Planned Parenthood Uses Bigotry in Online “Game” to Promote Candidate

"It seems that releasing a video 'cartoon' depicting the murder of Christian pro-life activists is not enough for Planned Parenthood," said Douglas R. Scott, Jr., president of Life Decisions International (LDI). "The group had released an online 'game' that paints those who oppose the abortion-committing corporation's agenda as Neanderthals." The game was created to promote the reelection of Illinois Governor Rod R. Blagojevich.

"Not long ago, some pharmacists were refusing to fill prescriptions for contraception," reads the introduction to the game. "See what it was like in the RX Zone."

The goal of the RX Zone game is to "get your RX filled as fast as you can!" The player is told to choose one of three characters to continue the game: a recently married man; a married career woman, or a female college student.

The newlywed is at the pharmacy to get a prescription for "emergency" birth control for his wife. The career woman, with a child in tow, is there to pick up her birth control. The college student is going to pick up a prescription for "emergency" birth control.

The game begins. Each character begins the journey at a street corner near the entrance to a pharmacy. The player's task is to guide the selected character through the "maze" until the drugs are obtained.

Before entering the building, characters encounter pro-life protesters carrying signs which read, "I miss the 50's!"; "Keep women BAREFOOT & PREGNANT"; "Conditions for sex: married, procreating, missionary position"; and "Birth Control is for LOOSE WOMEN".

After entering the store, the characters encounter a young man, an elderly woman, and a professional-looking man and woman.

"Could you tell me where to get this prescription for Viagra filled?" the elderly woman tells one of the characters. "It's for my boyfriend."

"You want to know where to get your prescription for emergency contraception filled?" the professional woman asks each character. "I tell you, I don't have all the answers."

After proceeding to the counter, a female pharmacist says to the newlywed, "Doing your wife's dirty work, hmmm?" A male pharmacist tells the career woman: "Nope. Not gonna fill it. Please move aside, while I fill this Viagra prescription." The female pharmacist tells the college student: "Emergency contraception? You must get around."

Beginning to leave the pharmacy, each character reencounters the professional looking man and woman, who turn out to be Judy Baar Topinka, the Republican candidate for governor of Illinois, and Joe Birkett, the candidate for lieutenant governor. "Have you met my running mate, Joe Birkett?" Topinka asks. "Let me introduce you to one of the most rabid anti-choice hardliners in the state. He wants to control your sex life!" (Topinka is pro-abortion but not pro-abortion enough for Planned Parenthood. She favors parental consent and spousal notification. She opposes partial birth abortion. Birkett is pro-life.)

Returning to the pharmacy counter, a male pharmacist suggests that the newlywed, "Try the pharmacy in Paris. France." The female pharmacist tells the career woman: "Aren't you old enough to know better?" And to the college student she says, "Emergency contraception? You must get around."

Turning to leave the pharmacy once again, the characters encounter Governor Blagojevich. "You don't need a four leaf clover or an old horse shoe to get your prescription filled," he tells the newlywed. "Call the hotline… and make a complaint."

This is followed by a statement by Planned Parenthood which praises Blagojevich for issuing an "emergency rule requiring pharmacies to fill prescriptions without hassle, lecture, or delay." He was also hailed for sending a letter to the FDA urging the agency to make "emergency" birth control available over-the-counter. Blagojevich threatened to make the drugs more available to women in Illinois if it failed to act. "The FDA decided to make emergency contraception available over the counter for women over 18 in August 2006," the statement continues. "Protect your choice in the pharmacy. Re-elect Gov. Blagojevich on Nov. 7!"

All three characters return to the pharmacy counter where a male pharmacist says, "Contraception? Of course! Here you go!"

"Once again, Planned Parenthood has added the use of bigotry to its campaign of disinformation," said LDI's Scott. "The use of such tactics is commonplace for Planned Parenthood and its legions. They seek to paint pro-life activists as uncaring woman-haters, even though pro-life people care about all human beings. They seek to convince people that 'emergency contraception' cannot cause an abortion, even though it usually acts as an abortifacient. They seek to depict Governor Blagojevich as a hero, even though he is hostile to preborn human beings. Will the people of Illinois and the nation tolerate or be fooled by such nonsense? Time will tell."

The "game" may be found here.

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