Posts Tagged ‘abortion’

Planned parenthood at the City Council summary pt 3

Posted: February 3, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, local stuff, opinion/news
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After a brief recess and regular City Council meeting began. Under the rules of the City council any person can speak for up to 2 minutes on a measure.

The first speaker was Representative DiNatale who re-iterated the argument concerning both redundant services and how well Fitchburg had done without them.

At this point the officials from Planned Parenthood had already left so now a plethora of pro life speakers came to the fore.

The first was Dr. Mark Rollo:

Doctor Rollo was forceful and direct. When describing planned parenthood he bluntly declared “Their mission is killing!” He further argued that they separating children from their parents advice and fear, instead of discouraging teenage pregnancy propagates it. He declared unequivocally that if Planned Parenthood opens on main street protesters will follow and he will be leading them.

Several citizens people yielded their time to both Doctor Rollo and some of those who followed. Their second big gun was Dr. Mildred Jefferson.

With a quiet and calm demeanor she made the case that Fitchburg would be a less pleasant place with Planned parenthood. Her best argument however was the description of Planned Parenthood in terms of practices and their use of organizations that they fund to support their positions as if they were independent.

The third big gun was developer Roderick P. Murphy from the group problem pregnancy. His argument was that planned parenthood would retard development in Fitchburg, both he and Dr. Jefferson had the disadvantage of making the case as non residents.

After this several citizens came up with various arguments primarily concerning the wrongness of abortion, the origins of planned parenthood and how all of this makes Fitchburg a less desirable place to live. Unfortunately a lot of the presentations were, in my opinion and judging from the reactions of counselors, less than effective. One particular example being Kylie Gordon a 19 year old girl who was passionate in her attacks on planned parenthood but disorganized in her presentation.

Two speakers spoke up for planned parenthood. A teacher from Fitchburg state suggested than their presence might help in terms of counseling for college students in weak or potentially harmful relationships reflecting on the Allison Myrick case, it was a point that hadn’t been considered. A Worcester Fitchburg podcaster (Chris’ site is here). came up next vowing that he and members of his group ( Greater Worcester Humanists) would be escorting clients in through any protests held.

Christine Hanley of Mass. Citizens for Life made the final “official” case. Her presentation while strong factually was more about the general faults of Planned Parenthood and less about why they are a bad fit for Fitchburg.

The final speaker was, well me. After Ms Hanley spoke I approached the chair removing my “blogging” hat to speak as a lifelong Fitchburg resident. I pointed out that Ms Luby of Planned Parenthood didn’t deny the question of chemical abortion. I pointed out that City Solicitor, Michael Ciota argument concerning constitutionally of zoning ordinances didn’t hold water as Leominster had enacted such ordinances almost 30 years ago and was unchallenged (explaining why Fitchburg has been the magnet of social services rather than Leominster). I argued that the reason Planned Parenthood wanted main street was to access students of Arthur J. Longsjo middle school . I referenced the both the Washington Post abstinence story and the argument of my own post concerning pill resales. I’ll let others decide how effective I was, but when I was done Counselor Marcus DiNatale questioned the solicitor concerning Leominster’s laws, and Mr. Costa plead ignorance of them.

For a brief time other business came up and the Mayor briefly turned up for that but she was not to be seen when when the Rosemary Reynolds brought up her two zoning resolutions. As they were late resolutions a vote to suspend the rules would be necessary for them to be considered. That vote failed 10-1 thus they have been added to the agenda of the next meeting on the 16th.

And so around 11:00 p.m. things finally closed. It’s fair to say that Planned Parenthood had won the argument this day as the Germans did at Kasserine but the final result of the campaign remains to be seen.

Update: Per Chris’ comment I corrected his location and added a link to his group both in his comment and on this page.

Planned parenthood at the City Counsel summary pt 2

Posted: February 3, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, local stuff, opinion/news
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The city counselors seemed very nervous before the meeting particularly with an overflow crowd that reached down the entire hallway, but nobody seemed more nervous than the counselors who had supported the initial petition. That was a bad sign.


Once things were gaveled open the first speaker was the City Solicitor, Michael Ciota. A legal opinion on the various resolutions had been asked of him. He maintained that any resolution disapproving planned parenthood or any attempt to zone them out of main street was unconstitutional. When he spoke it became very clear that not only was the fix in, but that he had talked to the counselors before the meeting and put the fear of God litigation into them.

With the exception of Rosemary Reynolds nobody challenged said opinion, in fact as she pressed him on his basis counsel president Hay restrained the questions. Planned Parenthood with the wind now behind them was invited to make their presentation:

Ms Dianne Luby (right) made her case, detailing the government grant that they obtained and why Planned Parenthood demographic studies suggested that their services would be useful for Fitchburg. There is no question that this woman was well practiced for such an event and was ready for whatever the counsel was prepared to ask.

After her presentation the questions began with Ward 4 Counselor Kevin Starr

Starr’s questions were primarily concerning the location. Specifically why not use the open space at the Burbank Campus (formally Burbank Hospital) rather than downtown Fitchburg? The question was asked by several counselors and was ducked effectively with “That is not our Model”. (nobody asked about the Model or why “their model” should be the city’s model.

When asked why Fitchburg, a city that had notable success in dropping it’s teen pregnancy rate with a high school using an abstinence model. they continued to stressed demographics and a desire to be “part of the solution”

Counselor Tran stressed the proximity of Worcester in his argument against PP but underestimated the driving time to the (accurate) hoots of local PP supporters. The most amazing statement came from Counselor Kaddy suggesting that PP would attract “Bad” people to main street. PP suggested that their customers were the families of the people in the room and that PP would attract foot traffic to Main Street. When Counselor Joseph challenged it saying that a Methadone clinic would also attract foot traffic she parried it effortlessly and without challenge.

The majority of the arguments made was “Why Fitchburg” and “Why main Street” but Rosemary Reynolds pressed them concerning what would take place on main street. Luby stressed that no surgical abortions would take place and the federal grant prevented them from doing them. Reynolds pressed her about the length of the grant and what happens then, Luby answered that they would re-apply for the grant. Reynolds then asked about chemical abortions but could not remember the name of the abortion pill. (Ru486)

Luby incredibly maintained she had no idea what Reynolds was talking about. (perhaps the president and CEO of the Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts should consult PP’s own web site.) When Ms. Reynolds asked permission to consult Dr. Mark Rollo (sitting behind her) for the exact name, Mr. Hay disallowed it and the question concerning chemical abortions remained unanswered.

Much to the surprise of the assembled audience no other people were allowed to speak. (They were unaware that the counsel was meeting as a “committee of the whole”) and when the vote to table the resolution disapproving planned parenthood the vote was 8-1 with only Counselor Reynolds voting against, counselors Tran and Conry abstaining.

At this point the bulk of the Planned Parenthood supporters their victory supposedly won, and a large amount of the people waiting outside who opposed them began to leave not realizing that there was a lot more to come.

(Part 3 later today)

Steve DiNatale on Planned Parenthood coming to Fitchburg

Posted: February 3, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, local stuff, opinion/news
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He was the first “citizen” speaker before the city counsel after the initial votes.

His arguments were pragmatic and exactly the type that will be most likely to make a difference when things come to a head.

And they will.

The “two” local papers cover the city counsel meeting…

Posted: February 3, 2010 by datechguy in internet/free speech, opinion/news
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I put the “two” in quotes because the Telegram is out of Worcester. From their story:

Dianne Luby, executive director of Planned Parenthood League of Massachusetts, said the grant her agency has received will allow it to “be part of the public health solution.” Though the teen birth rate in Fitchburg is 17 per 1,000 — lower than the state average of 49 per 1,000, she said — the city’s demographics make it ripe for a family planning program. The grant wouldn’t allow for abortions and the office wouldn’t have surgical equipment, she emphasized.

One thing that I found frustrating at the meeting is nobody on the counsel asked “what demographics”? What makes Fitchburg ripe for their services when the rate is way below the state avg and has been dropping?

The Sentinel’s coverage noted something else interesting:

Those who had originally wanted to draft a resolution against Planned Parenthood two weeks ago, but ultimately voted to take no action, cited legal advice by City Solicitor Michael Ciota, who said a resolution may be unconstitutional and could make the city vulnerable to legal recourse.

Ciota said the City Council must protect the constitution of the United States, which gives women the right to have an abortion.

“I am concerned finally that even if (a resolution) were not to open the door to liability in any immediate sense, the expressions of the individuals in this chamber which form the government of this city can,” Ciota said.

The counselors reaction to Mr. Ciota’s representations were the real story of the night and I’ll be discussing that in later posts on the subject.

Although it is not yet up FATV routinely puts up the city counsel meetings online. They will be broadcasting and re-broadcasting it on local TV as well.

How good was the reporting? There is a lot that was left out that I believe was significant but these were not meant to be essays, fact that the meetings ran so late might have been an issue since both papers run in the morning and deadlines looming.

As I continue to post on this I hope to add some insight that time and space might not have permitted for them.

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