Pierce writes: "The anti-choice people want the power to reassert control over what the ladies do with their lady parts, because that is the way Jesus and their daddies intended it to be. Legally, it's not about Roe. It's about Griswold. It will not stop with abortion. It will not even stop with birth control."

Rep. Cliff Stearns (R-FL) led a 'one-man' congressional investigation into Planned Parenthood which Komen cited in their decision. (photo: Getty Images)

Susan G. Komen and the Planned Parenthood Jihad

By Charles P. Pierce, Esquire Magazine

02 February 12

t is very possible that the women in this country who want to control their reproductive systems, to say nothing of their lives, are going to get fed up very soon with having their freedom to do just that get mucked with by Bible-banging pests, meddling congresscritters, gutless foundations, and the members of the Clan of the Red Beanie. I do not know what vengeance they will undertake, but I suspect it will be fierce.

The latest entrant in the parade of chickens is the Susan G. Komen For The Cure, the country's leading charity dealing with breast cancer, and the organization behind all those pink ribbons you see everywhere, and a group formidable enough to get NFL players wearing pink shoes once a season. A group, then, with some considerable muscle. Which it, sadly, has declined to use on behalf of Planned Parenthood. Instead, it has pulled its funding from PP, spewing a considerable amount of bureaucratic ink to cover its cowardly retreat:

"While it is regrettable when changes in priorities and policies affect any of our grantees, such as a long-standing partner like Planned Parenthood, we must continue to evolve to best meet the needs of the women we serve and most fully advance our mission."

Please tell me specifically how the Komen group has "evolved" in such a way that contributing money to Planned Parenthood no longer can "best meet the needs of the women" it serves, and how it no longer helps the Komen group "fully advance [its] mission." I'm dying to know. I need a good laugh.

Of course, the real reason is a politically motivated audit undertaken a part of a general jihad against Planned Parenthood undertaken by Florida congresscritter Cliff Stearns, the chairman of an oversight subcommittee and a real freaking prize in his own right. Stearns is the guy who added to the Zadroga bill, which provided for federal relief to the first responders who worked on the pile at Ground Zero in New York, the ludicrous requirement that the names of all applicants for such relief first be checked against all terrorist watch-list. He also once attacked PBS because the South African version of Sesame Street introduced a character who was HIV-positive. Like I said, a real prize. Nevertheless, he was enough to scare off the Komen group. It also seems that the Komen group's decision may have been influenced by a woman named Karen Handel, a wingnut anti-choicer who once ran for governor of Georgia, and who is now the group's vice-president for public policy. I would almost guarantee that Handel's hiring was one of those half-assed "common ground" initiatives popular among liberals, and among Democrats, who are tired of all the yelling about abortion and who believe, quite seriously, like children believe in the Easter Bunny, that there are reasonable people in the anti-choice community with whom they can (and should) deal.

This, of course, is all my arse. The anti-choice people want the power to reassert control over what the ladies do with their lady parts, because that is the way Jesus and their daddies intended it to be. Legally, it's not about Roe. It's about Griswold. It will not stop with abortion. It will not even stop with birth control. Good god, would you want your reproductive life to be circumscribed by the likes of Cliff Fking Stearns? The only common ground worth having is the common ground worth fighting for. This is not the way to do it.

Comments

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+281 # michelle 2012-02-02 14:15

Karen Handel, A Bush Pioneer (donor of more than $100,000), is at the forefront of this assault on Planned Parenthood and women in general. Over the years I've watched Komen Foundation morph into an industry with pink ribbons on every product you can imagine. They have commercialized breast cancer. I stopped walking for them several years ago.

Women and men need to respond to this latest move by the right wing. You can reach the Komen Foundation at 1-877-465-6636. I let them know that I would not give to Komen, not even if they reverse themself on this issue, until Karen Handel is fired. I don't want her to resign, I want her fired. After the phone call I sent $50 to Planned Parenthood. Not a fan of Bloomberg but he is matching the first $250,000 donated to Planned Parenthood.

I'm off to call my representative to look into the finances of Komen. How much money goes to research, what other organizations do they donate to, what are the salaries of people like Handel. Perhaps we should occupy Komen.

+11 # Jorge 2012-02-05 13:10

Also, the Komen Foundation was the subject of recent articles about the cozy relationship with big corporate donors (e.g users/manufacturers of the chemical BPA and the Komen conclusion on their website that there is no link between breast cancer and BPA despite numerous studies). Follow the money.
Support Planned Parenthood directly, they are a good organization.

+212 # MsAnnaNOLA 2012-02-02 15:46

I tried to post this as an email on the Komen site. Surprise, it would not take my email. Maybe they are having technical difficulties. Maybe they don't want to hear the truth:

My mother died of breast cancer. I will not support your organization due to the de-funding of Planned Parenthood. Playing politics with women's lives is wrong. Planned Parenthood provides life saving screenings and other low cost women's health options. This is a low blow using an obvious political attack as cover for your organization de-funding Planned Parenthood. There is no place for politics in the fight for a cure. Shame on your organization for not recognizing that by politicizing your organization you are making the chance for a cure less possible.

+114 # barbaratodish 2012-02-02 20:39

Refusal by the Komen Foundation to continue funding Planned Parenthood (the foundation will probably want their past contributions returned, with interest!) is probably due to the orthodox, fundamentalist, etc., male phallic worship that considers womens' wombs and any fertility as property extensions belonging to men. Shades of slavery past!

+116 # juliajayne 2012-02-02 20:44

There are a number of petitions you can sign to make it clear to the SGK Foundation that their choice to punk Planned Parenthood is indeed a low blow, as Mr. Pierce asserts.

The Daily Kos has one. And PFAW has another. I think I signed a third but can't remember who it was with. In any case, yeah, I need a good laugh to see how in glorious Hell this advances their mission to save women's lives. Cowards! And I agree with Michelle above, fire the Hnadel woman. And I hope to see these people reverse themselves post haste after they get a load of the shitstorm they've created with this awful decision.

+23 # juliajayne 2012-02-03 08:45

Credo Action is the other petition I signed. Also call your local SKG and tell them your opinion, because a LOT of the local chapters are distancing themselves with the national organization.

+109 # BettyFaas 2012-02-02 20:51

Thank you, Michelle, for giving the telephone number for Komen. I called and was able to express my great disappointment over their political decision to not support Planned Parenthood, which contributes so many amazing health benefits, often to women totally without means.

+6 # Texas Aggie 2012-02-04 18:59

But, but, but Brinker tells us that the response they've been getting has been overwhelmingly positive. Surely a fine, upstanding pillar of society like her wouldn't stoop to falsehoods, would she? (No need to answer that question. It is only rhetorical.)

And for what's its worth, from what I read, Ari Fleischer had a lot more to do with getting this Handel person hired than "common ground" Democrats did.

+23 # 1984 2012-02-02 21:15

I'd like to see a law that prohibits circumcision. And if they try to distinguish that from freedom of choice based on religious "freedom" (hah) then let's form a religion that permits abortion! Anyway, these days, in the US parents choosing circumcision are not doing it for religious reasons!

+36 # kcwells 2012-02-02 21:40

S G KOMEN CONTACT INFO:

Send an email to their development office saying that we are NOT going to donate anything to them at this time. This should clog up their development office and send a clear message.

Here's the email for the Komen Foundation's development office: donorinquiry@ko men.org

Also:

Karen Handel
Senior VP of Fail
c/o Susan G. Komen Foundation
P.O. Box 650309
Dallas, TX 75265-0309

1-877 GO KOMEN(1-877-465-6636)

+35 # Byronator 2012-02-03 07:53

Oh, so Komen is based in Dallas Flippin' TEXAS. I get it now.

+71 # Fairly balanced 2012-02-02 22:13

According to Nancy Brinker, the CEO for Komen (and Bush Pioneer and Republican donor over the years), Komen's mission is "to provide women, vulnerable populations, with care, treatment, and screening," per her interview with Andrea Mitchell on 2/2/12. Funding PP would seem to be consistent with that mission. Yet, her reason for cutting PP's funding was Komen's new policy to no longer give grants to organizations under governmental investigation. Mother Jones reported (2/2/12) that Komen granted Penn State $7.5 million for cancer research. Penn State is under federal investigation for the Sandusky sexual abuse allegations (for possible Cleary Act violations). Will Komen be consistent and pull that funding? Bet not.

+18 # michelle 2012-02-03 10:40

Brilliant the comparison to Penn State. Thanks, I didn't even think of that one. Again just brilliant.

+39 # BobbyD1 2012-02-02 22:15

They are all about money. Once tried to get health-related product on their website. Everything was progressing nicely until they asked for $10K up front in advance of their revenue sharing from sales of our product. Things came to an abrupt halt. Nice folks.

+35 # mhog jones 2012-02-02 22:20

Because 861,000 police officers and detectives simply cannot control 157.2 million women, if those women refuse to cooperate.

+52 # angelfish 2012-02-02 22:23

Sisters, UNITE against the Komen Foundation if they continue to support this BACKWARD march dictated to them by Newbie Ultra-conservative Neanderthals who have nothing better to do than interfere into the PRIVATE Medical issues of strangers! How DARE they? Hit them where it hurts, Sisters. Do NOT donate to their sorry cause any more! Instead, send your donations DIRECTLY to Planned Parenthood and support our poorer, less fortunate sisters who NEED these services!

+38 # cordleycoit 2012-02-02 22:32

Sounds like Komen is doing a Twitter, committing suppku with a butter knife. When a large organization loses it's mission they tend to die in a most ugly fashion. Charities have to have open records so it will not be too hard for the investigative men and women to find out what went wrong, who did what to turn the torpedo on a return course. Another Repug circular firing squad.

+51 # LML 2012-02-02 22:39

And this is what I wrote to Komen this afternoon:

"I am deeply disappointed - yes, disgusted -- by the Komen Foundation's caving in to the demands of the misogynist far right and the Komen Foundation's decision to stop support for Planned Parenthood.

DON'T EVER ASK ME FOR MONEY AGAIN and also please see to it that I am taken off ALL local and national mailing lists, whether email, snail mail or any other means of contacting me.
I no longer wish to be contacted by the Komen Foundation for ANY REASON WHATSOEVER -- including a reply to this email with some mealy-mouthed excuses for this decision.

Please be so kind as to forward this email on to your national headquarters.
Thank you.

Sincerely etc..."

I also note for the record that the only responses to RSN's article so far judging by the names are all aparently of the feminine gender.
Please step up guys!!!!

+38 # Glen 2012-02-03 06:48

No worries, LML, the guys are as worried and angry, but probably will not be as vocal as women. They will go about things in another way, though. Powerful groups are taking down every decent citizen organization in this country, one at a time. As we have noted, prior, women are an easy target when insulting and decimating any society. Attacks on women are like the canary in the coal mine - we've been warned.

+39 # Todd Williams 2012-02-03 07:34

Hey, I'm a dude and I've posted twice! This is an issue of personal freedom and not even of gender, although I know it affects women. I wouldn't want anybody telling me what to do with my genitals. Men need to step up to the plate as much or more than women. I have always been pro choice and will contue speaking to anybody who will listen. We must stop this assault on freedom of choice over the human body!

+50 # Regina 2012-02-02 23:03

I hope that the prime mover of the Komen Foundation, Susan G. Komen's own sister, wakes up soon to what has happened to her project -- it has been taken over, and is now being used, by the Republican Party in their war against women. Karen Handel is a political plant who should NEVER have been handed the job of directing Komen, because she is NOT interested in its purpose, she is just advancing her own. She intends to parlay it into a return to political office following her recent defeat by pulling off a stunt dear to the right-wing Mafia. The handy "investigation" that was used as the basis for the defunding is similarly a put-up job, an excuse for the defunding that's as valid as a $3 bill. The writer of this article is correct -- the ultimate purpose of these ultra-extremists is to revert American women to their 19th century status. But the response of thousands in supporting Planned Parenthood and withdrawing support from Komen is heartening indeed. We're more than incubators, and we're not going back to the days when we weren't.

+3 # Texas Aggie 2012-02-04 19:09

There is a web page that unfortunately I forget, but maybe can be googled, that lists the finances of practically all the charities in the US. It lists the administrative costs along with the amount that the charity brings in and costs related to getting donations. Their post for Komen is eye opening, but what is really startling is the list of archived comments by people who have dealt with Komen since long before the present contretemps. It seems that long ago they "progressed" from being a charity to being a fount of the good life for their top staff and all the unpleasant behavior that is associated with corporations like Bain these days.

+38 # cvahr2 2012-02-02 23:25

Soooo, after Rep. Stearns' congressional investigation into Planned Parenthood wastes a couple of million taxpayer dollars to discover that there was nothing to investigate, I wonder what new "policy change" Karen Handel will invent to justify not funding Planned Parenthood. For shame!!

+40 # npeppin 2012-02-02 23:28

My mother also died of breast cancer. I will never support this organization again since they have been overrun by the regressive bullies and have pulled their support from Planned Parenthood. But I'm glad to hear that contributions to PP in one day have almost equaled the SGK financial support.
This political action shows that so-called pro-life regressives don't care if they are anti-life as long as they can bully all women in the long run.

+41 # Larkrise 2012-02-03 00:01

Not only was Far Right ideology involved in this Komen debacle; but I suspect that big money is also involved. Handel is the kind of woman who would have ties to the billionaires that are entrenched in Far Right causes and bigotry. I also suspect this was one reason she was hired. Komen had to know their actions would bring on a considerable backlash and bad publicity. If they didnt realize it, all of the Board should resign. Thus, they had to have fiscal confidence in their decision. They have decided they can carry on, backlash be damned, because the price was right. Whether we will ever know the truth of this is debatable, but I smell billionaire Far Right donor(s) somewhere in this mess.They want to control the schools,destroy civil rights, and purchase the government for their own fiefdom. Sad to say, they have gotten rather far along with their agenda. What's a few more millions to destroy Planned Parenthood or any other organization that helps the disadvantaged. These monsters want slaves, not free citizens. In the end, Komen has planted the seeds of their own destruction. But, dollar signs have most likely blinded them.

+37 # lisamoskow 2012-02-03 01:06

I will call them tomorrow and demand the firing of Karen Handel. Anyway I agree that the pink ribbon commercializing of breast cancer is creepy--I think this feeling has been expressed by many women with breast cancer.

+27 # angelfish 2012-02-03 03:41

Just curious, WHERE are poor women supposed to go for Breast Cancer Screenings? Anybody...?

+33 # SouthBrun 2012-02-03 03:57

Listen up Komen Foundation. REFUSAL IS A TWO WAY STREET. Look to get run over!

+36 # bluescat48 2012-02-03 04:18

When a humanitarian organization that helps families with all types of situations Planned Parenthood, gets stonewalled by narrow minded right-wingers, this country is headed for disaster. This is evident by the Komen foundation's decision. Translation, Screw the poor.

+33 # 666 2012-02-03 04:31

Make SGK know that ALL your money that may have been donated to SGK will now go directly to PP

+39 # Bookmark 7 2012-02-03 05:04

Pierce's article on SGC cutting off Planned Parenthood is right on the mark...if you have ever read Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale you will realize that what the religious right wants is to totally control women and their reproductive rights...read it and you will understand.

+28 # stonecutter 2012-02-03 05:28

What a despicable move on the part of Komen. How is this kind of authoritarian fanaticism any different than Nazism? If they could get away with it, people like Stearns and Handel, with their 17th century puritanical mindset, would bring back the "Scarlet A" for women who've had abortions. I hope Komen suffers appropriate scorn and loss of financial support for this act of cowardice and stone-walling deceit in trying to explain it away, by insulting the intelligence of the nation. Disgusting.

+36 # Todd Williams 2012-02-03 05:55

To me this move indicates something beyond the degrading and horrible position taken against Planned Parenthood. It shows a major offfensive has escalated against the Pro Choice movement; one that targets money. The right wing knows that using money to affect the outcome of the anti-abortion battle is the key to success. Those of us on the left, especially wealthy folks, had better be willing to go the distance and use whatever means to defeat this threat or all women will suffer even more than thought possible.

+40 # artful 2012-02-03 05:58

Thanks for this expression of outrage. What esle can one say, except that Komen represents a disgusting cave-in to the Christian Taliban, who are busily attempting to impose theor own form of Sharia law on this country. They are a mean-spirited, totally disgusting bunch of idiotic thugs.

+24 # Todd Williams 2012-02-03 07:01

You hit it on the head, artful. Christian Taliban imposing their form of Sharia Law in the US. What's next? Honor killings of women who got abortions? This is decidedly fucked up and we should all fight back through e-mail, phone calls, donating money, etc. Whatever it takes. I for one am sick and tired of the right wing telling me how to live my life. Who in the hell do they think they are? This fight is rapidly coming to a head.

-8 # Billy Bob 2012-02-03 08:26

A rhetorical question: Would you call terrorists "thugs" or "mean-spirited"? Just curious.

+7 # Billy Bob 2012-02-03 11:13

I had a hunch I'd get a negative for that. It's a rhetorical question. I have a reason for asking it. I didn't want to reveal it until I got the answer, but I will.

In the neighborhood where I grew up, a victim of bullying would never refer to the perpetrator as a "bully" or a "thug" or as "mean-spirited". Those would be taken as unintended compliments. You'd be saying, in effect, "he's a badass and I'm a wuss. I was bested by someone more manly than myself."

I know I'm not the only one who cringes when I hear left-wingers use these descriptions of the right. Think about it. When do you EVER hear the news media refer to Islamic terrorists as "mean-spirited" or "thugs"? Answer: NEVER. We don't want to give them an unintended "congratulations ". We call them terrorists and refer to their "cowardice" and question their manhood every chance we get.

When saddam hussein was refered to as "sad-damn", it was no accident. Apparently, in Arabic "sad-damn" is an insult to his manhood. That insult contained perfect deniability. Afterall, bush jr. could barely pronounce his OWN name. But, it was no accident. Right-wingers know how to win fights. Part of that is admitting that you're in one.

+2 # KittatinyHawk 2012-02-03 15:41

We are in a fight the day we are conceived, the rest of our life we are in battles. The War is never over.

Labeling People only give them credibility.
But for us to communicate, vent, we use words. The others use Actions, those may speak louder than Words...the purpose would be to teach us not to do the Action again. But because it was an Action, usually not a good one we use excuses filled with meaningless words and expression.

Actions should not have to happen. But Greed, Power no matter whose, no matter what label always seems to want to play the Part of Dominatrix no matter Religious or Political thru time. We try to speak out to teach but our words are not heard because Action is all they want.

Death, Disposal, Destruction is all they know. We the intelligent, the belief carriers know only words, prayer, song, love. Disparage us not, we shall win in the end because there shall be an end as there was most certainly a beginning. Action will see to it.

+3 # Billy Bob 2012-02-03 19:09

I agree. I just think we need to be strategic in the battle of words. That's one battle we have no excuse for losing.

+2 # kelly 2012-02-03 13:59

I would call a terrorist: anti-social or even psychopathic. Bullies are more toward the anti-social terrorists are closer to the psycho-pathic. It takes a certain amount of cold-bloodedness of spirit...a lack of empathy, if you will, to do what these people do. What did the original Americans call the British when they overthrew them to gain rights? Is this not the same? We simply ask for control over our bodies' health.

+3 # KittatinyHawk 2012-02-03 15:34

All of the above and more..mostly inbred morons. Terrorists I am still trying to find out who are the Terrorists. I am still trying to distinguish who are the Heathens.

Was always the Rich and Powerful that sacrificed the children and women. The Working Class and Poor always put them first. Amazing the class distinction between the truly civilized and those trying to buy being civilized.

You either are born with virtue or you learn it. Those who are Greed are like those in Dante's inferno...will never see the light. You just cannot buy it.

+4 # KittatinyHawk 2012-02-03 15:29

Amen It is time we all stop allowing anymore mutilations to women/children, start showing more and more pictures of the Holier than Nothing who stone women.

Stop allowing any person to be treated like slime. Perhaps it is time for those who are in this mentality to visit Dante's Inferno.

We are all Equal according to Bible, God, Jesus. Move over or onward..because we are not backing down.

+18 # Portland Johnny 2012-02-03 06:42

Perhaps these right wing control freaks might be better served exploring and developing their own sexuality rather than trying to control everyone else's. It'd be a happier world, maybe even for them.

+13 # buster 2012-02-03 06:48

I sent the 1-877-465-6636 and news@komen.org to every woman in my address book. Please do the same.

+26 # Billy Bob 2012-02-03 07:49

I know this is a liberal web site, so I'd assume not many of us are into fighting or boxing. Still, think about that headline:

"THE PLANNED PARENTHOOD JIHAD"

That's a work of beauty. We need to encourage each other in our talking points. That's the real purpose of these comment threads, I think.

"JIHAD" is a BEAUTIFUL word to use against the right-wing:

-It's 100% honest about what they're up to.
-It twists the oratorical knife right where it hurts them, because they HATE Islam and anything that even reminds them of it.
-It FORCES them to go on the defensive about the fact that THEY RESEMBLE the Islamic right-wing who have pretty much the same agenda, and only slightly more violent tactics to get its way against the wishes of the rest of the world.

Make no mistake, the people behind this attack on the poor and middle-class are no different than the right-wing TERRORISTS who do their dirty work.

Think of all the faith and good will, not to mention good intentioned financial donations that have been squandered and spat at by this political act.

This truly is nothing more than a JIHAD by the phony self-described "Christian" taliban.

+8 # Billy Bob 2012-02-03 07:55

Oh, I forgot to finish the fighting analogy. In boxing you'll notice that many blocks are ALSO PUNCHES. You'll also notice that one of the prime objectives in martial arts is to use your opponents force against them. In Kung Fu punches your opponent throws are allowed to follow through so his face will meet your fist with that much more momentum.

This is no different. ALL OF THE HATRED generated at Islam by these very same people, it is claimed has to do with the "anti-freedom" and "anti-American" beliefs and actions of right-wing Islamic extremists. These same people are rarely forced to acknowledge the fact that they're guilty of the exact same thing.

Calling them "JIHADISTS" forces them on the defensive on multiple levels at once. It also stings, because they know there's at least a shred of truth to it.

I think it should become part of the left-wing lexicon of go-to talking points we use against them. I plan to start using it myself. If it offends them, then I know it's serving it's purpose.

+16 # ltsnh1941@gmail.com 2012-02-03 08:03

Thanks for the e-mail address. As a person of male gender with two daughters I whole-heartedly support pro-choice and Planned Parenthood. I just send an e-mail to the Komen people saying that unless the rescind their recent action I will not only not support them, but will formally oppose them. Perhaps they've gone over to the "dark-side".

+16 # Trish42 2012-02-03 08:09

Why don't we get a congressman to look into the finances of the Komen foundation? I've heard that a very small percentage from those walks/runs goes to breast cancer research anyway. Just give your $ to PP from now on.
Did anyone see the interview that Andrea Mitchell did with Nancy Brinker (of SGK). I actually felt sorry for Mitchell because she apparently was pretty close with Brinker in the past.
What a betrayal to every woman!!

+10 # fiona 2012-02-03 09:11

Quoting

I've heard that a very small percentage from those walks/runs goes to breast cancer research anyway. Just give your $ to PP from now on.

Definitely, give directly to PP. Support PP's work and smack down the "Christian" Right that has made PP their favorite group to hate.

But ALSO -- please remember that there are other worthy organizations that do research and support women with breast cancer. The American Cancer Society does excellent work.

+2 # allie 2012-02-03 08:37

Lo and Behold, this in from CNN news:
"Susan G. Komen for the Cure to restore Planned Parenthood breast cancer screening funds, Sen. Frank Lautenberg says. "

+6 # Lolanne 2012-02-03 09:18

Quoting

Lo and Behold, this in from CNN news:
"Susan G. Komen for the Cure to restore Planned Parenthood breast cancer screening funds, Sen. Frank Lautenberg says. "

They have done so, thankfully. A news item posted around 11:30 EST on CNN says Komen funding has been restored to PP. Credo said more than 250,000 of their members signed their petition, and I'm sure they got a lot of other petitions as well. Power in numbers, folks! It bears watching, but it looks like we won this round at least!

+6 # KittatinyHawk 2012-02-03 15:44

Now PP should be receiving funds from now on not to need this phony organization. May SGK lose its Incorporation and Foundation Too many good local organizations struggling daily trying to help people. donate to them

+6 # Texas Aggie 2012-02-04 19:35

Unless there has been further movement since yesterday (Friday, 2 Feb), they've done nothing of the kind. They couldn't cut off funding that had already been signed for without facing breach of contract suits in court that they had no prayer of winning. What they had done was tell PP that they weren't going to ever get anymore funding in the future.

Brinker's "apology" essentially said that politics had no connection to their decision (yeah, right) and that the response they had gotten had been overwhelmingly positive (double yeah, right). What they compromised on was now they wouldn't automatically cut off organizations who hadn't yet been convicted of wrong-doing instead of cutting them off once some knucklehead (ref. Stearns) started an investigation. They said that PP was free to submit proposals for grants in the future, but she didn't even hint that these grant proposals wouldn't go straight into the paper shredder.

No, folks. Komen hasn't backed down a bit. They've just put some lipstick and a bit of eye shadow on their swine.

+13 # Holyone 2012-02-03 10:07

Who cares? the damage is done and these people cannot be trusted with the lives and health of Women.They played their cards and were really quite adamant about it, until they saw THEIR funds being cut.

+18 # michelle 2012-02-03 10:37

Koman issued this statemment, "We do not want our mission marred or affected by politics - anyone's politics." Well Koman who cast the first stone?

Not enough for me. They need to fire Karen Handel. I don't want to see her resign with a fat severance pay check financed by donations. I want her fired. If you read the Koman statement carefully you will notice they do not apologize and imply that the people pushing back are the ones who politicized this issue. Really!! While they are at it they can fire the CEO Nancy Brinker who lied today saying Handel had nothing to do with the decision.

The people of this country have had it up to here. Our votes may no longer count but our dollars still do. Dollars are our power base, the club we use to pound on corporate America. Use them folks, use them every time these right wingers come after us.

+11 # Billy Bob 2012-02-03 14:26

I agree with you and Holyone. This isn't over by a longshot. This is just Komen trying to manipulate the news cycle. Don't let them get away with diverting our attention away from them until they fix it by doing some firing.

+12 # wwway 2012-02-03 08:48

Romney or Gingrich may seem like really inappropriate candidates for president but they are honest in telling Americans what they really think of women and the poor and middle class in particular.
Middle class Americans who vote Republican are chickens for Col. Sanders and I can't figure out why that is.

+15 # wwway 2012-02-03 09:05

Just out. Komen reversed it's decision to end funding for Planned Parenthood. Personally, Komen has broken my trust. From now on all of my women's health related donations are all going to PP.

+4 # Texas Aggie 2012-02-04 19:45

If you want to really raise your ire, actually read Brinker's statement and analyze what she said. No where does she actually say that they will give anything to PP beyond what their contracts already obligate them to give. Once those contracts come to an end, I sincerely doubt that Komen will give them anything, and any grant proposals that PP sends will go straight into the round file.

Then look up their history as related by some of the comments of people who have dealt with them in the past long before the most recent unpleasantness began. Also look at how much they hand out relative to how much they take in, and ask yourself why your money that you worked for and sacrificed to donate should go to making Brinker and Handel, among others, wealthy? Then go and donate to groups that actually do some good, like PP, but there are others, as opposed to the middle men who do it for a living like Komen.

+17 # Holyone 2012-02-03 10:02

If Komen did not have a plan to defund Planned Parenthood, why did they hire that woman who ran for public office on Anti-Womens health issues?

No, this goes deeper than pressure from the Right.They "hired" the Right to get the job done. This is a frontal attack on Planned Parenthood because they thwart Right-wing men from keeping Women "Pregnant and Barefoot" and in the kitchen where they say women belong. Women have "forgotten their place".

This Komen Foundationthat, we now see more clearly, does not care if Women die in order to carry out the Right wing agenda that is being championed by the REPUBLICAN PARTY.

Let us order an investigation into how Komen spends their money, as suggested in an eariler comment

Enough said.

+8 # Billy Bob 2012-02-03 14:38

The only thing I disagree with was your comment, "Enough said".

You need to speak up MORE. I'm a pretty loud loudmouth on this site and even I hadn't thought about what you just pointed out. Komen is a political front group for the repugnant party - plain and simple. I didn't have the sticker, but I had donated. I'm ashamed that I ever did it now. I won't make that mistake again.

repugs will use any weapon they can think of. The push to bomb Iran could be fronted by a group called "LIberals for Puppies". It doesn't matter. Words are weapons.

The only "cure" Komen is interested in is a cure for religious freedom.

+11 # fredboy 2012-02-03 10:04

Please don't confuse born again right-to-life nut cases with Christianity. They are anything but Christian, and in most cases their beliefs are anti-Christian. The J was the most liberal guy in his era, and I'd bet if he were here today he'd side with women's--and everyone's--rights and celebrate freedom and individual liberty.

+9 # jwb110 2012-02-03 10:18

Lysistrata should be required reading for women in America. If you don't like the direction the country is going follow Lysistrata's lead. There is a saying in Sicily that one hair from between a woman's legs can drap a ship to the bottom of the ocean. A thing of love can also be a weapon of war. You go, girls!!!

+11 # Windy126 2012-02-03 10:33

All of you guys out there are also at risk for breast cancer. Ask your MD to check you when you go for a physical. Google it and find out the stats.
Planned Parenthood has a long an illustrious reputation for doing good. Thanks for supporting them.
How much more stupidity do we have to take from our elected officials before we start tossing them out of office?

+3 # KittatinyHawk 2012-02-03 15:50

Yes women are the usual candidates but men get same diseases as we do, we them, even prostate cancer can come to us.

Get check up, and let the fore play be awareness. My spouse had lumps removed in 70's luckily he was fine, but who would have thought. My doctor was not new age, just very thorough, understanding ...Disease knows no boundaries. I noticed the lumps, yu can save lives and have fun too!

+13 # angelfish 2012-02-03 14:54

Isn't amazing how the Power of the People can make them cave? Don't be fooled, however, if they can be this capricious there is NO reason to ever trust them again. Send all your donations DIRECTLY to Planned Parenthood so you KNOW it will be put to good use!

+3 # lilyfur985 2012-02-04 11:01

The plot thickens. Ari Fleischer is also involved:http://www.alternet.org/newsandviews/article/775124/george_w._bush_pal_ari_f leischer_secret ly_involved_in_ komen_strategy_ on_planned_pare nthood/#disqus_thread

+2 # davehaze 2012-02-04 15:41

What is wrong with Korman and most of the procancer foundations is that they hedge on whether toxins or the environment have anything to do with disease. They err on the side of bafflement and unproven theory. They tend to blame lifestyle. They love to blame smoking!

+3 # tomo 2012-02-05 09:15

I realize it's the abortion issue that's the target when funds are withdrawn from Planned Parenthood. But it is not Planned Parenthood that gives women a right to control their bodies; nature does that. And it is not Planned Parenthood that provides legal protection for this right; federal law does that. It seems to me dreadfully counter-productive to wage holy war against an organization whose purpose is to encourage people to be responsible in the decisions they make about bringing children into the world. It is not a wild and crazy idea, but rather the sober hypothesis of many a biologist and sociologist that our frictions and wars-to-the-death are currently being fomented by competition over resources. As the resources are used, they tend to dwindle; and as the numbers of consumers increase, the heated contest over dwindling resources tends toward an ignition point. If you're crazy about war, I guess you should hate Planned Parenthood--since it works to defuse this lethal process by slowing the increase of competitors. If you hate war, you should be an advocate of planned parenthood--and, by extension I would think, of Planned Parenthood.

+1 # vertglnt 2012-02-06 18:15

SGK not only defunded Planned Parenthood,
but embryonic stem cell research, I belive last November.
http://www.care2.com/causes/susan-g-komen-foundation-also-stops-funding-embryonic-stem-cell-research.html

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