Alternatives to Planned Parenthood: Pro-life club hosts table event for student options
Students For Life in the LBCC courtyard on Feb. 10
The Students For Life club of Linn-Benton Community College hosted a table event in the courtyard of the Albany campus Feb. 10.
“So this is basically about comparing and contrasting Planned Parenthood with [Federally Qualified Health Centers],” said Steven Bowser, former president of the Pro-life Club. “As you know, in the news, Planned Parenthood could lose funding from the government. So if that happens where would women get health care? This is what FQHC’s offer, they offer a lot of stuff, minus abortion, but they offer a lot of comprehensive healthcare which is cool.“
The set up had several posters with facts pertaining to Planned Parenthood, as well as another chain of health facilities known as Community Health Center FQHC’s.
According to the posters, they claim that based on a study from 2009 by the National Association Community Health Center, if $548.4 million dollars were reallocated to FQHC’s rather than Planned Parenthood, it would create 47,290 jobs and create $5 billion in economic benefits. These estimates could not be verified.
The content also stated that Planned Parenthood serves 2.7 million patients to FQHC’s 22.8 million patients, as well as stating that Planned Parenthood performs only one-third of the nation’s abortions.
The table itself had two coin jars with a pile of cardboard coins. The purpose for the coin system was for students to vote whether their tax dollars went to FQHC’s or Planned Parenthood. They also provided information cards, summarizing and askeding questions such as “Should we be giving money to Planned Parenthood or to Federally Qualified Health Centers?”
“We want to inform our community about the options that women have and especially women in a crisis pregnancy situation, where they can go, and to put people’s mind at ease about what happens if Planned Parenthood gets defunded, so we want to say there are places people can go,” said Bowser.
In response to the table event on Feb. 10, Planned Parenthood volunteers handed out cookies and condoms in the courtyard of the Albany Campus on Feb. 14, to educate students on the services Planned Parenthood provides.
“Part of the reason why we are here is because we are concerned about the attack on Planned Parenthood,” said Loren Ford, psychology professor. “We are here to support women’s rights and the women’s movement.”
The Students For Life club also had a booth on Feb. 14, where they encouraged students to learn about the club, and options for pregnant women.
Story by Hannah Buffington
Photo by Elliot Pond
