Pro-Life

Fee Income Driving More Neighborhood Hospitals to Join Forces with Planned Parenthood

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James L. Lambert
Contributing columnist
March 8, 2001

Pro-Life advocates are concerned about a growing trend in the medical community where well-known, local hospitals are joining forces with Planned Parenthood to offer a variety of abortion services, either directly or through a 'referral service'. This trend is occuring in neighborhoods unbeknownst to local churches and residents.

Such is the scene one Saturday morning this past February in this upscale middle class community. Representatives and activists from Operations Rescue West, California Life Coalition and Open Eyes Ministry gathered to protest a local hospital's association with Planned Parenthood of San Diego. Cheryl Sullenger, Director of California Life Coalition notes that many hospitals contract with Planned Parenthood so that they can participate in the fee income HMOs now offer for abortion services. Many of the protesters agree that "this is big business' and many in our community have no idea what is going on "in this leased space provided by this hospital," contends Sullenger.

Troy Newman of Operations Rescue West went a step further. He strongly feels that each community that condons the presence of an abortion clinic is "culpable and guilty of shedding innocent blood." He also believes that Christians should not patronize hospitals that are involved, either directly or indirectly, in the abortion business. He referenced an old testament passage (Deut.19:10).

Rev. Gary Cass of Westhills Christian Fellowship thinks that Christian activists must do "a better job in communicating" this issue. " Some of the pastors we have met with (in our community) have chosen not to be involved... They have objected to the tactics or don't like the signs." What saddened Cass "is they (the pastors) don't want to do anything else in place of it."

Nevertheless, Cass remains optimistic. He and his other compatriots plan on trying to convince as many people of faith as possible of the need to oppose the abortion industry. He is hopeful that the 'moral outrage' of abortion and particularly the partial birth abortion procedure will convince Christians to approach their religious leaders and encourage them to speak out about abortion.

Cass, Sullenger and Newman believe that they will ultimately "get our message out (locally) that abortion is a moral outrage" and hope that church members will finally approach their pastors on this matter. As for this community of 56,000 in California, it looks like they will have to get used to seeing pro-life groups on the street each month for a long time to come.