Wednesday, May 19, 2010

An offer to Planned Parenthood: Let the most persuasive case win

"I appeal to the [abortion] clinics to take me up on a sincere offer. I promise to help them find [a pro-life] abortion alternative center in their area that will allow a pro-choice clinic employee or volunteer to present to each client the best case for abortion. The client will then weigh the information given by the abortion alternative center against that given by the abortion clinic and make her own decision. This will assure true informed consent, leaving women to make their own choice about whether or not to abort.

"All that we require in turn is that the abortion or Planned Parenthood clinic do the same thing -- allow one employee or volunteer from an abortion alternative center to present to each client the facts about fetal development, visual aids showing what abortion is, psychological and physical risks of abortion, and the availability of abortion alternatives. The pro-lifer may also offer a free sonogram or ultrasound so she can see for herself who or what is inside her. The woman -- not the counselors from either side -- will make her choice.

"Isn't that what the pro-choice movement says it wants -- women informed and free to choose? Isn't that a fair arrangement? I know lots of abortion alternative centers that would gladly agree to this. But in the eight years I've been making this offer, I have yet to hear of a single abortion clinic or Planned Parenthood clinic that would. I invite any of them to take me up on the offer."

-- Randy Alcorn (Pro-Life Answers to Pro-Choice Arguments, pp. 287-88)