Reevaluation of Planned Parenthood Scandal

On July 24, 2015, I have posted a review of my thoughts over the Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA)’s scandal that the organization was harvesting organs from aborted fetuses. In this editorial/commentary, I am reexamining the issue with this question in mind: Is Planned Parenthood actually selling tissues or was this all hypothetical? This question alone was enough to create uncertainty within my last claim stating that Planned Parenthood should be punished for their actions. Upon researching the legality and credentials of the matter, my perspective has changed over the issue and I have come to realize that there might be something else – good intentions that are completely legal – underneath the immoral video evidence.

Hidden camera videos of Deborah Nucatola, senior director of medical research of Planned Parenthood, shows how the organization is “systematically harvesting and trafficking” human organs and body parts exposed by The Center of Medical Progress’s undercover actors. However, the true story behind the viral video suggests that the actions of Planned Parenthood is in fact legal. The law 42 U.S. Code § 289g—2 states that fetal tissue donation and maintenance is not illegal in the United States, but profiting from it is. Eric Ferrero, a spokesman for Planned Parenthood Federation of America states that the organization is not profiting or obtaining any “valuables” from the donated tissues, rather reimbursement covering the costs of transportation services is legal. The PPFA is undergoing further investigation under Gov. Greg Abbott. He ordered the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) to launch a separate investigation which may occur within the next month. In the meantime, there is no proper evidence suggesting that PPFA has been profiting from donated fetal tissue. Therefore, Texas should continue funding for PPFA despite pro-life activists wanting to ban abortion altogether. “We are aware that some Texas politicians are actively seeking to ban abortion and defund Planned Parenthood and now this controversial video is being used to continue that effort,” Planned Parenthood of Greater Texas said in an article from The Dallas Morning News on July 15, 2015.

Continuing funding for PPFA allows them to continue their practices – maintaining and storing donated organs from aborted fetuses – as it benefits public health and scientific research and discovery. These tissues are transported (not sold) to institutions and hospitals aimed to progress stem cell research, provide vaccines and regenerative medicines, and to make up for shortages of organ donors (Published article on NBC News, July 17, 2015). Without these crucial organ tissues, NeuralStem Inc. will not be able to continue their therapies for patients with damaged spinal cords, treatment for Parkinson’s disease and diabetes will come to a halt without needed stem cells, the possibility of creating organs for patients will cease just to name a few. Defunding the PPFA will correlate in the loss of discovery and advancement in medical research and in turn will negatively impact the nation’s health due to that loss.

Planned Parenthood - Harvesting Organs from Aborted Fetuses Exposed!

An editorial from The Texas Insider exposed undercover videos of Deborah Nucatola, senior director of medical research of Planned Parenthood, describing the gut wrenching act of harvesting fetal organs for medical research. The videos are going viral, spreading like wildfire across the internet and gathering many angry pro-life activists to take action. Planned Parenthood is an organization which “…provides reproductive health, maternal and child health services and also lobbies for pro-choice legislation, comprehensive sex education, and access to affordable health care in the United States.” (-Wikipedia). However, this video exposes some of the darker intentions of the organization. The truth behind the matter is that abortion doctors on behalf of Planned Parenthood have been harvesting the organs of aborted fetuses to sell to other institutions for medical research and practices. Nucatola even suggests that it is even possible for her to perform later-term abortions in order to harvest better developed organs. She states that they are “…very good at getting heart, lung, liver… [and] because we know that, [we are] not gonna crush that part (in the fetus)… I’m gonna basically crush below, I’m gonna crush above, and I’m gonna see if I can get it all intact.”

These grueling words are enough to make anybody tremble and harshly strike at Planned Parenthood. Even Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi — “both recipients of Planned Parenthood’s highest honor”, have been taken back by such a blunt and revealing video. But the author, Kristen Powers, is not staying silent about the matter. Powers is an “American political pundit and analyst [and] has worked in various roles including press secretary, communications and party consultant. She also serves as a columnist to USA Today, Newsweek and The Daily Beast, and a contributor on Fox News.” (-Wikipedia). Kristen Powers is claiming that the organization needs to be held accountable for their unethical and unprofessional actions also blaming them for taking advantage of the fetuses that can’t even fight back. From the hard evidence of the undercover videos, she expresses her concerns to general readers in hopes that her words may muster protest or change, fearing that if “…abortion doctors [are not] questioned or held accountable, society has officially gone off the rails.”

I do know where I stand on this case but, from how I see it, the intentions of Planned Parenthood is to help bring about knowledge and perhaps discovery to practicing doctors, researchers and answers to future problems in infants and pregnancy. From what I hope, the doctors are harvesting from fetuses that are already deceased from drugs. These doctors are just utilizing the organs to advance medical research. However… in order for a fetus to develop lungs, a liver… a heart… could it feel pain?  A fetus can start experiencing pain at just 20-weeks old. And for Nucatola to push for later-term abortions is downright sickening. I have to say that Nucatola (and perhaps Planned Parenthood) should be held accountable for their actions, but as for the course of punishment, I do not know. If this is the grueling process that doctors and researchers must undergo to further scientific and medical research and discovery, perhaps it’s best if humanity was left in the dark…

Read more on this editorial by clicking the link: POWERS:How Damning are the Planned Parenthood Videos? Usual Defenders Nowhere to beFound

or by copying and pasting the address below in the web browser.

http://www.texasinsider.org/powers-how-damning-are-the-planned-parenthood-videos-usual-defenders-nowhere-to-be-found/

Texas Huge Winner in ACA Ruling

The San Antonio Express News have released an editorial on June 25, 2015 over the Affordable Care Act in Texas. The name of the author was not mentioned but is represented by the Express-News Editorial Board. The author is upset about the State’s resistance to accept the Affordable Care Act aka. Obamacare which tries to provide medical care to everyone. Texas is in opposition towards this movement denying to expand Medicaid and refusing to set up a State marketplace exchange to provide health care and yet ironically still requests subsidies, grants and funding from the federal government to resolve the issue with uninsured. Texas political leaders have constant lingering insecurities about privacy, states’ rights, business stability and government control. However, under Chief Justice John Roberts ruling, the Affordable Care Act is carried out in Texas despite those who disapprove. Texas will soon be forced to participate in a federal system regarding health care providing a large population of Texans with the coverage they desperately need.

In general, the author claims that enforcing the Affordable Care Act is benefitting the millions of Texans without health care and the poor. The author states that Texas is “…the state with the highest percentage of uninsured residence in the nation.” Upon further investigation, this comment appears to stand firm with multiple articles written about Texas’s uninsured rate with about 6.2 million people in Texas living without insurance. But Texas is now under new federal law and many citizens of Texas have claimed this as a victory. To add insult to injury, the author comments that “…the justices in the majority did more for Texans than the state’s own leaders have done when it comes to health coverage” and insists that in order for Texas to move forward in this progress, Texas must be liberated from “…its own leaders, including Gov. Greg Abbott, former Gov. Rick Perry and a goodly portion of the state Legislature, past and present.”

The author of this article remains anonymous and therefore the author’s credentials are skeptical. However, the notion of everyone (or at least the majority of Texans) being able to have and afford health care in Texas is outstanding. But the editorial sounds a bit biased as there is no other perspective for the opposing side of the argument. The supposed “consequences” that may occur are increased taxes to support all medical costs for the uninsured, increased costs of premiums for insurance that were affordable then, losing employer benefits and reduced hours, etc. And plus, the perspectives of the upper class were not included and it remains unclear on how the law affects their lives. Being the person I am (perhaps more liberal) I do agree with the author to some extent... but as to go completely radical and liberate all Texas political leaders from their positions in one sitting is not (I believe) in anyone’s best interest.

Read more on this editorial by clicking the link: Texas Huge Winner in ACA Ruling

or copying and pasting the address below in the web browser.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/opinion/editorials/article/Texas-huge-winner-in-ACA-ruling-6349136.php

Houston Orders Pastors to Hand Over Sermons on Gays

As of recently, a very powerful law has been enforced in Texas – as well as the rest of the nation – impacting the lifestyles of many people in regards to human rights. On June 26, 2015, the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriages will be legalized nationwide in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges. Denial of marriage licenses and recognition to same-sex couples violates the Due Process and the Equal Protection clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. While this is a joyous moment and a dramatic step towards equality for the LGBT community, not everyone is willing to jump aboard the colorful boat of equality. However Texas, known for being a conservative state, will have to learn to adapt to this new ruling. People with strong religious affiliations stand as an opponent towards this progress.

In this article, taken from the Texas Insider, the big city of Houston is issuing subpoenas to a group of five pastors who refuse to give up any of their written sermons in regards to homosexuality. This is a surprising and justifiable act of the city of Houston as they are trying to remove any discrimination against homosexuality. However, it isn’t so easy. The pastors are blaming the government for taking away their first amendment rights and practices, springing up action from other religious institutions as well with many lawyers agreeing to defend their case as it is an easy one to justify – leaving the case at a standstill. The tension between church and state is excessive and the issue at hand can be summarized into this: Is it justifiable to retain and fight for personal rights and freedom against the government who is enforcing the law to protect the rights of others under the highest power (US constitution)?

This article is worth reading because the topic opens up your perspective and lets you think about the difficult decision of choosing the law over personal rights or the belief that the rights of one community is greater than the rights of another community. The decision that will play out will also affect the lives of many people for the better or the worse.

Read more on this article by clicking the link:
Houston Orders Pastors to Hand Over Sermons on Gays by Texas Insider
or type in http://www.texasinsider.org/houston-orders-pastors-hand-sermons-gays/#more-83258