Uproar as Breast Cancer Group Ends Partnership With Planned Parenthood

[SecularMotion]

Pink ribbons have for decades been a symbol of resolve and compassion in the face of the deadly disease of breast cancer. Now, that nearly ubiquitous icon has many women seeing red.

When the nation’s largest breast cancer advocacy organization considered in October cutting off most of its financial support to the nation’s largest abortion provider, the breast cancer group was hoping for a quiet end to an increasingly controversial partnership.

Instead, the organization, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation, is now engulfed in a controversy that threatens to undermine one of the most successful advocacy campaigns. The foundation’s decision to eliminate most of its grants to Planned Parenthood for breast cancer screening caused a cascade of criticism from prominent women’s groups, politicians and public health advocates and a similarly strong outpouring of support from conservative women and religious groups that oppose abortion.

Now, leaders of both the Komen foundation and Planned Parenthood are accusing each other of bad faith and actions that undermine women. And two organizations dedicated to detecting and curing breast cancer have found themselves on opposite sides of the nation’s divisive debate over abortion.

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/us/uproar-as-komen-foundation-cuts-money-to-planned-parenthood.html?hp

[frazzled]

1. We should all send our pink ribbons back to SGK Foundation

Remember how we used to burn our bras to make a statement about our liberation from society's constraints (well, we brought them back after the girls started sagging, but whatever).

I'm not for the burning routine anymore (actually, I never burned my bra; but I supported the message). But sending them back all the ribbons we've accumulated (hell, I bought my mother an expensive bracelet with a pink-ribbon charm on it for Mother's Day one year) could be a good symbolic act in addition to our letters and donations to Planned Parenthood.

[yardwork]

2. It's all about protecting their product marketing and profits.

From the link:

Foes of abortion and Web sites critical of it have criticized the Komen foundation’s financing of Planned Parenthood for years. The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of St. Louis and several bishops in Ohio issued statements last year raising concerns about donating to the Komen foundation. In December, LifeWay Christian Resources, which is owned by the Southern Baptist Convention, said it was recalling a pink Bible it was selling because a dollar per copy was going to the Komen foundation.

I'll never buy one of this pink-branded products again. I want nothing whatsoever to do with the Susan G. Komen Foundation. I'm not going to bother returning pink ribbons and things to them - I'll just throw them out.

[truthisfreedom]

3. If they were trying to protect their brand, they sure screwed up this time.

No sane person will look at pink things the same way again.

Pink now stinks.

[Lex]

4. The pink annoyed me anyway.

Now any money or support I give will go directly to Planned Parenthood.

[SunSeeker]

5. I just donated to Planned Parenthood

And after I donated to Planned Parenthood, I went to the Komen website, clicked the "Share Your Story" button, and told them that my past 5K runs and donations were over now that they have chosen right wing politics over women's lives, and I will be donating to Planned Parenthood instead. Felt good.

[WildFire43]

10. I'm going to do the same!

And urge all my friends to as well.

[niyad]

6. I highly recommend that everyone read barbara ehrenreich's "welcome to cancerland"

for a very interesting view of komen's pink world

http://www.barbaraehrenreich.com/cancerland.htm

[Lex]

8. Wow.

Recommended reading for sure. She articulated what I've always felt about the pink ribbons and teddy bears.

[truebrit71]

13. Very interesting read especially in light of what has recently happened with SGK..

..my wife is undergoing chemo right now for breast cancer, and whilst her family has fully adopted the "pink" mantra in support, she herself has just gone about her daily life as best as possible..no muss, no fuss, just as normal as she can...and it makes me love her even more because of it...

[Mojorabbit]

16. Sending the healing vibes to your wife. I hope she is declared cured very soon! nt

[truebrit71]

23. thx

.

[renate]

18. hugs and good wishes to your wife

And to you too. This can be hard on both of you.

[truebrit71]

21. thx

.

[niyad]

19. healing vibes to your wife and you. may she soon be pronounced free of that dread scourge.

[truebrit71]

22. thx

.

[supernova]

7. No Contest. We need PP; SGK not so much.

And I'm one of the many women who have become irritated by the All Things Pink marketing.

[WildFire43]

9. "...dedicated to detecting and curing breast cancer..."?

Not the S.G.K. Foundation, apparently.
If breast cancer were cured tomorrow, Planned Parenthood would applaud and start providing new services. The folks over at S.G.K. would scream and cry since they'd be out of what has become a very lucrative business for them.

[TBF]

11. I used to donate to both - now only PP will get my donations. nt

[izquierdista]

12. Written by a flat armadillo

Interesting middle-of-the-road perspective the New York Times has. I wonder how they come down on the controversy of feeding babies to zoo animals.

[truebrit71]

14. Another one of those "well both sides do it" false equivalency writers...

Last edited Fri Feb 3, 2012, 12:57 PM - Edit history (1)

..

[Evasporque]

17. Pink ribbons and t-shirts don't screen for cancer? All those people walking?

I thought those activities magically connected to women and detected those with early signs of breast cancer....

[niyad]

20. does anyone have any examples of planned parenthood actually saying this?

Now, leaders of both the Komen foundation and Planned Parenthood are accusing each other of bad faith and actions that undermine women.