Wednesday, December 3, 2008

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!

12 comments:

Originally From Brooklyn said...

Sounds like a good wholesome gift to me. An abortion: The gift that doesn't keep on giving. ;)

NotaGeek! said...

Just a point on the all the great gift card ideas.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/22/business/22shortcuts.html?_r=1

frumskeptic said...

oy vey

*shakeshead*

lol

nmf #7 said...

They didn't put restrictions on...probably from fear of lawsuit (HEY, why can't I use the gift card the way I WANT.) and so on.
But the other ways the card can be used are great!

Anonymous said...

Do not worry about the recession. Most people don't realize how much money there is out there. During economic times like this, there is more money to be had than ever. Because of the bailouts and economy, lenders are bending over backwards to bail you out too. Believe it or not, there is people getting tons of cheap money nowdays to start businesses, buy homes, pay off debt, and more. Bailout is for YOU

Anonymous said...

Hi,

Thanks for all the information. I think the best gift that one can offer is the cash gift, which helps them to improve their financial condition.

Ookamikun said...

Abortion gift card, from grandma to granddaughter. "Now I know what you kids are doing and here's something just in case something happens."

Don't most people have insurance?

Anonymous said...

We were just discussing this yesterday in the lunchroom at work.

One of the gals heard about this Planned Parenthood gift card on the radio. Apparently the radio station was bringing up the fact that some women will tell their boyfriends that they are pregnant and ask for money for an abortion. Then when the unsuspecting boyfriend coughs up the cash, the women actually use it to buy other things because they were never pregnant in the first place!

Apparently, the radio station was giving kudos to Planned Parenthood for preventing those kinds of situations!

The fact that abortion is taken so lightly is just bothersome.

Anonymous said...

Although my stance is pro-choice, abortion included on a gift card is disgusting!!
Not to mention pretty insulting to whoever receiving that card - just-in-case abortion cash. Ewwww

Anonymous said...

I don't get what the big deal is, if you get a gift card to a store that sells dvd's does that mean you're supposed to buy porn?

Someone without insurance who's on birth control or needs an exam could probably use sucha card, it's not called the abortion card. Like the article said it's practical, if a little weird.

Jewish Side of Babysitter said...

wow, that's really crazy, makes you think "what crazy idea will they think of next?"

Stacy: I would imagine it would be fine if it was be used for any of those cases. but if someone would give it with abortion in mind, then it's cruel.

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