Neighbors weigh in on protesters
South San Francisco, CA June 9, 2013On Saturday we received a heads up about more protesting on Grand Avenue and shared it on our Facebook page. Below is the conversation that ensued.
‘The protestors are here today on Grand Avenue for the Planned Parenthood. Today’s crowd is very large and they are playing Christmas Music and Praying!!’
Jessica Nava I think its awesome idea to have a plan parenthood in south city times are changing and we have a right to protect ourselves and get the information we need closer to home of coarse everyone has the right to their opinion whets a fight without a cause (26 people agreed)
Melanie Kreitz Ugh…how annoying… (6 people agreed)
Beth Wald Time to pull out the ac/dc (9 people agreed)
Erik Alvarez Some people just don’t have anything better to do with their lives. Beautiful day to be at a park, the beach, etc. What lifeless souls. (9 people agreed)
Kerri Lydell Proud of my city and those who care about children. (2 people agreed)
Anita Porpoise Thank God for Planned Parenthood, they care about everyone’s children (8 people agreed)
Mike Featherstone Bring in the hounds
Carey Wykoff I wonder if each of the protesters would be willing to pay for mammograms and paps and birth control and medical help that Planned Parenthood covers for people less fortunate. Or if they would be willing to adopt the children born to these women because they are unable to financially support them without the help of Planned Parenthood. What they don’t realize is that Planned Parenthood offers many other options for the less fortunate other than just abortions. and they are not the only facility who offers abortions. These people think that they are good God fearing people but they really need to take a look at themselves. I think their time would be better spent volunteering somewhere where they can be truly useful. (34 people agreed)
Joyce Messing well said Carey. I think they should all be signed up to volunteer at ER rooms where my daughter works, and help with the less fortunate children that come in. Homeless (6 people agreed)
Jennifer Totah I personally think it’s good they have a PP in south city. Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion but at the same time need to mind their own business. Kids will do what they want and we can’t stop them most of the time so the more info they have the better. It’s not just about abortions. It’s also about KNOWLEDGE and PREVENTION (9 people agreed)
Angelina Anderson Medina Well said Carey! (4 people agreed)
Kerri Lydell Planned Parenthood cares about money. How does aborting their lives = caring? (2 people agreed)
Kerri Lydell If PP kept to helping and not ending lives then you would be right. (1 person agreed)
Karen McEvoy Very well said Carey, we need planned parenthood, young teen and those who cannot afford need an option. Everyone has a right to their beliefs but not to push it on others. (5 people agreed)
Joyce Messing Oh please, There are so many wonderful volunteer programs. I will say it one more time, they prevent abortions when they offer birth control! (9 people agreed)
Amanda Kesner-Hays And education about where babies come from… (2 people agreed)
Carey Wykoff I will say it again, PP covers more than just abortions and PP is not the only facility to offer them. I suggest you read up on all of the services offered by PP before you start trying to keep them from those who truly need them. You would be naïve to believe that just any doctor would provide pre screening for cancers or STDs at an affordable price or that just any doctor would offer birth control or education out of the kindness of their heart. Anybody can walk into PP whether they have insurance or not. Based on your logic it would appear that every single doctor out there cares more about money than they do people or they would be offering their services for free or for a lower cost like PP does. If that isn’t the case could you please go down to PP and offer the name of your doctor who clearly cares about patients and not money, therefore offering his/her services for the uninsured? Now THAT would truly be a kind gesture that shows that you care about the less fortunate. (9 people agreed)
Sarah Nicole So mad I’m missing the show! Also, I’ve never been pregnant, and thank god because even at 26 I couldn’t afford a child with the high costs of living. And this is all thanks to planned parenthood who gave me education, birth control, and annual checkups starting at 16 when I became sexually active. Without knowing I had a safe, free place to get services, I could have ended up pregnant or with a std. Having a problem with pp providing abortions is like having an issue with the SPCA and humane societies putting animals to sleep (which they do, and no one protests that). You can’t deny all the positive things PP brings just because they provide one service you disagree with. In my opinion at least. (13 people agreed)
Carey Wykoff Great response, Sarah. I’m sorry, but I have to come back to the ridiculous comment about PP only caring about money. EVERY single doctor’s office or hospital that you go in to will ask you for your proof of insurance before they will even consider helping you. Including if you are dying in front of them. When is the last time PP asked anyone for proof of insurance before helping anyone at all? PP also relies mainly on donations and not on our insurance companies to pay them. So the comment that PP only cares about money is laughable and ignorant. (5 people agreed)
Erik Alvarez Some people, who lack knowledge, think PP is just some in & out abortion shop. You can’t change the opinion of close minded people. (4 people agreed)
Sarah Valeria It will bring good knowledge resources & reality to the next generation. (9 people agreed)
Sal Lopez I don’t get it isn’t it loitering if there not buying anything from any stores and a new law SSF put to affect on grand for the homeless and according to South City gang activities if a crowd more than three .and a fire hazard if there blocking pathways. And they are a gang of protesters they should be all checked for warrants and padded down for gang activities .just my two cents .and aint this bullying and intimidation. Everyone has their own opinion .and it’s their choice not anyone else (3 people agreed)
Janice Hsu Stone OMG. Like Christmas doesn’t get thrown in our faces early enough in September. (2 people agreed)
Janel M Chrestenson Pearson How silly is that!
Keri Stark Kerri lydell you are a complete moron!
Keri Stark Carey Wyckoff and Sarah Nicole..you make wonderful points!
Chris Riessen Keri, Planned Parenthood is a nonprofit. The Catholic church is not. Ever been to the Vatican?
[…] While protestors here are engaging heiracy in the Catholic Church for guidance on this issue, some others from our community are asking that certain council members are recused from any voting when this item comes before council. On June 11, 2013 South City resident Cynthia Marcopulos penned in part this protest: […]
Coming before the South San Francisco City Council for a vote on whether there can be a Planned Parenthood facility on Grand Avenue, our City Council has an inbred prejudice. Mayor Pedro Gonzalez’s wife is an active protester on the protest line against the Planned Parenthood facility, Councilman Mark Addiego works for Holy Cross Cemetery which is owned by the Catholic Church, and Councilman Richard Garbarino is active with St. Veronica’s Church. These council members must recuse themselves for their apparent and visible biases.
It has been reiterated time and again that no abortions will be performed at this facility. Knowing the Hispanic Community in this area and their ties to the Catholic Church, Planned Parenthood will only be providing crucial services for a healthier community.
This antediluvian and medieval thinking of the protestors and their cohorts will keep women from receiving these vital services Planned Parenthood provides such as contraception, testing and treatment to reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections, and screenings for cervical and other cancers including Pap tests and breast exams.
I am so pleased to read all of these really sensible comments by SSF residents. It renews my faith in mankind that we won’t be bullied into believing what some would like us to believe about Planned Parenthood. I have been donating to them ever since I took my daughter to the San Francisco offices about 15 years ago. They provide wonderful services and must be allowed to operate.
I am 70, and when I was growing up there was little in the way of family planning available. Condoms and the “rhythm method” were it for avoiding pregnancy. When a girl or woman became pregnant with an unwanted or unaffordable child, the only options were back-alley abortionists, or coat hangers, or chemicals. The wealthy could pay for their abortions with real doctors. The middle-class and poor women got the back alleys and fear of dying, or being rendered permanently sterile, from a botched abortion.
Thank heavens so many of us have come to our senses, and thank heavens for birth control pills and the “morning after” pills, and thank heavens for education and family planning, and thank heavens for Planned Parenthood.