The shooting at a Colorado Planned Parenthood clinic on Friday that took the lives of three people was a horrific act, but it was not the first time the organization came under fire from those who presumably share suspect Robert Lewis Dear's perspective on abortion and his penchant for violence.
Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, spoke to NPR on Monday regarding the “harassment and intimidation” at PP clinics nationwide, especially within the last half decade.
Richards suggested “hateful rhetoric” from right-wingers “has real impact” on the minds of those listening.
She added,
Folks are willing to say anything, it seems, to get ahead in their political ambitions.
Bryn Greenwood, a former Planned Parenthood worker, knows firsthand the hateful behavior directed at the organization and its workers in the name of politics.
She took to Twitter on Sunday to share her experiences at the Kansas clinic in which she spent three years working.
Gasoline was poured under our back door & ignited 4 times. Twice while the clinic was occupied, causing patients to be evacuated. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
Butyric acid (used as a stink bomb) was poured under our doors & into ventilation system so many times I lost count. Clinic evacuated. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
2 cherry bombs were left on our doorstep after hours, causing damage & clinic closure. Imagine what it's like going to work after that. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
We received hundreds of phone calls, threatening to torch our clinic & to kill the "murdering whores" who worked there. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
3 times someone drove by at night & shot out our windows. Picketers stood on the sidewalk & harassed employees as we swept up broken glass. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
Our clinic didn't perform abortions. We did well woman exams, pregnancy tests, dispensed birth control, & treated STIs. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
Our clinic offered free & low cost services in a low income neighborhood, but every day the "pro-life" movement tried to frighten us. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
The goal was to make us afraid to come to work, to make us quit, to make us close the clinic. That's terrorism. That's how terrorism works. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
When pressed by followers about why a terrorist would target a clinic that does not perform abortions, Greenwood explained.
Because we listened non-judgmentally. Because we offered science-based information & advice on sexual health & behavior. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
Because we understood that not everyone could afford to pay. Because we didn't make people feel ashamed. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
Because those things are anathema to a certain type of person who thrives on shame, oppression, & denial. PP still stands against them. — Bryn Greenwood (@bryngreenwood) November 30, 2015
Those looking to help people practice sexual responsibility or merely access basic healthcare for the upcoming flu season can donate to Planned Parenthood here.
Citations: Read Every Tweet This Planned Parenthood Worker Sent About Terrorism At Her Clinic (Refinery29), Did 'Hateful Rhetoric' Cause Shooting? Hear Planned Parenthood's Careful Response (NPR), Carly Fiorina's use of anti-abortion video is 'totally irresponsible', experts say (The Guardian)
