Sunday, January 23, 2005
Pawlenty seeks funds to discourage abortions
Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty has proposed that up to $5 million of Minnesota's upcoming two-year budget be used
to fund nonprofit organizations that counsel pregnant women on prenatal care, discourage abortion and encourage adoption for those uncertain about raising a child.The project was proposed by Minnesota Citizens Concerned For Life (MCCL). Interestingly, the project has not been criticized by Planned Parenthood:
A truly just society respects life," the Republican governor told more than 2,000 people gathered outside the State Capitol on a blustery Saturday. "But life doesn't end when the baby leaves the womb.
Planned Parenthood and other organizations that contend that abortion is a personal matter between a woman, her doctor and family earlier acknowledged that the legislation is a softening of MCCL's previous approaches.As a board member of a Minnesota crisis pregnancy center, I am cautiously optimistic about this proposal. Optimistic, because, as I have posted before, I believe that we can do much right now to curtail abortions by supporting crisis pregnancy centers and women in crisis pregnancies. Cautious, because I am leery of government funding. The power to fund is the power, potentially, to control. As I look at the State of California and the position it takes with respect to Catholic Charities, I worry that this will simply be a means by which Minnesota attempts to control crisis pregnancy centers--if not today, then perhaps when another state administration takes office. Taking the King's shilling can mean doing the King's bidding. Having said that, if done correctly, this proposal will be a step in the right direction for women in crisis pregnancies--and their babies.
Abortion-rights groups have long maintained that opponents have focused only on stopping abortions and haven't worked hard enough to support low-income and other pregnant women and to prevent erosion of government programs that support health care, preschool education and other initiatives.
