Statistician refutes Planned Parenthood report

Statistician refutes Planned Parenthood report

By Marcel LeJeune

College Station, TX, Oct 29, 2007 / 07:18 am (CNA).- In a report issued on October 11, 2007 by the Guttmacher Institute (the research arm of Planned Parenthood) and the World Health Organization (WHO), researchers emphasized the numbers of “unsafe abortions” in developing countries that do not have restrictive abortion policies. The researchers concluded that in order to achieve more “safe abortions”, governmental policies should continue to be loosened to provide access to them. However, statistician Keith Schumann explains that Planned Parenthood and the World Health Organization use weak or non-existent data to support a conclusion that cannot be found in the numbers.

These findings are consistent with reports from Steven W. Mosher, president of the Population Research Institute, who accused abortion legalization advocates of "deliberately exaggerating the magnitude of the problem in order to create a 'health crisis' to justify legalizing abortion-on-demand” as reported by CNA in early October.

Dr. Keith Schumann, a Ph.D. statistician from College Station, Texas, examined the research reported in the study and found several problems behind the numbers that Guttmacher and the WHO released. Dr. Schumann said, “I cannot make any conclusion on the accuracy or precision of the numbers they report. There are numerous assumptions made in their methodology that can severely sway the final outcome. In other words, the numbers in the report contain such potentially large margins of error and so many problems with the underlying data that were cobbled together that few, if any, conclusions can accurately be made.”

Dr. Schumann was unable to recreate the results of the report based on the information that he examined. The data is pulled from multiple sources and in some cases, guesses made by the researchers. Schumann called the assumptions built upon the data “troubling” and it seemed the data itself was said to be “pulled from the air” in some cases.

Some of the more telling numbers reported by the Guttmacher Institute included a 100% “safe abortion” rate for parts of Asia that include China and North Korea. Therefore, even forced abortions, by the totalitarian governments of these Communist countries, fall under the definition of “safe abortions”. Also, the data used in several parts of the world was very limited and in other locations and/or dates non-existent. Therefore, the researchers “corrected” the data to show what they called “under-reporting”. This included an average correction inflation of 140% per country, including correction inflation for Bangladesh of 300%. For countries where abortions are illegal, the total number of abortions was estimated, then inflated, and then all of these were considered unsafe.

The problems with the report were not reflected in a statement given by Dr. Sharon Camp, Guttmacher president and CEO. She stated that the first step in making abortion safer was to ensure that the procedure was done by capable persons in good conditions. In addressing the policies of countries that restrict abortion, Camp states, “It’s high time for policymakers worldwide to renew their commitment to women’s health by addressing these crucial issues”.

When asked what he might conclude about the methodology used in this report, Dr. Schumann concluded that it would be extremely difficult, if not impossible to get accurate numbers, “We can’t even get an accurate number of abortions locally, aside from what Planned Parenthood self-reports. I don’t understand how we can then get accurate numbers from a worldwide perspective.”

I was wrong.

A man came up to us yesterday at the abortion mill. He said, "A few years ago, my wife was raped and got pregnant. I wanted her to have an abortion. She said no. That little girl is so precious, I know now that I was wrong. Keep doing what you're doing and don't let anybody tell you to stop. God bless you."

Every reason under the sun...

I had the opportunity today at about 6:45am to speak to a young mother as she waited for Planned Parenthood to open so that she could have her abortion. Her sister actually initiated the conversation saying, "I think it's great that you guys are out here protesting." I told her we were not so much protesting as we were praying and working to let mothers know that there were people who were willing to bend over backwards to help mothers with whatever it was that was needed. At this point Rachael (the young mother) spoke up.

Rachael - "That's not true."

Me - "Yes, it is ma'am. All you have to do is say the word, and we can help with whatever it is. There's no reason a child should have to die."

Rachael - "I'm just sending this little gift back to God."

Me - "God sent this little one to you for a reason. You can't just send it back. You don't just kill someone who is an inconvenience."

Rachael - "It's not a child when it's in the womb. It's not a child till it takes a breath."

Me - "Who told you that? Do you have any other children?"

Rachael - "Yes."

Me - "When did you start to love them, before or after they were born? Were they alive when you started to feel their little feet and hands stretch and kick, in your womb?"

Rachael - "I'm doing this for my other kids. Jesus will help me through this. It's not a child."

Me - "What happened when Mary went to visit Elizabeth? What did Elizabeth say?"

Rachael - "That's different."

Me - "Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. At your greeting the child in my womb lept for joy. The child in my womb lept for joy."

Rachael - "Who's going to help me day in day out?"

Me - "There are so many people who would help you. Have you thought about adoption?"

Rachael - "I couldn't do that. It would be too much."

Rachael's sister - "Why are you out here?"

Me - "I'm out here because my own birth mother was raped when she was 13 and got pregnant. I was scheduled to be aborted and if it weren't for a lady who I call Grandma now, that offered help to this girl, I wouldn't be here now."

Rachael - "I used to think this was wrong too, until I needed it."

Me - "Circumstances don't change what's right and what's wrong."

Rachael - "Some do."

Me - "No they don't. You don't have to do this. There are people who will help you."

Rachael - "Yeah, I know."

Me - "If you think that God will help you through this, don't you think that He'd also help you to give your baby life?"

Rachael - "Yeah, probably but I'm already here."

At this point, Planned Parenthood opened it's doors and Steve (the security guy) came out to usher the women inside.

Me - "You're going to need help afterwards too, if you go through with this."

Looking back, with a worn out face, Rachael said one last time before she went inside, "Yeah, I know."

I left about an hour later. As I write this now at 10:36am, Rachael, if she went through with it, is probably in the recovery room. This scripture seems particularly apt.

A voice is heard in Ramah, lamentation and bitter weeping. Rachel is weeping for her children; she refuses to be comforted for her children, because they are no more.

Harassment?

The 40 Days for Life has been going on for a couple of weeks now all across the country. As I write this, it is 3:35am and I’m sitting by myself in front of the state’s deadliest place – Planned Parenthood at 3601 Fannin in Midtown, Houston. Every year, about 6,500 children’s lives are snuffed out prematurely, in the rooms directly behind me. It is almost surreal to be here right now. I spend most of my time slowly walking back and forth praying the Rosary, asking God to change hearts, and meditating on the unspeakable love that He has for each person He brings into being. Apparently, though, this is “inexcusable behavior”.

Planned Parenthood of Houston and Southeast Texas sent out an email several weeks ago soliciting for funds and volunteer escorts, and stating, “ANTI-birth control, ANTI-sex education and ANTI-choice extremists are, once again, planning to harass the clients and staff of Planned Parenthood for 40 days beginning later this month. These extremists plan to stand outside our health centers- perhaps all 10 Planned Parenthood locations across southeast Texas- for 24 hours a day, 6 days a week. They will shout at and photograph clients, push misleading information in their faces, and do all they can to stand in the way of clients trying to enter our health centers. (emphasis mine)” This past week, they once again sent out an email calling for all “superheroes” to donate money and time to their righteous cause. “Last Wednesday anti-choice protesters began harassing clients at FIVE Planned Parenthood health centers across southeast Texas. For the next 40 days responsible individuals and families seeking confidential, nonjudgmental, unbiased health care face intimidation tactics as they visit Planned Parenthood health centers in Houston, Huntsville, Lufkin, Bryan, and Rosenberg. Stop for a second and put yourself in our clients’ shoes. It isn’t hard to do -- one in four women in the U.S. have turned to Planned Parenthood for health care. Think about what it’s like to have to walk past shouting protesters just to get to your health care provider. What unnecessary stress and anxiety it causes!” If one were to hear the party-line from Planned Parenthood, one would think this place is a war zone. Perhaps that is what PP’s security director, Steve Blumenthal, thought this past Monday, as he dressed up like a human Claymore mine. But, not all agree with the party line
“At any given time, one or two people end up standing outside of the clinic quietly praying…and most clients don’t even notice they are there.” This blog entry (Think Pink @ www.candancealittle.com) by Planned Parenthood volunteer escort, Nicholas (pictured left), sounds like a far cry from the allegations of constant shouting, harassment and inexcusable behavior leveled by PP fundraisers, to solicit money from donors who probably would never dream of darkening the door of the local abortion mill for their own healthcare needs. But then again, Planned Parenthood does have a way of making up creative definitions for common terms. One notable example comes from Teenwire.com (a shining example of PP’s “age-appropriate sex education”) in which a couple of tastelessly drawn cartoon hosts inform children that pregnancy does not occur at conception, but rather at implantation. At any rate, judge for yourselves, who are the extremists, the people who pray their Rosaries, asking God to end abortion, and tell young mothers that there is help available, or the people who dress up like bombs or demons and dance chanting obscene ditties about body parts?

Something New

Well, make that two somethings new. First time I've used a blog, and first time I've stood outside an abortion clinic to pray...

A brief "who am I?": I'm a graphic artist at a major Houston newspaper. (That should narrow it down enough for you to guess where.) And a practicing Catholic who attends Annunciation Church downtown. If you've never been there, you must visit. It's beautiful. Gorgeous. Traditional. And old. My husband and I got married there, which is another reason I love it. When I get up early enough on Sunday, I like to attend Mass in Latin. Otherwise, I'm a regular at 5:30 on Sunday evening.

I found out about 40 Days for Life through announcements in the church bulletin. One Sunday, I took one of the sign-up forms with me after Mass and thought about it. Prayed about it. A little self-encouragement here, a little trying-to-talk-myself-out-of-it there. Abortion is the social/religious/human/political issue I feel most strongly about, yet I'd never done anything about it in public, aside from voting for pro-life candidates. This time, I felt the Lord calling me to something more visible.

Next, I made two phone calls. First, to Houston Coalition for Life. I spoke to someone there for several minutes about the vigil, and came away from the conversation feeling better about the whole thing. I signed up for two hours a week, Monday and Thursday, 7:30-8:30 a.m. Second phone call was to my Dad in Baton Rouge, a retired police captain, to ask him how not to get arrested doing what I signed up to do. He gave me the basics, which are the same as the guidelines we've all been given for the vigil. Sufficiently reassured, I waited for my first day...

Last Thursday, armed with my rosary, I arrived on time and met the shift coordinator. Oh good, he's normal. We made our introductions and prayed the rosary followed by the Divine Mercy chaplet. Here are my initial observations:

1. It's not scary. Nothing weird, crazy, radical or even really exciting happened. Just two people standing out in front of a building praying quietly. Well, I guess that in itself is exciting. I mean, Jesus did promise, "Wherever two or more are gathered in my name, I am there."

2. Planned Parenthood volunteers are not evil. One walked past us on our side of the fence and smiled. No one yelled at us, told us to move, threatened us or approached us. We did our thing, and we were left alone.

3. It's painful to watch people go inside. We saw couples go in together and girls with what looked to be their parents or an older adult, which made me think, these girls need support. This isn't something they want to do alone, yet what a horror to be supported in. Young fathers in need of support, too, escorted their wives or girlfriends in. They need our prayers just as much as the mothers do.

4. We are right. Period.

5. "Pray without ceasing." This week, I've been praying more than usual. For everything. Praying for my family, for my job, for safety, for God's will in my life. Every day, there's something new to pray for. And God delivers! I'll never run out of prayers of thanksgiving for all the blessings He's given me, which makes me have faith that our prayers for the unborn are heard. We must pray always for these little ones.

6. I really want to be a mother. My husband and I have been married almost two years. I've always known I want to be a Mom. I have a great relationship with my mother, and I want to share that with my own child. After being there at Planned Parenthood, it made me want it even more. My body isn't my own. It's God's. And my child won't be my own. He will be God's. I'll just be blessed enough to be his mother here for a time.

So those are my thoughts. I'm looking forward to this Thursday. Praying it doesn't rain. Bringing my umbrella just in case.

K.