Two pro-life groups, Christian Defense Coalition and Survivors, are sure to generate some controversy with a clever new anti-abortion campaign called “Defund Klanned Parenthood.” The groups plan to focus on the fact that Planned Parenthood was founded on the principles of Margaret Sanger and point out racist statements made by Sanger, as well as her connections to the Ku Klux Klan.
“We are launching ‘Defund “Klanned” Parenthood’ to expose the reality that Planned Parenthood founder, Margaret Sanger, was a racist who supported the agenda of the Ku Klux Klan, spoke at their events and wanted to reduce the number of African-Americans,” said Christian Defense Coalition director, Rev. Patrick J. Mahoney. “We are calling upon the members of Congress, who have given billions of public money to Planned Parenthood over the years, to defund this group whose roots are racist, bigoted and extremist.”
The campaign is part of a larger trend, as pro-life groups seek to highlight the higher rates of abortion in the African-American community. A recent study revealed that New York City has a 41-percent abortion rate, and among African-Americans 60 percent of all conceptions end in abortion.
The connection of race and abortion will likely play a part in the 2012 election as candidates stake out positions on life. Potential candidate Rick Santorum highlighted Planned Parenthood’s race problem in a recent speech at the National Press Club in Washington, D.C.
“I can’t imagine any other organization with its roots as poisonous as the roots of Planned Parenthood getting federal funding of any kind,” he said. “This is an organization that was founded on the eugenics movement, founded on racism. It’s origins are horrific. You can say well, it’s not that anymore. It’s not far from where it was in my opinion in its activities and its motivations.”