Tuesday, March 19, AD 2024 12:20am

Komen Foundation Reverses Course, Promises to Keep Funding Planned Parenthood [UPDATED AGAIN]

UPDATED AGAIN: Susan G. Komen Foundation Did Not Reverse Course, But It’s an Epic P.R. Disaster on Their Part – Tito Edwards, The American Catholic

The last two days have been a huge publicity storm for the Komen Foundation as supporters and opponents of abortion squared off over the foundation’s decision to stop providing grants to Planned Parenthood to fund breast cancer exams. Today, Komen apparently decided that offending the pro-abortion half of the country wasn’t enough, and decided to offend the pro-life half as well by reversing their decision and pledging to continue funding Planned Parenthood:

“We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligiblity to appy for future grants,” Nancy G. Brinker, the agency’s ambassador, said in a statement.

“We want to apologize to the American public for recent decisions that cast doubt upon our commitment to our mission of saving women’s lives.”

In addition to disgust that the pro-aborts got their way on this one, I have to say that I’m simply staggered by the utter PR incompetence of this whole circus. Perhaps the hope on Komen’s part had been that they could drop Planned Parenthood quietly and thus widen their support base without offending pro-aborts. Whatever the thinking that led to this high profile flip-flop, the result is not merely the appearance of lacking principle but also that those with strong feelings on both sides are now deeply distrustful of the organization.

UPDATE: LifeSiteNews is claiming (on the basis of statements by Austin Ruse of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute) that this is all basically smoke screen on the part of the Komen Foundation in order to get Planned Parenthood off their backs, and that all they’re doing is promising to allow Planned Parenthood to continue applying for grants (at which point they may well not select them.)

Austin Ruse, the president of the Catholic Family and Human Rights Institute, who has been very closely following the Komen decision-making process, told LifeNews that the statement is not really a change in position but he says the sentence “We will continue to fund existing grants, including those of Planned Parenthood, and preserve their eligibility to apply for future grants, while maintaining the ability of our affiliates to make funding decisions that meet the needs of their communities” is “troubling” for pro-life advocates.

“This represents nothing new. We have known and have reported that they are continuing five grants through 2012. This is a reference to that. The second clause about eligibility is certainly true. Any group can apply for anything. It does not mean they are going to get anything,” Ruse told LifeNews.

“What this is is an effort to get the mafia off of their backs. As James Taranto said in the Wall Street Journal yesterday, this is a classic shakedown operation. Give us money or we will destroy you. This is Komen’s attempt to save their organization, which we should know is in peril. Our side should know that nothing has changed.”

Jill Stanek, a pro-life blogger, also says pro-life advocates should not give up on Komen yet.

“If Planned Parenthood is found guilty of criminal investigations, several of which are ongoing around the states (Medicaid fraud in Texas and California; fraudulent reporting and illegal abortions in Kansas, and yes, the federal Congressional investigation, etc.), Komen’s criteria will still disqualify Planned Parenthood from receiving grants, as it should,” Stanek says. “This is Komen’s attempt to get the abortion mafia off their backs. Planned Parenthood and its thugs have engaged in typical shakedown: Give us money or we will destroy you.”

Ruse responded to that saying those grants will very likely be the last Komen makes to the abortion business.

“Komen has five outstanding grants going out this year to Planned Parenthood. We have known about them all along. After that, the door is shut,” Ruse said. “Nothing has changed since the decision was made in December to defund Planned Parenthood after these grants are finished.”

“Could these Planned Parenthood groups apply for future grants? Of course they could. Anyone can apply for anything. Will they get them? Highly unlikely for two reasons,” Ruse added. “First, Komen’s new policy says they do not fund groups that are under investigation or groups that do not provide primary care of women or research.”

“Second, Planned Parenthood’s vicious attacks against Susan G. Komen for the Cure has engendered a great deal of hurt and anger inside the organization,” Ruse told LifeNews. “Quite simply, Planned Parenthood is utilizing a scorched earth policy against Komen and burning all their bridges. Funding will never come back to them. Keep in mind also, that Nancy Brinker may be trying to make conciliatory gestures to her former friends. But she is discovering what we have known all along, that Planned Parenthood are dishonest thugs.”

Frankly, I don’t know whether I buy this or not, and even if it’s true it seems to me that the double talk is only going to hurt them more. However, one can only wait and see.

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Dante alighieri
Admin
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:11am

Sadly predictable, and as you say, now they’re probably going to take flak from both sides. What’s more, the attention they have drawn to themselves over the past few days is really going to damage them in the long-run. I’m sure many pro-lifers were otherwise unaware of their connection to Planned Parenthood. Now they sure are, and this retreat in the face of adversity is going to make the rest of us even more opposed to their organization.

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Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:24am

[…] Komen Foundation Reverses Course, Promises to Keep Funding Planned Parenthood – DarwinCatholic, The American Catholic […]

Jenny
Jenny
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:36am

So I wonder if the people who donated in the wake of the earlier decision can get their money back?

Woody
Woody
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:36am

Now everyone, including bishops, of every Catholic diocese in the country know the connection between Komen and PP. There is no reason that ANY Catholic diocese should support Komen now.

Darwin
Darwin
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:40am

Yeah, I’d seen a news story last night that Komen donations were up 100% over their normal run rate since the announcement they were breaking with Planned Parenthood. The way they betrayed all that good will is pretty shocking.

trackback
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:43am

[…] Komen Reverses Course, Will Fund Planned Parenthood – DC, […]

Paul W. Primavera
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:44am

Folks,

The liberals who dominate in this country will not give up abortion or homosexual sodomy without civil war. They will continue until they begin to martyr Christians in the same way that they currently murder unborn babies. That being said, yes, we should and must work for a peaceful victory, and that requires prayer and fasting as well as letter writing to one’s political respresentatives and vigils outside of abortuaries. But we can’t kid ourselves any longer. The blood shed from the womb is sadly going to spread.

PS, I do NOT advocate violence. That is exactly what these murderers want. But they will force violence on the born just as they are on the unborn. And yes, I would be overjoyed to be wrong and see this defeated starting this November 6th. But it looks like Donald’s Weathervane (well, he’s not Donald’s but I like Donald’s description) will be the candidate and that likely spells victory for the Obamanation of Desolation. If he wins, then the hammer will fall and fall hard indeed.

Michael P
Michael P
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:48am

The pressure to cave has probably been enormous for those in the C-level ranks at SGK. I keep on thinking how it would have been easier for them if they had done this transition differently or slower. But what in the heck does breast cancer treatment and cure have to do with abortions besides the A-BC link? Why would SGK get in bed with PP in the first place? Is it a general sweeping “women’s health” thing? Unfortunately my conclusion is that SGK has made their bed and now they have to lie or die in it.

Foxfier
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 12:08pm

Paul Z- exactly what I was going to say. I’ve already had one person who is not in the least bit ignorant mention he had no clue Komen funds went to PP.

Paul W.- My bet is that the first open, deadly violence will be against those who make pro-aborts feel guilty.

Paul W. Primavera
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 12:15pm

Foxfier,

Lord have mercy, Christ have mercy…..

Tito Edwards
Admin
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 12:26pm

Darwin,

Nobody buys that argument (well almost nobody), but the majority of us don’t.

It’s a Public Relations disaster on an epic scale if this is a nuanced statement.

Hey Darwin, read the email I sent you so you can know what’s up (soon).

🙂

Paul W. Primavera
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 12:41pm

I appreciate the clarifications and updates that have been made by Life Site News. I am still not giving any money to the Komen Foundation until all existing financing stops. I acknowledge that appearances indicate Planned Parenthood is “victimizing” its benefactor once upon a time. This is typical for a liberal Democrat individual, and for a liberal Democrat organization. The bottom line is this: these people (not necessarily the Komen Foundation, but the liberal Democrats, especially those in Planned Parenthood) want to wallow in lust like a baboon, getting their genitals titillated whenever they wish, and if that results in a pregnancy, then they want to murder the result of that pregnancy and have the murder financed by someone other than themselves. And if they get venereal disease or AIDS from their sexual promiscuity, then they want nanny government to pay for the hospital bills and medications. But they will forever abuse us with that red herring: “Men get away with it, why can’t women?” The answer, of course, is simple: if a man causes a pregnancy, then he is responsible to support woman and child for the next 18 years and 9 months. Anything less is immoral, and God’s wrath will one day descend on his head. No one gets away with it. God treats everyone equally according to their deeds. Indeed, unwanted pregnancy (that these people say necessitates abortion) is always prevented by abstinence. No one died from ever NOT having sexual intercourse. But these people would rather behave like wild dogs and then tell us how much they revere science, reason and logic when they can’t even control their own passions. They reject that they have been created in the image and likeness of God Himself, and as St. Paul writes in the first chapter of his epistle to the Church at Rome, God hands them over to their depraved indifference.

But I suspect that I am writing to the choir.

T. Shaw
T. Shaw
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 12:52pm

PP is highly effective at preventing breast cancer.

Approximately 100% of murdered babies have not contracted breast cancer.

Kill for the cure!

Caren
Caren
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 2:05pm

The public retraction of SGK’s position to not fund PP is akin to Judas betraying Jesus for his 30 pieces of silver. That didn’t work out well either.

trackback
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 2:34pm

[…] The Susan G. Komen Foundation did not reverse course as many have thought, suggested, or commented all over the Interwebs today. […]

Linda
Linda
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 7:40pm

At least now more people are made aware of the link between Komen and Planned Parenthood and when the time comes later this year people will not be as willing to donate to Komen.It seems like each year more and more stores and business get on the bandwagon of Komen cause.

Elaine Krewer
Admin
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 7:55pm

For at LEAST 10 years, and probably more, I have been aware that Komen gave money to Planned Parenthood; it was a regular topic of letters to the editor in the Catholic newspaper I worked for, and I knew of several Catholic schools and institutions that would not endorse Race for the Cure or similar events due to that connection. That connection has been controversial for years and has probably cost Komen millions in potential donations. No one in the lame stream media bothered to cover that! Combine that with the fact that NO ONE goes to PP for mammograms (all they do, at best, is referrals) and one would think the sensible, non-controversial thing for them to have done would have been to drop PP years ago. Then when they finally do, all of a sudden it’s front page news and a humongous controversy?

I agree that the most recent statement by Komen does NOT necessarily mean they have “caved.” They have NOT said they will fund PP, they have merely said PP will continue to be ELIGIBLE to apply for grants instead of being told they should no longer bother even applying. However, eligibility to apply for a grant is no guarantee of getting one.

JUANITA
JUANITA
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 9:20pm

just when I hoped Komen had come to their senses. this shows the power and pull of evil,esp by the responses of some donors such as the mayor of NYC. we need to pray for everyone’s conversion before they implode upon themselves.

Patti Panara
Patti Panara
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 10:09pm

Only remaining donor to the Susan G. Komen Foundation: New Coke.

Jeremy Hendry
Jeremy Hendry
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 10:40pm

“Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations.” (Jeremiah 1:5 )

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Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:09pm

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Miriam
Miriam
Friday, February 3, AD 2012 11:13pm

Women are advised to get mammagrams to help early detection of breast cancer, yet Planned Parenthood hardly does any.

PP is in practice promoting and supporting teen age promiscuity and providing abortions, 300,000 a year, with the USA has the highest teen pregnancy in the world. The sex contraception culture has separated the conception of a human being from sex, made women sex objects, abuse and human trafficking, as well as infidelity and uncommitted men to marriage.

Over 40 years ago, most teens had personal morals and free of sexually transmitted diseases. It is a crime to destroy the innocence of young people, and accommodate them in sexual activity before they are ready to have a family.

A. GABRIEL
A. GABRIEL
Saturday, February 4, AD 2012 6:36am

I WAS SO VERY PROUD OF kOMEN FOR DROPPING PP. Why they have reversed what they did is beyond me. Now they are a supporter of the wholesale slaughter of the unborn, of creatures with souls from God. I am totally disgusted!

Barbara
Barbara
Saturday, February 4, AD 2012 7:30am

Komen can no longer say, “We don’t give money to Planned Parenthood.” Although some of the Chapters do not give grants to PP, each Chapter must give 25% to the National, who, in turn, gives money to PP.

Because of this firestorm, no one can say, “I didn’t know that Komen gave grant money to Planned Parenthood.” If that money were to be taken away (from Planned Parenthood) and given to clinics that provide mammograms, they would be able to provide valuable services for women, without aborting innocent children as well.”

Despite the efforts to publicize the non-abortion related services within the Planned Parenthood Federation, it is clear that the driving force behind the business is abortion. Abortion must be the most lucrative item on Planned Parenthood’s agenda, hence its mandate to force affiliates to perform abortions or refer for abortion by 2013.

I do disagree with claims that the money given by the federal government is kept separate. Every dollar the government gives Planned Parenthood for services like cancer screenings frees money for abortions. Mechanisms to segregate these funds are mere accounting gimmicks and funding schemes.

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