reponsibility for my own actions, but I have the means to do so. Not everyone is so fortunate. Simply telling people that they shouldn't have sex isn't having an effect.
And yes, sexual urges are natural. Regardless of anyone shaming people into abstainance, people will do the mating dance. I know, it probably disgusts you just as it did your victorian ancestors.
You assume we're both rather young (correct), and that neither of us has experienced parenthood (incorrect). Both of us are married - happily.
I share a common goal with your movement - eliminate abortions used as birth control. I just think my way of going about it will actually solve the problem as opposed to making me feel better. I want to see easy access to birth control and better sex-ed (the kind that doesn't just shame/scare kids about sex). Making it easier for babies to be adopted would also be a great option. There are people waiting years to adopt a baby.
Banning abortion only moves it into another state, making it their problem.
All I see from the pro-life movement in this state is a crusade to spend my money on a supreme court battle they will ultimately lose. You're delusional if you think otherwise.

I've never made any statement about promiscuity or DNA or consequences of any sort.
I'm a parent of 3, husband of 10 years, and proud to have the friends I have. I don't judge them for their opinions (I'm looking at your DL) and I certainly don't need their (or your) approval on anything I say or think.

As far as your DNA question, you're bringing a knife to a gun fight.
Every single vertibrate embryo starts out with exactly the same cell structure and it's own "unique" DNA. Does that make it a sin that I fried a chicken egg to consume this morning?