Pro-Life Rally on Grand Avenue; Neighbors weigh in

Where do you stand on the proposed Planned Parenthood Clinic on Grand Avenue?

Last evening Everything South City received word that a pro-life rally would be held in front of the proposed location of Planned Parenthood at 435 Grand Avenue for Saturday April 27 9am-11am. Our intent was to share information and no preface was given. One sentence, that is all:

Pro-life demonstration tomorrow 9AM to12Noon at 435 Grand Avenue to protest the proposed Planned Parenthood.

Within minutes neighbors posted strong opinions which we will share here. We also had another lively discussion last Saturday when a similar protest was announced which prompted this article HERE.  Many more acknowledged other people’s comments with LIKE on their posts.   More information will be shared so bookmark and come back to join in the conversation in the next day or so.

Everything South City works to bridge our neighbors with information, including a platform to express thoughts and feelings, therefore we are sharing here on our website  those comments from our Facebook friends.  As the discussi0n continues on our FB page, please feel free to add your own (respectful) comments here.

Anita Porpoise: hiss

Tim Miller: Take us back to the middle ages.

Lisa Romero: Boo!

Sue McNaughton: How about Pro-choice?

Yolanda Martinez Gomez: For shame!

Antonio Xavier Gomez: Where can we counter protesters assemble?

Stefanie Houghton: there should not be kids who are discouraged from using birth control. It should be free at every church school and pharmacy. Too many kids are having kids and messing up their lives

Jessica Massoni: I wouldn’t give them attention all they want to do is make people mad since they know they will never win.

Ricky Rat: What choice do the babies get?

Roselyn Prasad: Pro-choice.

Charlene Larson: Unbelievable, this may be the only place some women can have an exam and get birth control pills. It is not always about “legal” abortion.

Julie Bettencourt Cliff: I wish I was there for the counter-protest.

Bonnie Zavadil Macaraig: Why? Are we against cancer & HIV testing, birth control and affordable health care???? I won’t be protesting reproductive health care.

Jose Chavez: So does “everything south city” endorse the pro-life demonstration by advertising it here, or are you just providing a public service by letting people know about it? I believe pro-life means let women live their lives and choose for themselves!

Jaime Marcic: Are you just letting us know that this is happening? Or is this the stand Everything South City is taking on this issue?

Everything South City replies to Jaime Marcic: Yes, ESC works really hard to get info out to our neighbors that is shared with us and to keep this page community driven (it’s a labor of love since 2009!!) If there is a demonstration on Grand Ave people will want to know what it is about. If they are pro either side that is up to them. This is information sharing only and we thank you for being part of the conversation. This was from last week: https://everythingsouthcity.com/abortions-on-grand-avenue/

Jaime Marcic to ESC: Thanks for responding, I follow you because I do want to be informed about our city and what’s going on. I will say though your original post seemed as if you were supporting the pro-life protests. It was not like your normal “just to let you guys know” type of post. I almost unfollowed just for this as I’m sure others actually did. It might not hurt to clarify with a new status update.

Jose Chavez: I don’t usually use this but … FAIL. And I thought this page was all about lost puppies…ha !

Gina Rafael-Colgrove: Didn’t realize that Planned Parenthood ONLY did abortions! God forbid there be a place where people with no healthcare can go at little or no cost for birth control, HIV/STD testing, mammograms etc. Focus on the bigger picture.

Bonnie Zavadil Macaraig: Please post where we can go to support the proposed Planned Parenthood location. . .

Leanne Vejmola: This makes me so angry I can’t SEE straight! Against abortion? Fine. Don’t get one. They’re so much more than what these ignorant protesters think they are. They provide ACTUAL health care for women who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it. Pelvic exams, birth control, breast exams, etc…. all these things that people (like me) without medical insurance… it makes me sick to think that because they don’t agree with EVERYTHING that they would want to take that away from the people that need it the most. I’m willing to bet that many of the branches also offer prenatal assistance as well…

Jameson James Guaraldi: I’m a proud supporter of Planned Parenthood and all of the HIV STD prevent and education that they offer to our youth and community. Why would anybody want protest this and put youth at risk? Get with the times SSF.

Jason Yee:  Great, I was going to go get a burrito tomorrow

Oscar Noel: Oh this is embarrassing. Might just go for laughs and enjoy a bit of food like Jason.

Jose Chavez: Hey “everything south city”, how’s this post workin’ out for ya?

Everything South City:  Don’t shoot the messenger please.

Jackie Kravchenko Lagomarsino:  Jose, to correct your earlier post.. Pro-life means WOMEN do not have a choice, they do not get to chose to live their lives as they see fit. Pro Choice means they get to choose how to live their lives. ESC… This post is working just as designed. You get the news out and let people talk about with respect for each other. KEEP up the good work – and those who do not like it have a CHOICE.. unfollow

David Mattea: I think Jose was turning the meaning of Pro-life around to a more literal sense. He is obviously Pro-choice.

Jose Chavez: Yes, David, the pro-life meaning should be turned around, that was my intent. Jackie, I believe women should be able to do what they want with their bodies. I am pro-choice.

David Mattea I can see why people might have a negative view of the original post. If ESC had added “Thoughts?” to the end it wouldn’t have confused people as to the intent of the posting.

Everything South City: Adding ‘thoughts’ seemed provocative and inciting when our purpose was to letting neighbors know what was happening on Grand Ave today. Thanks.

Oscar Noel: In all seriousness though, these people are just blindly protesting because hurrdurr abortions are bad. if they did the actual research and see what Planned Parenthood actually does, then they’ll see they are for women’s health and being able to help out those who can’t.

Edit: I love it when ESC posts something political. Usually a fun shitstorm to read, weather it’s for one side or the other.

Jessica Dominguez:  I’ll be there with my signs of support for the planned parenthood in my beloved city. As the industrial city and home of biotechnology we can only prosper and grow. People who are protesting this must want to stay stuck in the caveman times.

Ricky Rat: Planned Parenthood and its affiliated clinics performed clinics performed 333,964 abortions in fiscal 333,964 abortions in fiscal 2011. That averages one abortion every 94 2011. That averages one abortion every 94 seconds. seconds.

Moserod OSe: These people who claim to be pro life are actually pro birth… they don’t give a tinkers damn once the baby is born, and even scorn the mother when she needs assistance..i.e. welfare, food stamps etc. Planned parenthood sees over 3 million women in an average year. Abortion is a small part of the services they provide. If you let them provide those other services there will be fewer abortions

Sil Gonzalez:  Will there be donuts?

Assem Al Tawdi: This is so stupid. We should counter protest.

Juan Bustos:  I love seeing ask the hate coming from the people who I presume are from the party of ‘tolerance’ and ‘inclusion.’

Ricky Rat: Margaret Sanger was the founder of Planned Parenthood. Sanger was a proponent of negative eugenics, which aims to improve human hereditary traits through social intervention by reducing reproduction by those considered unfit

Ashley Hope: Love and proud of all these comments! Any organization that help people especially women in need of any medical help should never be protested. With all the teen pregnancies it’s quite obvious something must be done whether its pro life or pro choice. Would illegal abortions be better?

Ricky Rat: http://www.denverpost.com/recommended/ci_15212441 ‘On a Sunday dedicated to honoring motherhood, May 11, 2010, the Denver Post chos…See More  http://m.youtube.com/#/watch?v=AYNFoB3d0P8&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DAYNFoB3d0P8 ‘THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE FOR AFRIKAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN IS THE WOMB’.

Nenette Santos: According to former managers and employees of planned parenthood, this entity is around to make money like any other businesses. Their biggest source of revenue allegedly is abortion procedures. Google stories about Abby Johnson. Here is also another article: http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2012/jan/31/planned-parenthoods-big-lie/ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYaTywSDmls&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Maynard Radoc: I really hope ESC is not promoting this.

Deborah Mcgrath: Whoa! !! What are you protesting. .birth control! Hiv tests! Breast exams! So city has always been diverse and accepting. ..this is embarrassing!

Angela Marzetta: I hate hearing stuff like this ppl need to mind their own business and get a life.. we need services like this to help keep our community safe and healthy. I believe all forms of birth control should be free to help prevent all these unwanted pregnancy and diseases.

Bert Ramirez: American Taliban is alive and well in SSF!

Steve Studulski: Not a good idea for Everything South City to be wading into politics.

If you are representing the city, you should be representing everyone in the city, and not just those of a like mind as yourself.

Please keep your politics out of your posts (at least on this account).

Everything South City:  No politics Steve Studulski simply sharing info that comes to us as we’ve been doing since 2009 as a volunteer labor of love to keep our neighbors hooked up with what’s happening around town. Thanks.

Steve Studulski: When you share information about an upcoming protest, you are “spreading the word” about the protest, and are, in fact, actively supporting the protest by “spreading the word.” When you help a protest by “spreading the word,” you will properly be perceived as supporting it (no matter what you say or think), because by “spreading the word” you are, in fact, actively helping to increase attendance at the protest.

It does not matter that you state that you are simply sharing info. By “spreading the word” you are, in fact, actively supporting the protest. You will further be perceived as supporting the goals of the protest (even if you do not).

If you do not believe what I am saying, just look at the responses you got to your announcement of this protest rally. These responses should speak volumes to you.

BTW, I do appreciate the service that you provide. Thanks!

Everything South City responds:  Thank you for your opinion and feedback. ESC posted information last week when the first demonstration was held and shared an article from our website.

We fully support people knowing what is going on in our community and how they interpret the info is their choice, not ours. Is the public better off knowing about a proposed PP on Grand or the demonstrations being held against it? We believe so.

Because this is a heated subject we purposely left out a prelude, shared only by copy/paste what we rec’d late last evening. This post was about a proposed PP on Grand and the opposition meeting there today. There are enough issues in that one sentence to weigh in on that have nothing to do with ESC or how we share information that comes to us. ESC is not the issue.

That said, we agree with you that many have confused the two with assumed negative responses towards ESC. Again, people are entitled, and encouraged, to share their opinions (respectfully) on ESC. Thank you for sharing yours. –ESC

Steve Studulski: Thanks for the thoughtful responses. They are appreciated. I may not agree with them completely, but I can respect them (as long as they are applied consistently, i.e. you announce all protests of which you are notified, regardless as to the issue or the position that is taken regarding the issue).

Everything South City: ^ agreed.

Courtney Tetreault: I hope people know that PP doesn’t just provide abortion services. they also provide low cost or free health care for women, teenagers and even men. I think the pro lifers should realize that better access to birth control = less abortion. I never go to those things because I’m afraid I’ll punch someone and get arrested!

Richard A. Davis Sr.:  Lol for sure.

Shannon Allen Fern: Thank you PPs for mentioning that Planned Parenthood does not, in fact, mean Abortion Central. They provide so many services, including antibiotics and exams for FREE or LOW COST. How many of those protesting these much needed services channel that passion into volunteering with the youth in our community who need our involvement as well as medical care?

Ricky Rat: Yeah who cares if pp was started by bigot, racist to control the black population why don’t we just use tax payer’s money to fund it as well. Oh wait the do, According to their own recently released 2009-10 annual report, Planned Parenthood performed more than 329,000 abortions. Conservatively estimating that each abortion cost $450, abortion services brought in $148 million of Planned Parenthood’s overall $320 million in clinic revenue, representing 46 percent of its operating budget.

Kristi Allard: I really enjoy reading the updates about SSF. However, I agree with some others who have said that this is not the place for taking political stands. By advertising a pro-life rally, you are definitely taking a right-wing, conservative position … not providing an event alert. Please let us know if you will be continuing to post these types of things because then I will have to “unlike” this page.

Shannon Allen Fern:  You can be against abortion and still want to have basic access to healthcare in your community. No one’s saying abortion is great, but PP provides essential services to women’s health and I don’t see any other clinics stepping up. Yeah sorry if I worked my whole life, paying into the system without having health insurance and avoided cervical cancer on those tax dollars…what a crime, lol. Meanwhile, later I became a teacher and volunteered with the youth right here in SSF, what about you? And thanks, Planned Parenthood!  p.s. I’m aware of Sanger and eugenics and while more people should be aware of the history of eugenics, I’m still concerned about healthcare availability in our community today–and like I stated, I haven’t seen any other clinics popping up or solutions provided.

Jim Chazer: Pretty sure ESC was just informing us, not taking a stand either way. They announce democratic happenings all the time and nobody makes a big deal out of it.

Everything South City responds to Jim Chazer: This is such a heated issue and our neighbors, no matter if pro on either side, should know what is happening. Alan Lopez just reported ‘People outside near All Souls church protesting about abortion with sick pictures and kids walking around’ and that is why ESC felt a heads up was important. Thank you Jim Chazer for seeing the bigger picture and ‘not shooting the messenger’. Peace!

Juan Bustos: Jim, that’s because tolerance and acceptance is a one way street with this diverse and open crowd.

Everything South City: Alan Lopez reports: People outside near all souls church protesting about abortion with sick pictures and kids walking around

Deborah Mcgrath: I am a happy 62 year old mother of four and grandmother of three. I had my children when I wanted them but more importantly when I could afford them. All because I had a PP office I could go to for birth control.

Nenette Santos: THIS IS FROM PLANNED PARENTHOOD’S WEBSITE:

How Safe Are In-Clinic Abortion Procedures?
Safety is an important and common concern for women. In-clinic abortion procedures are very safe. But there are risks with any medical procedure. The risks increase the longer you are pregnant. They also increase if you have sedation or general anesthesia. Possible risks include
an allergic reaction
blood clots in the uterus
incomplete abortion — part of the pregnancy is left inside the uterus
failure to end the pregnancy
infection
injury to the cervix or other organs
undetected ectopic pregnancy
very heavy bleeding

*** TAKE NOTE LADIES: the risk increases if you get sedated or have general anesthesia. That means they will suck or scrape the fetus (your baby) out of your womb without getting sedated to minimize risk. IT THAT THE KIND OF CHOICE YOU WANT TO MAKE TO YOUR OWN BODY??? *** No wonder one of my former co-workers died 2 days after she had an abortion.

Jackie Kravchenko Lagomarsino: Maybe if you put “thoughts” everyone would have said how they feel. Lol. It’s just a word and no one needs to you ask for them we all seem to give them freely. Keep up the good work Thanks for respecting us all enough to let us say what we think.

Everything South City responds:  Adding ‘thoughts’ seemed provocative and inciting when our purpose was to merely share with neighbors what was happening on Grand Ave today. You are right, people are very free expressing their opinions! Thanks.

Andrew Hernandez: Thanks for the post ESC. It’s great to be informed about ALL events in my town regardless of its political angle. If there is a protest against Prop8, against planned parenthood, against marijuana dispensary, for gun control, for anything, I want to know. Calm down ppl. She didn’t endorse or oppose it. She informed and you blew a gasket. Apologies are in order from some.

Shannon Allen Fern: I’m happy to have a forum for this dialogue.

Karen Gerstle Romagnoli:  A PP clinic would be the best thing to open up on Grand Avenue in years. Can’t think of why anyone else would spend time there except for Bronsteins and Gallis. I hope those protesters are outnumbered by people who are for this wonderful service!