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Saturday, May 14, 2011

Don't call me MOMMA! The TX fight for Planned Parenthood

I took on the responsibility of assisting in the everyday livelihood of two younger cousins while my aunt took a roadtrip to Detroit a few weeks ago.  I had no clue what I was getting myself into.
Drew and I ... looking happy

The two boys, let's call them Drew (9) and Tony (13) we beside themselves with joy, they were being left in the care of their cool cousin, but they hid their happiness so well I felt the need to try and please them.  Break them out of their norm of come home from school, homework, video games, dinner, bath and bed routine.  I wanted to do something more, something interesting and controversial.  Visit a museum, play baseball in the park, something fun.  Well, they thought otherwise.  On the first night I was sooo tired from cooking dinner, running Tony to practice, answering ALL of Drew's million questions, picking up used paper towels, organizing breakfast for the next morning and answering the rest of Drew's questions.

I couldn't figure out, for the life of me how my almost 80-year old aunt decided to take the boys in in the first place.

"This is crazy." I thought. I immediately began to search, instead, for things to do for myself on the weekend my Aunt returned.

I decided to run a tight ship, implement chores and bedtimes.  That's when I heard it, it cut like a knife, "This is supposed to be fun," Tony was going in, gearing up to shake my world, "you're trying to be our Momma! You're NOT MY MOMMA."

He yelled at me as if I didn't know that his argument was true.  I wasn't these kids mom, and didn't want to be, nor did I feel like I should be wrapping my schedules around theirs, the life of a freelance publicist and writer is enough to deal with, having two kids in the mix was not ice cream on the cake, gravy on the potatoes, soy on my sushi ... oh no.. it was a trial.

The whole experience put me on a mission to do a little research.  I have some amazing friends that are amazing parents.  They are active in their children's lives, they have their schedules organized, their 30-minute meals are actually 25-minute meals that they breeze thru .... they are parents, real parents. Unlike me and my leased kids (yeah, I said leased, they cost me a good amount of money while in my care).

While on my trip to Austin, (the one I planned while sitting) I was introduced to the fight for Planned Parenthood in Texas. Apparently new legislation has threatened to close the program, which saves Medicare about $25 million each year, has created such of an uproar that women around the state or up in arms, protesting.
Lady Protesters urging drivers-by to "honk" their support
The bill to cut Planned Parenthood was created by one republican Bob Dueull of South Carolina, who out of his left wing agenda magically thought it as the method to ending abortions in America, apparently it included killing Planned Parenthood.  I wonder if he thought about the hundreds of thousands of unplanned pregnancies that would result as well as the cost of funding state aid for low-income mothers.

Where as previously #PP was funded 90% with federal dollars and only 10% with tax dollars from the State expense of not funding #PP would definitely be left up to low-income, budget straining women.

Planned Parenthood isn't just for the extremely poor, informed teenager with a boyfriend, not in the least.  By my conversation with some of the protesters, the program offers health screenings and birth control for uninsured and under-insured women of all walks of life, whether they are young teens or freelancers like myself.  They are women that have been affected by the downturns in the economy, and are trying to take better control of their lives and their health.  By getting rid of Planned Parenthood more than 100,000 Texas women a year will be left without the education and connectivity #PP offers.

I urge you all to educate yourself on the new bill, which offers to keep the Womens Health Program, a subsidy of Planned Parenthood, but does not offer information on controlling births (i.e. abortions), and completely dissolve its "parent" program. I don't want to crowd your judgement with anything but facts ... but I do want your opinions on the state funding of Planned Parenthood in your neighborhoods and the message it portrays to mothers and women in their individual paths thru life...

After my week with the kids, I was glad people were standing up to the Bob Deuells of the world.  Personally I am all for not having extemporaneous kids, in the end, it becomes everyones responsibility to raise them ... whether they are left to a sitter, foster care, or worst.  Sometimes contingencies must be made for the greater good of the people (the actual people, those that live lives, stumble and fall and the such), those who need something as important and time consumingas parenting to be ... well, planned.

Get hip, stay safe and TTYL Blacks!

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1 comment:

  1. Love this....its always the misinformed that try to change something that isn't broken or better yet something that is helping...you are absolutely right that with the demise of planned parenthood there will be even more unplanned pregnancies, higher rate of STI's, and low income women without their preventive health check ups...I hope ppl get a better understanding of what planned parenthood offers before making any hasty decisions...-K Dawson

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