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Planned Parenthood’s decision to permanently close a storied and high-profile abortion clinic in the heart of New York City is one more sign that the culture is finally shifting towards protecting the unborn — revealing the power of prayer and advocacy.
The recent announcement that Planned Parenthood has decided to board up its Manhattan facility at 26 Bleecker Street marks a significant moment for pro-life advocates. This development not only promises the likelihood of a reduction in the number of abortions performed within America’s largest city but it also serves as a testament to the power of prayer, advocacy, and unwavering commitment to the sanctity of life.
In many ways, Planned Parenthood’s struggles are emblematic of an abortion movement that is beginning to lose ground in the face of growing pro-life convictions.
More young people today identify as pro-life, advances in ultrasound technology have made it impossible to deny the humanity of the unborn, and an increasing number of Americans support restrictions on abortion. In Florida, a recent survey found that nearly two-thirds of residents support its Heartbeat Protection Act that bans abortion if a heartbeat is detected.
For decades, Planned Parenthood has been at the forefront of providing abortion services across the United States. Its presence in urban centers like Manhattan was long a point of contention, especially given its ties to Margaret Sanger, the founder of the Birth Control League, which was later rebranded as Planned Parenthood.
Sanger remains a feminist icon, but she was also a eugenicist who, heavily influenced by Thomas Malthus, thought the world was overpopulated and that society had a responsibility to cull or manage those who were, in her vernacular, “unfit.”
In her autobiography, she admitted to speaking before the women of the KKK and, in a televised interview in 1957, told journalist Mike Wallace that the “greatest sin in the world is bringing children into the world, that have disease from their parents, that have no chance in the world to be a human being practically…”
It’s hardly a surprise that then Planned Parenthood would then become one of the largest proponents of using Sanger’s “ghetto approach” and focus the majority of its clinics in “underserved communities of color.”
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote about this in 2019, observing that “there are areas of New York City in which black children are more likely to be aborted than they are to be born alive—and are up to eight times more likely to be aborted than white children in the same area.”
These eugenic and racist roots have cast a long shadow over both Planned Parenthood and its New York clinics. In 2020, Planned Parenthood of Greater New York finally acknowledged this troubling past by removing Sanger’s name from its Manhattan Health Center, citing her “racist legacy” and support for eugenics.
But that didn’t stop them from killing babies — or from making a killing off of those babies.
A recent report by the American Life League reveals that top executives at Planned Parenthood affiliates earn salaries significantly higher than by the leaders of the average non-profit, with the average compensation for a Planned Parenthood CEO being approximately $352,661, more than triple the national average for a non-profit CEO.
Alexis McGill Johnson, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, which acts as a kind of franchisor for the affiliates and as the lobbying arm of the organization, received $904,014, a 32 percent increase since 2021, as reported by the Daily Wire.
Despite the financial challenges faced by some affiliates, these substantial salaries persist.
Planned Parenthood’s latest annual report indicates it received around $699.3 million in federal funding for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, accounting for about 34 percent of its total revenue. The organization also reported performing at least 392,715 abortions during the same period.
All of this is happening even as pro-abortion governments in the Northeast, including New York, are attacking pro-life pregnancy centers.
In May 2024, New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a lawsuit against Heartbeat International and 11 pro-life pregnancy centers, alleging that they promote Abortion Pill Reversal (APR) treatments using false and misleading information. That move was almost immediately stopped in its tracks by a federal judge, who issued a preliminary injunction blocking the state from restricting the pregnancy centers’ promotion of APR while the legal proceedings continued on the belief that the pro-life centers are likely to succeed in showing that such restrictions violate their First Amendment rights.
This is just one of many examples of illogical overreach by the pro-abortion movement in the aftermath of the Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and returned the issue of abortion to the states.
Whether its attacking and firebombing crisis pregnancy centers, using over-the-top rhetoric and lawfare, jailing peaceful pro-lifers, or subverting investments in the safety and health services of patients in favor of providing highly lucrative salaries to their top executives, the pro-abortion movement has become increasingly extreme and desperate — and it’s backfiring on them.
So while Planned Parenthood’s decision to shut down its Manhattan facility might not seem very significant, it actually symbolizes the broader societal shift that is happening.
The increasing awareness of the sanctity of life, coupled with the tireless prayers and efforts of pro-life advocates, has contributed to a cultural environment where the demand for abortion services is being reconsidered. And the Christian community’s emphasis on the inherent value of every human life, from conception to natural death, has played a pivotal role in shaping public opinion and policy.
The pro-life movement’s dedication to providing alternatives to abortion has also offered tangible support to women facing unplanned pregnancies. Crisis pregnancy centers, adoption services, and community support systems have been established to ensure that women have access to resources that uphold the dignity and well-being of both mother and child.
These initiatives embody the Christian call to love and serve the most vulnerable. While the pro-choice movement often claims that opposition to abortion is an attack on women’s rights, the pro-life movement asserts that true empowerment comes from affirming life and providing compassionate solutions that do not involve ending the life of an unborn child.
The closure also invites reflection on the ethical issues surrounding abortion. A biblical perspective argues that life begins at conception and that abortion is a moral wrong (Genesis 1:27; Psalm 139:13; Jeremiah 1:5).
Every human being is made in the image and likeness of God and possesses an inherent dignity that must be protected. And when society permits the destruction of its most vulnerable members, it undermines its moral foundation and weakens the value placed on all human life.
Any reduction in the number of facilities that perform abortions is clearly a win for life, but according to KKF, “the overall number of brick-and-mortar independent clinics has decreased over the years, with over 75 independent abortion clinics shutting down between 2022 and 2024.”
These closures should inspire pro-life supporters to press forward in their advocacy, not only in opposing abortion but in addressing the underlying issues that lead women to consider it. This means pro-lifers should ramp up their efforts to promote education about alternatives, available resources, and the reality of life in the womb; provide economic support; and foster a culture that celebrates life and family.
Christians must also deepen their commitment to mercy and forgiveness. Many women who have undergone abortions carry deep emotional and spiritual wounds. Christians can extend Christ’s healing love to them, offering compassion, counseling, and reconciliation.
While the closure of a single facility may not signal the end of abortion services in New York, or the nation, it represents a meaningful step in the pro-life movement’s journey. It serves as a reminder that prayer and advocacy can lead to transformative changes. Laws and policies influence public morality, but the future of the pro-life movement in America depends on changing individual hearts.
Although it might not always feel like it given that many blue states have relied on ballot measures and dark money to lift nearly all abortion restrictions, the decision to overturn Roe v. Wade was, in fact, the first step in what will ultimately be a victory for life, as it denied the mantra that there is a natural right to abortion and gave pro-lifers a chance to positively lobby for and impact policy and laws that affect unborn lives.
So pro-lifers, now is not the time for complacency. Instead, we must double down and renew our efforts to protect life and serve women in need. Churches, in particular, must strengthen their outreach to pregnant women and single mothers who are struggling, while individuals should be actively educating those within their circle of influence about life and the adoption option, volunteering at or financially supporting local pro-life centers, and remaining steadfast in prayer and action.
The fight for life is far from over, but with each success, we can continue to build a culture that cherishes and protects every life — born and unborn.
PHOTO: A volunteer stands outside Planned Parenthood’s Manhattan abortion facility on Bleecker Street. CREDIT: Shutterstock
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