Pacific Views

Boycott of Texas women's health clinic may have backfired.

A few weeks ago, US media carried the story about how pressure from anti-choice groups had halted construction on a Planned Parenthood clinic in Austin. (One of the services the clinic will provide is abortions.) Subcontractors dropped out of the project under threat of losing the right to participate in church construction in the area. As one anti-choice activist pointed out, there are a lot more churches than 'abortion clinics' built in Austin, so the boycott was very effective. Eventually the main contractor decided that they couldn't continue with the project.

The Austin Chronicle, however, reports that publicity that Planned Parenthood received as a result of the campaign against the clinic waged by national anti-choice groups may have put the group in a better position to finish building the clinic.

Weeks later, Planned Parenthood's phones are still ringing off the hook with callers offering support. "I've had many, many contractors call and say they'll work on the project -- some because they believe in the cause; others are calling because they need a job," [PP CEO Glenda] Parks said. With this kind of assistance readily available, Planned Parenthood has elected to proceed as its own general contractor, although Parks is reluctant to provide the names of those lending a hand. [...]

Just before Thanksgiving, the project's new team assembled to plan a course of action for the project. Architect Tom Hatch says he's committed to see the clinic through to its completion despite boycott organizers' calls and e-mails. "I'm a former board member of Planned Parenthood, and I've worked with them for 25 years, designing their clinics," he said. "Architects don't make a lot of money, so that was my way of contributing." [...]

Planned Parenthood's donations have also exceeded the year's fundraising goals by a wide margin, with contributions still coming in at a steady clip from all parts of the country. A Methodist minister in Seattle made a donation after reading the story in the local press; other donations have come from Washington, D.C., and California.

The Austin Chronicle article contains a lot of good information about the previous activities of the contractor who led the anti-clinic boycott (he thinks Planned Parenthood promotes 'sexual chaos'), and how pro-choice activists have successfully used the boycott as an organizing tool. We highly recommend it.

Via Burnt Orange Report.