No corporate welfare for the merchants of death
Note: The following is an open letter to the Monroe County Council.
For over a month now, the "Occupy Wall Street" protest has been gaining media attention and has spread to cities around the nation. There is even a local version of the protest that has set up tents in People's Park. So with all of this talk of corporate greed, don't you think it is time to stop handing out corporate welfare to Planned Parenthood?
The economy continues to struggle and there are local social service agencies that could legitimately use the grants you will be distributing. These local charities do not have the backing of a nationwide network of "clinics" that enjoys a total of over one billion dollars in annual revenue. That's right - one billion dollars.
Councilors, you know that this request has nothing to do with need. Planned Parenthood does not need the handout they are asking you to give them. This has nothing to do with serving people in need. This is about getting a political endorsement from county government. They have no respect for you, for the taxpayers, for the other social service organizations or for the process.
Planned Parenthood already got $5,000 from the city council in June. They need to step aside and allow the limited social service funds to go to a legitimate charity. Since they are without shame, you should emphatically reject their request. Planned Parenthood managed to survive for ten years only getting grants from the city. Why now do they now demand funding from county government? Does their greed know no end?
Testing for HIV is a good thing, but there is no reason this cannot be done through a less objectionable organization - one that does not murder unborn children at their "clinic" a few blocks south of the county courthouse every week. One possibility is having the county health department administer HIV tests. It is time for this charade to end.