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Anti-Abortion Billboard In SoHo Targets Blacks, Sparks Outrage

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The anti-abortion group Life Always just unveiled a giant billboard on the corner of Watts Street and Sixth Avenue that features a photo of a black girl and the caption, "The most dangerous place for an African American is in the womb." Part of a national campaign, the billboard is about a half-mile from a Planned Parenthood facility on Bleecker Street. "During Black History Month, we celebrate our history, but our future is in jeopardy as a genocidal plot is carried out through abortion,” says Life Always Board Member Pastor Stephen Broden. Others, like City Council Member Letitia James, find the message a tad offensive.

"It is misguided to use Black History Month as a tool to promote this message," James said in a statement. "Every woman has the right to make personal choices in regards to her body, and I respect many different points of view, but to compare abortion to terrorism and genocide is highly offensive." (Life Always' press release also asserts, "There is a battle being waged in the United States that has taken more lives than any foreign war or act of terrorism. The enemy is abortion.")

James also points out that the website’s “Pregnancy Help” section guides users to various Crisis Pregnancy Centers (CPCs), which are "notorious for being intentionally vague concerning their agenda to deter women from seeking abortion services; and some have been accused of being deceptive about abortion risks and procedures while intentionally targeting poor and working-class women, immigrant women, and women of color to utilize their services." According to Planned Parenthood, 3 percent of the organization’s health services are abortion services, while an overwhelming 82 percent are services to prevent unintended pregnancy.

But Life Always is focusing on this statistic from the NYC Health Department: Blacks had the highest number of abortions in 2009, with 40,798. (Hispanics had the second highest at 28,364.) NYC's abortion rate was almost 40% that year, and the three Planned Parenthood facilities nearest the billboard reported nearly 17,000 abortions in 2010. Asked for his reaction to the billboard yesterday, one man on the street told WCBS, "I think they’re trying to send a message to us African-Americans because we do do a lot of abortions and I think we shouldn’t be doing it."

In a statement, Planned Parenthood called the billboard "a reprehensible tactic. Planned Parenthood knows that every woman, of every background, takes her health decisions seriously and makes deeply personal decisions after consulting with her doctor and with loved ones she trusts." This Saturday, pro-choice groups will be holding a rally to protest a recent bill passed in the House of Representatives that would block federal funding to Planned Parenthood. The rally will be held at Foley Square, downtown by City Hall, from 1 to 3 p.m. Gloria Steinem, Kathleen Turner, and Kathleen Hanna are among the scheduled speakers; Nellie McKay and The Mountain Goats will perform.

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.
By John Del Signore in on February 23, 2011 12:12 PM

Comments [rss]

  • The problem with the "pro-life" movement is that their "concern" for life ends at birth.
  • HosannaL
    If young African American women had support systems or financial means to support their unborn children, there would be far less abortions. If African American women had support from their significant others, there would be far less abortions. If African American women were not socially stigmatized for becoming pregnant (especially if young), there would be less abortions. I'm glad I can see through this BS...! and I hope that other people will, too. People are out here trying to survive...and having a child makes it all the harder in a world that doesn't support you or your children to be truly free and happy and thriving. I hope that this billboard seems as ridiculous as it is even to the most influential of young minds.
  • Urban dictionary is not the reference of choice that knowledgeable persons use when looking for "accepted use'.
  • Uggh..
  • Looks like Republicans need more welfare babies for their oil war. What better way to recruit them!
  • PaulaNYC
    Hmmmnn.....I wonder why my first comment here was removed by the editors.

    Oh, yes --- I know ---- the FACTS and REALITY of abortion are HORRIFIC, and we certainly can't sully a VERY "fashionable" "pro-choice" view with ugly reality. It would be like saying those 5'9", 100 pound waifs aren't "thin", they're anorexic.
  • I don't like the idea of abortion, but sometimes it is necessary to save the woman's life, and any other time it's none of my business what she chooses to do.
  • PaulaNYC
    How come LibTards get upset that the death penalty being inequitably applied to convicted Black criminals but they have no problem whatsoever with abortion being applied inequitably against innocent Black children?
  • There you go..."libtard" again. For an NYU graduate ??? your vocabulary seems to be surprisingly limited.
  • The same reason conservative assholes think a fetus is worth more than already developed established life but have no problem in rationalizing tens of thousands of civilian deaths in the iraq war.
  • In addition, it's one thing to murder a fully-grown human being with a developed nervous system, due to crimes he/she committed in order to protect the society that caused him/her to act in the only way they felt they know.
    It's quite another to murder a foetus with an undeveloped nervous system that will not allow it to feel anything, in order to save it (usually sex has not developed, yet) from a life of pain and suffering.
    Clearly, you will not see it that way, but that's how many anti-death penalty, pro-choice people feel. It's a matter of humanity.
    The way I see it, abortion is between the woman, her doctor, and any god she chooses to believe in. Everything will sort itself out in the end.
  • Because no one's forcing people to have abortions. Inequitable education about sex is causing people in poorer areas to get pregnant more often than their richer counterparts (of any race) Death penalty is being forced upon people as a "deterrent" to others against violent crime (which, by the way, is as ineffective as telling people they'll incur the wrath of God).
    I would find it interesting if you tracked a few dozen children to adulthood who were going to be aborted and whose mothers were convinced otherwise, to see what happened to them.
  • According to CNN the sign is bing removed . The people who put it up and those who allowed it to go up should be deeply ashamed of themselves. This was a horribly offensive propaganda campaign.

    http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/02/...
  • PaulaNYC
    Yes, when a Black child, relative to a White child, has a greater than 3:1 likelihood of being aborted (CDC figures, not mine), I imagine that the womb is the most dangerous place for a Black child.

    Of course, the most effective "proooganda" is truth.
  • The most dangerous place for a black child is near a person like you who has zero tolerance for anyone or anything that does not fit perfectly into your neo con racist mold.
  • I dont care if it is Black History month or not - this is Fu**ing outrageous, offensive, and downright ignorant. I tell you this the most dangerous place for any human being is in the presence of a purely ignorant person. Life Starts just pulled the village idiot card as far as I'm concerned. I cannot WAIT to find their information and complain. Alot.
  • You came from a womb. I have a womb. See how much we have in common? Now sign the petition to remove this billboard (it only takes 2 seconds with a FB account) so the jerkfaces at the group "Life Always" can stop talking about mine. Uhm, misguided, offensive...call it what you want-- I happen to want it DOWN!!!

    Brooklyn Councilwoman Letitia James and I need 1000 signatures by tomorrow at noon. Hurry! It will take less than one minute.

    http://www.change.org/petition...
  • dis_sho_am_good
    I was on board until you said Letitia James. Booooooo!!!!
  • Plantsmantx
    It's interesting that these rightists never target Hispanics with ads like this, or claims that "abortion is genocide of the Hispanic community". Why is that?
  • OH and I suppose being on MTV's Teen Mom is a better alternative right?
  • ANGRYGOD11
    To keep things in perspective about race:
    White-Middle Class-American teenagers are twice as likely to get pregnant as White-Middle Class Dutch teenagers. Or far more than White-Middle Class Swedish teenagers. Or just about any Western European Middle class teenagers.


  • nobuzzkill
    If one were so inclined, a few thousand angry phone calls to the billboard company might be in order>>
    http://www.lamar.com/Contact
  • freddynyc
    And I always thought the backroads of Mississippi were the most dangerous....
  • Dpinacle
    The wording is beyond tacky and obviously offensive, but then so are so many 'provoking' advertising strategies these days. This is a reflection of the BS we let slide in the name of making a statement. The argument against abortion is a valid one in many cases however a carte blanche approach to the topic is beyond arsinine! There are countless circumstances when it is necessary. To protect life is honourable but the legnth to which these folks fight against abortion with such zealousness when so many children die every hour of the day from starvation to abuse to lack of poper care, and yet they will spend however much on a massive billboard. All these organisations are full of crap, if u love life so much then go save some that are already here! This wave of anti-abortion popularity needs to be redirected, if for but a month or two, towards those children who really need their attention, I wonder if they would take that challenge and redirect their focus if they might find they actually help some and even save a few.
  • Peanut_Butter
    Who the f has a problem with this billboard? What's your problem now?! It's clever, witty, and it promotes their agenda, timely coinciding with Black History Month, and based on that, they seek to elicit an emotional response. I can see disagreeing with it, but controversy?! Jeez Louise....
  • Are you serious or are you being completely sarcastic? Because Black History Month has nothing to fucking do with the fact that this billboard is ridiculous. Want to talk about poverty? A woman's right to make decisions for her body? For her inability to take care of more children in this fucked up unequal society? Want to address the economic context as to why not just black women but Hispanic and even low-income white women get/need abortions? It's easy to point out someone's else's "problem" with a billboard when you're not the fucking demographic being targeted.

  • You can email this guy to get the ad taken down. He oversees the billboard's account pcostanza@lamar.com
  • GothamExtremist
    I did, and he replied, "who the f-- is you?!"
  • Peanut_Butter
    foe? fun?
  • RitaJoseph
    Tragic statistics should cause outrage--not denial.

    Violence against unborn children, black or white, is never 'necessary'. All violence against children is preventable.

    Before as well as after birth, children should never receive less protection than adults.

    Their mothers' personal and social needs can and should be met by non-violent means.

    It should never be forgotten that every abortion is an act of violence, albeit in a medical setting. In every abortion,the innocent unborn child is at risk of lethal violence 'legally' perpetrated by the abortionist who penetrates the mother's womb to exterminate the tiny new human being, a little son or daughter, being protected and nurtured therein.
  • SFNY
    Ok. So then you should have absolutely no problem agreeing that we as a society should do every single thing we possibly can to prevent abortions by preventing the pregnancies that cause abortion by simply providing free, easily accessible birth control to the entire world.

    PS, reminder: women who choose to terminate their own pregnancy by abortion don't want their wombs protecting or nurturing a fetus.
  • FU Boy
    I'm sure Bishop Dolan has something to do with this, but let's focus on Stephen Broden, Abby Johnson, Derek McCoy and Brian Follet - the 'Board of Directors' for this little project.
  • Yes, and how is nobody connecting the dots that Broden is a far right-winger who thinks that a "violent uprising" is "on the table?"

    http://hypervocal.com/news/201...
  • Race card = pulled.
    Economic context = ignored.
  • S.D.
    WOW, can they be anymore 'F___ You'??
  • JeRsEy JiM
    I take more offense with the "Don't block the box" sign. If more woman used contraceptives and blocked their box, there wouldn't be a need for the sign ...
  • to quote George Carlin on how pro-lifers view things: "If your'e pre-born, you're fine. If you're pre-school, you're fucked."
  • Brian_Damage
    Edit: Thought the rally was anti-planned parenthood, article clearly says "protesting" the cut funding. Sorry, blame the brian damage.

    I am concerned that cutting funding for planned parenthood is likely to increase the rate of unwanted pregnancies, as the organization's ability to educate young people on safe sex practices is destroyed. I also think that we can all guess the effects of an increasing number of unwanted pregnancies on the abortion rate.
  • economatronic
    did you somehow miss for the last two decades that john darnielle is a dyed in the wool feminist? because if so, you never were a fan.
  • economatronic
    did you somehow miss for the last two decades that john darnielle is a dyed in the wool feminist? because if you did you're definitely not a fan.
  • Brian_Damage
    OH, they're PROTESTING cutting the funding. My bad, that's awesome.
  • Ha! Okay then!
  • Whew, at least I won't have to worry about bumping into you at a show.
  • ktinnyc
    I'm sure they'll get over it.
  • JarekAF
    You know what's also dangerous for African-Americans:

    Guns, Saturated Fat, and living in poverty.

    Then again, that also applies to all ethnic groups.

    Why singling out the Blacks life always? Tryin to work the liberal guilt angle?

    I'd be more convinced of your altruism if you tried helping African-Americans who are already living

    Go spend sometime in the South Bronx and Bed-Stuy, talk to the people who live there. They have real concerns.
  • BoogieDown
    Really classy billboard, psychos. I'll definitely be making the trip down to Foley Sq. this Saturday afternoon.
  • The right wing cares about black people...before they are born. Then they neglect them for eighteen years, until it is time to lock them up in prison. Ah! The magic of Republicanism!
  • You hit that one on the head!
  • mistermarkdavis
    I find your characterization of the right wing unfair and frankly offensive. Your assertion that they ignore them for 18 years is not true at all. They are interested n trying minors as adults. The right is quite interested in ignoring at rick youth for 14-16 years and then locking them up as adults.
  • BottomlessChips
    Public housing, food stamps, public education, after school programs, job placement programs, federal grants and low-interest loans for college, affirmative action, and Medicaid...yes our government really doesn't care about the poor and minorities. Give me a break.

    IMHO, these programs are infantilizing and insulting to the poor. Thus, I would love to phase them out.
  • ContessaSharra
    All of this "help" that goes to the part of the low income population that are American CITIZENS of African Ancestry is a drop in the bucket of "reparations" to combat a system that functions on accrued white male privilege.

    Unfortunately, it may never make up for peoples stolen, abused, and used, and the actual fact that so many who really tried to fight that system were just outright murdered. But it is owed to try to right as much as can be righted!

    There are still too many of some people out there who would really like to see American CITIZENS of African Ancestry just go someplace and die.

    As for Planned Parenthood, I personally like the politics of www.feministsforlife.org better. Planned Parenthood's, M.O. is a low cost pregnancy test, followed immediately, in the case of a positive result, with, "How soon do you want to schedule your 'procedure?' We can arrange referrals for you." -- As if that 'procedure' is the only possible way to go.

    The intent of Sanger et al was to keep "those people" at that time many Eastern Europeans, but also American CITIZENS of African Ancestry, from over-breeding and taking away from what she thought of as her sort and what life owed them...

    In her own words: http://www.eadshome.com/Margar...

    and just because the quotes are on a "Christian" web page does not make them factually inaccurate!
  • I don't feel particularly infantalized by my elementary, middle, & high school educations. Or my subsidized college loans. I mean-- I guess maybe you had wealthy parents to pay for your private education & your college years? Kudos to you, you made the smart choice being born wealthy. Why was I so stupid not to be!
  • BottomlessChips
    Care to address those other programs I mentioned?

    Public education is obviously on the low end of the "infantilization scale." But you knew that. And since you can't refute my claim as you realize the truth in argument, you try and harp on the public education.

    We disincentivize things with Medicaid, too. How many Americans have made slightly too much to qualify? My parents worked in the health field. My mother took calls on the matter. Heart breaking to tell someone they don't qualify because they make too much, yet it's still a relatively low income. Terrible and insane that our system operates like that. We treat the poor like dogs who have to come home and back into the gates of welfare.

    I never went to a private institution for K-12.

    I do laugh at your born wealthy comment, though. I'm sure when you have your own kids, you won't do whatever it takes for your kids...and in some cases private school make sense for someone's kids.

    What I'm clearly referring to is how we take people and tell them where they should work if they want to live here or there. And worst of all, we keep them in this trap by monetizing debt and inflating the currency. It's a sick trap we keep them in.
  • The socialized medicine I received when I was hospitalized was also nice-- Special Victims Fund sound infantilizing but my uninsured bones didn't mind.

    Of course, I can only personally speak to some of the programs, because I DID have the good fortune to be born middle class, & being white means I don't bear the brunt of institutionalized racism. I am smart enough to realize, however, there there are tons of people who-- like I wasn't born rich-- weren't born middle class. I'm not short sighted enough to think that MY social safety nets are good while THEIR social safety nets are bad.

    Social programs aren't ideal-- because what would be ideal is a world where they aren't needed. If you are really naive enough to think that world exists, then you need to take a much closer look around you.
  • BottomlessChips
    "Social programs aren't ideal-- because what would be ideal is a world where they aren't needed. If you are really naive enough to think that world exists, then you need to take a much closer look around you."

    I agree. But the more welfare programs you create, the harder it is to roll back.
  • I don't think you need to roll them back. Hell, we are spending huge chunks of money on prisons for instance-- you really don't think that money couldn't be better invested in say, getting people jobs?

    You don't think the long term economic effects of...I don't know, forcing Native Americans off their land or kidnapping black people to work as slaves don't leave unfair legacies?

    Or that huge corporate bailouts are anything other than social welfare?

    Government is a GOOD IDEA. Trying to make life more fair is a GOOD IDEA-- otherwise the packs of Roadwarriors will just take all your stuff & build a Thunderdome or whatever.

    We need MORE regulation, not less. We need MORE social programs, not less.

    Planned Parenthood is an AWESOME example. Spending some dough to give someone some sex ed & some birth control? That costs WAY less than the hypothetical "welfare queen," doesn't it? You subsidize education & reproductive choice & you SAVE MONEY in the long term.

    I don't want to roll BACK. Back to WHEN, the Depression? Back to the Wild West? To what? I want to ROLL FORWARD.
  • BottomlessChips
    If your view of progress is to get more people onto the federal dole and rolls, than I guess we just agree to disagree then.
  • Sinchy
    Public education is infantilizing? Somehow after going through 12 years of public education I am not a dribbling infant, in fact I learned a lot.
    After school programs? How is playing basketball and doing homework infantilizing?
    And yes, medicaid, god knows heath care is turning people into helpless children.
    Just make a straight forward argument like "I think everyone should take care of everything themselves and let the strong survive" and debate the merits of society and government versus we are all in it alone.
  • unretrofiedforu
    Thank you - I wish these damn right wing turd would stop feigning intelligence and actually research what they talk about.
  • BottomlessChips
    I haven't named called, brought up anything that is patently false...yet I'm a turd?

    God forbid someone disagrees with you on how government works. If they do, they must be turds!
  • chuzzlewit
    oh look, it's the "earnest" troll. neat-o.
  • BottomlessChips
    Have an opinion outside of "give government more money" and I'm a troll. Interesting.
  • chuzzlewit
    ok, so you made up an analysis AND provided an imaginary quote. just because you're working hard doesn't make it less clumsy tho.
  • BottomlessChips
    These are Gothamist comments...I didn't realize I was supposed bring a lot of graphs and numbers in here.

    If I had made a claim like "90% of aliens eat space junk food" I would have provided a source.

    But how can one make up analysis?

    I'm the pseudo-intellectual?
  • chuzzlewit
    no silly, you made up a quote to support an imaginary analysis of what i was thinking.

    but you go ahead and stand there proposing that we do away with public schools, on a comment thread about a weird sad evangelical billboard - and keep telling yourself you're not a troll.
  • BottomlessChips
    I never said to do away with public schools.

    You're using the same debate tactics that the extreme right uses.
  • chuzzlewit
    wat?
    public education...
    IMHO, these programs are infantilizing and insulting to the poor. Thus, I would love to phase them out.

    i know this is a dead thread, and i hate to niggle on, but for the record - you said you wished for public education to be done away with, right?
  • Smaller government! Woah, that IS a revolutionary opinion. I have NEVER heard meaningless phrases like that from the right wing before.
  • BottomlessChips
    I've never heard anything as unique and mindblowing as when a liberal says we just need to "reform, regulate or tax" something either.

    Two can play this childish game.
  • How about we reform tax regulations?
  • "Tax & Spend" > "Lower Taxes & Also Spend!"
  • BottomlessChips
    Agreed.
  • RabbiLaFunque
    You cite those programs as examples of how the govt does care about poor and minorities. Then you say those programs are bad for the poor and minorities. Make up yer friggin mind.
  • BottomlessChips
    I have. You must separate intentions and reality.

    Those programs are intended to be social safety nets for the poor. Yet, are they really? Are they effective? I don't think they are.
  • RabbiLaFunque
    I'm SURE you have a better idea.
  • BottomlessChips
    And I'm sure you think you have a better idea, too. Welcome to Civics 101.

  • Dude, clearly tax breaks for the wealthy are the only way to help poor people pick themselves up by their bootstraps.
  • Well the problem is that the poor can't afford boots in the first place; so the bootstrap model is so overused and so full of shit. It assumes that America is a meritocracy and that everyone has equal access to equal opportunities.

    But y'all know that!
  • Kojak
    Yes those are government programs, but programs the Right Wing vehemently apposes and wants to gut to the core.

    Phasing out health care to the poor and low interest loans for college? Booooo
  • BottomlessChips
    Gut to its core is a pejorative term. It's like when some Republicans claim every program is "evilz socialism."

    The reason we abhor these programs is that we believe the programs are infantilizing and self-fulfilling. The phrase, "It's hard to get out of the projects" was likely said with some thought.
  • unretrofiedforu
    Don't forget how the Right Wing also likes to stand in the way so much that these government programs are hampered from doing their functions correctly!
  • aprjoy
    You're not really rebutting the original comment. It referred to the right wing specifically, not the government at large. I believe conservatives are against most of the programs you listed. Please try reading more carefully next time.
  • Mch
    Yes the right is agains them. They have become a waste money. Those programs were intended to be a hand up not a way of life. Maybe if those schools were used to learn in rather than deal drugs from more people would make their way out of the projects. I find it fuuny that you actually think the top % pays the least. The dems really do have their sheep. By the way I am not with either party they are both corrupt and only out to stay in power. We will never get rid of them as long they are able to dangle free programs in front of people that have turned them into a livelyhood.
  • BottomlessChips
    Oh I read it:

    "The right wing cares about black people...before they are born. Then they neglect them for eighteen years, until it is time to lock them up in prison"

    And I pointed out that the federal government, which has had left/right leadership changes in the House, Senate and WH for decades, provides services for the poor and minorities. Many Republicans earmark money for "welfare programs" and vote on such programs. Yes, in the long term plan Republicans want to phase the programs out. However that's distinctly different than ending them overnight.

    Don't be patronizing please.
  • That's pretty much true of all the antiabortion types. They don't care about living people, only about unborn fetuses.
  • WesleyDumont
    try to make a broader generalization...
  • That isn't fair. They care about rich white men! Just not any other kind of person.
  • RabbiLaFunque
    Are there other kinds of fetuses besides unborn?
  • Aborted fetuses?
  • Ms. Pants
    Imaginary fetuses?
  • They also want to make that illegal. Remember women, you are always pre-pregnant! Try not to damage our property!
  • BoogieDown
    Isn't that the goddamned truth?!
  • Roger_the_Shrubber
    Margaret Sanger was a stone hearted racist. Look up the "Negro Project."
  • Kevin117
    You won't find Republicans sniping at each other this way. Nor racists.

    I think the Right is just as extreme as they always were. Except now that the top 1% owns half the nation's wealth, and they hardly pay any taxes they're spending their billions on buying politicians, media outlets and billboards.

    I wonder how much of their money was those missing billions, and single bidder contracts in Iraq.
  • SFNY
    Sanger knew there would be paranoid alarmists and ... oh forget it, we've been over this already.

    Roger wishes to stubbornly stay in the "willfully ignorant" group.
  • So was Henry Ford, but I don't see any public outcry for mass Fiesta recall.

    The fact that Margaret Sanger promoted eugenics (yes, horrible) at a time when a decidedly less enlightened, educated, and equality-minded society regarded this as normal does not, in any way, reflect the mission or purpose of Planned Parenthood now. But it does provide a terrific way to try to paint people who support a woman's right to make decisions about her own body as selfish HitlerRacists.
  • SFNY
    SANGER DID NOT PROMOTE EUGENICS.

    Jesus, people. Learn to read.
  • & the Founding Fathers of America were a bunch of slave owning sexists. What the heck is your point?
  • WesleyDumont
    the founding fathers dream ended. ms. sanger's dream of eugenics succeeded - 60% of African-American pregnancies in NYC end in abortion.
  • Roger_the_Shrubber
    Not all of them. Read a book.
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