Fact Check Friday 7/31

Time for another Fact Check Friday. I'm very much appreciate Paul Leckband allowing me to share my as-nonpartisan-as-possible issues on his blog. This week I've provided information on many social justice issues. The amount of need in this world can be overwhelming, but it's important to remember our actions have consequences both good and bad.

Planned Parenthood and Abortion - Commentary

Paul wrote post yesterday on the evils of abortion, specifically on Planned Parenthood. While I have my own strong beliefs about abortion, "abortion is murder" campaigns and those like it often do not affect their intended targets: those protecting abortion, abortionists, and eugenicists.

Unfortunately, part of what has driven the abortion industry is the shame placed on unwed mothers by society and organized religion. Now, the pendulum has swung the other way, and often those who believe strongly in monogamy and nuclear families are treated intolerantly and judgmentally.

As with many things in life, there has to be a balance. No family is perfect, and what is "normal" for family structure is as much cultural as it is religious. What is not in dispute, however, is the benefits of having both parents in the household. It's important not to demonize single-parent families, as the reasons for high occurrences of single-parent households are complex (read: "The relationship between single mothers and poverty is not as simple as it seems").

As with most social justice issues, it's easy to argue, stand on soapboxes, and rail against abortion. Creating real change, however, requires some actual effort. For the men out there, especially the conservative ones, consider uniting with someone you may not agree with, but has a message you may agree with: fatherhood is important. You can sign The President's Fatherhood Pledge online. 

The founder of Planned Parenthood, Margaret Sanger, wouldn't fit in too well with today's cultural climate. Read an editorial from The Washington Times, "Margaret Sanger, racist eugenicist extraordinaire" to learn about Sanger's contribution to institutional racism, eugenics, and the dehumanizing of people with illnesses and disabilities. 

Abortion rates have decreased in America since the 1980s, and I believe people who promote life through selflessness and service are a greater engine for social change than those who rail against the evils of abortion. 

God certainly hears the cries of the unborn, but the Creator also hears his children who are suffering. Here are some resources to help with hunger, clean water, poverty, and access to health care:

• Hunger Notes - Education and ways to help reduce world hunger (many other organizations listed here)
• Team World Vision - Branch of World Vision to raise money for sustainable clean water
• The Borgen Project - Provides ways to make a dent in poverty
• Doctors Without Borders - Provides medical treatment to populations in distress 
• Chiropractors of the World - A newer charity bringing chiropractic care to populations in need

There are also organizations that help women with crisis pregnancy. Not all are created equal, so do some research before volunteering or contributing. Though the author of this article, "What I Learned Undercover at a Crisis Pregnancy Center" is admittedly biased and seemingly unwilling to do any sort of real journalism, the article does speak to an ongoing issue: unwed mothers are still met with guilt and shame rather than love and support. 

If you read the above article, be prepared to be depressed. As a Christian, all I can do is pray that God changes the hearts of all his children, believers and nonbelievers alike--whether it is those who support abortion, or those who treat unwed mothers with contempt. For a more uplifting story, read, "Mea Culpa and the Catholic Church" for another woman's experience with a crisis pregnancy center. 

Please consider your intentions when railing against evil in the world. Are you demonizing others and feeling self-righteous about your own views, or are your intentions loving and graceful for your fellow human beings?

Preview for Next Week:

Next week I'll bring more coverage to some environmental issues, and touch briefly on abortion coverage.

Green Space

• Nature is neat. Green space--parks, wooded areas, etc., does all sorts of neat stuff. Read about it at Project EverGreen in "Environmental Benefits of Green Space," and "Lifestyle Benefits of Green Spaces." 
• A really interesting read on green space and its benefits is, "Moving to An Area with Green Space Can Improve Your Mental Health for Years," from Smithsonian.com. 
• The American Planning Association presents and strong case that green spaces make safer neighborhoods in, "How Cities Use Parks to Create Safer Neighborhoods.

Go out and enjoy nature this week. Here's some practical advice from Lenny Pepperbottom: