Surely Melinda Gates will now stop promoting birth control

[FakePigtails]

:roll:

I saw this today: http://2-melinda-gates.org/ which is from this group, the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute (http://www.c-fam.org/)

An Open Letter to Melinda Gates

Dear Ms. Gates,

We are writing to you from all over the world. We are mothers and fathers, sisters

and brothers, cousins, aunts, uncles and grandparents.

We are students, teachers, doctors, lawyers, farmers, laborers, parliamentarians and

policy makers, rich, poor and middle class. We are people from all walks of life.

We are deeply concerned with your upcoming Family Planning Summit. The

Gates Foundation’s primary partners are NGOs and governments that engage in

abortion and population control campaigns. The Summit’s purpose is to launch a

global campaign to pressure governments to encourage women to view children as

burdens and expendable.

First, we understand that participation in the summit is limited only to those who

agitate for more funding for family planning. We wonder if you will dialogue with

those who may have another vision?

You say women around the world tell you they want contraception. Perhaps that

is because the people surrounding you are devoted to contraception and abortion.

Your summit is organized by – and limited to – pro-abortion and population control

advocates.

Second, we understand that the International Planned Parenthood Federation is

mobilizing civil society participation. You said specifically in your TED speech that

this initiative would have nothing to do with abortion. We wonder how this can be

when your main partner is the world’s biggest abortion provider?

Third, we fear that such a global effort will inevitably lead to abuses. Whenever

governments and NGOs get together to encourage poor women to use

contraceptives, the result is often coercion and abuse. In fact, your partners for the

Summit – the United Kingdom’s DFID, IPPF and UNFPA – have all been implicated in

abuses against women related to family planning.

Will you hear the voices of women and men who love and want children, or those who have been victims of contraception, abortion and population control campaigns? Will you invite discussion on the consequences of not having, or having too few children? Will you equal or surpass this Summit with support for healthy child-birth programs?

We urge you to re-consider the Family Planning Summit.

We urge you to consider that this mission is fraught with danger and may not be

what the women of the world really need.

We urge you to listen to the voices of we hundreds of thousands!

Yours sincerely,

BTW, the "hundreds of thousands" are currently around 8500.

And fear of abuses? What's more abusive than being stuck in a bad situation while having your body destroyed by unwanted pregnancies and being stuck in the situation because of all the children? But since children are a blessing we're supposed to what, let the women suffer as before?

It's like the Catholic version of JBoob talking to that impoverished family in Central America. *SMH*

On the contrary side there's this http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/03/opini ... ution.html and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-16618156

ETA: None of these links seemed worth breaking

[CrazyCatLady]

maybe when they say "hundreds of thousands" they are including the future insane amount of children that they all plan to have since they hate the evbil contraception?

[E Street Fan]

First, we understand that participation in the summit is limited only to those who

agitate for more funding for family planning. We wonder if you will dialogue with

those who may have another vision?

FFS. Calling Bill Gothard, Jim Bob Duggar and Gil Bates! Melinda Gates wishes to "dialogue" with you about your "vision," since birth control is not what the women of the world need. What they really need is more and more and more pregnancies and children. Since that will end their poverty.

Somebody pop me on the back of my head and stop my eyes from rolling. It hurts.

[Bloo]

I'm 100% certain that the people organizing the Family Planning Summit have enlightened themselves with outside opinions more than these people. And the phrase "victims of contraception" really makes me laugh.

[Hane]

maybe when they say "hundreds of thousands" they are including the future insane amount of children that they all plan to have since they hate the evbil contraception?

The letter says "we hundreds of thousands"--assuming that the writers represent many, many more who oppose contraception.

Something like the "One Million Moms," who in reality number about 40,000.

[luckystone]

What a coincidence, I started watching the Melinda Gates TED talk at the gym today.

What an ignorant letter. birth control gives women a CHOICE. It doesn't make them infertile. It doesn't make them view children as a burden or expendable - it makes them view them as a RESPONSIBILITY. Which is what they are. If you don't think children aren't a responsibility and that it doesn't increase with number then...that's really sick.

I think promoting contraception is extremely important. It is very ethical. It gives women direct control and it is one of the best way to improve circumstances in a lot of impoverished countries, where kids are a terrible responsibility because you can't feed them! I've always thought birth control was one of the best forms of aid, and that is something my loving mother told me.

Some people are so disgusting. It's not like they're suggesting massacring children, I don't know about the abortion thing but I suspect they will be promoting things like the pill, not abortion...so it's limiting children, not killing children. How is that a problem? Seriously?

[doggie]

The whole thing is just about having as many blessings as possible with no regard to their lives. We see the Vatican promote babies even when they starve and die. The thing that gets me is that they can't even see they kill the very ones they promote. so far from reality it is amazing.

[alba]

I think promoting contraception is extremely important. It is very ethical. It gives women direct control and it is one of the best way to improve circumstances in a lot of impoverished countries, where kids are a terrible responsibility because you can't feed them! I've always thought birth control was one of the best forms of aid, and that is something my loving mother told me.

This.

IMO the best way to improve the quality of life for children in impoverished nations is to give women the tools not to have them when they can't afford to care for them. Provide free, easy access to birth control and, just as importantly, educate women AND men so that women have the opportunity to access this birth control and to make decisions about it.

[MonkeyMomma]

Will you invite discussion on the consequences of not having, or having too few children?

What consequence? Furthering education? Being able to provide for the children you have? Having a say in what happens in your body? OH THE HORRORS. :o :lol:

[OddlyAmused]

Will you hear the voices of women and men who love and want children

And those who support family planning don't necessarily love and want children?

Will you invite discussion on the consequences of not having, or having too few children?

Consequences that may or may not include not being able to provide for their family? Or not being able to give the children the attention they deserve?

These people don't seem to understand that advocating for the use of contraception does not always equal the belief that nobody should be allowed to have children. It's about allowing couples to have as many children as they want or don't want at the time that they choose. Not the so-called "leave it up to God", but an alternative that allows people some responsibility in their own lives.

[GolightlyGrrl]

If only these oh-so-concerned Catholics would have directed their concern towards those in the church who protect priests who molest children.

[longskirtlotsakids]

I agree with the above. I bet a lot of these fundieslove cats and dogs yet only own one or two. They need to be informed that if they truly loved their pets,7 they would run out and adopt the whole huane society. Especially the special blessings with housebreaking issues and skin infections.

[BravaAmica]

If only these oh-so-concerned Catholics would have directed their concern towards those in the church who protect priests who molest children.

THANK YOU!!!!!

I recall Ms. Gates saying they were going to promote the long term BC options like the Depro shot and the implants. That makes sense because they last a long time and you don't have to remember to take a pill.

[slickcat79]

Oh, so now the Catholic church cares about protecting women and children from abuses? Give me a fucking break.

For those people who can't even afford condoms or basic birth control pills in the areas that they live, there are no negative consequences for having few or no children. And I'm sure the vast majority of people approaching the Gates Foundation for help with family planning already have at least one, if not several children. Also love how they automatically assume that family planning does not include any support for healthy pregnancy and childbirth. Anything's got be be more useful than telling people that using condoms spreads disease :roll: C-Fam needs to get their collective heads out of their asses.

[luckystone]

I think they also forget that it's not just couples choosing to have sex and not wanting as many kids as they could possibly have. It's also because in some countries, to the best of my knowledge, there is a LOT of rape (both in and out of relationships). Some women don't have much say in when they have sex. Giving birth control to women enables them to not get pregnant from rape (and I'm not sure if there are any stats on this, but I'm sure a rape pregnancy versus an unplanned relationship pregnancy is more likely to be traumatic for mother and child, her other children if relevant, and possibly result in more things like abandoned children, mothers committing suicide).

[ChickeyMonkey]

What a coincidence, I started watching the Melinda Gates TED talk at the gym today.

What an ignorant letter. birth control gives women a CHOICE. It doesn't make them infertile. It doesn't make them view children as a burden or expendable - it makes them view them as a RESPONSIBILITY. Which is what they are. If you don't think children aren't a responsibility and that it doesn't increase with number then...that's really sick.

I think promoting contraception is extremely important. It is very ethical. It gives women direct control and it is one of the best way to improve circumstances in a lot of impoverished countries, where kids are a terrible responsibility because you can't feed them! I've always thought birth control was one of the best forms of aid, and that is something my loving mother told me.

Some people are so disgusting. It's not like they're suggesting massacring children, I don't know about the abortion thing but I suspect they will be promoting things like the pill, not abortion...so it's limiting children, not killing children. How is that a problem? Seriously?

This reminds me of the El Salvadorian family the Duggars visited a few years back. Didn't that family lose several children because they didn't have the resources to care for them? I can't remember if they died because of hunger or disease or a combination of both, but what a horrible, horrible experience to go through. These parents - I'd wager mostly the mothers - can only comfort their children as best as they can while they watch them slowly die. Somehow that's better than preventing unplanned pregnancies that can't be cared for because of poverty? It doesn't make any sense to me. I can't imagine losing either of my sons to something preventable (let alone unpreventable!) like disease and hunger; watching them die while knowing that something can be done - but *I* don't have the means to make that happen.

I also think that if first-world nations are going to help third-world and developing nations with birth control, it will have to be something that is low maintenance and fairly long term in duration like implants and IUDs. Because BC pills have to be taken daily and ideally at the same time everyday, I can see so many possibilities for this type of BC to not be the most effective for many women. There's too much room for error. And as much as it seems like putting the burden of family planning solely on women, I see it as empowering and putting the women in control of their bodies, lives, and futures. But I'm probably preaching to the choir, aren't I? ;)

[Bloo]

Hey fundies, just in case you didn't hear or understand earlier-

WE'RE NOT FORCING ANYONE TO TAKE BIRTH CONTROL!

We just want it as an OPTION for those who want it available.

That's how we differ from you. We don't assume that we know your situation better than you do.

[countressrascal]

Hey fundies, just in case you didn't hear or understand earlier-

WE'RE NOT FORCING ANYONE TO TAKE BIRTH CONTROL!

We just want it as an OPTION for those who want it available.

That's how we differ from you. We don't assume that we know your situation better than you do.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

[FakePigtails]

CNN covered this today: http://www.cnn.com/2012/07/06/health/me ... ?hpt=hp_c2

They discussed it on their morning show too and everyone on the panel was like "Yeah, the bloggers are being completely illogical."

[Sola]

Dear Melinda Gates,

Please don't stop promoting birth control. There are countless millions of women all over the world who do not have 1% of the privileges that the anti-birth control crowd have. They are the ones who need your help.

Sincerely

A woman who is so thankful to live in a country where birth control is provided free of charge.

[ADoyle90815]

Hey fundies, just in case you didn't hear or understand earlier-

WE'RE NOT FORCING ANYONE TO TAKE BIRTH CONTROL!

We just want it as an OPTION for those who want it available.

That's how we differ from you. We don't assume that we know your situation better than you do.

QFT. :clap:

[Lillybee]

Melinda has responded to this

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2012/07/07/m ... ng-summit/

[emmiedahl]

I saw Melinda Gates on Colbert a few nights ago and she was brilliant. The reason these assholes are writing letters is because she would stomp them (graciously, politely, respectfully as she always is) in a real debate.