Detroit — A national backlash against Planned Parenthood as a result of its fetal organ-harvesting scandal has the potential to spur people to reconsider their position on abortion and finally question Planned Parenthood’s role in health care, local pro-life leaders say.

“The released videos have revealed a crack in the façade of Planned Parenthood,” said Monica Miller, Madonna University professor and president of Citizens for a Pro-Life Society, of undercover investigative videos revealing the organization’s purported sale of the body parts of aborted fetuses. “We think of abortion as a woman’s right, but when something like this happens, a different colored light is shed.”

Miller said Citizens for a Pro-Life Society has long been showing images depicting the realities of abortion, but believes the national attention will cause people to revisit the abortion issue with a new perspective.

“I find it interesting that this is the way people are becoming aware of the issue — the issue is how you are procuring those body parts in the first place,” Miller said.

The violent manner in which body parts from unborn children are harvested has become a “side issue,” according to Miller, but she believes any increased attention to the atrocity is a positive step.

“I can guarantee there will be fruit from these videos,” Miller said. “These will help our county become more opposed to legalized abortions; they will help people become more aware of how the unborn child is a member of the human family.”

Since July 14, when the first video was released, state and federal officials have called for greater scrutiny of Planned Parenthood’s practices. The U.S. Senate is expected to launch hearings, calling upon the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate Planned Parenthood for allegedly selling fetal organs and tissues for profit.

“This is a good opportunity for the government to re-examine our fetal tissue research laws,” Chris Gast, director of communication and education for Right to Life of Michigan, said. “Planned Parenthood might be able to get away with what they are doing legally, but this highlights that Planned Parenthood does abortions.”

Gast said many are in denial about Planned Parenthood being the No. 1 abortion provider in the country — an estimated 300,000 performed annually — despite claims from the organization that abortion covers only 3 percent of its services.

“Planned Parenthood crafts a very public image,” Gast said.

Gast and other pro-life advocates don’t think Planned Parenthood will be defunded completely as a result of the scandal, but believe some positive change can come from it.

With more videos scheduled to be released and groups such as Right to Life encouraging the investigation of Planned Parenthood, natural family planning advocate Deborah Bloomfield said the biggest result will be the increased conviction of pro-life activities.

“When the videos came out, I received a call from an activist in Benzie County, and she was really fired up,” Bloomfield said. “I think it’s the timing in the news cycle; there really isn’t a whole lot going on right now. This is an opportunity to explain that people are created in the image and likeness of God, and it’s opened the discussion for a lot of people.”

While the fallout won’t spell the end for Planned Parenthood, it could be a catalyst for further restriction on abortions, Gast said.

“I don’t think the released videos will be a silver bullet, but I’ve seen on social media blog posts from people rethinking their choices about Planned Parenthood and late trimester abortions,” Gast said.

Above all, Gast said, the national attention offers a valuable teaching moment to discuss fetal personhood and the flaws of associating Planned Parenthood with women’s health care.

“Planned Parenthood is the No. 1 provider of abortions in the United States — there is no going around that,” Gast said. “We don’t oppose breast examinations or STD testing, but a lot of health centers which don’t perform 300,000 abortions a year (provide that). There is no reason for our tax dollars and other people’s money to support Planned Parenthood.

“This is a teaching moment for us all. We keep hearing how unborn babies are just a mash of tissue and cells. But we are talking about intact organs, brains and features of a person. And anything that highlights the personhood of the unborn is a good thing.”

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Theology on Tap

Monica Miller will offer a talk on the “Three Lessons of Abortion” at a Theology on Tap event Saturday, Aug. 8. The free-admission talk, from 6:30-8:30 p.m., is at Vivio’s Food and Spirits, 2460 Market St., Detroit.