| Clinic workers are heroes |
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by Emily Bridges, Director, Public Information Services There's a lot of handwringing going on out there about the Lila Rose/LiveAction supposed expose videos of Planned Parenthood clinic workers, committing the shocking act of providing medical care.
Far-right columnists have expressed shock: one pearl-clutcher said:
Ummyeah. That is exactly what the hell they do. That is in fact WHAT THE LAW REQUIRES THEM TO DO. I urge you to read Jodi Jacobson's epic blog discussing the legal issues immediately. Then ask yourself: In my own job, do I give care to women and men from every walk of life? In my own job, do I provide on-site, potentially lifesaving care? Do I directly protect women's well-being, autonomy and health? Does my work provide women an alternative to gruesome and deadly back-alley alternatives? Do I do my job, which involves providing legal and lifesaving services, under near-daily condemnation from the highest-ranked church and government officials? Does my own job require me to deal with a hostile crowd screaming terrible epithets at me, and calling me a murderer? Have people been murdered because they did my job? Know that every Planned Parenthood or other reproductive health clinic worker is answering yes to all of those questions. They truly are the thin blue-scrubs line between millions of people and unwanted pregnancy/deadly disease. Yes, "whomever walks into one of its clinics." Yes, so-called "illegals." Yes, sex workers. Abortion clinic workers are heroes. Abortion providers are heroes. These videos aren't anything. They're not groundbreaking, they're not shocking. If you're against abortion, you probably find these discussions of how to obtain an abortion upsetting. If you're not, then you will probably find them to be profoundly underwhelming. Either way, they contribute nothing to the dialogue and make no steps toward a solution to our nation's division over the issue of abortion. Lila Rose will probably do a bunch of interviews and sit around checking her YouTube views today. Meanwhile, at 820 Planned Parenthood health centers, the doors will open as usual. Just another day providing vital care to the nation's most vulnerable. |







