<p>I have never given to SGK although I was vaguely aware of some of the issues that have come up. I also think the the whole pink ribbon thing is way overdone. I also didn’t know they were right-leaning, although I did know because PP was left-leaning because they provide abortion services. What disgusts me about the whole thing is that it IS political, whichever way that went. And it was amazingly badly done. How to ruin a corporate brand in 24 hours. </p>
<p>When I was in college, I went to the PP in my university town to get birth control and had my first exam. I was not covered by insurance and couldn’t have afforded to pay in a regular (or even my school) clinic.</p>
Silent? Really? Since when? Disagreeing with the allocation of funds of a private entity is one thing, but the level of thuggishness involved in the sense of entitlement to that money is another thing entirely. Komen was wrong, but the backlash was spectacularly ugly and PP did nothing to encourage civility. So much for that desire to elevate the discourse in society, huh?</p>
<p>What ugliness? I saw some ugliness on both sides in comments on various webpages, but that’s typical of any online open forum. The protests were pervasive, yes, but “thuggish”? How so?</p>
<p>I honestly don’t think either side was “thuggish”. SGK stated their position, some disagreed and said so, others agreed and said so. That’s what happens with different opinions.</p>
<p>No one threw rocks or threatened the SGK people, the decision was publicized so that those who care – people like me – know what’s going on.</p>
<p>“Komen was wrong, but the backlash was spectacularly ugly and PP did nothing to encourage civility.”</p>
<p>I didn’t see anything in the way of PP comments prior to Komen changing its tune, but I thought their response to the turnaround was extraordinary in its graciousness (far more so than I could have ever mustered.) Did you see it?</p>
<p>I still want to know whether Penn State is eliminated from funding under the new standards.</p>
<p>This fiasco is a testament to internet communications, social media, etc. PP wasted no time in getting the word out to their supporters. Good for them; they stood up to Komen. I’m convinced Komen bowed to political pressure although they aren’t admitting as much. I’ve participated in a number of their fundraisers in the past but they’ll no longer have my support even though they’ve reversed the original decision.</p>
<p>Thuggishness? People protested a decision they were angry about. Disagreeing with a non-profit’s decision, pointing out the many ways in which the explanations of it were almost certainly lies, pointing out that an organization’s board seems to be controlled by people who are prominent anti-abortion, anti-stem cell research types and that one of them campaigned for high political office on an anti-Planned Parenthood, anti-LGBT platform, and making clear where they planned to put (and not put) their charitable dollars in the future, does not equal thuggishness in any remotely sensible meaning of that word. I would argue that the only “thuggishness” was exhibited by all the people – not here, fortunately – who sneered and crowed loudly about how wonderful the decision was, all over the Internet, and spread flagrant lies about PP to support their position. As I said, I used to know one of the conservative SGK board members quite well, and liked her. I wouldn’t throw rocks at her, literally or figuratively, but the fact that I used to know her doesn’t make me any less angry about what happened.</p>
<p>“If people care so much for PP, why not just give your donation directly to them. Why do you care whether Komen gives grant money to PP?”</p>
<p>I do. I also gave to SKG. Now that I am more aware of how my funds are spent, at both organizations, I will no longer give to SKG – I assumed that their public statements reflected their priorities and I was wrong. This controversy has simply encouraged me to investigate both organizations more closely so that I am making a more informed decision that aligns with my beliefs.</p>
<p>There is nothing “political” about being informed about how my donations are being used.</p>
<p>“If people care so much for PP, why not just give your donation directly to them. Why do you care whether Komen gives grant money to PP?”</p>
<p>I give to both organizations because both issues are important to me and it was never an either/or until SGK interjected a political agenda that I personally disagree with into their decision making.</p>
<p>Now, anti-abortion people are furious at Komen. They feel like they’ve been duped. And they have! Many gave money to Komen in the last couple of days to reward their new anti-PP stand, only to find Komen “reversing” that stand. If I were anti-abortion and I’d given money to Komen yesterday, I’d be steaming mad today.</p>
<p>Komen should never have waded into the swamp in the first place.</p>
<p>I’m sure they are angry but I’m also sure they are small in number. Most anti-legal choice folks still want poor women to be able to get breast cancer screenings. Most of them understand it’s not pro-life to cut off a program that saves women’s lives.</p>
<p>I’m not sure that the anti-abortion folks are so small in number. And even if they were, that doesn’t give Komen the right to jerk them around. But of course, once Komen shot themselves in the foot, they couldn’t take any step without pain.</p>
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