Ventura Government Center is the site of a Defund Planned Parenthood rally
By Michael Hernandez
The local rally organized by Mary Rose Short, a full-time pro-life activist and 2011 Thomas Aquinas College graduate, was one of 40 California rallies and one of 218 rallies in 45 states.
“Planned Parenthood is all about abortion not healthcare nor reproductive healthcare,” said Short. “The only service related to pregnancy that that Planned Parenthood offers is a pregnancy test to determine pregnancy and abortions to end life.” Short said that Planned Parenthood provide less than one percent of pap test and does not do mammograms.
Pro-Life leaders say that for every Planned Parenthood center funded by federal tax money there are 13 times more Federal Qualified Health Centers (FQHC) that do not provide abortions that serve about eight times more women. According to Charlotte Lozier Institute, “funds could easily be diverted to these FQHC to avoid any disruption of services to current Planned Parenthood clients, while better serving the needs of poor women.”
The Pro-Life Action League and 40 Days of Life were the primary co-sponsors of the nationwide rallies which were supported by more than 60 pro-life organizations. The rallies are calling on Congress and President Donald Trump to strip Planned Parenthood of all federal funding and reallocate those funds to community health centers that do not perform abortions.
The U.S. Senate is expected to take a vote later this month on a bill that includes language on defunding Planned Parenthood to be sent to President Trump.
(L to R: Ed Wurts (Ventura) and Anna & Tony Murphy (Oxnard)
Two Thomas Aquinas students (Ojai) of a group of 30 students.
Some 300 attended rally (180 pro-life and 120 Planned Parenthood supporters based on head count by pro-life organizer at 10 a.m.)
40 rallies were held in California and 218 nationwide in 45 states
Pro-life supporters includes millennials, college students and small children.
The nationwide rally was co-sponsored by Pro-Life Action League and 40 Days of Life as well as more than 60 pro-life organizations.
Photo Credits: Michael Hernandez
Michael Hernandez, Co-Founder of the Citizens Journal—Ventura County’s online news service, founder of History Makers International, is a former Southern California daily newspaper journalist and religion and news editor. Mr. Hernandez can be contacted by email: [email protected].
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Thank you fotr being out there. Can you put the word out in advance? I would come if I knew, others would as well
Thanks for the good coverage. I attended the rally. Unfortunately, after the “Defund Planned Parenthood” people left, there were still a lot of the counter-protestors there who were in support of Planned Parenthood, who stayed all afternoon. They often chanted “My body, my choice,” and they seemed fanatical to me. There were two of us (pro-lifers) who stayed until evening, until all of those who supported Planned Parenthood had left.
Good photos, honest coverage, thanks!