You gave Planned Parenthood and Rep. Patricia Schroeder plenty of coverage lately: an article Jan. 30 on their plea for more contraceptive research and a repeat in the Sunday TempoWoman. In both, pro-lifers were blamed for stalling and threatening. Since you didn`t bother asking the accused for their side, perhaps you will allow us to remind your readers of a few basic facts.
Contraception doesn`t work and leads only to more abortions. The more tax dollars we spend on contraceptives, the higher the teenage pregnancy rates, as well as the demand for abortions.
Prof. Jacqueline Kasun of Humboldt State University proved that the states that spend the most on contraceptives and abortions tend to have the highest rate of teen abortions plus unmarried births-Georgia, Vermont, South Carolina and Tennessee. The states that spend the least-Utah, North and South Dakota and Missouri-have the lowest rates.
From 1971 to 1980, federal expenditures on contraceptives increased 375 percent, from $80 million to $298.5 million. During that same period there was a 50 percent increase in pregnancies for 15- to 19-year-olds.
Rep. Schroeder, Sen. Ted Kennedy and Planned Parenthood`s other friends in Washington may think that is a worthwhile investment. We think it is a criminal waste of the taxpayers` money.
