Error-riddled rhetoric from both sides on Plan B

By Judie Brown

A recent article by Detroit Free Press reporter Megha Satyanarayana http://www.freep.com/article/20090423/NEWS06/904230435/struck aroused in me a fundamental disdain for dishonesty that I find very hard to ignore. I have never understood why people avoid telling the truth by using language based on ignorance or deliberate propagandizing. In her article about the morning-after pill regimen ( Plan B), http://www.go2planb.com/ she tells the reader several things that are shocking and also indicate where we must stand in our battle to spread the truth.

She writes,

Making Plan B birth control easier for 17-year-olds to get is being hailed as a major step in preventing teen pregnancy, but it also is seen as a blow to parental supervision.

The two-pill regimen contains a high dose of a hormone found in birth control pills and can theoretically stop pregnancy by preventing ovulation, conception or the implanting of a fertilized egg. It works best if started within 72 hours of unprotected sex, but can still work up to 120 hours. It is different from RU-486, which can be taken at any point in the first trimester to end a pregnancy.

The "blow to parental supervision" actually happened long ago, when the federal government chose to impose on children the disgusting, deplorable "education" created by organizations such as Planned Parenthood www.plannedparenthood.org and the Sex Information and Education Council of the United States www.siecus.org. Brainwashing our children regarding their sexuality and how they should view, use and abuse it has been going on for decades. More precisely, this latest decision by the Food and Drug Administration regarding Plan B follows a nearly 40-year assault on the sensitivities of our children, waged in spite of parents — not with their cooperation.

The tragic fact is that now, because of this latest FDA debacle, anyone will be able to walk into a pharmacy, get Plan B and hand it to a child of any age. Let's not kid ourselves. Those who make their money on such chemical concoctions — groups like Planned Parenthood — are simply doing what they have always done: building a client base and making all kinds of money, with little to no regard for anyone's welfare, whether that of children or parents.

These megadoses of the birth control pill cannot stop abortion when they are actually known to cause abortion, regardless of what the so-called experts in the sex instruction industry tell us. In fact, in 2006, columnist William Saletan pointed out in a commentary on Plan B (also known as emergency contraception), http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/04/01/AR2006040100005.html

Abortion rights supporters are divided, too. Planned Parenthood, the Population Council and similar groups claim that studies prove EC has "no effect on implantation." But Plan B's manufacturer doesn't agree. Neither does James Trussell, who is a leading authority on EC. Trussell says that while EC usually prevents ovulation, some evidence "suggests a post-fertilization contraceptive effect." A week ago, he warned colleagues, "We cannot conclude that EC [pills] never prevent pregnancy after fertilization."

Satyanarayana then makes yet another error by writing, "Critics say preventing a fertilized egg from implanting is no different than an abortion, which requires either parental consent or a judge's order for a 17-year-old under Michigan law."

For the life of me, I cannot comprehend why members of the mainstream media cannot use accurate scientific terms, or perhaps they simply like deceiving readers day in and day out. It is inaccurate to describe a newly-created human being as a "fertilized egg." The proper term is "human zygote," which is the first stage of a human being's biological development.

Professor Dianne Irving explains how erroneous the term "fertilized egg" is and quotes noted human embryologist Ronan O'Rahilly: http://www.catholiceducation.org/articles/abortion/ab0027.html

[N]ote O'Rahilly's statement that the use of terms such as "ovum" and "egg" — which would include the term "fertilized egg" — is scientifically incorrect, has no objective correlate in reality, and is therefore very misleading — especially in these present discussions. Thus these terms themselves would qualify as "scientific" myths. The commonly used term, "fertilized egg," is especially very misleading, since there is really no longer an egg (or oocyte) once fertilization has begun. What is being called a "fertilized egg" is not an egg of any sort; it is a human being.

I suppose the mainstream media hopes that, by labeling the new human being as a mere "egg," there is less chance that someone might actually want to investigate human development and find out that this "egg" is really a person, not a chicken!

Then Satyanarayana reports this shocker: "Right to Life of Michigan takes no stance on Plan B, said spokesperson Pam Sherstad." http://www.freep.com/article/20090423/NEWS06/904230435/struck

So there you have it. Not only are reporters desperately attempting to deceive the public, but even our friends are finding it difficult to tell the truth. Again, I presume we have a clash between exposing the facts and the fear some have of being perceived as opponents of contraception. But then again, since we know that these pills can cause abortion, why would a pro-life organization imply the contrary? I don't understand that, but I do understand that it further undermines the goal of stopping all abortion, including those caused by the birth control pill and the morning-after pill, which is really just a higher dose of the chemicals contained in the birth control pill.

Clearly, we live in extremely confused times. The culture of death's concerted efforts to deceive and deny are frequently no match for our own side's efforts to obfuscate or otherwise avoid sharing facts, regardless of how those facts may impact the public.

When all of us can agree that focusing attention on the human person requires putting an end to error-ridden rhetoric, pro-life Americans will make great strides in overcoming our opposition's deadly goals. Until then, problems such as those addressed here will continue and only God knows how many children will die, how many teens will be scarred for life and how many souls will be put in jeopardy.

Let's tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

© Judie Brown