This morning Amy linked today’s Oregonian article (which is in the running for Best Unintentionally Hilarious Headline 2008 – check it out) detailing how the construction company hired to build the new NE offices of Planned Parenthood quit the project after protests from Catholics and others who use phrases like “abortion mill”. What’s missing from the article is this crucial fact: the construction company backed out more than a month ago.
In early May, the construction company’s announcement thrilled pro-life websites. Since then, though, the Planned Parenthood has remained on construction schedule and is actually saving money by using its developer as a general contractor rather than hiring a new agency to replace the one that jumped ship. Liz Delapoer, marketing director for Planned Parenthood, was flummoxed as to why the Oregonian ran the story today with no time or date context about when the pull-out occurred. “I’m surprised to see people taking an interest,” she said, “This happened back in early May.”
Here’s a sketch of the imagined building, which should be breaking ground this October at the corner of NE MLK and Beech and in full operation by early 2010:
Also bothersome on the reporting of this story: pro-life groups portrayed the pull-out as a victory, where their fetus-waving protests actually made a difference.
But according to the developer, Bob Walsh, he quit the project not due to morals but because he feared crazed and violent protesters. From the Oregonian:
When Planned Parenthood of the Columbia/Willamette signed on as the anchor tenant, Walsh said, he called builders in other cities who had dealt with aggressive anti-abortion activists. He was told that protesters had gone as far as staking out contractors’ homes.
“It’s disruptive and very threatening,” he said. “I just didn’t want to put my family through that.”
That sounds more like “coercion through fear” than “grassroots victory”.
What the fuck? They’re putting the abortionists in some shitty condos?
I hate every single building that looks like that. Can we organize a protest against boring condo-style architecture? That’d be fucking rad.
I like the Oregonian headline:
Builder of Planned Parenthood project in Portland pulls out
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/121479272969140.xml&coll=7
I know it’s petty and childish but every single day when I drive home past these protesters I flip them off.
“. . .Coercion through fear”. . an evil tactic if practiced by anti-abortion protesters, but a thoughtful, righteous and life-giving tactic when practiced by animal rights activists at Schumacher furs?
Portland surely resides on the Backwards Planet.
Excluding ELO and other far left fringe extremists, I don’t think animal rights activists at Schumacher “stak[e] out contractors homes.”
Furthermore, Oregon Reality, how in the hell do you compare a woman seeking an abortion to a person needing a fur coat? Should i legitimately feel as bad for some suburban shopper wealthy enough to purchase a $500 coat harassed by protesters as I would for a woman faced with the dire circumstances of unwanted pregnancy, who may not have the economic/social support and is turning to PP as a last resort, and has to face threats on her life?
Oh that design is not as Hillsboro horrible as the piece of shit at MLK and Fremont that that stupid ass Terrior was in, and they can’t seem to rent to anyone in their right mind. Who approved that building anyways? UGH!
Up the street, in the nicely designed bright orange building on MLK, the sales are hopping.
AS for the PP protestors, why don’t we start a counter rally when they are out there, showing our support for PP?
I mean, did you read what that science teacher from Benson H.S. , the head of the protest, was quoted as saying in the O? Another reason to home school.
If it wasn’t for masturbation and sex leading to lustful ways he wouldn’t have any kids to be teaching….
Yeah for masturbation ,sex and lustful ways! Yeah for responsible birth control and sex education.
signed, a sterilized mama of 2 who brought both her kids to PP to show them that they could get condoms cheap there, as well as advice and healthcare.
Arnt we in the middle of a war against terrorism, “the use of violence and threats to intimidate or coerce, esp. for political purposes.” . Maybe its a different religion.
I can’t wait to take my lady to the clinic. We’re gonna get knocked up and stand in line for the grand opening! Maybe I’ll get a delicious BBQ sandwich across the street while they fire up the ol’ baby vacuum.
sterilized: Someone smacked that shithead Benson High teacher right good in today’s Oregonian.
I hope he isn’t a biology teacher – he’s gonna have a lot of ‘splainin’ to do since a scientist proved evolution in a controlled study – look up “Richard Lenski” and “E. coli long-term evolution experiment”.
you don’t have the right drawing of what the building looks like. what you have is old version, pre-planned parenthood days of what was being thought of for the same site on mlk. i would know, i designed the new building for planned parenthood.