Planned Parenthood Clergy Advocacy Board Releases Response to Smear Campaign
For Immediate Release: Aug. 26, 2015
PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION OF AMERICA
Planned Parenthood Clergy Advocacy Board Releases Response to Smear Campaign
New York, NY – Today, Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s Clergy Advocacy Board released a statement on the politically motivated, heavily edited, and secretly recorded videotape falsely portraying Planned Parenthood’s participation in tissue donation programs that support lifesaving scientific research.
Statement from the Planned Parenthood Clergy Advocacy Board
“As faith leaders committed to justice, honesty, and liberty, we are troubled by the decades-long campaign of harassment against Planned Parenthood and those they serve. Our faiths demand care for those marginalized by poverty and other oppressions. Faith leaders have supported Planned Parenthood for nearly 100 years because of our shared goals: every person — regardless of income, race, or religion — deserves access to safe, affordable, high-quality health care.
“Planned Parenthood provides professional, non-judgmental, high-quality care to people, individuals, and families in our congregations, some of whom have few health care options. Planned Parenthood does the best of what religious traditions do: care, no matter what.
“Planned Parenthood offers the opportunity for women to choose to donate fetal tissue for research purposes. Research using fetal tissue saves hundreds of thousands of lives worldwide every year.
“The fact that the attacking organizations use fraudulent and extreme tactics to spread false allegations about Planned Parenthood’s role in tissue donation is theologically and morally reprehensible. The scriptures of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam strongly and repeatedly condemn dishonesty and hate. Planned Parenthood facilitates tissue donation for those who choose it, knowing that it fulfills the donor's wish and contributes to the advancement of medical research. We are grateful to everyone who chooses to donate and fully respectful of all who do not.
“Rather than respect religious liberty and individual conscience, some seek to impose their values and work obsessively to limit access to health care on individuals despite the fact that denial of health care may have a tremendous impact on their families. This agenda has included restricting access to evidence-based sex education and contraceptives and imposing a view of sexuality that most Americans do not hold.
“Planned Parenthood employees and volunteers, as well as those at other organizations and providers, endure harassment, fraud, and violence when they provide and protect access to safe health care. Our religious traditions call us to offer compassion, not judgment. People who work for Planned Parenthood give care and respect to those in need, doing God’s work. For this we are grateful.”
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Planned Parenthood is the nation's leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation's largest provider of sex education. With approximately 700 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.