WHOOMP! There it is (SGK backs down)

[drwex]

http://thelede.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/03/cancer-group-backs-down-on-cutting-off-planned-parenthood/

Komen backs down, more or less apologizes. Folks, when you have everyone from moms on Facebook to Mayor Bloomberg telling you that you fucked up, it's time to admit it.

Backing down on this one issue is good. Focus #1 is prevention, saving lives, improving healthcare for women. Getting grants back in place to make screening and treatment available to more women will help with that.

But I think we need not to lose sight of Focus #2, which is that the people and priorities that led to this decision are still in place. Komen will have to do some work to rebuild trust and show that its charitable agenda is not hewing to particular political lines. Maybe some cleaning house of personnel responsible for such a grossly erroneous move is also in order. Something more needs to happen, at least before I'm willing to give more of my dollars to Komen.

Comments

[mizarchivist]

Boo Yah.
One of the saddest things I saw as a result of this personally was one of the Catholic cousins (the one I'm convinced will take orders before she hits 25) posted a supportive blurb on the initial decision to take away PP money.

I can't say I'm surprised, but I am saddened and disappointed to see that kind of attitude.

[catness.livejournal.com]

My high school friend the Catholic priest did the same thing. I spent a lot of time wanting to retort obvious things, like, "So, you don't support breast cancer healthcare for underprivileged women?" but in the end, I did not engage. He once was a brilliant person, but he is deep in denial right now due to all the church scandal, and his public face is 100% EVERYTHING THE CHURCH DOES IS RIGHT. It bums me out, because I want him to be a thinker like Father Andrew Greeley, not a reactionary ostrich.

In any event, Komen gets no love from me. They're backpedaling due to overwhelmingly bad press, but they have *no* intention of giving Planned Parenthood money after current grants run out. They're just hoping they can be smoother about it next time and nobody will notice.

[mizarchivist]

I did the same thing with my cousin: wanted to yell at her, chose to mute the post instead. I wanted to unfriend her over it, but decided that's short-sighted.