Okay, this is more of a question, and I don’t think it belongs in the general questions forum, but…
Recently I got chewed out on a mailing list for discussing my “ministry” of providing handmade tie-dye baby clothes to a crisis pregnancy center associated with my mom’s church. I’m not a Christian, and I haven’t been actively involved in anti-abortion activities since 1990 (though I’m still on the mailing list for Operation Rescue, and everybody they’ve sold my name to, sigh). But I’ve been dirt poor, and I’ve been pregnant under awful circumstances, and I have a lot of sympathy for women who want to persevere through similar.
Anyway, this woman said it was “too controversial” to even mention a CPC, because CPCs have an agenda regarding abortion. Well, that’s true enough, and I don’t dispute that. It’s also true that they don’t offer the choice of abortion. But they do seem to offer concrete assistance when someone doesn’t choose abortion, and that doesn’t seem to be the case with any pro-choice organization I know of. I’d donate to such a place too, if I knew of one. But there don’t seem to be any. If you want free baby clothes etc., you’re damn near stuck going to a church organization, and they’re guaranteed to be anti-abortion. If you go to a pro-choice organization, they’ll offer an abortion, and if you don’t want one, my impression is that you’re on your own…maybe here’s a pamphlet for government services…?
Too controversial, my ass. The CPCs help women who didn’t choose abortion, and isn’t that also a choice? I’d LOVE to donate to a secular group that does the same thing. The manager at the CPC told me that the “clients really love the tie dye”, and isn’t that the point?
So why aren’t there similar secular organizations? Providing direct support for women whose choice is not abortion?
Hmmm. I don’t know much about my local CPC, but it doesn’t seem to be associated with a church. Maybe it’s funded by one, though, and they just do it quietly.
FWIW, I’m VERY pro-choice, but I wouldn’t hesitate to donate baby items to a CPC. I don’t necessarily consider them anti-abortion. I always thought they were there to help women who, as you said, were pregnant and in dire straits for whatever reason. The local CPC provides housing and baby items to women in need, which seems reasonable enough to me. I’m sure they get funding from anti-abortion groups and/or local churches, but that’s okay too. If I can donate money to Planned Parenthood, why shouldn’t other people donate to their own pet causes?
And I LOVE tie dye, so you’d never hear any complaints from me.
Chotii, I think it’s lovely what you are doing. And, of course, having the child is one of the choices. If there were more people like you helping out, maybe more women would choose to have their babies.
Some schools in poor neighborhoods might benefit from your talents. You might talk with a guidance counselor to find out.
Have you talked with Planned Parenthood to see if they have need for these items?
Chotii, I think you’re doing a wonderful thing by donating baby clothes! Don’t let that person intimidate you into not talking about it. I am curious: what was the topic of this mailing list?
Anyway, it’s certainly my view that CPCs are certainly not any more controversial or agenda-driven than Planned Parenthood.
I agree that it would be nice if more secular organizations offered pregnancy help. The Nuturing Network isn’t explicitly secular, but they seem to focus more on the concrete practical issues rather than religion and politics - so you may want to look into setting up a cluster of resources in your community with them.
Hmm, thats funny, because I was just in Planned Parenthood the other day. I lost my health insurance (and I’ve got an income of less than $800 a month), and they provided me with a years worth of birth control, STD tests and a yearly exam- all for free (I think because my county has funds for reproductive health services). Abortion was the last thing on my mind.
I think your baby clothes are great, and I applaud you for what your doing. Just don’t forget that Planned Parenthood and other similer organizations provide many more services than abortions, and represent the only way for many people without health insurance or resources for a regular doctor to take care of at least one aspect of their health.
I think it’s wonderful that you’re donating baby clothes to women in need. I just want to reiterate that Planned Parenthood is not all about abortions. I’ve gone there for the same reason as even sven (no job, no insurance, due to get a pap smear, wanted birth control). Planned Parenthood’s mission statement is “Planned Parenthood is dedicated to the principles that every individual has a fundamental right to decide when or whether to have a child, and that every child should be wanted and loved.” As such, they have plenty of brochures and handouts, ranging from tracking your fertility to nutrition during pregnancy, to birth control options to abortion.
