RW Catholic Group Confirms: Komen's announcement simply a PLOY

[hlthe2b]

Please fellow Duers... Don't get suckered. Komen is being typical RW in their lies, spin, and desperate attempt to deflect. Note the following from a RW Catholic group put out to "reassure" their constituency:

http://www.lifenews.com/2012/02/03/komen-may-continue-to-fund-some-planned-parenthood-grants/

“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.”

Bottom line: Komen cut funding for Planned Parenthood, it is facing massive revolt from its chapters and temendous opposition from Planned Parenthood and the media, and it appears to be leaving the door open for potential grants — not that they will necessarily happen beyond the ones previously approved prior to the decision — to please both sides.

[earthside]

1. Unless they clean house ...

... and install some new board members, I certainly wouldn't trust a thing Komen says.

[AmandaRuth]

14. absofuckinglutly

Karen Handel and Elizabeth Thompson must resign now.

And I want to know what they have been paid in "consulting fees" (before hire). Should tell us all we need to know about Komen.

[LiberalFighter]

39. Personally, I think Komen should be allowed to dissolve

as I am sure there are better organizations that do a better job and have higher percentage of funding for research and less for non administrative and salary funds.

[crazylikafox]

2. This is important. Let's keep this kicked

[atreides1]

3. I'm getting real tired of the Catholic Church

I think that they should have done to them what they did to others during the Inquisition!

Just a personal opinion.

[PlanetBev]

23. Rimshot, atreides

Can you imagine if they started up the Inquisition again? Santorum would become the latter-day Torquemada.

God, I hate these people.

[NAO]

34. Joey Ratz was the Grand Inquisitor b/f he made Pope

The Inquisition was never abolished. It just stopped torturing people, and has made a few name changes. These days it's called "Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith".

[gratuitous]

26. Isn't that odd?

I'm getting real tired when someone acts oppressively and uses "church" as their excuse, because it results in all kinds of nonsensical statements from other people that look suspiciously like prejudice or bigotry.

Just a personal opinion.

[sufrommich]

4. I don't see Komen daring to cut funding to PP.

It's not like PP would let that pass without going public with it. I think this is the Catholic church trying to pretend that the anti choice fanatics haven't just had their asses handed to them.

[hlthe2b]

6. The outcry is re: Komen's intent to pull back funding... They have made no commitment to fund in the

future.

[sufrommich]

18. I realize that. Let me put it this way,

Komen attacked Planned Parenthood and that attack almost destroyed(and has probably done permanant damage) them in a matter of days. I don't care how the fundie asshole running Komen right now or her fundy backers spin this, Komen will not step in that pile of shit again.

[justiceischeap]

30. Logic fail

The hope is that they will make this announcement and then, in future, when they quietly deny future funding, the'll have weathered the storm. It's as obvious as the nose on my face.

[sufrommich]

35. The logic fail would seem to be assuming Planned Parenthood

would let them "quietly deny" them funds. Seriously, I think PP understands that publicizing any cut in funds worked out very well for them ,there is no way a future cut would not unleash the same shitstorm it unleashed this week. Any attempt to defund PP from Komen will never make it out of their boardroom, I'd bet on it.

[justiceischeap]

37. Yes but the most telling statement in yesterday's interview with Brinker is the following

They never expected this news to get out. Someone, somewhere leaked it and they weren't expecting that. So, how are they going to handle this in future and not lose their anti-choice supporters? They either have to alienate those folks, or alienate progressive folks... who will it be? They don't seem to exist outside the repub vacuum. Someone will convince them that they can weather not funding PP in the future, because in the interim they will work with someone to resurrect their image and cut PP out of the equation.

[LiberalFighter]

40. The way they will reduce being outed is by

removing all members that are PPH or women based supporters. If they aren't part of their meetings or work in the office it won't get out as easily.

[randome]

48. You're right.

Some are so angry, they don't want to look at the entire debacle objectively.

[sendero]

65. I think you are mistaken..

.. there is no "quiet" way to do that with the advent of "social media". In fact, it was "social media" that put them in this situation, before they would have done it, it would have made one news cycle and that would have been the end of it.

Not now.

[justiceischeap]

66. Nope... I think they are just stupid enough to think

they can try this again... quietly. I don't think they can but I believe they think they can.

[gopiscrap]

56. That's exactly what I was going to say

I'd bet the right wing is having an absolute shit fit over this!!!!

[proud2BlibKansan]

5. The mafia??

[Spazito]

7. As a proud member of the "mafia", I say...

"Go to the mattresses" and "leave the gun, take the canoli"!

[leftynyc]

17. You took the words right out of my mouth

I'm proud to be part of this mafia.

[VWolf]

45. Yeah, the 99% mafia n/t

[Lost-in-FL]

58. We have a pretty lame mafia then...

...cause the 'pro-life' crowd is the one gunning down members of 'our' mafia. But then, that's not the way we

[2ndAmForComputers]

68. Hey, we have a PP avatar?

Oh yeah, we do!

[Spazito]

74. Yep, the Admins were right on top of it when DUers asked for one! n/t

[2ndAmForComputers]

75. Babykillers, the lot of them!

Next you'll tell me they vote for the Democrat Party. The horrors!

[sarge43]

51. Huh. So Brinker woke up this morning in bed with a horse's head?

She refused the deal?

[karynnj]

8. With or without this being true, it seems that more money helps people if given to PP

than to Komen. If you want money to go to address Cancer, the American Cancer Society and various hospital research funds likely are better bets. What Komen added was marketing and a place to contribute that did both of these things and more - for a fairly large amount of overhead.

[Skittles]

9. CORRECT

[sufrommich]

22. Agree. nt

[LiberalFighter]

41. That is what I decided to do yesterday.

I sent money to a Cancer organization via the local United Way.

[uponit7771]

64. +1

[The Backlash Cometh]

10. They're referring to their financial contributors as the mafia.

Interesting.

[yardwork]

12. Maybe they know something we don't. We should listen.

I know that I've never contributed to Susan G. Komen and I know that I'm not the mafia. If Susan G. Komen's biggest contributor - the Catholic Church - says that the contributors to Susan G. Komen are mafia, who am I to argue?

I don't want to be affiliated with the mafia. Yet another reason not to support SGK.

[Aerows]

21. I know

I like how the people that support them, run for them and contribute to the organization are suddenly "the mafia" when they do something that pisses their contributors off. Typical right-wing bullshit. Want to run an organization into the ground? Hire a bunch of right-wingers. I wouldn't be surprised if that was why they did it in the first place to get some good grazing ground for their vulture capitalism going.

Last mile, last dollar EVER going to them.

[dembotoz]

11. it really is amazing how they went from hero to zero in like nothing flat

do not think i will ever trust or contribute to koman again

not matter what they do

[leftynyc]

13. Do t hey think we're stupid?

That we wont be watching their every move. I don't trust them anymore. I'd feel a lot better if they fired that PR woman - otherwise I consider her a grifter like her endorser Sarah Palin. Both crooks.

[sarge43]

28. Of course they think we're stupid; they project.

Their base is stupid, so everyone is.

[Warren DeMontague]

15. Well, duh.

They should just admit what everyone knows- this was a political decision based upon an anti-choice agenda.

[fredamae]

15. komen already promised to fulfill their orig

commitment which equates to two more donation cycles. They anticipate we will be fooled by that and "forgetta-bout-it" by that time. Keep your skeptic eyes and ears open-I don't trust the RW-do you? http://www.dailykos.com/story/2012/02/03/1061450/-Lazy-media-reports-Komen-Foundation-decision-as-reversal-It-isnt?via=blog_1

[sufrommich]

20. I don't trust the fundy running Komen, but I trust PP

to let us know if funding is denied.

[sarge43]

33. Fine, let them pull their funding.

One of the biggest piles they stepped in was showing PP has plenty of support and when the numbers are crunched doesn't need them. They brought a knife to a gun fight and got hurt.

[Aerows]

19. Karen Handel and Elizabeth Thompson must resign now.

Enough said.

Right wingers poison everything they touch, and SGK just got a taste of it.

[kag]

27. Very well put, Aerows.

I think this whole mess should serve as a warning to non-profits big and small. If you want to do good work, receive donations for that work, and make a positive difference in the world, keep the right-wingers OUT of your organization. They're nothing but trouble. But I like your word better--poison.

[redqueen]

24. Related:

http://jezebel.com/5882018/breaking-komen-reverses-decision-on-planned-parenthood-is-still-likely-full-of-shit

[Initech]

25. IMO the Catholic Church should really lose tax exempt status over this.

[kag]

31. Over this...

And about a million other things, like basically being a political arm of the Republican party. They feed right-wing bullshit to their members, and use the pulpit as a campaign soap box for specific candidates. I seem to remember one priest telling his "flock" that if they vote for Obama they should not take communion until they have confessed and done penance.

[Aerows]

32. I agree

They need to lose tax exempt status now. That this conversation is coming up is the only thing good that can come out of this fiasco.

Tax the Church.

[IggleDoer]

36. So should the Koman Foundation

- since it has become a political organization too

[Initech]

38. True.

[drm604]

29. This was obvious to me as soon as I read the statement.

How pro-choice people can be praising SGK for this statement is beyond me.

[Gman]

42. Sounds more like saving face to me

And keeping people motivated to go vote. In typical RW fashion, up is down, black us white and defeat us victory. We'll see in the coming weeks and months if Komen is just trying to get the pressure off.

[Ilsa]

43. Yeah, just ignore that apology from Komen:

Statement from the Komen Foundation CEO: "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."

[Aerows]

44. It's not ignoring the apology

It's simply not accepting it for what was an egregious slap in the face to supporters and volunteers.

Don't tell me that my time, money and work is worthless by spitting in the face of Planned Parenthood. That's more than enough to earn some well-deserved ire. "Oops, we're sorry" my behind.

[hlthe2b]

52. Sorry... Not buying this PR stunt. It changes NOTHING... If you read carefully you'd see...

As very clearly pointed out on several progressive websites, the lies keep compounding and this was in the works according to the NYT since October (http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/us/uproar-as-komen-foundation-cuts-money-to-planned-parenthood.html)


(http://www.americablog.com/2012/02/komen-statement-on-planned-parenthood.html):

The new statement does not pledge Komen to reverse its funding decision, and it does not promise Planned Parenthood any new funding. Let’s look at the relevant passage (emphasis mine):

“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.”

Komen had never intended to renege on its existing grant commitments to Planned Parenthood, as PP themselves noted in their press release announcing the break between the two organizations (again, emphasis mine):

“In the last few weeks, the Komen Foundation has begun notifying local Planned Parenthood programs that their breast cancer initiatives will not be eligible for new grants (beyond existing agreements or plans).“

Komen’s statement that Planned Parenthood will be “eligible” for new grants is a new development, but it commits Komen to nothing. There’s no reversal of the funding cutoff here, and no promise to reinstate Planned Parenthood funding.

This isn’t a victory. Not yet.

***************
Underscoring the same points made above, John Avarosis points out that
Komen now says this:

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.

Preserve their ability to apply? What, Komen won't go to Planned Parenthood and steal all the pens so PPFA can't apply again in the future? They could always try to apply again. That's not the point.

If Komen is serious, they can simply approve the application Planned Parenthood has already submitted. Yes, they turned it down once, supposedly because of the now-old rule about investigations. Fine. If the rule is gone, then approve the grant.

Of course, it's even more complicated because of a video statement Komen CEO, Republican donor, and former Bush appointee, Nancy Brinker issued last night claiming that the right-wing congressional investigation had nothing to do with the decision to turn down Planned Parenthood's grant. Rather, Brinker now says Komen turned PPFA down because Komen no longer funds pass-through grants. So if that's the case, then changing Komen's investigations-rule won't change a thing. They'll still turn down Planned Parenthood again next time because of the supposed pass-through grant. Unless of course, Nancy Brinker was lying last night. So which is it?

The only way that Komen can get out of this mess is by approving Planned Parenthood's grant now. Komen has the application, they killed it for political reasons, and they got caught. And then to add insult to injury, Brinker concocted a new story last night.

If Komen really wants to do penance, they'll approve PPFA's grant now.

[glinda]

46. I think PP should find public support/other instead of dealing with the Komen foundation.

Let the foundation show the public what it truly is and let it go down or emerge as the ultra conservative machine cog that it is.

[randome]

49. I doubt PP will pass up any attempt for funding.

And they shouldn't. People's lives are at stake.

[Quantess]

47. A documentary is coming out now! "Pink Ribbons"

http://www.nfb.ca/film/pink_ribbons_inc_trailer

The timing is incredible.

[Stuart G]

50. k & r thanks for posting...nt

[olegramps]

53. Why anyone would remain in the Catholic Church after the contraception fiasco is beyond me.

When this is considered along with mandatory celibacy and the molestation of tens of thousands of innocent children it totally blows my mind that people continue to support this corrupt disgraceful blight on humanity. Mafia, hell, they make the mafia look like choir boys in comparison.

[Brettongarcia]

54. Are Kormen's claims of a cancer link to abortion/contraception, correct?

Kormen's claims of a link between abortion and contraception, to breast and other cancers, is partially sustained by some medical literature.

On the other hand though? Note a number of defences of Planned Parenthood. First consider 1) the good that Planned Parenthood does in other ways.

And for that matter? Note 2) that if Planned parenthood prevents pregnancies ... that can be good for your health. Since ironically, pregnancy itself, is associated with/causes, any number of health risks. Not too long ago - and to this very day, in some developing countries - pregnancy and childbirth, was a health risk; many women died in childbirth. While there are other health problems from pregnancy.

So that? Whatever health problems are caused by abortion/contraception, including possibly breast cancer ... must be weighed among other things, against the health benefits, of avoiding prenancy and childbirth.

Indeed, perhaps more lives have been saved by contraception, than have been lost.

[proud2BlibKansan]

55. No. There is no link between breast cancer and abortion.

That's bunk.

[hlthe2b]

59. RW garbage... All authoritative sources have debunked (INCLUDING KOMEN)

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/causes/ere/workshop-report

National Cancer Institute Findings:

Introduction

The Early Reproductive Events and Breast Cancer Workshop convened February 24-26, 2003, and the outcomes of the meeting were reviewed and discussed at the joint meeting of the NCI Board of Scientific Advisors (BSA) and Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) held March 3, 2003.

The Workshop was established to provide an integrated scientific assessment of the association between reproductive events and the risk of breast cancer. Participants represented a diversity of breast cancer expertise, including epidemiologists, clinicians, basic scientists and breast cancer advocates. The Workshop evaluated the current strength of evidence of the characteristics of pregnancy related to cancer (epidemiologic studies), the biologic changes resulting from pregnancy that may be involved in modifying breast cancer risk (clinical studies), and the biologic mechanisms identified (animal studies).

This report summarizes the epidemiologic, clinical and animal studies findings related to early reproductive events and breast cancer risk, and each finding is given a Strength of Evidence Rating*. Gaps in research knowledge for each scientific area are identified, and recommendations for future research directions are provided.

Epidemiologic Findings

Early age at first term birth is related to lifetime decrease in breast cancer risk. (1)
Increasing parity is associated with a long-term risk reduction, even when controlling for age at first birth. (1)
The additional long-term protective effect of young age at subsequent term pregnancies is not as strong as for the first term pregnancy. (1)
A nulliparous woman has approximately the same risk as a woman with a first term birth around age 30. (1)
Breast cancer risk is transiently increased after a term pregnancy. (1)
Induced abortion is not associated with an increase in breast cancer risk. (1)
Recognized spontaneous abortion is not associated with an increase in breast cancer risk. (1)
Long duration of lactation provides a small additional reduction in breast cancer risk after consideration of age at and number of term pregnancies. (1)
Pregnancy-induced hypertension is associated with decreased breast cancer risk. (2)
Maternal DES exposure is associated with an increase in breast cancer risk. (3)

********************************
American Cancer Society:

http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/BreastCancer/MoreInformation/is-abortion-linked-to-breast-cancer
After adjusting for known breast cancer risk factors, the researchers found that induced abortion(s) had no overall effect on the risk of breast cancer. The size of this study and the manner in which it was done provide good evidence that induced abortion does not affect a woman’s risk of developing breast cancer.

**********************************
Susan G. Komen

http://ww5.komen.org/BreastCancer/Table25Abortionandbreastcancerrisk.html
Research clearly shows abortion (also called induced abortion) does not increase the risk of breast cancer. In 2003, the Board of Scientific Advisors and Board of Scientific Counselors of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) unanimously agreed the scientific evidence did not support a link between abortion and breast cancer [1]. (The NCI routinely reviews the evidence on this topic and continues to agree the evidence does not support a link between the two [2]). Also, later that year in 2003, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists also stated there was no evidence to support a link between abortion and breast cancer [3].

[Warren DeMontague]

73. No, it's not sustained. The statistics they use are lowered rates for women whove had babies

they turn that around and say, "see, if you do anything that might NOT result in a baby, you're increasing your cancer risk!"

What they don't mention is that, by that logic, abstinence "causes" cancer, too.

[Lost-in-FL]

57. "...they are continuing five grants through 2012."

That's the part of the SGK retraction from yesterday's positions that bothered me. So after 2012 what?

[caseymoz]

60. I'm so happy Planned Parenthood has thrived.

And Komen has been severely wounded by this.

It does tell the RW just how popular PP is. Unlike ACORN, it's popularity runs very deep and people will come to its aid.

[still_one]

63. Not only that it should be a warning to everyone who believes that elections do matter. /nt

[jillan]

61. But now, we are watching their every move. If this is a ploy, everyone will know it, they can no

longer hide.

[still_one]

62. For those that were not already aware, they know now Komen's true colors. /nt

[Kalidurga]

67. One of my adult daughters brought this up in conversation.

She is a nursing assistant and she is beyond pissed. She sees first hand everyday what people go through when they are sick. Granted most her patients do not have a terminal illness, but some do and to have an organization that is supposedly supposed to be looking for a cure for a terminal illness deny funding for the screening of that illness, blew her mind. I am just incredibly sad over this. There should never be a controversy over helping find a cure for cancer or for providing funds for screening.

[DCKit]

69. They would damage their brand to this degee to prove a point?

Nobody is that stupid.

[hlthe2b]

70. Your response to me makes no sense to me...

please explain what it has to do with this discussion.

[rtracey]

71. Why republican?

Ok so again I ask, if you are gay, black, Latino, senior, female, sick, middle class, homeless or unemployed, why would you EVER consider voting republican, and if you do, then you suffer the consequences, not me..... Good luck

[Warren DeMontague]

72. They're also desperately trying to spin away a bad situation- the MASSIVE PRO CHOICE MAJORITY

in this country has spoken.