To the editor:

Many organizations solicit funds using commercials. Some organizations run their commercials year-round while others appear during the holidays. There are organizations that have services for children with illnesses or disabilities. There are organizations for veterans and their families. There are organizations that rescue and care for abused animals.

The commercials for these organizations include testimonials from the actual people who receive the services or the employees. Parents speak about the treatments that their children are receiving for cancer. Children with disabilities describe the services and equipment that they receive to assist them to lead productive lives.

Veterans and their families demonstrate adaptive homes that were developed to improve the veterans’ lives and discuss services to assist them and their families. We are shown examples of employees rescuing abused animals and describing the deplorable conditions in which the animals were living.

One organization that solicits funds during the holiday season is Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood claims to offer “health care services.” In one commercial a woman states that “we have the right to safe health care.” Another woman states that women are “losing control of their reproductive rights.” No one is trying to control a woman’s reproductive rights.

Another Planned Parenthood commercial shows people who supposedly will not receive health care without Planned Parenthood. First a middle-aged woman is shown who would not receive cancer screenings, then a young woman who would not have birth control and finally a young man who would not have sexually-transmitted infection screenings without Planned Parenthood.

None of the “patients” talk about these services. Are they actual patients or actors? All of the services mentioned are available in other health care organizations and may be free of charge in some organizations.

Several forms of birth control, including some pills, are available over the counter. Planned Parenthood never mentioned their real reason for existence in any of their commercials, which is abortion. Why? According to Students for Life, Planned Parenthood killed 402,230 babies in 2024. Nearly 90 percent of Planned Parenthood facilities are within walking distance of college campuses (Students for Life, Dec. 31.) Abortion is the main function of Planned Parenthood, but it is not mentioned in any of their commercials.

Does Planned Parenthood give post-abortion care or offer birth control to women after abortions?

Planned Parenthood may have some other services, but their main service is abortion, which is the killing of innocent, unborn children. Why don’t they list abortion as one of the services they offer during their commercials? “Planned Parenthood Saves Lives” according to their commercials.

What about the 402,230 lives that they destroyed in 2024? How can they say that they save lives when their main function is to kill vulnerable human beings?

Planned Parenthood commercials are not like the commercials from any other organizations. They leave out information about their main function — abortion. They try to deceive people into believing that they are actually giving health care services. Killing innocent human beings is not health care and certainly not saving lives.

Michalene A. King

Wintersville