Remember Planned Parenthood of Illinois was holding that “Community Forum” in Aurora on Wednesday, 2/11 regarding the “Reproductive Justice and Access Act?”

Remember that due to the large number of people interested in attending, they took the registration form off of the website, and began informing folks to email them at volunteer@ppil.org?

The word had gotten out well in advance that the forum was in effect being closed off from the community, as so many were turned down from being able to register for the event.

FAPP article here.

The truth is that it was never really open to the community in the first place.

On February 4th, I signed up online, just before Planned Parenthood took off the registration form and put up the email address.  Soon after I had registered, I received my confirmation email, that my spot was officially reserved at the event:

click to enlarge

This is all soon after Eric Scheidler had sent out the emails to get members of the community signed up through the email addess.  As the day went on, many began emailing Planned Parenthood in order to register, most of whom did not receive a response, but some of which receiving this response:

Hello!

Thank you so much for your email and interest in attending our Community Forum on Reproductive Justice this week.  Unfortunately, we’ve had an overwhelming response to this event and because of space limitations, we do not have any further spots available.

We are, however, delighted to hear that you are interested in getting involved and will have additional information and opportunities for action available in the future.  If you’re ready to Stand Up For Choice, we hope you will consider joining the Planned Parenthood Action Team and take part in community outreach, education, and mobilization for reproductive justice.

To learn more, visit our website and complete a quick online form to tell us a little bit more about your interests and availability.  You can access the form here: http://plannedparenthoodvolunteer.hire.com/viewjob.html?optlink-view=view-1182&ERFormID=newjoblist&ERFormCode=any

Once we have your completed information, we’ll get in touch with you to tell you more about our efforts and activities and get you signed up for great events in your area.

Again, thanks so much for your interest!

volunteer@ppil.org

Planned Parenthood of Illinois

Although it was anticipated that everyone who signed up by email would be turned away, I knew I would surely get in, as I signed up through the original web page.  Otherwise my confirmation email wouldn’t have bestowed upon me such a legitimate ‘Order ID,’ right??

But I was mistaken.  I showed up to the event, stood outside the door of the room (which wasn’t massive, but it definitely was not the limited space that Planned Parenthood had claimed it was).  Waiting with me were a group of about 10-15 people, some of whom seemed like they were waiting to see if they could get in after perhaps some room becomes available inside.

Eventually, two women came out of the room – one with a clipboard, and I approached them with my confirmation email and my driver’s license.  They looked for my name on their list, and said that I wasn’t on there.

They told me that they had space limitations and that only those who registered originally were able to get in.  I explained that I did register on the website on the morning of the fourth.  I showed them my confirmation email and so they searched the list again for my name.  I happened to be able to see the list from the angle that they were holding it and was shocked to see no more than 20-25 names listed on this clipboard.

ABSURD!!  They weren’t only turning away the community!  The community was never invited in the first place!

As a member of the community, and an Aurora resident, I can do nothing less than demand that Planned Parenthood provide me with an explanation as to why I and many others were not allowed in, and yet from this point forward the official record books will show that Planned Parenthood hosted a “community forum” on Wednesday, February 11, 2009 at the Eola Community Center in Aurora.

Why even have it at the Eola Community Center, when the mega-ultra-hyper-Planned Parenthood was less than a mile away?  Why not just have it there, if only a select few Planned Parenthood junkies would be allowed access anyways?

I want to know what benefits they receive for the events like this one, which is framed on the surface to be one completely open to community dialog, and yet never open up to the community at all.

Is this how Planned Parenthood justifies the exorbitant amount of tax dollars they receive every year, from both federal and state governments??

We must demand answers to these questions.

Planned Parenthood of Illinois, you have my email address.  I’m waiting.