are crisis pregnancy centers protected by the first amendment?

[FallingPianos]

there are a lot of stories floating around about the activities of crisis pregnancy centers to manipulate women away from getting abortions. because they are unregulated, its impossible to know whether these anecdotal cases are representative, or whether they are just a few isolated stories. so, this poll is not meant to be about centers that give women accurate information.

stories on the acticities of these centers include:
1)naming themselves "PP" (problem pregnancy) and locating themselves right next to planned parenthoods, and not informing women coming in for planned parenthood appointments that they went to the wrong place.
2)lying about the results of a positive pregnancy test to delay women from getting an abortion.
3)denying women access to their pregnancy test results unless they watch a pro-life video with false information about abortion.
4)making themselves look like health care facilities when they are not.
5)giving medically inaccurate and misleading information about abortion and/or birth control.
6)telling women its best to wait until they are 13 weeks pregnant to get an abortion, because first trimester abortions have a higher failure rate.
7)telling women they provide information about all pregnancy options, but then refusing to make referals for abortion.

if you think some of these activities are protected, and some of them arent, which ones do you think are and why?

 

[Kandahar]

Re: are crisis pregnancy centerts protected by the first amendment?

If they are intentionally misrepresenting their business, then they're liable/guilty of fraud. Certainly not protected speech.

 

[FallingPianos]

Re: are crisis pregnancy centerts protected by the first amendment?

Here is an example of what I'm talking about.

Pregnancy Resource Centers of Greater Portland has 5 separate websites. the two main ones are portlandprc and prcofportland. One of them is meant for donors, the other is meant for potential visitors to the centers.

on the website for women seeking pregnancy centers, they say "The Pregnancy Resource centers are here to help you examine your options so you can make the choice that is right for you. Here, you will meet trained peer-counselors who care about you and can answer your questions in a non-pressure environment. Our desire is to help you define the situation, find the problem and obtain the resources for positive solutions."

the entire site has no references to religion, and takes a pro-choice viewpoint, though there is some medically inaccurate information about abortion on the site.

The site for donors on the other hand, is filled with religious content, and states that the organizations mission is to: "empower individuals to make life-affirming decisions through education, counseling and compassionate care based on the ministry of Jesus Christ."

here is a quote from the the 2007 spring news letter (links to a PDF): "That’s why I’m so thankful that Christ’s compassion cannot be ultimately outlawed. We rejoice wherever voters and authorities exercise justice and mercy by legislatively informing and protecting girls, women, and the unborn, with laws and ordinances. Even when a state like Oregon denies such compassionate protection in the name of “rights”, we are still at liberty to offer the love of Jesus Christ to all who would receive it...

...As we pursue the goals of More Life Portland, to triple the number of abortion-vulnerable women we reach in our city, please pray with us. We need to triple our ministry partnerships to fulfill this vision. We long to see the day in our city when:
• Every baby has a chance to be born
• Every baby is seen and heard via
ultrasound by its mother before she
makes a choice
• Every mother hears the complete truth
about abortion and positive alternatives"

If they didn't have the same logo, you would think that they were two entirely separate organizations.

 

[Cephus]

Re: are crisis pregnancy centerts protected by the first amendment?

It's not a First Amendment issue, it's an issue of fraud and misrepresentation. The First Amendment doesn't give you the right to lie to people. Personally, I'd require them to be up front about what they're doing under the 'truth in advertising' laws.

 

[OKgrannie]

Re: are crisis pregnancy centerts protected by the first amendment?

there are a lot of stories floating around about the activities of crisis pregnancy centers to manipulate women away from getting abortions. because they are unregulated, its impossible to know whether these anecdotal cases are representative, or whether they are just a few isolated stories. so, this poll is not meant to be about centers that give women accurate information.

stories on the acticities of these centers include:
1)naming themselves "PP" (problem pregnancy) and locating themselves right next to planned parenthoods, and not informing women coming in for planned parenthood appointments that they went to the wrong place.
2)lying about the results of a positive pregnancy test to delay women from getting an abortion.
3)denying women access to their pregnancy test results unless they watch a pro-life video with false information about abortion.
4)making themselves look like health care facilities when they are not.
5)giving medically inaccurate and misleading information about abortion and/or birth control.
6)telling women its best to wait until they are 13 weeks pregnant to get an abortion, because first trimester abortions have a higher failure rate.
7)telling women they provide information about all pregnancy options, but then refusing to make referals for abortion.

if you think some of these activities are protected, and some of them arent, which ones do you think are and why?

What is especially galling is that this FRAUD is being perpetrated by tax-payer dollars.


The Fetal Position

"CPCs have existed for about 30 years and despite numerous lawsuits, they've flourished. Today there are an estimated 2,500 to 4,000 centers nationwide. In part, such growth has been fueled by government funding. Public subsidies began in 1996, when the welfare-reform act provided $50 million for abstinence-only education programs, and CPCs realized that providing such curricula to schools would qualify them for assistance. Since taking office, Bush has increased funding for abstinence-only education by 69 percent to $135 million for 2003, nearly $3 million of which will go directly to CPCs.

More tax dollars may be on the way. A bill proposed by Senator Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) and Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) would grant $3 million in ultrasound equipment to nonprofit organizations that provide free examinations to pregnant women.States are also funding CPCs. Louisiana recently authorized $1.5 million for CPCs, and Delaware granted $39,000 to a single center. In Missouri and Pennsylvania, lawmakers gave $700,000 and $5 million, respectively, to agencies that provide "alternatives to abortion," while withholding family-planning funds from facilities that provide abortion services. Some states have proved even more creative: Florida has raised $1.3 million for CPCs through sales of "Choose Life" license plates, and, despite concerns about road rage, five states have followed suit. "



Legal Momentum

"In recent years, federal and state government funding for CPCs has expanded dramatically. The largest federal funding stream for these centers is abstinence-only money. This funding has brought inexperienced CPC employees and volunteers into schools to teach abstinence-only programs, replacing trained sexual health educators who had provided comprehensive sexual education. Worse yet, this funding has enabled numerous CPCs to produce and market their own abstinence-only curricula. Many of these curricula have been criticized for being gender-biased, fear-based, scientifically inaccurate, overtly religious and anti-abortion. "

 

[FallingPianos]

Re: are crisis pregnancy centerts protected by the first amendment?

wow, not many responses...


(btw, could a mod please fix my typing error in the title? should be crisis pregnancy centers :doh )

 

[FallingPianos]

Re: are crisis pregnancy centerts protected by the first amendment?

bumpity bump

no more thoughts?

 

[CaptainCourtesy]

Re: are crisis pregnancy centerts protected by the first amendment?

wow, not many responses...


(btw, could a mod please fix my typing error in the title? should be crisis pregnancy centers :doh )

Got it.