Nice Girls Don't Say 'Vagina' -- What The Rep. Lisa Brown Controversy Is Really About

[PotatoChip]

173. You do realize that Adrienne Schreiber

is the one and only Planned Parenthood *official* to have made this claim?

Furthermore, (and this is important to consider) though this quote can be found all over the internet on just about every single right wing blog and discussion forum (including, but not limited to Free Republic) it originates from ONE source... Alana Goodman, CONservative blogger and assistant online editor for the RWing 'Commentary' magazine.

It has been parroted verbatim so much by the right-wing that even a site called Little Green Footballs smelled the BS. And believe me, they have not always been much of a friend to the left. Here is what they had to say:

First, the wingnut chorus is obviously a little unclear on the concept of consent. Even if ultrasounds are part of the Planned Parenthood procedure, it’s rather obvious that any woman who undergoes one will have explicitly given her consent. This is vastly different from a state law requiring the procedure in all cases, medically necessary or not.

But is it even true that Planned Parenthood already requires ultrasounds before abortions? Let’s check out their website under In-Clinic Abortion Procedures:

What Happens During an In-Clinic Abortion?

It’s common for women to be nervous about having an abortion — or any other medical procedure. But most of us feel better if we know what to expect. Your health care provider will talk with you and answer your questions. But here’s a general idea of how it works and what to expect.

Before the abortion procedure, you will need to
•discuss your options
•talk about your medical history
•have laboratory tests
•have a physical exam — which may include an ultrasound
•read and sign papers

Notice the operative term: may include an ultrasound. Planned Parenthood’s policy is to do ultrasounds when they are freely chosen by the patient, with the advice of the medical professional doing the exam.

To equate this situation with a state-enforced law is not just misleading, it’s downright dishonest. But this entire debate over whether women need to be humiliated is just rancid with dishonesty.

http://littlegreenfootballs.com/article/39957_Another_Right_Wing_Lie-_Planned_Parenthood_Does_Not_Require_Ultrasounds

And if PP's own words are not enough to convince you that your sourcing may have been (ahem) misinformed, consider PP's actions. Approximately one month after this so-called Planned Parenthood *official* supposedly made that statement to Goodman, PP was out fighting against another anti-choice bill, this time in Florida, that sought to force women seeking abortions to have ultrasounds. Now why would PP concern themselves with this bill if Schreiber's (or Goodman's?) words were factually correct, and they (Planned Parenthood) were already doing them?

Source: The Orlando Sentinel:

Planned Parenthood rallies across the state, calling on Crist to veto pre-abortion ultrasound bill

On Thursday, Planned Parenthood launched a statewide campaign opposing the bill with rallies in four Florida cities –Orlando, St. Petersburg, Tallahassee and West Palm Beach.

Tacked on as an amendment to an unrelated health-care issue, the provision would require women to undergo an ultrasound of the fetus at their own expense before an abortion could be performed. They also would need to listen to a doctor describe the development of the fetus.

"It's bad legislation," said Sue Idtensohn, CEO of Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando. "It's mandating something that doctors and their patients should decide on their own. What other medical procedure would lawmakers try to force people to undergo?"

http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2010-05-13/features/os-planned-parenthood-lobbies-crist-20100513_1_planned-parenthood-ultrasound-undue-burden