blog post 2

            A controversial topic currently is Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood is an organization that offers woman’s health services in an affordable way. On July 14, 2015, the center for medical progress released the first series of videos seeming as though planned parenthood allegedly has been making a profit from the donation of fetal tissue. Meaning that after conducting abortions, the tissue and allegedly other bodily matter of the fetus that was removed, was then sold black market style. That following August a private research company came to the conclusion that the videos portrayed a sort of deception by being edited and did not “present a complete or accurate record of the events they purport to depict” (Calmes, 2015) This calling of investigation caused subsequent defunding for planned parenthood, which was currently receiving more than $500 million federal dollars annually. I believe this investigation is a major factor in the cause of the intense pro-life and pro-choice battle.

            The advocacy and rhetoric of this debate is based on the organizations appealing to the audience on the basis of shared values. Both fact and value are central to and organizations rhetoric in response to a crisis like this. The pro-choice media leaders and emphasizing the millions of women that planned parenthood serves, and use “abortion success stories” as opposed to the pro-life media leadership that emphasizes the brutality of some abortions, and the investigation planned parenthood was under. By using these rhetoric’s, it has led to it being a common belief that the peoples tax dollars pay for citizen’s abortions. Which is false, the peoples tax dollars pay for planned parenthood funding, and a service they provide is abortions. The values of advocacy allow and organization to enhance its image (or what the beliefs and perceptions that the public holds about and organization.) With a strong image in favor of your party, it is thus easier to deflect criticism.

A major event that has been coming to the eye of the American people in recent events is the treat of planned parenthood no longer receiving federal funding. This has been a longstanding battle over the half billion federal tax money that goes to Planned Parenthood, the nations largest provider for abortions. This issue has had the two major parties of our democracy, the republicans and the democrats, at opposing ends of the spectrum.

            The idea and motive to defund Planned Parenthood is emerging from the republican party, making the democrats the opposing party. The government has the possibility of shutting down on October 1^st if congress does not pass a bill that keeps the government funded. Planned Parenthood could be taking a major hit. In July Trump stated that Planned Parenthood should be defunded due to recent revelations about the selling of organs based in this establishment. Meaning that the organs and body parts of aborted babies were being sold. President Trump strongly feels that this should not be funded by the government.

            On the republican side, they are looking to spend less government funds and eliminate abortions being that the majority are pro life. The republican party has used logos by showing how much money is devoted to Planned Parenthood annually, and using pathos by using explicit explanations and content of abortions showing how gruesome the process is, and ethos by showing that the selling of an unborn baby’s organs is ethically wrong. On the democratic side, they are outraged as the majority of democratic voters are pro-choice. They are using logos by explaining that Planned Parenthood funds far more than just abortions alone. They provide millions of women with birth control, gynecology health, and mammograms, to name just a few. They are using pathos by bringing up situations where a woman’s pregnancy is a result of abuse, including rape and incest. Ethos is being used by also explaining how many women will no longer have access to necessary health care.

            The outburst of this news may have been one of the factors that possibly prompted the largest protest in history. The Women’s March was held on January 21, 2017. More than 3 million women and men participated in this event, including 7 continents and more than 600 individual marches. The main rights being fought for were women’s rights over their own bodies. Bringing an even further focus on the issues being sought out among Planned Parenthood. It will be interesting to see what comes of this heated deposition.