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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMorris apologizes, stands by Girl Scout decision
Remember Bob Morris, the Indiana state Representative who called Girl Scouts a "tactical arm of Planned Parenthood?" Yeah, that arse. He finally issued a not-pology today.
In a written statement, Morris said he was able to reflect on his previous letter, which called the Girl Scouts a radicalized organization that supports abortion and promotes homosexual lifestyles.
I realize now that my words were emotional, reactionary and inflammatory, he wrote on Thursday. For that I sincerely apologize I certainly should not have painted the entire Girl Scouts organization with such a wide brush.
...
The Girl Scouts of USA denied having any relationship with Planned Parenthood. Morris in his Thursday statement cited a March 5, 2004 interview with Kathy Cloninger, Girl Scouts CEO, where she said the scouts organization partners with Planned Parenthood with regard to sex education.
If the Girl Scouts USA now denies the statement of its CEO, I challenge the organization to do so publicly so that individuals are not confused as to the organizations ties to Planned Parenthood, he said.
Link: http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20120223/LOCAL/120229767
He must mean this interview:
It's referring to this incident in Crawford, TX in 2004 where the *local* GS org gave an award to a woman who happened to be a local PP exec, and they also endorsed (whatever that means) a local PP sex-ed program. Hardly qualifies Girl Scouts USA as a "tactical arm of Planned Parenthood" to me, but apparently Bob Morris can read between the lines better than I can.
Here's a USA Today story about that incident:
Source: http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2004-03-03-cookie-boycott_x.htm
xchrom
(108,903 posts)russspeakeasy
(6,539 posts)salvorhardin
(9,995 posts)He's from my city. Here he is at an anti-Occupy Fort Wayne event from last Fall.
russspeakeasy
(6,539 posts)noiretextatique
(27,275 posts)funny how that happens. santorum looks like and idiot too, and so does dubya.
joeybee12
(56,177 posts)salvorhardin
(9,995 posts)The best part of his not-pology was when he said that letter was intended for his legislative colleagues, which is the reason for the lack of research and evidence it contained. So... If you're writing to your fellow lawmakers, you can just say any kind of bullshit you want with no evidence to back it up? Yeah, that sounds about right for the Indiana House of Representatives.
gratuitous
(82,849 posts)I would have surmised Mr. Morris would be kind of careful about that, but whaddyagonnado? I do like how Republican stove-piping works, though. One Girl Scout group presents an award to someone in Texas for their civic work, and that person is also affiliated or associated with Planned Parenthood. In the Republican mind, this means Girl Scouts are earning merit badges for performing abortions. But when a Republican is caught out-and-out lying (cf. Sen. Kyl's statement on the Senate floor that 97% of all services Planned Parenthood provides are abortion), then it's no big deal. I didn't mean for that to be a truthful statement. I was just writing to my legislative colleagues. You can't call me a liar!
To quote Paul Simon: I say now who do, who do you think you're foolin'?
nanabugg
(2,198 posts)Terra Alta
(5,158 posts)I, for one, will be enjoying the two boxes of Tagalongs that are headed my way soon.
pschoeb
(1,066 posts)Partnering with their local churches, YWCA and Planned Parenthood, as well as other organizations on sex education programs. This is a local decision by the troops on all of this, the National Girl Scouts does nothing in this regard.
Morris is an idiot
Ilsa
(61,656 posts)appropriately used materials from PP for sex education. They coordinated with local churches, too. Sounds like a responsible thing to do.
salvorhardin
(9,995 posts)A local group makes decisions relevant to its members, its members' parents, and the community, and Bam! In the conservative mind, suddenly the Girl Scouts are baking RU 486 into the Thin Mints.
eissa
(4,238 posts)Our chapter (and I'm sure many others) will deliver to your home. I called them and found out where they will be selling in our area and posted the info on my FB page, encouraging everyone to either visit one of their stands to buy some, or call them to have them deliver. You know assholes like Morris and his ilk will be encouraging their brain-dead followers to boycott, so whatever we can do to help the GS out, let's do it!