Gift Cards

While I was checking my email earlier today, I received something from bankrate.com. One of the articles linked in that email was called 12 recession-proof holiday gifts. The article listed 12 categories discussing gift ideas and two of them were food and health.


Under the food category the article said the following:


Many Americans' diets have suffered as the price of good, fresh food has risen, both in restaurants and on the grocery-store shelves. For those who've cut back on dining out, a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant may be in order. Gift cards for restaurants are projected to be the top type of gift card this holiday season, according to a survey by the Archstone Consulting. For foodies and cooks on your list, a grocery-store gift card or a rockin' recipe book may be just the right holiday treat.


Under the health category the article said:


With health care costs perpetually rising, good health is more valuable than ever. A gentle push in the form of a three-month, all-expense-paid membership to a gym or a nice pair of athletic shoes may be just the thing to part that special couch potato from his or her couch. For those on your list who have little workout experience, a session with a personal trainer will help them learn the exercises and establish a regimen that will work for them.


The overall point of the article, as both these categories show, is that giving practical gifts is smarter during a recession. Which makes alot of sense. A family will not need a new Nintendo Wii from grandma when they are just making it with their bill payments... a smarter present (according to article) would be either a restuarant or supermarket gift certificate! Or...gym membership for a few months! Practical, fun, and greatly appreciated!


Well...so I receive emails like this all the time, so I wasn't particulary moved by this article's content. I didn't think anything of it until I came across a website (while I was procrostinating from email checking) called ifeminists.net. One of the articles on that site was about Planned Parenthood and the new "gift cards" for Christmas they're offering. One of the points planned parenthood was making, was that healthcare is now on the bottom of womans spending lists even though woman still need health check-ups. So this PP gift card would be a great way for woman to receive basic health needs. So just like with food and health, PP decided to be practical as well. Article read:


The report said the certificates come in $25 increments and can be used for everything from birth control to $58 examinations that include breast exams and pap tests.

So far so good, the irksome part is:

But can they be used for abortions?


Of course, Struben-Hall ["an official in the abortion business"] said. "We decided not to put restrictions on."



Now...umm... I'm not even sure if I can use words to describe how I feel about gift card abortions, but I think "gross" downright covers it.

I mean, when you write up the holiday list and browse the shops at the mall, will you be like "you know, Jill and Jack have been together for a while, I think she'll appreciate the $25 at PP more than this sweater, gd only knows if she can afford an abortion if she'll need one at this time of economic recession, every little bit counts!"

Shouldn't abortion be the LAST resort? Whatever one may consider a fetus, it is still a form of potentional life and sticking a gift certificate value onto ridding it makes it seem like a nothing! I think this is just an extremely irresponsible gift card, nevermind immoral and downright nasty! If Planned Parenthood wants to keep these darned cards, fine, but atleast restrict access on using them towards abortions!