Here we go again. Women in need are losing access to cancer screenings because “pro-life” zealots who don’t like Planned Parenthood are finding themselves in positions of power. I didn’t think I’d be posting about this issue again so soon, but I guess taking needy women as political hostages and craftily justifying it is all the rage these days. Luckily, people aren’t buying the excuse the SGK is selling. Even my own aunt, who has metastatic breast cancer, told the foundation they’ll no longer be getting her money.
“The Susan G. Komen foundation should not be political,” my aunt told me on Thursday afternoon. “People, including myself, have stood behind them for years and now they’ve turned their backs on these women for political reasons, “she said.
She finds the timing of the cuts to Planned Parenthood “suspicious” because of the relatively recent installment of Karen Handel, who ran for Governor of Georgia in 2010 on an anti-Planned Parenthood platform, as the charity’s new vice president. Auntie doesn’t believe the rationale provided for the cuts.
As Laura Bassett for the Huffington Post reports:
“Komen spokeswoman Leslie Aun said earlier that the cutoff results from the charity’s newly adopted criteria barring grants to organizations that are under investigation by local, state or federal authorities. According to the organization, this applies to Planned Parenthood since it’s the focus of an inquiry, launched by Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.), seeking to determine whether public money was improperly spent on abortions. “
Seriously?
Luckily, it’s obvious that, like my aunt, others aren’t buying that thinly veiled excuse, either, and they’re taking action.
In fact, Planned Parenthood received $640,000 in the 24 hours after the announcement from donors clearly upset by SGK’s decision, as reported by the Washington Post on Thursday afternoon. Planned Parenthood has used the donations to create a Breast Health Emergency Fund, to assist those affected by the loss of the Komen grants.
As much as it pains me that the Susan G. Komen foundation seemingly caved to pressure by “pro-life” groups and politicians, it warms my heart to know that my fellow Americans are smart enough to see through its actions, strong enough to stand up and speak out against them, and kind enough to assist women in need.
Grrr….
I hates the wingnuttery. I really hates the backroom wingnuttery.
So for the “killing women” to be true, doesn’t that require you to believe that SGK will sit on the money or not otherwise put it to use – as they do with millions of other dollars – towards their cause?
Do you really believe that Planned Parenthood the only means to serve this purpose?
I didn’t say they were “killing women.”
The point is, funding was cut for cancer screenings for a group of women because of the new vice president’s political viewpoints, and that’s just not okay.
Didn’t mean to imply you used those words – but everywhere I look, others are.
So the organization has no right to determine where it’s money goes? Those receiving grants are just entitled to it?
Of course the organization can determine where the money goes, and nobody’s “entitled” to anything here.
But Planned Parenthood was successfully providing a service to the foundation (and the women it seeks to serve) for many, many years.
And then PP was cut loose because the new VP has a political agenda.
Just because the foundation has the right to determine where its money goes, doesn’t mean it’s RIGHT to cut off a group of women for political reasons.
If the foundation chooses to cut off PP, that’s its choice. But it’s already suffering the negative effects of that decision.
Thanks for your comments.
Good night. 🙂
You’re welcome – I appreciate the thoughtful discussion.
it’s money
That’s the heart of the problem. Those who’ve contributed their cash and time to Komen don’t consider it to be “it’s” money and feel they’re entitled to know whether Komen has signed on with Big Misogyny.
Which is actually rather funny if you think about it. If that’s true (and I can’t really say that I disagree with it) – then the move actually raises MORE money and helps MORE women in need. Because SGK is going to continue to contribute hundreds of millions to breast cancer awareness, research and treatment. The money that had been going to Planned Parenthood will be re-routed to other delivery channels which may or many not be more effective at delivering them.
And with the new donations, Planned Parenthood can continue to fund the screenings it was using the SGK money to pay for.
Seems like a win-win.
The more money to help eradicate disease, the better, I agree!
My concern is that this will happen in other instances, and it sets a bad precedent. PP does good work and shouldn’t be punished by politicians.
Okay, really going to go brush my teeth this time. LOL.
Locke,
Lets get real here. I would bet that in a year from now this will be a lose lose proposition for all involved. The Komen RFTC is an amazing event that honors those affected by breast cancer in cities all over the country big and small. People rally around these awesome events and turn them into family/community events. They have not even had a hint of partisanship, and now one hyperpartisan extremist has come in and destroyed twenty plus years of good will. It is really sad.
I agree they have every right to donate to who they want to, but they have NO right to slur and demean Planned Parenthood. I get it from the republican party they are at a point in our history where they are attacking anything and everything that helps the poor, but it makes no sense that Komen would. The Komen foundation is headquartered in Kyl’s district who when being called on his statement about PP and abortion on the fricking senate floor was forced to come out with the statement ” the statement was not meant to be factual”.
By Handel making this a partisan issue both sides jumped on the band wagon and picked a side and sent money. Will they continue to do this? I doubt it. the quick draw partisans will be on to different issues by that time. Check back in a year and see which of these organizations donations are up. My guess is they will both be down.
What if one of them wins? Can we legitimately say that America would be better off if one of these organizations disappears? Would anyone come in and take their place? I doubt it.
Saving Americans lives is not a democrat or a republican issue its an American issue. I would bet if they polled all of their race directors if this was a good decision it would get voted down with a huge majority opposed to this action.
http://host.madison.com/ct/news/local/govt-and-politics/capitol-report/capitol-report-local-komen-leader-decries-move-to-cut-funds/article_cecc4934-4db1-11e1-8205-0019bb2963f4.html
As a cancer survivor I want ALL cancer eliminated and that should be the ultimate goal!
Maybe, I don’t know. But I do know that regardless of whether SGK gives grant money to PP or not, it will continue as it always has, to direct funds where it believes will have the most impact on fighting breast cancer. In this, PP is either a middle man or helping to get the funds to where they’re needed depending on your perspective. But if eliminated, there is no shortage of other good alternatives.
Huh? How exactly do you see this shaping up for one to “win”? Do you seriously want to suggest one of them will disappear? They’re both enormous organizations that aren’t going away any time soon. SGK raises about $400 million a hear – all generated from private donations or investment income. PP generates a billion dollars a year – a third from private contributions, about a third in revenue from services and a third in government grants. Which actually makes the whole thing even more crazy. You have people up in arms that a billion dollar organization will not be receiving $600K from a $400 million dollar organization.
Its not just the KOmen attack on PP that is the problem here as has been pointed out. It is the full scale right wing echo chamber attack on PP that is the problem and that Komen played into here.
Ask Acorn if a solid organization that is based on helping the poor could ever be disbanded….
Saving Americans lives is not a democrat or a republican issue
I wonder about that. I don’t think the jihad against Planned Parenthood is driven entirely by abortion politics.
It’s not just about what services it provides; it’s about who it provides them to. Like ACORN, PP is the paradigmatic enabler the moocher lifestyle and a component of the librul power structure that protects it. It doesn’t follow the proper charitable model, which is to condition assistance on the recipients’ acceptance of Responsibility (and Jeebus), and to have the heart to let the poor bastards sink if they refuse to learn to swim.
Ok add SHOULD in front of NOT be a…….
GT welcome back
The power of the people to effect change in this world is the story of the new millenium….
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/03/susan-g-komen-planned-parenthood_n_1252651.html?ncid=edlinkusaolp00000009