It was a busy week in North American politics, having had the first Canadian federal leaders debate, and the American Republican presidential candidate debate. The Canadian debate was a fairly respectful affair; the leaders were challenged on matters of policy and – although there were a few tense moments – substantive questions were answered on foreign policy, terrorism, the shaky economy, the environment, and the Senate. The Republican candidate debate, however, was far more contemptuous and controversial.
It was one controversy in particular that caught my attention. All Republican candidates were in agreement regarding abortion laws – all standing firmly against abortion. Former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee said a simple change in the law could make an outright abortion ban constitutional. Efforts to narrow abortion exceptions have led Republicans to debate “forcible rape,” “legitimate rape,” and the value of a pregnant woman's life relative to her unborn baby. While this is a widely unpopular view, it is appropriately timed with a controversy regarding well-known organization Planned Parenthood. Five videos from an anti-abortion group, released throughout July, show Planned Parenthood executives and other workers discussing how the organization provides fetal organs and tissues to researchers. Under federal law, donated human fetal tissue may be used for research, but profiting from its sale is prohibited.
The videos led to a new, Congressional investigation of Planned Parenthood and a Senate vote to defund Planned Parenthood, which ultimately failed on Monday. The videos open up many ethical debates, however to defund Planned Parenthood completely would have an incredibly negative effect for the women and families that depend on their other resources. Three per cent of the services Planned Parenthood provide are abortion related, however the majority of their work centres around sex education and the distribution of contraceptives – both of which are crucial in preventing unwanted pregnancies, therefore alleviating the need for abortion in the first place.
In addition to providing comprehensive sex education, Planned Parenthood also provides health care, and other health services for women including breast, ovarian and cervical cancer screenings, STD care and prevention, and child-care options. While Planned Parenthood’s focus is women’s health and caring for children, they also provide sexual health services for men.
The majority of the Republican candidates’ stance on abortion and women’s health is the most extreme it has been in years. To ban abortion completely, even in cases of incest, rape and endangerment to the mother’s life is controversial and potentially dangerous. While abortion in itself is an incredibly difficult issue, to take funding away from organizations such as Planned Parenthood would ultimately cause more harm than good. Health services and care are crucial for families in need of child care, health care and are imperative to preventing unwanted pregnancy.
Jennifer Hamilton is a local student and writer.
