Editorial Policy: The opinions and views on the opinion page are not necessarily those of Liberty High School, Journalism Class, its adviser, or any other affiliated party.
2020 has not been the year that most thought it would be. People are noticing the corruptness of their country, of other countries, and of people. There are numerous problems going on in the United States that some are not happy with. From the Covid-19 pandemic, to police brutality, to the idea of Planned Parenthood getting defunded, some people feel they are in the midst of a crisis. Just weeks away from the election, pro-life supporters are truly pushing politicians to completely wipe out the Planned Parenthood organization and its facilities.
Many pro-life supporters are unreasonably confusing their emotions with logic with when it comes to Planned Parenthood. They do not seem to realize that Planned Parenthood is more than just a place for procedures such as abortion. Planned Parenthood is a place where people can safely get birth control, have treatment and testing for sexually transmitted infections and diseases, get medication prescriptions and refills, have access to screenings, get general health care, have access to LGBT services, receive patient education services, receive men’s health services and other possibilities.
On Election Day, if current President Donald J. Trump wins his second term, reproductive health services will become one of his top priorities. For example, President Trump’s recent nominee to the Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett, “failed to disclose her participation in a 2006 newspaper ad calling for Roe v. Wade to be overturned,” according to Heidi Przybyla of NBC News. Barrett supported ending the “barbaric legacy” of Roe v. Wade, referring to the 1973 United States Supreme Court ruling that a pregnant woman can have the right to choose to have an abortion without government restriction. If the ruling of Roe v. Wade is overturned, the power of legalization of abortion would go over to the individual states.
If President Donald Trump and anti-abortion politicians fully defund Planned Parenthood, the options for people’s health services will become limited. Limited options will lead to unwanted births and unsafe abortions which could result in more deaths. Planned Parenthood’s patients often do not have any other health care options that are accessible to them. According to the article "The Impact of Defunding Planned Parenthood,” about 60% of Planned Parenthood’s patients only have access to health care through public services.
Defunding Planned Parenthood will, in fact, cause another crisis in today’s world. The options for services will be stripped from thousands of Americans. Defunding Planned Parenthood will only have a negative effect on American society.
Cover photo courtesy of KRON 4.
About the writer:
Kristine Sanchez is a staff writer for The Lion's Roar. You can learn more information about her by clicking here.
Comments