I was at a street festival last night and near the end I caught sight of a CareNet stand. I wanted to go over there and say something, but I can't just go up to people I don't know and talk to them- I get flustered and start babbling like an idiot, and it's just not good.
The same street festival is happening again next month. I would like some ideas on what to say to them next time, or some action I could do against the CareNet in my town. I'm sure everyone has read about the center that harassed a teen girl and disclosed information about her pregnancy to the community, which would be totally illegal if they really were the medical facility they pretend to be. I'm not sure if my local CareNet has done anything like that but I'd still like to make it knwn that they're not welcome in my town and that the Planned Parenthood down the street is a better option. I just need creative ideas or a jumping off point or something.


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Maybe you could hand out some info near their stand, or hold a sign? If you don't need a permit to hand out fliers at the festival it shouldn't be a problem, I would think. These places are so annoying and I'm sure plenty of people go to them since they're free. There's a Choices (ha) clinic in a building near my school, and they always leave fliers all over the common dining area. Whenever I eat there I deface them a little bit.
Depends on the ultimate end goal.. a group I was involved with sent a member in to collect the printed "information" a CareNet gave out to its unsuspecting victims. We used the blatantly inaccurate information in them to try to educate the wider community.
If you just want to more send a message to those stand workers, come prepared with a list of questions and act like you don't know their sitch, but just keep asking. Things like "My friend is pregnant and thinking of getting an abortion, can you tell me about the appointment process in the state and if she needs any parental approval?" and they will try to steer you toward "bring her in for a visit" and just keep being specific - ask what are the AB days, how long is the wait list, etc until they finally have to admit they aren't what they say they are.
Letters to the Editor and fliers are good low-tech, local impact techniques as well. Just go to the Stop & Shop and place some cheap xeroxes on everyone's windshield.
You could get in touch with the Planned Parenthood and say you would like to volunteer to have a booth for them at the same street fair. They will probably give you all the signs and fliers you need.
My advice: Use your knowledge about reproductive issues and CareNet to your advantage by asking them legitimate questions. I IMed CareNet and asked a lot of questions about emergency contraception and abortion, and whoever was on the other end seriously contradicted themselves. Since you already know about their shady practices, you'll always be one step ahead of them. Ask them what medical services they provide. Ask them how EC works. As them how EC can both prevent and terminate pregnancy (which is what I asked the CareNet rep online). If there's a picture of an "abortion" anywhere, ask them how far along the pregnancy was and what procedure was used. Mention to them that the picture looks like a picture of a miscarriage you recently saw in your medical school class (this doesn't have to be true -- they'll be too caught off guard not to believe you) and ask how they obtained a picture of an aborted fetus and how do they know it's not a picture of a miscarriage from a medical textbook. Ask about any pictures they have of the stages of prenatal development. Ask why an embryo's heartbeat starts at 5 weeks (or whenever. The answer: Because the woman's heart is beating!). Ideally, ask them these questions when there are other people around so that they can see how dumb CareNet is.
Perhaps a sign reading "This facility is for entertainment purposes only. Any resemblance with an actual health care facility, past or present, is wholly coincidental."
Personally, I think that the foetus-first crowd has actually already shown us what needs to be done to these PFCs (pregnancy fraud centres). Picket, harrass, distribute information to prevent anyone getting duped, and generally make their lives difficult. It might be worth looking into whether criminal charges (violation of professional licensing provisions, fraud, etc.) might be brought.