Backers of both Right to Life and Planned Parenthood squared off yesterday with more than a dozen people getting up to speak at the monthly meeting in Coldwater of the Branch-Hillsdale-St. Joseph Community Health Agency.
There was a single person with Right to Life picketing outside the health department office but there appeared to be more than a single bit of misinformation from those that got up to the podium inside. The picketer, Don Matteson of Bronson, said he was protesting the entry of Planned Parenthood in the county.
Actually, that agency’s information and services have been available through the Tri-County Health Department since 2007. Ann Marso of Coldwater was the first speaker yesterday and has been a strong advocate of Planned Parenthood saying she believes in a woman’s right to access complete, confidential, and comprehensive health care services and says our communities are strengthened when every individual has the knowledge and the opportunity and the freedom to make every child a wanted child.
Then the meeting heard from Marcia Drennan with Branch County Right-to-Life, who said she wanted to commend the Health Department for keeping it such a well kept secret that Planned Parenthood is in the county because Right to Life, according to Drennan, would have attended the board meetings long ago if it had known that. Drennan went on to say that Right to Life is for natural Family planning and for educating children about our bodies and the miracle of life.
Health Agency officials say it’s been no secret the office has had Planned Parenthood program referrals available. No action was planned or taken yesterday on the matter by the health board. The apparent controversy was sparked when the St. Joseph County Board of Commissioners last month had a commission committee consider, but later withdraw a proposal to close the Planned Parenthood office operating out of the hospital in Sturgis.
