One thing we learned from the Komen/Planned Parenthood fiasco is that it may be easier to say no to the mob than Planned Parenthood. We saw it again recently in Green Bay, WI,. This one didn’t make much news, but created a local social network bully fest.

Planned Parenthood called Paul’s Pantry, part of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and the biggest food pantry in Wisconsin’s, and asked them to come and pick up donations, which may have been noble, but wasn’t something the Catholic organization felt comfortable doing—or sending a truck over giving the abortion provider a photo opportunity. The American Life League reports the worker at the pantry said:

All I told the young lady from Planned Parenthood was that I couldn’t send a truck to pick up, and gave her a list of other food pantries that might want to pick up, I gave her no reason at all and she didn’t ask why. Soon after, I started receiving the hate e-mail and phone calls. I politely explained to callers that although we are non-denominational in regards to those we serve, we are a Catholic organization who shares a board of directors with our sister organization, St. Vincent de Paul. We adhere to the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church and to the Rule of St. Vincent de Paul. I also explained our Gift Acceptance Policy and how acceptance of the donation would compromise our core values and possibly damage the reputation of Paul’s Pantry.

As with Komen, choice wasn’t okay with Planned Parenthood though, and within a short amount of time, verbal abuse rolled in. Jill Stanek reported a worker at Paul’s Pantry explained:

“Within 20 minutes I was getting phone calls and emails calling us [names]. The calls that day came from the Milwaukee area, where Planned Parenthood is headquartered. We have caller ID.”

[He] said he did tell one of the callers they could simply drop off their donation, “which happens about 100 times a day – in that case we don’t know where the food comes from. But if an organization wants a receipt, Paul’s Pantry has a gift acceptance policy. “If the donation is going to hurt us, we don’t accept it.”

Craig said it never got to that point with Planned Parenthood, though. PP invented the rest of the story. “What was their purpose?” asked Paul. “If they really intended to feed the poor they should have just dropped the food off and left it at that. But was it for their own self-promotion?”

The abuse didn’t stop there, though. First, Planned Parenthood broadcasted it to their Facebook page on February 2:

Then Daily Kos got in on the action and bashed the pantry, then listed the phone number and the employee’ names and told people to call in protest. I am linking this story here for attribution but I will warn you ahead of time, there’s some language you may not wish to see. From the Daily Kos:

Planned Parenthood Advocates of Wisconsin facebook page is reporting that Paul's Pantry of Green Bay, WI refused to accept donated food from it's office. Apparently, Paul's Pantry's current needy guests would refuse food from abortion providers for fear that the food may contain fetuses. The world has gone insane, but methinks I know why this topic is coming up now. It's 'squirrel' politics time again.

I refer to squirrel politics as the distraction from the real problem. I believe that the Republicans, especially Rove and co, know they are on a loser this year. And they want to make Planned Parenthood the cause celeb this year, something to gin up their base with and avoid talking about eliminating medicare and social security. Still……..

That doesn't mean we have to avoid the battle, just means we have to do it with a reasoned and strong response. Like, calling these [insert expletive] (Followed by contact information for Paul’s Pantry).

It’s stunning how Planned Parenthood is all about having a choice until that choice bothers them. When the choice is against them they (along with their allies) become verbal abusers, broadcast it through social networking and make life a misery for the person who refused them. They act like spoiled brats who don’t get their way. Worse yet, they behave hypocritically. Planned Parenthood and their advocates accuse every pro-lifer who comes against them of being politically motivated and condemns them for using politics to infringe upon the rights of women, just as it did in the Komen situation. Curiously, though, the same Facebook post included this follow up comment by Planned Parenthood:

And the truth is, everyone knows Planned Parenthood is all about politics. In fact, the Wall Street Journal reported:

Planned Parenthood is deeply involved in partisan political activity. According to opensecrets.org, Planned Parenthood's political action committee (PAC) has distributed $93,403 in campaign contributions to federal candidates so far in the 2012 election cycle. The entire pot has gone to Democrats, with the exception of two checks for $137 each to Maine Republican Senators Susan Collins and Olympia Snowe. Rounding this category of spending to the nearest percent, the PAC has given 100% of its money to Democrats. It's no fluke. In 2010 the PAC gave $264,986 to federal candidates and 99% of that total went to Democrats, according to opensecrets.org. In 2008, the figure was 98%. Though it might hardly have seemed possible in 2008, the PAC has become more partisan in recent years. Meanwhile, Planned Parenthood also lobbies heavily to influence federal legislation, in part because a large portion of its funding comes from government. The group spent close to $2 million in lobbying in 2011.

It’s a curious thing why it’s okay for Planned Parenthood to be as politically affiliated as it wants and turn its quest to kill as many babies as possible for profit into political alliances, as well, but when pro-life organizations say no to them they go full-on thug with the media and calls and name calling. The point here isn’t whether Paul’s Pantry took or didn’t take the food; the point is it’s their own choice what they want to do. Planned Parenthood, contrary to its apparent self opinion, does not get to make decisions for the other organizations in the nation just because it doesn’t like what they do. Until we as a people unite and speak up as they do they will continue to walk all over anyone who disagrees with them.

At Planned Parenthood choice is only for those who agree with them.