Opinion

Courage or Wisdom

Why we published the Planned Parenthood story

Our community deserves to know why we ran a story about Baptist St. Anthony's Health System's treatment of Planned Parenthood.

We learned of BSA's move to drop Planned Parenthood from its insurance plan this past summer from confidential sources.

We report based on the confidential information we got and stand by that BSA chose to drop the agency because of “ethics and morals about pregnancy were not consistent with BSA's … ."

I'd guess the reason for the move against Planned Parenthood was over Catholic rules against birth control and abortion and the lack of understanding that Planned Parenthood here has never done abortions.

We first held off on the story at the request of Claudia Stravato, the agency's chief executive, because she said any public furor would jeopardize the negotiations. She also made it clear she wanted to control the story. We resisted that control but honored that request. Then we understood the situation was resolved.

As we moved forward with today's story, Stravato told our photographer he couldn't take her picture unless she knew what was in the story.

Stravato prides herself on her journalism background, so I don't know why she didn't understand how unacceptable that would be.

Even worse, she asked one of her staffers to convey to me that if we ran this story, BSA would retaliate.

Maybe it would. But, then, the public should know how a hospital system makes retaliation as part of its Christian ethic in secret.

Stravato should realize that the Indy is a friend — we are pro-choice and pro-everything else Planned Parenthood stands for.

The bottom line is that the Indy controls its content.

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Posted: September 13, 2007