Planned Parenthood of Amarillo & the Texas Panhandle

Profiles of 14 Leading Anti-Choice Organizations

History

Founded on April 1, 1979, by five families, including that of the current president, Judie Brown.  Brown had previously worked for the National Right to Life Committee (NRLC).  When the NRLC president was forced from office, Brown organized ALL with the financial support of a contact from NRLC.

Leadership

Judie Brown, president and founder.  A practicing Catholic, she is married to Paul A. Brown.  They have been involved in the anti-choice movement since 1969.

Membership

250,000 members

Tax-exempt category 

501(c)(3)

ALL also has several divisions that work to further their anti-choice mission, including

• American Bioethics Advisory Commission evaluates biomedical technology.  It has deemed in vitro fertilization, cloning, and stem cell and fetal tissue research “unethical” based on anti-choice ideology.
• Dentists for Life is a group that mobilizes dentists to fight against the continued legalization and availability of abortion.  All members vow to organize at least one protest or other anti-choice activity in their community.
• Rachel’s Vineyard is a program that holds retreats for women and men to deal with the alleged shame and fear of abortion.
• STOPP (Stop Planned Parenthood), led by Jim Sedlak, is devoted solely to opposing the programs, services, and presence of Planned Parenthood in communities nationwide.
• Why Life? is the youth outreach division of ALL.  Some of its activities include protesting clinics, disseminating misinformation brochures, and boycotting pro-choice businesses and rock bands.  It also includes Rock for Life, which uses music and the promotion of anti-choice bands to promote its mission.
• World Life League, led by Mark DeYoung, which works to limit women’s access to abortion worldwide by supporting anti-choice organizations in other countries and by seeking to influence international policy by lobbying the United Nations.

Sources

American Life League Web site. (2000, accessed June 20).  http://www.all.org.

Associations Unlimited [Online]. (2000, accessed July 20). The Gale Group.  Available:  GaleNet.

Contemporary Newsmakers 1986.  (1987).  Detroit:  Gale Research. 

Melissa Data Corp Web site. (2001, accessed August 10). http://melissadata.com/NP/np.asp

Wilcox, Derk Arend, ed.  (1997).  The Right Guide:  A Guide to Conservative and Right-of-Center Organizations, 3rd ed.  Ann Arbor, MI:  Economics America, Inc.

History

AUL was founded in 1971, making it America’s oldest anti-abortion organization.

Leadership

Clarke Forsythe, president

Membership

AUL has sixteen people on staff, and AUL’s newsletter has a circulation of 17,000.

Tax-exempt category 

501(c)(3)

Sources

Americans United for Life Web site.  (2001, accessed March 12).  http://www.unitedforlife.org.

“Anti-Abortion Attorneys: From Religious Groups to Firms Nationwide.”  (1992, November 30).  The National Law Journal, p. 37. 

Associations Unlimited [Online].  (2001, accessed March 12).  The Gale Group.  Available: GaleNet

Melissa Data Corp Web site. (2001, accessed August 10). http://melissadata.com/NP/np.asp

Schroedel, Jean Reith.  (2000).  Is  the Fetus a Person? A Comparison of Policies across the Fifty States.  Ithaca, NY:  Cornell University Press.

Wilcox, Derk Arend, ed.  (1997).  The Right Guide:  A Guide to Conservative and Right-of-Center Organizations, 3rd ed.  Ann Arbor, MI:  Economics America, Inc.

History

Founded in 1989 by the Reverend Pat Robertson.

Leadership

Pat Robertson, president and founder.  Televangelist and ordained Southern Baptist minister, Robertson is also the founder and chairman of the Christian Broadcast Network (CBN).

Membership

More than 1.5 million supporters and 2,000 local chapters throughout 50 states

Tax-exempt category 

The Christian Coalition of America holds a 501(c)(4) tax-exempt status, and the Christian Coalition International is a not-for-profit, taxable organization.

Sources

Anderson, Curt.  (1999, June 11).  “Christian Coalition Adjusting to Tax Status; IRS Refusal Fuels Reorganization.”  The Boston Globe, p. A3.

Associations Unlimited [Online]. (2000, accessed October 3). The Gale Group.  Available:  GaleNet.

Belkin, Douglas.  (2000, June 30). “A Whole New Twist on ‘Just Say No’.”  Cox News Service.

Christian Broadcast Network Web site.  (2000, accessed June 21).  http://www.cbn.org. 

Christian Coalition Web site.  (2000, accessed June 20).  http://www.cc.org.

Clarkson, Frederick.  (1994).  “Moderation in Pursuit of Extremism:  Pat Robertson and the Spin Doctors.”  Front Lines Research, 1(3).

People for the American Way Web site.  (2001, accessed September 21).  http://www.pfaw.org/issues/right/bg_cc.shtml

Wilcox, Derk Arend, ed.  (1997).  The Right Guide:  A Guide to Conservative and Right-of-Center Organizations, 3rd ed.  Ann Arbor, MI:  Economics America, Inc.

History

Founded by Beverly LaHaye in 1979 to counter the activities of the National Organization for Women (NOW), particularly NOW’s support for the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), and to promote traditional, Judeo-Christian values.  LaHaye dropped out of Christian fundamentalist Bob Jones University to marry Rev. Tim LaHaye, co-founder of the Moral Majority.  LaHaye currently hosts a daily, syndicated, radio talk show, Beverly LaHaye Today.

Leadership

Sandy Rios, president

Membership

More than 500,000 members and 2,500 regional groups nationwide

Tax-exempt category

501(c)(3)

Sources

Associations Unlimited [Online]. (2000, accessed October 3). The Gale Group.  Available:  GaleNet.

Concerned Women for America Web site.  (2000, accessed June 20).  http://www.cwfa.org. 

McCurdy, Claire.  (1996).  "Concerned Women for America:  A Closer Look at Their 'Concerns.'"  Front Lines Research, 2(1).

Melissa Data Corp Web site. (2001, accessed August 10). http://melissadata.com/NP/np.asp

Melton, J. Gordon.  (1999).  Religious Leaders of America:  A Biographical Guide to Founders and Leaders of Religious Bodies, Churches, and Spiritual Groups in North America, 2nd ed.  Detroit:  Gale Group.

Wilcox, Derk Arend, ed.  (1997).  The Right Guide:  A Guide to Conservative and Right-of-Center Organizations, 3rd ed.  Ann Arbor, MI:  Economics America, Inc.

History

Founded by Phyllis Schlafly in 1972 as Stop ERA, and incorporated in 1975 as the Eagle Forum.  The eagle possesses patriotic connotations and is also a biblical reference to Isaiah 40:31.

Leadership

Phyllis Schlafly, president and founder.  Schlafly is also the Chairman for the Republican National Coalition for Life.  She was married to the late Fred Schlafly, who was affiliated with the Christian Anti-Communist Crusade and led the World Anti-Communist League. 

Membership

80,000 members

Tax-exempt category

501(c)(4)

Sources

Associations Unlimited [Online]. (2000, accessed July 20). The Gale Group.  Available:  GaleNet.

Eagle Forum Web site.  (2000, accessed June 22).  http://www.eagleforum.org.

Melissa Data Corp Web site. (2001, accessed August 10). http://melissadata.com/NP/np.asp

Wilcox, Derk Arend, ed.  (1997).  The Right Guide:  A Guide to Conservative and Right-of-Center Organizations, 3rd ed.  Ann Arbor, MI:  Economics America, Inc.

History

Founded in 1983 by Gary L. Bauer.  FRC merged with Focus on the Family from 1988–1992, then reorganized separately and incorporated in October 1992.

Leadership

Kenneth L. Connor, president.  Connor has also served as president and chairman of the board for Florida Right to Life, vice chairman of Americans United for Life, and chairman of the board for Care Net, which has more than 500 affiliated crisis pregnancy centers.

Membership

400,000 members

Tax-exempt category

501(c)(3)

Sources

Associations Unlimited [Online]. (2000, accessed July 20). The Gale Group.  Available:  GaleNet.

Family Research Council's Web site.  (2000, accessed June 22).  http://www.frc.org. 

Melissa Data Corp Web site. (2001, accessed August 10). http://melissadata.com/NP/np.asp

Wilcox, Derk Arend, ed.  (1997).  The Right Guide:  A Guide to Conservative and Right-of-Center Organizations, 3rd ed.  Ann Arbor, MI:  Economics America, Inc.

History

Founded in 1972 by Catherine Callaghan and Pat Goltz.  Callaghan is a retired professor of linguistics and Goltz is a former member of NOW, who left the group because of her anti-choice views.

Leadership

Serrin M. Foster, president

Membership

5,000 members

Tax-exempt category

501(c)(3)

History

Founded in 1977 by James C. Dobson to "cooperate with the Holy Spirit in disseminating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible, and, specifically, to accomplish that objective by helping to preserve traditional values and the institution of the family."

Leadership

James Dobson, president and founder.  Dobson owns his own for-profit company, James Dobson, Inc. (JDI), which pays $5,000 per month to Focus for "visibility."  He was also a significant financial supporter of Randall Terry's Operation Rescue (see Operation Save America).  Dobson was the recipient of the American Association of Pro-Life Obstetricians and Gynecologists "1996 Man of the Year Award" and the 1997 Human Life International (HLI) Human Life Award.

Membership

74 different "ministries" with nearly 1,300 employees

Tax-exempt category

501(c)(3)