Komen kaves

[shadesong]

Originally posted by kradical at Komen kaves

The right-wing campaign against Planned Parenthood has scored a victory, and the only consequence is that more low-income women will get breast cancer and die.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which is the largest breast-cancer charity in the country -- and in support of which, I've raised money for four years running now, along with other members of my dojo -- has ended its partnership with Planned Parenthood, due to concerns about a Congressional investigation into PP (which is a bullshit witch-hunt by anti-choice politicians).

Sadly, the end result of this is that PP will no longer have anywhere near as much funding to continue to provide breast exams for women who don't have adequate health insurance. Lots of less well off women -- of which there are a lot more the past five years -- will no longer have access to mammograms that will potentially save their lives.

This kind of caving in to partisan pressure is unworthy of an organization that has done so much good, and is a move that is in direct violation of Komen's mission statement.

Daily Kos has posted a mailto page that allows you to send an e-mail to Komen to protest this action. They have a boilerplate text that can be edited, and I strongly recommend that you do so, as the text of their e-mail is a little too over-the-top, IMO. (But then, I've always believed that politeness works better than name-calling.)

But I urge anyone who thinks it's a good idea for women to have access to mammograms regardless of whether or not they can afford it to send a message to Komen protesting this absurd and hurtful decision.

Comments

[wirewalking.livejournal.com]

Done, and boosting. Fuuuck.

[encarmencita.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I can't afford health insurance. Without Planned Parenthood, I would never have screenings for cancer. The closest one I have is 45 minutes away, which may not seem that far, but I don't have a car and often work during their open hours. Still, I am so grateful they are there. They taught me how to properly look for and identify cancer warning signs. Without them, if I got cancer, I wouldn't know until I was on death's door.

This is the only way many poor women can be checked for cancer. This goes against the Komen mission statement and basically says they're only interested in preventing and curing cancer in those who have enough money to go to other doctors, or that only pro-life people are deserving of cancer prevention. It's sleazy and leaves a bad taste in my mouth if you follow the political trail that led up to this decision and how the 'rule' was simply added in recently, not retroactively as they are trying to claim.

[ron_newman]

how is it that Planned Parenthood can still be considered controversial in 2012?

Komen is tone-deaf and will shortly learn what a mistake they are about to make.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

how is it that Planned Parenthood can still be considered controversial in 2012?

Really?

You haven't heard the continuing assault from the right about how ANY money that goes to PP funds abortions, which is a violation of federal law?

It's only been hammered on by the right since the Affordable Care Act was passed.

Nevermind the fact that I think it's outrageous that federal funds can't be used to cover a LEGAL medical procedure.

[ladydrakaina.livejournal.com]

I went in as an unemployed uninsured woman who was still willing to pay, hoping for a sliding scale though, and was told that they would not perform STD tests for me because they were not "necessary" even though I had a partner with multiple partners with multiple partners... It was horrifying and I just can't stop thinking about all of the less assertive women who may have been turned away, I managed to throw an epic tantrum at the clinic head and get most of the tests done, but it was traumatic and I won't be going back. I'm afraid mammograms would fall into their "unnecessary" category and I would rather fund organizations that don't try to discourage women from getting regular preventative health checks done.

[ron_newman]

That's appalling; was it at a PP in the Boston area?

[ladydrakaina.livejournal.com]

no, this was in Seattle. The mistake I made as far as I can tell was in asking about an IUD while I was there for testing, just kind of long as might as well style, they latched on to that and said the tests were not necessary for an IUD and I started by asserting calmly that I know that and I'm not here for an IUD, I'm here to get tested because I'm in a high risk category and would like to be tested, the staff would not listen or respect my wishes and by the end I was throwing a screaming tantrum, which is embarrassing but effective

[miss-lisa-ma.livejournal.com]

Money talks. So does a boycott. Let's see how many people walking the big three-day decide to bring their fundraising dollars elsewhere. You don't suppose EVERYONE who walks the three-day is avowedly anti-choice, do you? Never depended on a PP ever?

They don't get a cent from me.

THIS IS _NOT_ AN ACCIDENT

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Nor is it really caving - it's an orchestrated move by Komen.

Komen's new vice president, Karen Handel, had run for governor of Georgia in 2010 on an aggressively anti-abortion and anti-Planned Parenthood platform and was endorsed by Sarah Palin because of her opposition to reproductive choice.

I thought this was a bit better...

[cluegirl.livejournal.com]

I am writing to you to urge you to reconsider your decision to cut your partnership with Planned Parenthood.

I do understand that right wing conservatives are terrifying when they begin to bay for blood, but you must also understand that in this country the poor are already against the wall. They cannot, frequently, even pay for food, let alone for any kind of insurance that would allow them to be screened for diseases that can and will kill them.

Poor women will die because of this decision of yours. Many of them. You have in your hands the power to save lives, and ostensibly that is the basis upon which your foundation was created -- how can you turn your backs on thousands now, simply because there are bigots shouting at you?

You have left these women nowhere to go. You have left them no way to learn of their disease early enough that they may have even a chance of surviving it. And you have taken the hand of a monster who will not respect you in the morning. The conservative Christian movement does not love women -- any women, -- who step outside the home, or out from under the wings of their fathers and husbands. You must understand that you yourselves are on their List, somewhere, and if you do not stand and fight now, while you have many allies, they will force you to fight for yourselves later, when you have none. They are splintering the support for the poor, and for the women of America with deliberation.

And you are cooperating with them.
I strongly urge you to think again.
Sincerely,
Catt Kingsgrave

Re: I thought this was a bit better...

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Komen's VP IS one of those right wing conservatives.

Re: I thought this was a bit better...

[cluegirl.livejournal.com]

I know -- which is why it/she thinks she's immune to their agenda. And which is why it/she is wrong. Quislings are just the last to be killed -- they are not kept as pets.

Re: I thought this was a bit better...

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

I don't think she thinks she is immune to their agenda - she is pushing their agenda, just like Palin did before her.

Re: I thought this was a bit better...

[cluegirl.livejournal.com]

And I say again, Quisling. People like that push the agenda because they think they themselves are not part of its final solution. If they realized how their 'allies' think of them, their tune would be different.

Re: I thought this was a bit better...

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Okay, I see your point.

Re: I thought this was a bit better...

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

Although I will point out, Quisling died at the hand of the post war Norwegian government, not the Nazis.

[tamidon.livejournal.com]

Just noting where I can :PP doesnt do mammograms, they do breast screening and well woman visits with pap smears and other cancer screening. This is just as important as mammos, but some forced-birthers are using this error to claim PP is lying about what they provide and the pro women folx are lying too

[stringmonkey.livejournal.com]

I went to Charity Navigator this morning to get ratings on other charities that support breast cancer research and related issues. There are nine that get the top (4-star) rating. Komen is among them,but you can rest assured that one of the other eight will be getting my money.