MIDLAND – Officials with a 40-year-old Planned Parenthood center in West Texas that was once the subject of a pro-life undercover sting operation have announced that they will be closing their doors in less than two weeks.
On Friday afternoon, Planned Parenthood Trust of West Texas advised that their facility in Midland will be shutting down by the end of the month. Citing recent state budget cuts, spokespersons for Planned Parenthood explained that Texas has become an increasingly difficult state in which to perform abortions.
“In West Texas alone,” explained Jeffrey Hons, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Trust of South Texas, “the number of patients getting family planning health services at Planned Parenthood has dropped by about 50 percent as a direct result of the 2011 Texas legislature’s policy to end family planning contracts and the decision by Governor Rick Perry to dismantle the Women’s Health Program, forcing Planned Parenthood to close its health center in Midland—at least for now. Planned Parenthood Trust of South Texas will continue providing health care services at the San Angelo health center.”
Hons also hinted at further Planned Parenthood closings in the Lone Star State, saying “some additional health centers will close, and some will open.”
As previously reported, Texas lawmakers passed pro-life legislation earlier this summer that bans most abortions after 20 weeks gestation. This came two years after Texas Governor Rick Perry enacted steep spending cuts to Planned Parenthood’s government funding.
Following the announcement of the Midland closure, numerous pro-life advocates heralded the development as a meaningful step in the right direction.
“There are a lot of people in the Midland area who have put their hearts and soul into this,” said Michael Banschbach of ProLife Midland, according to MyWestTexas.com. “Certainly through prayers and efforts, physical presence, interactions with clients and employees—it’s all played a role in coming to this day. Planned Parenthood has always tried to dress up abortion and call it health care. I always thought it was deceptive. What is healthy about abortion? It’s not healthy for the child getting aborted. It’s not healthy for the mother, either.”
John Savage of Choose Life Midland said he is glad to hear the news, but will keep lobbying for life in front of the Planned Parenthood location until it officially closes.
“All they have done is announce that they are closing,” he told NewsWest 9. “So until they do close we’ll still do our effort out front and rescue as many babies as we can and help as many women as we can.”
The Midland Planned Parenthood generated controversy several years ago when a phone representative at the center told a woman pretending to be a 13-year-old pregnant girl that she could obtain a pregnancy test with her 22-year-old boyfriend–without parental consent. The sting was conducted by the Denton-based organization Life Dynamics as an undercover effort to expose the questionable practices of Planned Parenthood, including in regard to covering up rape and pedophilia. Pro-life advocates argue that the transcript of the Midland call vividly demonstrates the danger of the abortion industry.
“The abortion lobby is engaged in a pedophile protection racket and protecting pedophiles who rape underage girls,” said Life Dynamics President Mark Crutcher. “These abortion clinics receive money from the federal government. We are literally paying for the rape of our young daughters.”
Photo: Google Maps
Become a Christian News Network Supporter...
Dear Reader, has ChristianNews.net been of benefit and a blessing to you? For many years now, the Lord has seen fit to use this small news outlet as a strong influential resource in keeping Christians informed on current events from a Biblical worldview. With much compromise and many falsehoods in modern-day Christianity, we strive to bring you the news by keeping Christ and His word in focus. If you have benefited from our news coverage, please prayerfully consider becoming a Christian News supporter by clicking here to make a one-time or monthly donation to help keep the truth of God's word widely and freely published and distributed. May Christ continue to be exalted through this work!
