Representing the number of lives aborted daily by Planned Parenthood, students from across the country held up over 900 pink crosses in the chilly Time Square. On April 11, Students for Life of America protested not only Planned Parenthood but also Governor Cuomo’s recently passed Reproductive Health Act.
The Reproductive Health Act has been a controversy since Cuomo signed it into law in January; it allows a mother to abort her child up to the point when the child is born if the mother’s health or life is at risk. The act also permits non-doctors, including nurse practitioners and midwives, to perform abortions. This has raised serious concerns among pro-life groups, who say that New York has lowered its medical standard for mothers and contributed to allowing Planned Parenthood to monopolize abortions.
“We give them $500 million of our tax dollars—half a billion dollars every year to fund this organization,” said Tina Whittington, vice president of Students for Life, pointing at the pink three-row net held by the pro-life students who call themselves the pro-life generation. “Every one of these 910 crosses represents a profit for Planned Parenthood.”
What an eventful day! We had our GIANT pro-life billboard high above the crowds in Times Square PLUS we did a life-changing event in the same location! pic.twitter.com/ecDNoDKtE0
— Students for Life (@StudentsforLife) April 11, 2019
On average, patients pay $508 for an abortion in a non-hospital setting, according to the Guttmacher Institute; and according to the Planned Parenthood 2017-2018 annual report, over 330,000 abortions were performed. Students for Life states on their page that in 2013, when the median cost of an abortion was $451 and the number of abortions performed by Planned Parenthood was close to 330,000, Planned Parenthood made over $147 million.
Despite their multi-million dollar business, Planned Parenthood continue to convince politicians to give them money, a Students for Life protester said. The 2017-2018 Annual Report’s combined statement of revenue was over $1.6 billion for the national office and affiliates combined.
Non-Doctors Perform Abortions
“I think they’re lowering their standards,” Bernadette Tase said of allowing midwives and nurse practitioners to perform abortions. “Planned Parenthood has the lowest standards of all the different health clinics around the country.”
Being in Times Square in NYC with our pro-life billboard high over our heads and people interacting with our display gives us a renewed fire to abolish abortion! pic.twitter.com/Nql8CaY9FE
— Students for Life (@StudentsforLife) April 11, 2019
After a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colombia lost its abortion license in 2018, various attempts to renew its abortion license met with failure, according to the Missourian. The Missourian reported that the clinic failed to keep the clinic clean, dispose of soiled equipment, and clean reusable equipment.
During the protest, students held signs, exposing Planned Parenthood’s falling health standard in front of the Hard Rock Cafe. And besides the signs and chanting, conversations were had between them and pedestrians.
“Pregnancy was a fuzzy thing for me, I didn’t know what it was,” Whittington said, explaining the importance of having a discussion. “I’m an only child—I never saw my mom pregnant … And when someone showed me the facts, and the pictures, I was very convicted … that life matters.”
