Ever since the Planned Parenthood Golden Gate affiliate (which brought us the pro-violence-against-pro-lifers cartoon “A Superhero for Choice”) was disowned by PPFA and then shut down entirely, other Northern California affiliates like Planned Parenthood Shasta-Diablo and Planned Parenthood Mar Monte have been angling to take over its former turf. In Redwood City, Planned Parenthood Mar Monte recently received approval to open up a new clinic. But residents aren’t happy about their prospective new neighbor—here’s what a self-identified “pro-choice” community member has to say about her experience living next to the old PP Golden Gate clinic in Redwood City:
Living in the neighborhood that houses a business like the clinic is disturbing to say the least. I am pro-choice, but I am not pro-violence or pro–visual pollution, which all happened before on a regular basis and will surely happen at the new site. Several businesses closed or relocated because no one wanted to get their services so close to the clinic. Home values went down, and several homeowners sold or rented their properties out.
Was this fair to our neighborhood? In my case it was, because I moved into the neighborhood knowing the clinic was here.
To add insult to the neighborhood, the clinic filed for bankruptcy and closed, leaving a vacant building complete with FOR LEASE signs. But the huge parking lot is not monitored by security, so there are always cars parked there at night with people drinking and having a great time listening to loud music. Sometimes I think it would be convenient to have the clinic open when they are there, so condoms would be easily accessible to those needing them.
I hope that when given the opportunity, our city leaders will take into consideration the home and business owners in that neighborhood, accept the appeal and deny the application. Why should the opinions and needs of the clinic outweigh those who are already there? The gateway coming or going into our community is not the proper location for the clinic. Other areas in our community are better suited.
