July 9, 2010

AUGUSTA, Ga.---Two billboards, one on Gordon Highway and the other on Lumpkin Road, have the words "Black and Unwanted" written across the marquee. The billboards were put up by two Georgia Right to Life organizations.

The billboards catch your eye, but it's meant to get into your heart and head. Anti-abortion groups have targeted Augusta because they say Georgia has the highest rate in the nation for abortions of black babies.

Just drive down Lumpkin Road and there's no way you can miss it...those big bright eyes and cute chubby cheeks.

The billboard is achieving it's goal, it has people talking. From the beauty and barber shops to the working mom.

"People don't like to talk about things that make them uncomfortable and that sign makes them uncomfortable," says Brenda MacFarlane.

MacFarlane understands the message. It's the campaign tool for "The Radiance Foundation" and the Georgia Right to Life organization. The ad campaign is aimed at major cities in Georgia. The "Black and Unwanted" billboard points out the high number of abortions in the African American community.

"If God don't want him here, God aint' gone put him here," said MacFarlane.

The pro-life groups behind the billboard, based out of Alpharetta, wants to promote adoption as an option. They say focusing on African American women is key because of the high numbers, but some say it's not just a "black thing."

The billboard is certainly causing a controversy in Augusta. Some have called it racist while others say it's offensive and you have those who say it's a message that's long over due."

"It's sad to think nobody wants a child," says Sonya Cantrell.

Sonya Cantrell says she's not sure about the approach but the meaning behind it is certainly powerful.

"It's just sad that there's so many kids out there that you know don't even have a chance because nobody will give them a chance. It gets taken away from them," adds Cantrell.

"It's nothing good that can come out of that to me," Mozene said.

Shavuna Mozene believes that targeting the African American community in this case is wrong.

"It's cruel honestly," she says. "If it wasn't targeting black babies, it would be more than one baby up there."

According to the CDC, African Americans have abortions at three times the rate of white women and twice the rate of all other races combined.

"A lot of kids out here having kids and don't know the responsibility of taking care of them," Antwuan Hogan said.

In 2008, there were 35,888 abortions performed in Georgia of which 58.2% were African American.

"Its a lot of people that's making the babies but they don't want to take responsibility to step in and take care of them," adds Hogan, who is a barber.

20,909 African American abortions were performed 2008, which is almost twice that of the white population and over four times that of all other races combined. But Brenda still believes abortion affects all races and its the child, any child, that suffers in the end.

"I don't know...a baby's a baby."

"It's just sad to think about what their lives could have been if they had been born," says Cantrell.

In 2008, the Georgia division of health reported that 18,901 abortions were performed on black women. According to the pro-life groups behind the billboard campaign, that figure makes Georgia the leading state in the U.S. for black abortions.

The campaign has placed over sixty billboards in Augusta, Macon, and Savannah. In the coming weeks, the billboards will extend to the entire metro Atlanta area.

According to the Guttmacher Institute, 42% of women obtaining abortions have incomes below 100% of the federal poverty level, which is about $10,830 for a single woman with no children. Experts say there is a relationship between economic status and abortions. Surveys show that the reasons some women give for having an abortion underscore their understanding of the responsibilities of parenthood and family life.