To the Editor-

If some information is spoken often enough and loud enough, people tend believe it whether or not the information is true. The current discussions around Planned Parenthood (PPFA) are a perfect example of this.    

The most often expressed concern is that if PPFA is defunded, women will not be able to obtain needed healthcare. The truth is that for every PPFA clinic there are 20 other reputable organizations and facilities that provide comprehensive healthcare for women.

One of the Miss America contestants voiced another bit of often heard misinformation, namely that if PPFA is defunded, women will not be able to get a mammogram to screen for breast cancer. The fact is that none of PPFA’s clinics currently provide mammograms.

PPFA states that only three percent of their services are for abortion. This may be technically true, depending on how one itemizes services, but it is very misleading. Many clients receive multiple services (such as pregnancy test, pap smear, breast exam, HPV vaccine, HIV testing, etc.) only one of which is an abortion.

Looking at it from a financial perspective, PPFA, America’s largest abortion provider, performs nearly 350,00 abortions annually and receives 40 percent of its income from abortion services. According to PPFA’s own statistics, their largest source of income is the government at over $500 million a year. This constitutes 40 percent of PPFA’s annual income. PPFA, registered as a non-profit organization, also reports “excess revenue over expenses” (translate that “profit”) of $130 million.

It’s important to get all the information you can before deciding what to believe.

Curtis Beversdorf, Plover