The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation can give its money to whomever it wants. No problem with that. I can, too. No more pink ribbons for me. And, while I’m at it, I think I’ll avoid purchasing anything with the Komen pink labels. Money talks. Money walks. The American way.
This week, the Associated Press reporter David Crary broke the story that the Komen foundation had stopped funding Planned Parenthood. Komen said it did so because Planned Parenthood was under investigation, which it is. Under investigation by several anti-abortion U.S. Congressmen who are determined to do in Planned Parenthood.
Not surprisingly, the decision called out the abortion hardliners. On one side, the so-called pro-lifers; on the other, the so-called pro-choicers. But, there were other responses, more measured and more on-point. Like that of New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg who offered up $250,000 in matching money for those contributing to Planned Parenthood. For the Big Apple mayor, this is about equity in access to women’s health care.
I’m with the mayor. So, no more Yoplait with its cute pink and silver tops in my refrigerator. I’ll defend Komen’s right to give its money – political or otherwise — as its board sees fit. I don’t however, have to give mine to Komen.
So, I’ll write a check to Planned Parenthood. And, I’ll write another to the American Cancer Society. I won’t sign up for Komen breast cancer events, golf outings, bike rides or group walks.
I can, however, sign up for Rockford Woman Magazine’s Victory Lap Brunch and the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer Walk. Those two Rock River Valley events aren’t associated with the Komen foundation.
Komen says this was neither a pro-life or political call. That it was all about its policy on not funding organizations being investigated. There are investigations and there are investigations. Surely the Komen folks are smart enough to know that Congressional probe is political theater.
I’ve paid scant attention to Planned Parenthood since the days back in the 1970s when, as a novice reporter, I used to cover them. Komen did Planned Parenthood a huge favor. By pulling its funding, Komen tapped a lot of folks like me on the shoulder and said: Hey, if you don’t pay attention, there’s not going to be a Planned Parenthood.
Would you also defend my right to stop paying taxes because I don’t want tax money spent on abortions?
In the meantime, I agree that it’s great that we can vote and spend money as we see fit (after taxes). Your column made me check out Susan G. Komen, and I will start donating to them. As a single man with no daughters and no breasts, I can’t say that Komen’s work touches me directly… but they seem like a force for good in the world, and I’m not a dumb binary thinker who throws the baby out with the bathwater.
By the way, the Komen site has some new information that you might find interesting, unless you have already programmed your browser to block komen.org.
My response is to Dan. Your tax dollars do not pay for abortions – it is prohibited by law. It’s called the Hyde Amendment and it’s been in place since the 70′s.
I did not support Komen because they gave funds to Planned Parenthood. PP does a lot of good. I appreciate their stance on providing birth control, the free services that they offer to less fortunate women, and the medical services they provide (minus abortion). However, I cannot in good conscience allow my donated money to go towards an organization that provides something I do not believe is right (even if it only makes up 3% of their services), nor do I want to donate money to an organization that advocates and lobbies for the evil that is partial-birth abortion.