Fox Nation got right in the holiday spirit mood over the weekend with a post called, "Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinic Offers Black Friday Discounts." Inside the article, Fox reported that "an abortion clinic in Southern Florida is offering a Black Friday discount -- including $10 a visit to the abortion clinic today." There was a picture of a coupon above the article which gave the impression that coupons were being given out for abortions. Shockingly (not!), it turns out Fox was misleading its readers. The coupon was merely $10 off of any visit (and $5 off emergency contraception). According to their websites, these Planned Parenthood offices, not "abortion clinics," offer HIV testing, STD testing, emergency contraception, Men's Health Care, Women's Health Care (including Pap Smears, Mammograms, and Cancer Screenings), and other services. In no way does the coupon encourage abortions; in fact it doesn't even mention them.
Fox's characterization of Planned Parenthood as a revolving door of abortions is reminiscent of Senator Jon Kyl's famous statement that abortions are "well over 90% of what Planned Parenthood does" - which turned out to be fantastically and utterly false, and which he attempted to walk back, poorly, by saying he hadn't meant it as a “factual statement.” Maybe Fox Nation doesn't intend all of its articles to be "factual statements" either.
In addition to the "truthiness" problems, Fox Nation also put on display some splendid comments. Many readers took to puns, noting that "Black" Friday was an appropriate day for abortions (for discount reasons and for racist jokes about abortion), and injecting "humor" into the normally unfunny topics of abortion and racism. Happy Holidays, er Merry Christmas, Fox Nation. Keep up the holiday tidings!
So basically they offer abortions then?