OPINION: A letter from Montana Planned Parenthood

In light of the recent attacks on Planned Parenthood in Colorado Springs, Planned Parenthood of Montana would like to assure Montanans that its doors stay open. We are grateful to the Planned Parenthood staff and law enforcement agencies who handled this tragedy with such courage and compassion, and Planned Parenthood of Montana’s thoughts and prayers are with the families of the people who were killed and injured.

We are further grateful for the enormous outpouring of support from people all across the country that are appalled by this act of violence and want to see an end to the hateful rhetoric that fueled it. One of the lessons of this awful tragedy is: words matter. Hateful rhetoric fuels violence. It is not enough to denounce the tragedy without also denouncing the poisonous rhetoric that fueled it.

To Planned Parenthood, nothing is more important than the safety and well-being of our patients and staff. We will continue, as we have for half a century, to provide high-quality health care to Montana’s women, men, and families. Thank you to all who have stood by Planned Parenthood during this time of tragedy and loss.

Stahl, of Billings, is president of Planned Parenthood of Montana.