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Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults
National Girl Scouts Pro-Abortion
J.C. Willke, M.D.
The National Girl Scout’s continual drift into radical pro-abortion feminism was
recently highlighted. A major speaker at their annual October convention was
Kavita Ramdas, president and CEO of the Global Fund for Women, a radical
pro-abortion feminist organization. Ms. Ramdas was quoted on its website in 2003
stating, “As women in the US celebrate the 30th anniversary of Roe vs. Wade, we
are proud to bring you highlights of ongoing efforts to protect women’s
reproductive health and rights.” Another major speaker was Dr. Johnetta Cole, an
equally radical, pro-abortion feminist who keynoted this national convention in
Atlanta.
The national leadership should have learned a lesson last year in Waco, Texas.
There, a Girl Scout council cosponsored a teen sex education conference with
Planned Parenthood and honored its executive director. When this was publicized,
there was a literal explosion from parents and the community. A cookie boycott
was called. Only after a firestorm of protest did the Council sever its ties
with Planned Parenthood.
However, the national organization had not changed. On NBC’s Today Show, Kathy
Cloninger, the CEO of Girls Scouts USA, admitted that it “partners with Planned
Parenthood across the country to bring information based sex education programs
to girls.” In response to this, STOPP International surveyed all 350 Scout
councils. Eighty percent refused to answer. 17 councils said they do associate
with Planned Parenthood, and 49 said they do not.
The Waco bishop told his 30 Catholic troops “Scouting troops should not support,
encourage, or in anyway endorse the activities and programs of Planned
Parenthood or any other organization espousing similar beliefs and practices.
Those who embrace such beliefs will not be permitted the use of parish or school
facilities.”
Other Documented Examples:
- A former Planned Parenthood official has been appointed to lead the Great
Plains Council of the Girl Scouts in Nebraska.
- Junior Girl Scouts in Pennsylvania can attend a workshop on puberty, designed
by Planned Parenthood, and earn a badge.
- Connecticut Girl Scouts honored a Planned Parenthood official for promoting
“health practices” in local troops.
- Amarillo, Texas, Girl Scouts sponsored a Planned Parenthood sex education
seminar for 4th through 8th graders.
- The national organization openly acknowledged its acceptance of lesbians in
leadership positions.
- In Philadelphia, to earn their badge “to be a woman” they may refer to Planned
Parenthood as a resource. This could include touring an abortion clinic.
- Kathryn Lopez with the National Review wrote, “The time is long past when
parents decide what a girl’s lifestyle should be.”
- Some years ago, Girls Scouts began purging materials of positive references to
homemakers.
- The Scouts now promote “girl empowerment,” focusing heavily on a narcissistic
devotion to self.
So if you think that your 12-year-old daughter who joined the scouts to go
hiking, collect leaves, make candles and do bird watching is in safe hands, it
may be time for you to investigate what your Girl Scout troop and council are
doing. We must emphasize there are hundreds of troops that still observe the
traditional family- and God-centered practices of the original Girl Scouts. But
the philosophy coming down from National is spreading. In the meantime,
understand that there are 3.7 million Girl Scouts, each of whom pays a $10
membership fee which goes directly to the National office. This brings over
$26,000,000 a year into its national treasury. The National Catholic Register in
May noted that there are still some Christian people in its leadership, but “We
are outnumbered. The feminists have been infiltrating for too long. We should
have started fighting back ten years ago.”
An Alternative Exists
As an alternative to the pro-abortion mentality in the leadership of the Girl
Scouts of America, Patti Garibay, a former Girl Scout leader in Cincinnati,
founded the national American Heritage Girls. It has troops in 32 states. Its
program includes the Judeo-Christian values on which our country was founded. It
strives to enhance the girls’ life experiences with fun-filled activities
supervised by trained adults, supported by family members and to do all the
things that Girl Scouting was originally founded to do.
In the National Girl Scout Promise, “I will try to serve God,” God now has an
asterisk indicating that you can interpret this word anyway you wish and
substitute it with any other word.” Patti Garibay said, “God in our lives is not
optional. We believe that character building programs for youth, such as
scouting, demands a moral compass. Our scouting programs are based on a
philosophical basis of biblical truths and a continued commitment to assist
girls as they grow in their relationship with Christ.” For more information,
contact American Heritage Girls at
www.ahgonline.org.