To the Editor:

Recent letters have presented opposing views on the future funding for Planned Parenthood. Some are based on factual information concerning the function and operations of that organization and others are based on a fabricated narrative created with a highly edited video.

Planned Parenthood provides a variety of needed services to lower income women, ranging from cancer and sexually transmitted disease (STD) screenings to birth control and pregnancy support. Without these services we would undoubtedly see increases in premature deaths, increases in STD incidence and increases in unplanned/illegitimate births. 

They also provide abortion services. However, by federal law, no tax dollars are used to support these activities. Repeat, NO tax dollars are used for abortion services! By law, abortions are legal in this country whether you agree with the procedure or not.

Planned Parenthood also provides fetal tissue for research. That is also allowed by U.S. law. The basis for the current outrage over this practice has been debunked as a highly edited version of ‘gotcha’ interview embellished with video that includes segments having nothing to do with Planned Parenthood. While GOP presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina has used this to enflame her troops, the accusations are fraudulent.

Rep. “Shutdown” Mark Meadows, R-Cashiers, and his co-conspirators apparently wish to shutdown the government over federal funding to Planned Parenthood. If they wish to shutdown the government, I suggest that they select a real issue. Practicing this bit of political theater will have grave consequences for millions of citizens. Remember the last time they pulled this stunt?

If Rep. Meadows is serious about these issues, there are responsible actions that he could take. First, he could sponsor a constitutional amendment to ban all abortions in the U.S. That way, those who can afford to fly to another country could have safe, legal abortions while those of lesser means would go back to the back-street abortions. Additionally, he could sponsor legislation to ban fetal tissue research.

If he wants the debate, let’s have it and skip the theatrics, regardless of how much his base enjoys it.

John Gladden

Franklin