#1717: Kristan Hawkins

Kristan Hawkins is a vocal representative of Students for Life of America and one of the more vocal and influential pro-life campaigners out there. Now, as we have said before, it is possible to have serious philosophical debate about the moral dimensions of abortion, but Hawkins has as much to contribute to that debate as a young-earth creationist have to contribute to modern biology. Hawkins is the kind of abortion opponent who claims that Planned Parenthood is some sort of all-powerful “abortion Goliath” that not only possesses immense political power (used to subsidize abortions) but conspires to get girls pregnant (by distributing harmful and malfunctioning contraception) so that they will later be forced to have abortions (getting breast cancer on the way) – all in an effort to maximize profits, which is their goal. Indeed, it is one of her “ugly truths” about Planned Parenthood: Abortion is a big business that profits from a woman’s crisis, and Planned Parenthood makes millions of dollars: 92% of Planned Parenthood’s business was abortions, and they even have abortion quotas, according to Hawkins. None of the claims have anything whatsoever to do with reality, of course.

I bet you can guess what some of the other “ugly truths” are. Oh yes, abortion increases the risk for breast cancer and causes emotional harm to women; according to Hawkins the suicide rate is 6 times higher for women who have abortions. Facts are, once again, not on her side.

Oh, and Planned Parenthood is also a racist business that “promotes and covers up” statutory rape and aids sex traffickers. And they support sexual education and birth control only to convince young women to have premarital sex and then spend money on STD tests, treatment and, of course, abortions. No wonder she and her group have made taking out Planned Parenthood one of their primary goals.

Diagnosis: Stock conspiracy theories, really, and not much different from militia sympathizers raging about the IRS and the Illuminati – except that Hawkins and her groups have quite a bit of influence and political clout among fundies.