05 February 2012

Planned Parenthood Needs to Clean House

Now that we're all singing kumbaya again - Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation is giving money to Planned Parenthood - we should take a moment to reflect on the possible reasons why Komen decided to drop funding to Planned Parenthood.

Perhaps it was the fact that Planned Parenthood is under Congressional investigation for it's "use of federal funds and compliance with federal guidelines concerning abortions. Additionally, the Subcommittee is looking into Planned Parenthood’s reporting of sex abuse cases to the proper authorities."

Or perhaps it's because of the "sting" operations done by LiveAction.org showing Planned Parenthood to be staffed by racists. Not that it should be a surprise, Margaret Sanger, Planned Parenthood's founder was a racist herself.

Here's a partial transcript from a call to a Planned Parenthood Development office:
Idaho representative: Autumn Kersey, director of development

Idaho donor: The abortion—I can give money specifically for a black baby, that would be the purpose?

PP Rep: Absolutely. If you wanted to designate that your gift be used to help an African-American woman in need, then we would certainly make sure that the gift was earmarked for that purpose.

Idaho donor: Great, because I really faced trouble with affirmative action, and I don’t want my kids to be disadvantaged against black kids. I just had a baby; I want to put it in his name.

PP Rep: Yes, absolutely.

Idaho donor: And we don’t, you know we just think, the less black kids out there the better.

PP Rep: Understandable, understandable.

Idaho donor: Right. I want to protect my son, so he can get into college

PP Rep: Alright. Excuse my hesitation, this is the first time I’ve had a donor call and make this kind of request, so I’m excited, and want to make sure I don’t leave anything out.
Or that "sting" of those willing to help a pimp with his underage sex ring without calling the authorities?

Or perhaps Planned Parenthood's claim that their clinics provide mammograms when they don't.

None of this looks good. If Planned Parenthood wants to really do some good then they are going to have to do some serious housecleaning. Susan G. Komen Foundation has every right to do what they choose with their money. We saw this week that those who would like to support Komen without supporting Planned Parenthood come out in support of Komen's initial action. We also saw that those who support Planned Parenthood make up the shortfall in the funding that they would have received.

Everyone - individuals and organizations alike - have a right to donate their money to wherever they like. If Komen decided to stop sending their money to Planned Parenthood - it was their right to do so. If an individual decides to send money to Planned Parenthood - it is their right as well.

There have been terrible comments floating around the internet calling the Susan G. Komen Foundation some horrible names. To besmirch this organization is a travesty. All I can say is that it's too bad Komen caved.

You Should Find the Anti-Koman Backlash Disgusting, Even if You're Pro-Choice by Daniel Foster (NRO)

11 comments:

Anonymous said...

OK, Shira, Morris here.Do you have any idea why so many people were actually so pissed off at this Komen fiasco? I'm going to explain it, and I hope that at least you or at least one of your friends actually thinks and goes "OH! THAT's how it works!"
You start your post by sneering at the concept of community. "Singing kumbayah" and it just goes downward into the shitter. What the fuck is wrong with people getting together for a cause? It's just a bunch of smelly hippie 'kumbayah' to you I guess.
What's the cause? Elimination of mortality & morbidity from breast cancer, by methods including early detection, treatment, support, and research. This stuff may sound like a bunch of liberal 'kumbayah' to you, but it works. Numbers prove it, time and time again, disease after disease, this is how you help humanity. The Pink Ribbon campaign isn't the first of it's kind and it won't be the last - this shit dates back to the March of Dimes and you know, none of the kids in my neighborhood seem to be getting polio lately. This shit works.
Now, I don’t know the fine details of your life. But it's been my experience that if you're middle-class, you really can't avoid these Pink Ribbon campaigns. People doing charity runs, bike rides, all that shit, and you will be asked to chip in - and you probably will. You're going to hear about it in the workplace, you'll hear about it in school, you'll be hit up for donations or time everywhere. It's community spirit here, something we can all agree on. Cancer sucks, it sucks when people suffer pain, disfigurement, and death. Everyone is willing to get behind that, and that's nothing to snark at and call 'kumbayah'.

Anonymous said...

You want to take a moment to 'reflect on the reasons'. There is only one reason - some really wrong people managed to get into management positions at the Komen foundation. Bunch of preachy hateful fuckers, who don't give a fuck about science, don't give a fuck about medicine, don't give a fuck about public health, don't care anything for the world as is, but have an utterly schizoprenic obsession with their all-encompassing political faith, managed to get put in charge of an organization that's all about public health.And they're working their asses off, not to prevent or treat or cure any disease whatsoever, but to align their organization with the political machine.They need to go, or the Komen foundation dies.

Prank phone calls? Teenager mentality. Or this nonsense that PP doesn't provide mammograms themselves - well, my local food bank doesn't grow the beans in a garden out back either, but I'm pretty well assured that they feed people.

You finish up by high-mindedly concluding that the Komen foundation, like 'everyone', has the right to give money to whoever they like and to deny it to whoever they like.No, you're wrong, you need to do whatever it takes so that you can see right from wrong here.Who died and made John Galt king of the world?That money isn't theirs to play games with.It isn't there for the Komen board to roll around in like swine in shit!That's Pink Ribbon money, that's donated money, and it was donated for the purposes of public health.It was not given for rewarding political allies, and it was not given for punishing political enemies.It was given for the purposes of elimination of deaths and suffering from breast cancer.If the Komen board doesn't wantto do that, well, they belong in prison for misusing the money and collecting it under fraudulent purposes.

You want to know why people are mad? Because every person who gave at the office, gave at school, gave at a neighborhood event, is now thinking that they gave money for the prevention of breast cancer and got, once again, swindled. Once again, a bunch of self-righteous bullshitters walked off with all the money and preach about how great they are for grabbing all the money, and demand to be allowed to keep doing whatever they want. And we're all sick of it.

You gotta think, Shira. Think, okay? Please? Remember there is a real world out there, not just a bunch of political talking points and messages tied together by media pipelines. That abstract shit has it's place. And that place, for such activities as public health, is that it gets out of the way. It doesn't get to suck up every last dollar and every last shred of effort and every vestige of communal spirit. We're all tired, you know? Tired of fast-talking bullshitters arguing that they should get every last little bit to own and control. Let us keep a little back now and then. At least spare us all our charity bike rides. Enough is enough. That's why everybody is so mad at this.

Shira said...

Give me a break. My grandmother died from breast cancer and a very good friend survived it.

You think I have a problem with causes. I'm perfectly fine with causes. I have problems with people telling me where my money has to go. I have problems with people telling private organizations where their money has to go.

Planned Parenthood has problems. It's clear that they do. I didn't come out against them - all I said is they have to clean house - I wouldn't support them personally, it's not something I believe in - but I'm not stopping anyone who'd like to - it's their personal choice who they'd like to donate to. It's a free country.

Since it is a free country - Komen has every right to decide - whether based on politics or morality or for any other reason they come up with - to support any other organization or not.

If I donate to Komen, I'm sending my money to Komen. I don't expect it to wander off to Planned Parenthood. If someone donates to Planned Parenthood they probably expect the money to stay there as well.

It isn't Komen's money? That's nonsense. A person chooses to donate to them - period. The money then belongs to Komen. It isn't a public fund for all of us to take a vote and decide where it goes. If people don't like it - they have the right not to donate to Komen. Or create their own organization.

I use my brain just fine. I believe that private organizations, like individuals, have the right to do what they want with the money given to them. I don't want to be told what charities to give to, or how much. I don't see a problem with that.

You're saying people feel they got swindled - I would feel I was swindled if I gave to Komen and found out that it ended up with Planned Parenthood. It goes both ways.

I don't care about community. That's ridiculous too. I support Jewish and non-Jewish charities and do a whole lot more for my community than a whole lot of other people. Liberals talk big about community - I'd love to see their tax returns.

Anonymous said...

OK, Shira. So nobody is allowed to tell conservatives what to do, but conservatives have a total right to tell everybody else what to do, especially when they have money to use to tell everybody else what to do. And the rest of us can't do anything without appeasing whatever conservative talking point is on the agenda today. And it's totally okay for conservatives to take over charitable organizations, collect money under false pretenses of public service, and then use it to enforce political agendas. Because conservatives are good! And everyone who is not a conservative, is evil!

Shira, I'm not worried about your brain here. I do worry about your levels of hate, your sneering, and your righteous despising of so many of your fellow human beings because they have the nerve not to believe everything that you do. If I believed in souls, I'd worry about yours. But I have no evidence that such a thing as a soul exists, so I won't worry too much.

In the meantime, can you just try to be a little less mean? I know you're just repeating words others have said before you. That doesn't make it okay. I know 'liberals do it too', that doesn't make it okay either. The fact is, the USA used to be the kind of country where things like disease control were commonly and successfully undertaken. We're no longer that kind of country. These political culture wars have prevented us from doing anything. We're a dying empire, a decadent senile state, throwing the children's breakfast to the rats. And, when you insist that this stupid hatred of 'liberals' is more important than, say, people not dying of horrible diseases - you are part of the problem.

The good news is if you and yours manage to see reason and lay off of all this viciousness, things will certainly improve. If you want them to get better, they will. Choice is yours.

Shira said...

You obviously don't know me at all - that I hate liberals, that I'm mean, that those who disagree with me are evil - where are you getting all this?

I'm annoying and obnoxious in my writing, absolutely. It's makes it more interesting to read and more interesting to write. The level of vitriol that you are ascribing to me is nowhere in my writing or how I live my life in general.

I do believe in souls and that every person is created by G-d whether or not they agree with me and my opinions. Every person is special just because G-d decided to put them on earth. I do not look down on anyone. They have a right to their opinions as much as I do mine. (You will notice I've never attacked you personally, and have only discussed the ideas you've put across.) I can disagree with those with an opposite opinion and still be friendly with them.... go ask any of the anti-Israel/Muslim crowd at Wayne State while I was there. I did my job defending Israel as best I could and they did their job to vilify Israel the best they could -- we were always polite and friendly even though it was sometimes a contentious relationship.

As far as repeating the party line - truthfully, I do not read other people's opinions on topics I plan on writing on until I have a good idea about what I'm going to write. I try to be original. I only write about what interests me - not what happens to be trending.

As far as the culture wars going on - you've got it backwards - liberals have pushed and pushed on so many topics -- then conservatives say something and all of a sudden they are described as "intolerant", "racists", "homophobes" etc. as a way to dismiss their point of view as irrelevant.

Now I know you're not going to agree on any of the things I've written here. I don't expect you to - but attack me on my facts and not on my person.

Anonymous said...

"I'm annoying and obnoxious in my writing, absolutely. It's makes it more interesting to read and more interesting to write. The level of vitriol that you are ascribing to me is nowhere in my writing or how I live my life in general."

I have to admit that I do not remember you talking, in real life, the way that you write. On the other hand, I have rarely heard anyone talk the way that political polemics are commonly written. People who talk that way, in real life, tend to get the habit beaten out of them. Still, I think it does something to a person all the same. When I hear you sneering, snarking, pouring scorn and derision upon a sizable number of people who don't share all your deeply held beliefs - it does sound nasty and obnoxious. And that's what you intend it to sound like. So am I wrong to respond to it as if it was what we both agree it sounds like?

"As far as repeating the party line - truthfully, I do not read other people's opinions on topics I plan on writing on until I have a good idea about what I'm going to write. I try to be original. I only write about what interests me - not what happens to be trending."

That's not true, though. I mean, I wouldn't say you were always passing along the latest trend-slogan if I didn't see it right there. For example, "defund planned parenthood". A conservative talking point, which first gained popularity during the last budget impasse. You can verify this by Google Trends if you wish. It was, I assume, originated in some think-tank focus group somewhere. Following this, it is rolled out in conservative talk media. Then it appears as a demand by Congressmen. It moves to the front lines of the Culture War. The whole USA will just have to drop everything that they're doing and respond to it! And then millions of Americans find out that some apparently nonpartisan charity that they support is now pushing it.

Then it appears on your blog. And ten million others!

Look, I know you're trying to be original, but you've internalized this stuff to such a degree that you can't help but go with it. Maybe, an unhealthy degree.

Meanwhile, there's this endless series of ill-tempered Culture War demands, we're all just supposed to drop whatever we're doing and appease it. Why? Obama has tried to 'compromise' but he has shown himself foolish as a result. For, there will be another Culture War demand the very next day! Meanwhile it undermines any ability of Americans to address our real problems. It is destructive.

And it fuels hatred.

Anonymous said...

"As far as the culture wars going on - you've got it backwards - liberals have pushed and pushed on so many topics -- then conservatives say something and all of a sudden they are described as "intolerant", "racists", "homophobes" etc. as a way to dismiss their point of view as irrelevant. "

Really, nobody is doing anything to you and yours.

But do you want to know why people accuse conservatives of being racists, of being homophobic? Here's something I wish you would try - I wish you would ASK them. Don't just rely on blogs and tweets and Fox News. Ask actual Americans!

Ask a Black American (not a Canadian, I doubt they'd care much), why they feel the good old Party of Lincoln is against them. Then ask another - for there are going to be many answers. Some of them are going to make you think. Maybe you'll hear about the betrayal of Reconstruction, or Reagan speaking at Neshoba ... you might be surprised.

Ask a gay person why they feel that conservatives hate them ... maybe you'll hear of a man forbidden to visit his dying, long term partner in the hospital, followed by having their home sold out from under him in order to pay estate taxes .... if you don't listen, you won't know. So try!

Then you can decide whether, just maybe, you're not all innocent little lambs. And maybe, if you're not so innocent, maybe you shouldn't be attacking all the time. Maybe there is a moral component that you aren't seeing.

Because so often, so often, you and yours accuse people of not voting your way because they're stupid - or greedy and lazy - and you fail to see what matters to real people in the real, concrete, actual world.

Shira said...

This is my last comment.

My writing has a tad bit of obnoxious to it - but if you read it, it is not directed toward a group of people. I am not going to apologize for my style of writing or for my opinions. Of course, it's current topics, there's no point in writing about old news.

I believe that marriage is between one man and one woman. I am for civil unions to sort out any legal difficulties. In Canada you have lawsuits in process because a man believes that once you have gay marriage you should be able to have as many wives as you want. Welcome to the slippery slope. Leave marriage alone.

I believe that the Democratic parties and their social programs helped destroy the black family by giving more money in welfare when the father is not in the house as opposed to when he was there. The Democrats have done more damage in general than any Republican. The Republicans freed the slaves, set the KKK back about 100 years (under Pres. Grant) and helped pass the Civil Rights Acts in 1964 over the obstructionist Dems in Congress. I have no clue why blacks vote for the Dems.

You will not agree with anything I say here. You assume that I have no associations with blacks, gays or anybody who disagrees with me. You assume that all conservatives hate blacks and gays, call those we disagree with lazy etc. You assume that all blacks and gays are liberals. None of this is true.

I have used no such words in any of my writing. I do not have to defend those who do. I live in the real world, deal with real people. You don't like what I write. It's a free country. I'm tired of you putting me in a box. You like to have the freedom to speak your mind - so do I. Think the US is a second rate country? - you can thank those who have done their best to make us like bankrupt Europe.

We will not agree. It's too bad you can't see the truth in other's opinions - even those you disagree with.

I wish you only the best.

Anonymous said...

If you don't stop using words like "liberals" or "kumbayah", you're putting people in a box. I'm rubber you're glue.

It isn't about whether you 'agree'. It's about UNDERSTANDING that other people don't just have their opinions because they're stupid, or brainwashed, or 'on welfare'. You claim you have 'no idea' why certain people might dislike the American conservative movement. But you never ask them.

And you never will.

And you will continue to disparage 'liberals' and imagine the worst possible motives for them.

I'm sorry. I wish you would go out and talk to more people, Shira. I wish you would ask people what they think instead of TELLING them what they think.

Shira said...

Do you actually read what I write? Have I ever called liberals "stupid", "brainwashed" or "'on welfare'"? Nope. Have I ever said they weren't allowed to hold their opinions - nope. I understand very clearly why people hold their opinions - it comes back to how people understand the role of government. It's a different perspective than the one I hold of the role of government. It's a valid perspective they hold that I don't agree with - but it's a free country and everyone can hold their opinions. I talk to everyone, I try to understand those who don't agree with me. I'm probably the most open-minded conservative you'll meet, this is why this conversation accusing me of things I do not do is completely ridiculous. I respect others opinions and even defend those opinions since I believe in the 1st Amendment. I wish that others would do the same for me. I'm done with this.

Anonymous said...

Hi Shira. Me again. Sorry that I got things so heated.

I think we're not at all talking about the same things. Basically you talk of principles and I'm talking about applications. We won't agree because we'd have to be talking about the same topics, and obviously we aren't.

You see all these issues as a debate over the 'role of government', an abstract issue of principle. I just don't see this as that sort of debate.

This is Culture War. It's about, for example, how can we stop those liberals at Planned Parenthood? It can involve the gov't - but it doesn't have to - it's more about 'us' and 'them'. The gov't is more of a tool that is used by the parties involved in the conflict - it's not the main issue in and of itself.

And the real question that I'm asking is - is Culture War justified?