Why This Is Important
Susan G. Komen for the Cure has announced that it will withdraw from partnerships with Planned Parenthood affiliates in response to pressure from anti-abortion activists.
This means Planned Parenthood will no longer receive grants that are vital to its operation, thereby jeopardizing its ability to provide services like birth control, testing for sexually transmitted diseases and cancer screenings.
According to a report by NPR, Planned Parenthood centers performed more than 4 million breast exams over the past five years – including nearly 170,000 as a result of Komen grants.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is an organization that improves and saves the lives of women. So is Planned Parenthood. It is absolutely vital that they continue to work together.
Please tell Susan G. Komen for the Cure to stop caving under conservative pressures and to continue to protect the health of women everywhere.
Please go here for the Petition:
Message from me, Annie:
I just created my very first petition: Susan G. Komen for the Cure: Continue your support of Planned Parenthood, because I care deeply about this very important issue.
I’m trying to collect 50,000 signatures, and I could really use your help.
To read more about what I’m trying to do and to sign my petition, click here:
It’ll just take a minute!
Once you’re done, please ask your friends to sign the petition as well. Grassroots movements succeed because people like you are willing to spread the word!
Thanks in advance for your support!
{ 27 comments… read them below or add one }
Question ref: statement, please, “jeopardizes birth control” this includes abortions, yes or no? If yes, why cave in by eliminating the real issue, the acid test for any political discussion…abortion rights.
The ink wasn’t dry on Roe v Wade when their (1%) process began to use every possible device, church & state + 501″s, tv, radio, internet, politicians, massive publishing, asshole school board members, celebrities etc. to attack women’s rights.
Women walked into the trap giving them time to mount more and more campaigns to defeat or subdue the most elementary right of the majority of humanity…..most especially young and working class women. Roe v Wade was a step in the right direction but proponents never developed any lasting independent organization worthy of the name (where is NOW?) or the primary focus of women’s rights, reproduction. Today is the penalty women, certainly none in the 1%, are paying for reliance on the snakes in black robes. Depending on the courts, including female judges.
It would be real good to read something that demands rights and militantly fights for them than the usual, these days, “please tell someone or something to change their minds” When has that ever worked? They ain’t the majority, not even close–it is women’s reliance and lack of historical perspective on myth and hyped shills that cause dumb decisions. But women have Boxer and Feinstein in California, boy that will show them won’t it? This is a fight to the death issue. A war we must win. Enough petty, sideways arguments and talking to fools…fools talk to fools..this is the 21 Century, or is it? If abortion rights are not jeopardized , why partner with any group that is not on the front lines to begin with?
Planned Parenthood spent $1.7 million lobbying last year. The Komen grant was less than $700K. They can cover the loss of their grant and help clean up Washington by using their money to fund programs rather than lobbying.
RB- since the right wing victories of 2010, Planned Parenthood has been the object of a McCarthyesque smear campaign waged against it as part of the larger Republican war against women. Remember John Kyle and his not meant to be factual statement about PP on the floor of Congress?
Your statement was meant to be incendiary. It is also clueless. And pecksniffian. The Komen Foundation also spends millions on congressional lobbying http://tiny.cc/wypcx Lobbying for women’s reproductive health and rights seems pretty damn important right now.
But at least you didn’t suggest that PP make up the funding shortfall through the donations of everyone’s salaries there to their cause…
When PP and their followers harm the Komen Foundation, women health will be harmed not helped. PP should do their own fund raising and leave the Komen Foundation alone.
PP is harming the Komen Foundation? Shame shame shame. It is very obvious that American women & men feel very differently about the harm done- PP raised 400K in a day and a half and individuals are withdrawing their support from Kormen. RB- you are entitled to your opinion, but you are not entitled to making up facts about who is being harmed.
RB –
I read your comments and am startled by your ignorance. You make a wildly general statement about how Planned Parenthood is harming Komen. How? Name one documented instance in which this has been the case. I won’t bother waiting for a response, as I imagine I’ll be here all day … and night … and so on.
PP has facilitated 4 million breast exams over the past five years, which has directly helped Komen by furthering their goal of early detection and promoting women’s health. FYI – Nearly 200,000 of those exams were done with the funding provided by Komen, proving their relationship was beneficial.
Also, PP diligently does its own fundraising. The grants it received from Komen totaled just more than $1 million over the past two years – a drop in the bucket compared to what is actually needed to fund their nearly 800 centers nationwide.
The funding they received from Komen was helpful, though it was 100 times more symbolic. Two organizations dedicated to protecting women’s health and providing essential services that support women of all ages, races and economic standings. It was a powerful example of what working together can achieve.
Please refrain from making blanket statements that are so unbelievably callous and uninformed. It serves no purpose for the greater good.
Andrea Mitchell challenged Komen founder Nancy Brinker to provide proof that Planned Parenthood was not meeting the guidelines of the Komen partnership. She could not–or would not–do it. Brinker’s empty assertions that this decision was not political but rather about making sure money went to where it was most useful rang sickeningly hollow.
For what it’s worth: The NOW president predicted that the Susan G. Komen Foundation will either be extinct or exist as a shell of itself in five years, operating at only 10-25% of its current capacity because of this regrettable decision.
See the Andrea Mitchell interview via the link below. It’s a pretty painful interview, and you can tell that Mitchell–one of the most professional and poised journalists in the news biz–is struggling to contain her utter contempt for the move.
Andrea Mitchell with Nancy Brinker, Sen. Patty Murray, and Sen. Barbara Boxer
PP harmed the Komen Foundation? Is that why Komen’s top public health official resigned in protest, along with their LA Director and members of the New York Advisory Board?
Komen made a choice. They took actions on behalf of people who ultimately believe that women are less than than human. Now they can’t even get their lies straight during media interviews.
You got your terminology wrong. It’s “anti-choice activist” not “anti-abortion activist.” The word “abortion” has bad visuals and it’s best to not mention it at all.
Keep abortion safe and legal–accurate, unabridged truth is always the best visual and principled conduct when educating or debating,
Let me clarify, most of the time, men should stfu and follow the lead of our sisters, but sometimes, like now, when the media is trying to make a minority (anti-abortionists) seem invincible when, in fact, they are not and also partnering with the, always concilliatory, weak and faint hearted, be they individuals or foundations, is very risky, and beside the point—–Abortion rights activists–whose got your back, today? That’s the issue, this minute, plus learning from mistakes and stating such, openly, before young women, it’s the best course.
For my part, I say with confidence, there are big numbers of males who can and should be mobilized to get in step behind a new movement of women–how cool, just call the action and we come and follow directions–that’s bliss. A male phone tree ready for action at the call of rad feminists, that”s a sure way to educate boys and VISUALLY fight sexism.
Rick, thanks for your support on this topic, and women’s rights in general! It’s greatly appreciated.
Rick- it is encouraging to hear a male voice support abortion rights. It is easy (or convenient )to forget that Roe V Wade is the law of the land. My perspective is that federal funds should be used for abortion. Period. Trust women. One out of three women get an abortion. It’s not like deciding to get your nails done.
It is unfortunate that the Komen Foundation decision at its heart is really not about a woman’s breast health. (BTW- our breasts aren’t republican or democrat although there are too many testicles out there that are ruby red.). It is clearly the result of an effort to de-fund an organization, PP, which expends no federal funds on the 3% of abortions it provides, but evidently nothing short of putting the organization out of business is enough. So thanks.
Does Planned Parenthood offer mammograms, or do they refer women to places that do offer them? It is however, whether you are pro choice or pro life, undeniable that Planned Parenthood is a very controversial.
From what I’ve been able to google, it doesn’t appear that PP provides mammograms.
PP provides breast exams, often in conjunction with other services. And they teach women how to do their own breast examinations. Women are referred to another facility for a mammogram, outside of the PP network. This is an important point, because women without insurance could not go to those referral agencies and have that procedure covered/ done for free.
It should be noted that our local San Diego Komen Foundation affiliate has come out AGAINST the new grant making policy. http://www.komensandiego.org/
In one day, Planned Parenthood has raised nearly as much money from supporters in this crisis than they receive from Komen all year. So, the right better be careful in what they wish for. This was reported by Rachel Maddow tonight.
That’s the ticket, Planned Parenthood means Freedom of Choice and it is forever linked to abortion, terminate pregnancy rights. but our sister, A.D., is quite correct, r v w is the law and needs be fully enforced, no retreat no surrender, however narrow, de or non-funded. The government, as part of health care, should pay up, on demand. Thank you for the guidance. And yes, the ultra right does recruit for us, so long as this word is spread. The law of unintended consequences.
Rick- let’s permit Planned Parenthood speak for what it means:
Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility, regardless of the individual’s income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or residence.
I don’t quite get where you are going or coming from on this issue.
Thanks for your comments Anna, I do read and listen…on the subject of pregnancies, men make sperm, nothing else, yes? This ain’t there call at Planned Parenthood. That’s just for starters.
Wealthy (1%) women and rich women (you tube Chris Rock on the difference between wealthy and rich), used to have a problem terminating a pregnancy. Let’s start with the first safe and successful, surgical, abortion. I don’t know when or where that was but it happened and not long after well heeled women had a solution as against the 99% (no choice) who got bogged down with child bearing (and still do, world wide). And why was that? Why, low and behold because men (the 1% again) said it was illegal, and voted, it was their “democratic right,” under the U.S. Constitution, to assert and uphold their political power.
Then comes some help (the brief women’s liberation movement) for the bottom rungs of the 99% only to be blunted and ended by, here”s the good part, a democratic vote of men (the 1% as always) in session, near the Potomac River. Democracy for whom? That’s the question and the issue and where I’m going and coming from. A new women’s movement, less the political power of the 1% (male or female) and the orcs who follow their advice, is on the horizon. This time, I hope, help and even pray the majority (women) will settle for nothing less than full emancipation ie, that pregnancy is ever the domain of men or government. Choice? Yes, end of discussion. Hey, to all the dumb dudes, you are not the subject of this question. That’s my attitude.
I think Koman also brought in a great deal as well, increasing its donations by 100% in 1 day. Controversial though the decision was, it seems that everyone made out, including PP judging by the $ they’ve raised. However, with the recent turnaround of Koman, I wonder if they will return the donations sent to them for dropping PP.
It was PP that brought in the nearly the worth of two Komen grants in less than a day. I haven’t seen anything about Komen making off very well in this situation. Do you have a link with that info? I’d be interested to know more.
It was in ze news. Here’s a curious thing: both the LA Times and U-T failed to mention any problem with Komen’s apology or the new scenario in today’s news.
Breaking News- Komen has Caved! http://tiny.cc/x69iy
Careful now. The Brinker’s wording is careful and deliberate. The article sums it up nicely:
To be clear, Komen’s apology is not a promise to renew Planned Parenthood grants. It’s a promise to “continue to fund existing grants” to the organization — which it was already planning on doing — and to make it eligible for future grants. At no point in the press release does Brinker promise that Komen will renew grants to Planned Parenthood.
Me again: It’s a step forward, but I’m wondering if Komen is just postponing the inevitable, hoping the Ameican people will do what we do best – forget.
You are absolutely right about this. If they truly regret what has occurred, they should approve those PP grants right now, as part of the apology. Otherwise we are simply being pinkwashed. I think we will be hearing more from Cecile Richards of Planned Parenthood about this.
Komen is a private organization. It should be able to give grants to whomever it wants.
Felipe- you are quite right. But because they wanted to have it both ways, which is to say they didn’t want to jeopardize any of their contributions, they lacked the honesty and integrity to say we aren’t going to fund PP because we don’t agree with what they do. They should have said that and been willing to kiss us all goodbye. Isn’t that what it means to have principles? I have the right to criticize a private organization that wants my contributions, and bestow or withdraw my support as I see fit.