Houston, We Have A Problem

Planned ParenthoodThe New Year has begun and my new Media Monday series begins today! Blog posts for this series will not happen every Monday, but they will always be posted on a Monday.

 

There are certainly plenty of hot topics in today’s news which are worthy of discussion, but one in particular this past week has left me shocked. Considering the state of our world today and the amount of things we hear about in the media that are not only anti-Christian but evidence of a decaying moral society turning it’s back on God —  leaving me shocked is actually hard to do.

It’s likely impossible that anyone is unaware of the heartbreaking and hard to believe videos released last year of the undercover operation regarding Planned Parenthood selling aborted baby parts. It seemed they were playing on every news show and all over every social media feed every single day for weeks, to the point to where I didn’t know how much more I could take. Recently, these videos have come up again but for a different reasons, and since we just closed out January which is Sanctity of Life month, it seems appropriate timing to discuss this issue.

Like the majority of the population, this story pierced my heart and brought tears to my eyes as every video and every graphic, sickening conversation was exposed. But now, it appears this story has not only failed to bring those involved in fetal parts trafficking to justice, but an unbelievable injustice has happened as a result. And worse yet, it’s possible you missed this shocking culmination of events because the media chose to overshadow it with other less popular stories. So today, I’m bringing awareness to it – and asking for your help with something at the end. Read on.

Apparently last Monday, it was announced the Houston/Harris County grand jury in the Planned Parenthood case chose not to indict Planned Parenthood for any wrong doing, clearing them of all charges, and instead indicted the two undercover investigators (David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt) behind the Planned Parenthood videos.

These two investigators found out about this potential practice years ago and were desperate to expose not only criminal activity (by way of exercising their First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and of the press, according to their statement) but make public this secret activity of selling baby parts that is an obvious violation against humanity, regardless of one’s opinion about abortion itself.

This bizarre and mind blowing indictment charges are grounded on two main components.

1) The investigators are charged with “tampering of a government record” because they made and presented fake California driver’s licenses to interact with PP employees undercover, with the intent to defraud. ** 2nd degree felony charge with punishment of two to twenty years in prison and up to a $10,000 fine

2) The investigators are charged with trying to traffic human organs themselves because they offered to purchase them during the undercover videos.   ** Misdemeanor charge with punishment of one to five years in prison and up to a $5000 fine

Rather than charge those committing the atrocious violent crimes against the innocent unborn and sometimes still living, moving babies, second-degree felony charges are brought against those who exposed the crimes?  So …. it’s illegal to pretend you’re someone you’re not and offer to purchase human organs in an effort to expose the crime, but not illegal to admit certain actions, or engage in conversation expressing intent of actually doing the crime and selling the criminally acquired body parts?  (And why is producing a fake ID a felony, but purchasing illegal human body parts only a misdemeanor?)

Houston, we have a problem. A serious, serious problem.

I respect our legal system, and I realize I wasn’t on the jury hearing the case nor did I hear all the details and evidence presented for both sides. I realize the DA supports the decision of the grand jury, as they are politically required to do, but can’t overlook the fact that a member of the Planned Parenthood’s Board works in the DA’s office. I realize Planned Parenthood denies any wrongdoing and claims they were tricked and misquoted. I realize the congressional and state investigations into this matter have supposedly concluded that there was no illegal sale of body parts. (although new info has surfaced this weekend which might reopen the case)

However, from the outside looking in, and after keeping up with this story extensively over the past six months, I am blown away at how anyone could come to this twisted decision. The staff at Planned Parenthood were caught on camera admitting these heinous activities, and bargaining for higher fees for profiting from harvesting and trafficking fetal organs. But that is okay apparently. They are innocent of any wrong doing according to the jurors, even though one executive was caught on video trying to get the prices up for the fetal parts because she wanted to buy a Lamborghini.

For the sake of perspective, let’s consider some hypothetical situations:

If a police woman pretends to be a prostitute – and dresses like one, presenting herself in a fake way –  in an undercover operation in order to arrest people who are seeking to illegally pay for prostitution services, does the criminal press charges against the police woman and have her arrested and the predator gets set free? I think not. She was pretending to engage in an illegal activity in an effort to expose a crime and arrest those actually doing illegal activities, and she never intended to go home with predators. She was lying about her identity as part of the investigation (although not producing fake government issued identification, of course). But aren’t we are all better off because of her willingness to put herself at risk in an effort to better society, make our cities safer, and save women caught in prostitution and sex trafficking from predators seeking to buy their services?

If a cop goes undercover in a drug sting and pretends to be a drug dealer in an effort to catch the thugs selling drugs, do they get arrested for pretending to buy drugs in order to expose the criminals? I think not. Aren’t we all better off and safer because of the selfless acts of courage and risk taking that our police men and women endure every single day? I realize they are operating under the law and the guidelines of their job, but still.

If a news reporter goes undercover to a retail outlet or service provider in an effort to catch them in the act of selling faulty products, taking advantage of customers or risking their safety, price gauging or participating in illegal activities, does the reporter get arrested for exposing their crimes against innocent customers? Does he get arrested for pretending to be a customer, when he’s really a journalist? Even if they put the story on television and negatively affect that business as a result, is the journalist arrested and charged with a crime? I think not. Aren’t we all better off if businesses are held to standards of integrity and honesty and fairness to customers, and required to obey the law of ethics in business?

I know there are many differences between these hypothetical scenarios and the legalities of the Planned Parenthood case, but in general, they are much the same. We are all better off when crime is exposed and punished, and ethics rule.

Americans will probably never all agree on the issue of abortion. Pro-life supporters, like myself, are passionate about being an advocate and a voice for the unborn, and Pro-Choice supporters, are passionate about being an advocate and a voice for women’s rights to choose and be in charge of their bodies. Passion compels people to stand up for what they believe in, and that’s good.

But we can all stand up for what’s right when someone is being wrongly persecuted and when injustice seems obvious, no matter what side of the fence you are standing on. I believe David Daleiden and Sandra Merritt are being wrongly punished and that charges should be dropped. This isn’t about pro-life or pro-choice, its about fairness and justice to people who were simply trying to expose something that breaks all of our hearts. Something which most certainly breaks our Father’s heart, since He creates and knows each baby in every womb, as we are told in Jeremiah 1:5 “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart;”

Fellow Christians, we have a problem. A serious, serious problem. And it’s not just this hot topic issue.

It’s the ever growing problem of people who are trying to stand up for what’s right in God’s eyes being punished by our society for doing so – regardless of the hot topic at hand. Religious persecution has become an every day thing, especially against the Word of the Most High God.  This problem is magnified by the ever increasing tendency of the voices of those who are against God’s Word and what His Word says about right from wrong, seeming louder than those who treasure It.

Our society and cultural opinions are ever changing, but God’s Word never does. His Word calls believers to unite in a world that is trying to push Him out, not divide over differences of opinions. (Romans 14:19)

We don’t have the power to change the court’s decision about Planned Parenthood’s actions. We don’t have the power to change each others opinions about the issue of abortion, but we do have the power to respect each other’s opinions and treat other with kindness and fairness regardless of differences.

We do have the power to take our thoughts captive to His Word as we are told to do in 2 Corinthians 10:5  and choose to focus on what God says is right from wrong, regardless of our own opinions or what society wants us to believe. We do have the power to choose to use our voices to speak up for those who need our help – whether they are an unborn baby, a woman in a crisis pregnancy facing a life altering decision, or a person who simply tried to hold firm to their beliefs and make a positive impact so we would all be better off in the long run – including those who aren’t even born yet.

If you are willing to stand up for what’s right, let your voice be heard and speak up for the unfairly punished, CLICK HERE  to take a few seconds to sign your name to the petition to have the charges dropped against these investigators.

So that’s what I think, what do you think? 

Some of the articles referenced for this post were:

NY TIMES
The Federalist
US News
Life News Time

8 Comments

  1. Melissa Martino on Monday, February 1, 2016 at 8:25 am

    I think it’s horrible that the tables turned on the investigators and now they are the ones who are being persecuted for their belief’s.



    • Hayley on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 2:27 pm

      No, they are being prosecuted because they broke the law.



    • Hayley on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 2:28 pm

      They had to lie and break the law to do it.



  2. Jenny on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 11:39 am

    This is the twisted society we live in when wrong is made to be right and right is made to be wrong! God help those who were trying to do the right thing by exposing Planned Parenthood for the horrible practice of selling of tissue/parts.



  3. Hayley on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 at 2:26 pm

    You can’t say that these Christians were standing on gods principles to unveil an evil sinful unjustice when they themselves had to lie and break the law.



  4. Geralyn Miller on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 5:43 am

    I am so glad I read this and it is unbelievably appalling to me. They are taking all of our freedoms.



  5. Laura Zuckett on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 5:45 am

    Thank you for bringing this topic back into the light. When these videos were first exposed it brought me to my knees – asking God for forgiveness for how we as a nation have been treating the gift of life. I know that abortion is legal in our country, but that does not make it right in God’s eyes. I admire the courage of David and Sarah and their whole team for standing up for what they believe and exposing a dark side of the abortion industry that most people know nothing about.

    The legality of how they went about this exposure is for the lawyers to untangle. Investigative journalism and sting operations like you described have been used for a long time. Perhaps they could have gone about it differently. The real tragedy is that no one is questioning the actions of Planned Parenthood.

    Another great source of information on this topic is the American Center For Law and Justice. They can be found at aclj.org



  6. Carmen on Wednesday, February 3, 2016 at 11:16 pm

    So the atrocities that Planned Parenthood have clearly stated they are committing, is not a crime. It’s not against the law. It is clearly a very heinous act. Proving the prophecies the Bible speaks about coming to pass. Just watching these videos made me so angry and sick at the lack of empathy of the women working there. ..No conscious, no heart. “God forgive them for they know not what they do!!!”
    For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open Luke 8v17



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Tracie Miles is a bestselling author and the Director of COMPEL Training with Proverbs 31 Ministries.  She helps women grow stronger in their faith, pursue the life of purpose God designed them for and live a life of peace, joy and happiness despite their circumstances.

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