Would you work with or donate to an organization with questionable moral values or ethics?

If you feel that way then you should be sympathetic to the concept of people whoare pro-life and donate to Susan G. Komen foundation because they hear about the mission of fighting breast cancer and only to find out later that the money has gone to a company which works to advance killing (preborn) animals that they care about.

It's the same concept - wanting to help and feeling like you gave under false pretenses. I have known for some time now about this conflict with the foundation but many, many people were unaware . . .that's one thing about this whole mess, a lot more people will be aware of the situation and can make their choices with all the information up front.

people whoare pro-life

You mean people who are anti-choice?

because they hear about the mission of fighting breast cancer and only to find out later that the money has gone to a company which works to advance killing (preborn) animals that they care about

The money goes for breast exams and mammograms...exactly what it is donated for.

Nor does Planned Parenthood "advance" abortions. The work they do with birth control prevents more abortions...something no picketer or political hack or evangelical nit wit have ever accomplished. Anyone who doesn't support abortions should be supporting the work that Planned Parenthood does...not trying to destroy them.

Or do you think women should die of breast cancer, and that millions more women end up with unwanted pregnancies, STD's and other health problems...just so that you can make a totally useless political statement about abortions? If you close Planned Parenthood there will still be abortions. If you make abortion illegal...there will still be abortions...it will just kill more desperate women. I know a lot of religious nuts want to control women's sexual behavior and prevent them from having any...but is death really an appropriate penalty for sex?

It's not known exactly how many cancers Planned Parenthood has found. But just last June, Komen said screenings it paid for caught 177 cancers over the last five years.

Some things you may not know about Planned Parenthood:

— Most of its services — 71 percent — are for birth control and testing and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases. Abortions made up 3 percent of its services in 2010. Cancer screening accounted for about 15 percent.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/health/sns-bc-us-med--plannedparenthood-whoithelps,0,5575732.story

Idiots who want to destroy all the good that Planned Parenthood does because they can't see past their own selfish need to blow hot air...disgust me.

Or do you think women should die of breast cancer, and that millions more women end up with unwanted pregnancies, STD's and other health problems...just so that you can make a totally useless political statement about abortions?

And don't forget PRETENDING to be pro-life while letting all those women die...

Wow, that number is staggering....

177 cancers over the last 5 years? That's 35.4 cases per year. With the mind-boggling amount of cash that Komen brings in, they are only claiming 35.4 cases per year??? If they are making that much, and investing a substantial amount in screenings, they should be in the hundreds - each year!

THIS just convinced me that they are more interested in making money through their damned pink cause related marketing and branding than they are in seriously effecting a change for women and their breast cancer issues.

I'm stunned.

There are no pro-life people. There are pro-rights and pro-oppression people

Well put. May I use that?

But when an organization is willing to hurt women to advance a political point then that is what I am talking about when I mention "questionable moral values".

Exactly.

Notkidding - please site a source for PP using the money for mammograms . . .they have said themselves that they do not do them because they do not have them machines inhouse, (the machines are expensive and they have decided themselves that is not their mission apparently because they refer women elsewhere for them).

And I was simply expressing that the poster(s) should be able to identify with the feeling that someone would have who felt that they had given to Komen and then found out the money went to a place they did not support for the very same reasons these posters had written about.

As far as whale hunting - that, like the abortion issue, is a matter of opinion --- I personally don't like either, but I know several Native Americans who talk glowingly of how whale hunting brings their community together and gives young men something to train for and a feeling of accomplishment. They would not agree that is is strictly advancing killing anymore than you agree with pro-lifers about their issue.

That's the thing about saying you won't support a group with 'questionable values' -- they are questionable to you but someone else my look at it differently and there isn't only one way to think.

I was asking the posters to do an exercisee of the mind - to realize that someone who feels differently than them on the issue of abortion would feel the same way about being bamboozled or misled. I realize that asking people to try and exercise their minds is not a popular thing . . . evn on this site, which purports to want people who desire to get smarter.

Notkidding - please site a source for PP using the money for mammograms . . .they have said themselves that they do not do them because they do not have them machines inhouse, (the machines are expensive and they have decided themselves that is not their mission apparently because they refer women elsewhere for them).

They don't perform them...they refer women to someone who does, and they use their funding to PAY FOR THEM.

Komen paid for 170,000 of the more than 4 million clinical breast exams Planned Parenthood performed nationwide in the past five years, and 6,400 of Planned Parenthood's 70,000 mammography referrals in that time.

Right now the right wing propaganda machine is going full tilt trying to make this about the fact that PP just does clinical exams, pre-screens, arranges for and pays for...but doesn't actually perform the mammograms....but it won't work. That information has been public knowledge forever...ask any of the 70,000 woman who've gotten a mammogram through PP in the last five years. We all know what it is REALLY about...politics. Now that it has come back to bite them, they are lying and trying to re-write the story. As usual.

And I was simply expressing that the poster(s) should be able to identify with the feeling that someone would have who felt that they had given to Komen and then found out the money went to a place they did not support for the very same reasons these posters had written about.

Low cost health care for women....too evil to support?

That's the thing about saying you won't support a group with 'questionable values' -- they are questionable to you but someone else my look at it differently and there isn't only one way to think.

Of course. But when a charity uses their funding for politics...that will directly and negatively impact the very women they are charged with helping...then it's crossed a very different line.

I was asking the posters to do an exercisee of the mind - to realize that someone who feels differently than them on the issue of abortion would feel the same way about being bamboozled or misled. I realize that asking people to try and exercise their minds is not a popular thing . . . evn on this site, which purports to want people who desire to get smarter.

Well...a smart person would already know that making abortion less accessible won't stop abortion. And making it illegal won't stop it. So the people who are trying to do that...don't care about abortion...they just want to punish women for having sex. And even stupid people know that Planned Parenthood does more to prevent abortions than all the right wing nut jobs combined...so they would be the last place to defund if you were really against abortion.

And I was simply expressing that the poster(s) should be able to identify with the feeling that someone would have who felt that they had given to Komen and then found out the money went to a place they did not support for the very same reasons these posters had written about.

notkidding: Low cost health care for women....too evil to support?

I didn't use the word evil - although I see you want to be bombastic that is nothing like what I said. Some people might consider hunting whales evil and others not at all too . . .what I was simply expressing was that the original poster had mentioned giving to a cause and then finding out the money was used for something they did not support, that could be a chance to understand the way another person feels finding out their money went to PP.

Some people want to try and become more understanding to each other and look for moments where people who disagree can still understand and respect each other . . .other people have no desire for that and choose to put words like 'evil' into the equation.

That's the thing about saying you won't support a group with 'questionable values' -- they are questionable to you but someone else my look at it differently and there isn't only one way to think.

notkidding response: Of course. But when a charity uses their funding for politics...that will directly and negatively impact the very women they are charged with helping...then it's crossed a very different line.

Everything is potentially political, that's why it's a delicate walk for charitable organizations and they have to be careful. Giving money to whale hunting is political for the original poster but someone else might have no problem having their money go there and think it is helping them keep their culture alive. Having money go to PP was political in the first place -- for SGK they were in a bad spot because both sides are political . . .having money go to PP is hurting the people who want to support them but feel passionately about the right-to-life and the bulk of what PP does and changing their stance on giving money to PP is a political issue for people who think there is nothing wrong with money going to PP.

Imagine you gave money to a group which said they were helping battered women and you felt very passionately about the issue - your assumption is that the money will go to helping battered women rebuild their lives or get help, have a safe place to stay, etc and then you found out that some small portion of the money also goes to the abusive husbands to help them have a maid come and clean their house because they believe the husband is less likely to harrass his wife if he's able to have someone else provide housework for him . . .let's just say that they give good reasons that helping these men will also be beneficial to women who are trying to leave abusiv emen and they have good stats.

It's one thing if you knew ahead that's what they planned with the money, but if you didn't it might really annoy you that you wanted to help abused women and a small portion was going to abusers . . .for people who are passionate that they wanted to help women have access to life-saving help but who also passsionately feel that the bulk of work PP does goes against saving lives they would feel that sense of betrayal.

For them the money is going to the opposite of saving lives -- I know you do not feel that way but some people do and if Komen takes their money they should do it honestly.

I was asking the posters to do an exercisee of the mind - to realize that someone who feels differently than them on the issue of abortion would feel the same way about being bamboozled or misled. I realize that asking people to try and exercise their minds is not a popular thing . . . evn on this site, which purports to want people who desire to get smarter.

notkidding responds: Well...a smart person would already know that making abortion less accessible won't stop abortion. And making it illegal won't stop it. So the people who are trying to do that...don't care about abortion...they just want to punish women for having sex. And even stupid people know that Planned Parenthood does more to prevent abortions than all the right wing nut jobs combined...so they would be the last place to defund if you were really against abortion.

okay what you responded to has absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with the exercise I mentioned: putting yourself into another persons mindset and striving to understand . . .

I don't even know why you brought up the legality of abortion, I didn't and supposedly this issue is about SGK and the mission to get breast cancer prevention methods out there.

Obviously you don't even understand the concept of the mind exercise I was talking about but I wasn't asking you to do it anyway . . .I can see you have no interest in trying to look at another person's point of view so I won't mention the exercise to you again and would prefer not to have any further exchanges. You are set in your opinion, that's fine but I prefer to discuss the issue with people who are intersted in exchange of ideas.

Thank you

Giving money to whale hunting is political for the original poster but someone else might have no problem having their money go there and think it is helping them keep their culture alive.

WTF??
I DID NOT give money to whale hunting!
I gave money for the tsunami relief, & the JAPANESE GOVERNMENT spent the money on security for whalers instead.
Learn to read!
It's not political to me.
It's about the fraudulent use of funds.
They stole charity money.
It's like going into a church & robbing the poor box, but on a bigger scale.
Or would you excuse that too?

It's about the fraudulent use of funds.
They stole charity money.

That's exactly what I'm talking about - when you give to a charity expecting the money to go to one thing and it is used for something else which was not the giver's intention; this is exactly how many, many people have felt findout out that they gave to SGK only to find out the money went to PP.

That's why I say that places need to be very upfront about where their money is going to go.

Many people who had a deep desire to honor a loved one who died from breast cancer wanted to do something or give someting to SGK and it would have never occurred to them the money might end up at a place which primarily does abortions . . .the two things are so disparate that someone who didn't do a diligent research would never guess that's where money would go, just like you wouldn't expect it to go to whale hunting.

can you imagine if you did the fundraiser to honor your mom who was a staunch pro-lifer and then you found that out? . . . my aunt and mother, (and mother-in-law -- sweetest lady ever), were all dedicatedly pro-life and would be devastated to have someone doing a fundraiser which ended up with any monies going to PP in their name.

I am agreeing that places need to honest about where their money is going - I wouldn't want my money going to whale hunting either . . .I made the point though that other people I know wouldn't feel that way, it isn't a political issue for them.

And I did not say that you gave money to whale hunting; this is what I wrote:

Giving money to whale hunting is political for the original poster but someone else might have no problem having their money go there

having their money go there -- which is what you said; that some of the money went there. That is exactly the position some people found themselves in - they gave to SGK and found out later that some of the money went to someplace they didn't support.

according to Planned Parenthood's own March 2011 Planned Parenthood Services fact sheet, 332,278 abortions were performed on some of PPFA's three million clients in the year ending June 30, 2009. This suggests that eleven percent of their clients had abortions in that year, not three percent. But the best measure of how important abortions are to PPFA's bottom line is the fact that abortions produce at least 37 percent of PPFA revenues by very conservative estimates. And again, some people who have no idea what this is about are claiming it is about "Anti-this" or "Pro-that"...bologna! It is about letting people know what they are donating to...like the person wanting to help Japan but they got used and their money was spent on something else. it is simple. I always VOTE that Women have the right to do whatever they want with their body, I also don't like abortion (rape, medical issues, etc. excluded for this discussion because I know some idiot will now mention that even though we are not talking about that)...So that makes me a "Pro-choice, Anti-Abortion" person, not "Pro-life", not Anti-choice", not "Pro-Abortion" or anything else. Morons put labels on others. I want all Women to have the choice to do whatever they want with their body but I do not have to pay for it. If I am walking to raise money for Women's health for the Komen Foundation, I sure as heck don't want to fund abortions. Only idiots will try to make a mountain out of this mole hill.

NotKidding, If I give you $50 for your electric bill and you have $50 for beer, how do I know you are not using my money on beer? I don't so I want to know up front id you are spending money on beer and I can give my money to someone who needs to pay their electric bill.....SIMPLE.

Polka14, We are talking about $300,000 to Planned Parenthood and MILLIONS to OTHER organizations from Komen that does more good for Women and doesn't cloud where the money is going. If you are worried about "very poor value in ethics", maybe you should ask Planned Parenthood to make a separate organization to do abortions and keep the Health of Women apart from abortions and nobody will be able to worry where their money is going?

Polka14

I don't agree with your POV on several topics. We have butted heads more then few times. However, on this topic you wrote a good article and are doing a good job of moderating it.

The SGK had no problem donating to the PP until they hired their new VP, Karen Handel. She has strong political leanings. She ran for Governor of Georgia in 2010 on an aggressively anti-abortion and anti-Planned Parenthood platform.

Susan G. Komen for the Cure named her to be its senior vice president in April 2011. She was the one who drove the decison to defund PP. She found the loop hole in the SGK funding requirements. Reports say she personally came up the "investigation criteria,".

According to an article in the Huffington Post": "She said, 'If we just say it's about investigations, we can defund Planned Parenthood and no one can blame us for being political.'"

Sneaky political witch if you ask me.

Polka14, If you "will not support an organization that vulnerable to politics at the expense of others", maybe you should look at this:
www.campaignmoney.com/political/committees/planned-parenthood-action-fund-inc-pac-planned-parenthood-federal-pac.asp?cycle=08

Planned Parenthood has their OWN political Action group so THEY can put politics in front of Womens health. And you can also look here for more info on what PP spends money on....It says PP so far has spent $93,403 for politics this election cycle.

How many Mammograms could have been done on poor Women with $93,403 instead of going to political issues?
It wasn’t the 6/10 of 1/1000 of their annual budget that was the threat, it was the loss of Komen’s credibility and good name that threatened them. They savaged Brinker for attempting to withdraw the protective cover of Komen’s good name. Again, don't leap without looking because of what some people are saying, the info is out there if you look for it.

You mean to say that you are jealous and envious of the rapid ascent of the SGK org. I take it they are competing in some way with your monetary interests. How can you support life on one hand and justify the death of children . I think SGK was wondering that very thing. But fret no more they have reversed thier decision so you can go back to your old dog food now.

@painesman

They're not children till they leave the womb, and until the pregnancy is more than 50% through, it's more the woman's body than the child's.

But this is the real problem I have with all the forced birthers. It's really a question of contractual law.

In this country, you generally have to enter into a contractual agreement to have something be so ironclad as forced birthers want every single fertilized embryo to be. If I want to lease a car, buy a house, start a job, all of that - there is generally a contract that changes my standing, obgliations and responsibilities, with all of that clearly laid out in a manner that is officially a matter of record.

And if you are a minor, you need your parent's permission to even enter into a contract. Why then is it considered compulsory, with no contract?

There's a birth certificate issued for a reason. There aren't conception certificates, and I don't see how a fertilized zygote constitutes a legally binding contract and legal responsibility for any woman who happens to have conceived. But in your world, it's like as soon as that egg is fertilized, in your world, that woman now has a host of obligations that she didn't have before. She might not have entered into it in a state of sound body or mind, and she may have even been forced into it. Doesn't matter to you @!$%#s. As far as your concerned there's no further discussion, and she's basically your property, your vessel, and she no longer has rights over her own body. Even if that child is from rape or incest. Even if the child will be born with severe birth defects. Even if the woman already has children that she is trying desperately to keep fed, clothed, sheltered and educated. It is asinine to push all of these heavy legal responsibilities on women who have signed no contract and in many cases are being coerced into something against their will - if not the actual sex act, then the 9 months of carrying the child, and all the responsible behavior that entails. If I sign a contract that says I will modify my behavior in line with responsibilities that are spelled out in a legally binding contract that both parties agree to, that's one thing. Forcing a woman to carry every egg to term denies science, it denies women control over their own body, and it denies that rape happens or condoms break or people make bad choices when angry or sad or drunk. You think you're helping, but you're not. Really.

You have the gall to preach about life when we all know damn well as soon as that child is born you and all these other so-called Christians will turn your back on it, your nose up in the air and saying piously it's not your problem, so let's keep cutting all aid to mitigate the effects of the poverty 1 in 4 American children grow up in. All for a belief which isn't even the dominant faith of planet Earth, and a belief that not all Americans share.

Keep your noses out of other people's uteruses and focus on your own damn family.

Pink horse chow?

How about a pink handgun?
http://www.womenshooters.com/archive/old0110issue/feature0110.html

they have reversed thier decision

Not so much it turns out, they still aren't giving them the grant this year and made no promises to do so next year, all they said is that they would be free to APPLY for the grant next year... well duh, they'd always be free to apply. Nothing but a PR stunt to make less intelligent people believe they still had a shred of decency left.

PS - They also pulled funding for stem cell based cancer research.

You mean to say that you are jealous and envious of the rapid ascent of the SGK org.

I thought it was pretty clear: a non-profit that expands that quickly is spending all their money on marketing...not what it was intended for. You saw that as jealousy? Interesting how your mind works.

I take it they are competing in some way with your monetary interests. How can you support life on one hand and justify the death of children .

How can you support zygotes on one hand and then justify withholding life-saving medical treatment from them once they are born?

I think SGK was wondering that very thing. But fret no more they have reversed thier decision so you can go back to your old dog food now.

Yeah...they really shot themselves in the foot with that brain-dead foray into politics. Guess that's what you get when you hire a politician. Having an organization devoted to women's health misogyinistically put politics before the rights and lives of the women they purpote to serve....was a colossally stupid move. They won't be trusted now.

Jealousy has nothing to do with my criticism of SGK - (thanks, NotKidding. Obviously you understood).

As far as my monetary interests; I am in no way associated with, employed by, or own any cancer organization, so nice deflection. There is no justification of death of children. I justify a woman's right to choose whether she wants to carry a couple of cells to the point of it becoming any kind of thing resembling a child. There is no choosing death if that couple of cells is not viable outside the womb. So what is your point, other than to conflate facts to suit your argument.

The right is getting pretty good at finding problems to suit their predetermined conclusions.

Voter fraud, killing babies, defunding PP.

painesman

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DNF.

Shelby, An organization that gives over 2 BILLION dollars to charity to help Women can do whatever they feel is in their best interest to keep helping Women. You can have all the abortions you want and nobody is trying to stop you or anyone else. You have to find someone else to pay for them though.
Z1P2, "less intelligent people"....really? As far as the
Stem Cell" comment...so what, Komen is a Breast Cancer foundation. Do you think they should pay for bicycle repair too? Many people would not donate to them nowing they supported abortion and stem cell research (do you know anything about Stem Cell research? Or was the comment something Rachel Maddow told you to repeat) I'll help, The controversy is about "Embryonic Stem cells", that involves taking a living embryo and destroying it for science. Some people do not like the idea of making an Embryo just to kill it for science. Not all Stem Cell research involves the creation, use, or destruction of human embryos. For example, adult stem cells, amniotic stem cells and induced pluripotent stem cells do not involve human embryos at all. And Komen has no problem using those kinds of Stem Cells for research, as they are already here and will be wasted if not used for science. The Main issue is Making life just to kill it for science. YOU can decide if an Embryo is life or not but THAT is the issue, not that Komen does not want to help people. Some people will not donate to them as long as they fund that kind of research. You are making this about a whole bunch of things it is NOT about.

catmando, you can defend it all you like but the simple truth is, they pretended like it wasn't for the reasons it really was.They gave a reason that was wholly false - if they were truly concerned about giving to orgs that were under investigation they'd have cut their ties with B of A too. They lied, they got caught, and the BS that they'd been getting people to believe for years was shown to be a facade, and this info is finally turning public opinion against them. You can try to spin it your way but the facts are pretty plain. If they wanted to simply cut their ties with PP they'd have done so, with no attempt to mitigate the PR damage by saying it was only as a matter of a new policy. People are not dumb enough to just believe the sociopathic PR spin of corporatist agencies without diging a little deeper to find the real motivation. And thanks to the internet, there's a whole network of information and communication that can make that response time very fast indeed.

I don't care how many dollars they give to women's orgs, they don't get to lie about their reasoning and not get called on it.

It's also worth noting that their right to do what they want with their money will become moot if they alienate people so much that their fundraising capability goes down the toilet. That's just reality.

How can you call 3% of what you do "primarily?" Planned Parenthood devotes 97% of what they do to womens' health issues. And the only investigation they are under was initiated by a pro-life senator for reasons other than anything criminal. It was a hoax!

They don't care about life.

Ultimately, no, they don't.

Good post, Polka.

I will not support ... any organization that supports evil.

Somehow I'm not buying that. Something tells me it's all political for you.

One of the the biggest ironies, as I see it, is that if you are truly concerned about women having access to life-saving mammograms and early detection then you would applaud the decision to break off the funding to PP even if you supported PP . . .because PP even admits that do not do mammograms themselves, they do occasional breast palpitations and referrals. They basically refer women to other places which do mammograms.

They do not have the machines themselves.

So if you understand the concept of a budget, (and having to make the best use of your money), it would be obvious that money would be metter spent on places which actually do mammograms . . .the places where PP is referring women to go to. The money could go to those places to offer mammograms to low-income women for free; anyone who understands a basic economic lesson could understand that giving someone money to answer a phone and tell someone where to go is not an efficient use of money which could actually be paying for a mammogram.

And are we to believe that if PP didn't get the money from the Komen foundation that they wouldn't take a few seconds and do a breast palpitation or answer the phone and refer a woman where to go for a mammogram???

I don't believe that for a second - if you did believe that you would have to believe that Planned Parenthood really has no caring for women whatsover . . .that if they weren't paid they would not do referrals??? Come on, I don't think anyone is going to seriously think that.

The only thing this whole mess has really shown me is that people who support PP either do it blindly or have absolutely no understanding of how budgeting works and the concept of trying to use money efficiently.

Funny how they managed to have it in their budget to pay their politician that made these decisions 1/5'th of this grant...

Know what I've learned from all this? Anti-choicers will delude themselves with all kinds of lies.

Yes, RuthAnn, Planned Parenthood is partially a pass-through organization. And what is Komen? Do they have "machines?"

PP does pass-through services. SGK is entirely a pass-through organization. Does SGK not really care about women's health services? You defeated your own argument and is so contorted, you may need help getting yourself out of that pretzel you find yourself in.

I will not support Komen, or any organization that supports evil.

Well given the x-tian church's rise to power and how they've kept it you should've stopped donating to them centuries ago...

Shelby - SGK has many groups who vie for the money they collect and a certain, (limited), amount to give -- if they are even attempting to be good stewards of the money they are obligated to try and give it directly to someplace that does mammograms.

People give understanding that SGK is a fundraising outfit, they do not expect that SGK will do mammograms themselves but they do want them to be good stewards of the money they give. People were less aware before this that PP was getting some of those grants for not doing mammograms but for passsing women through . . .it is better in the long run that people have the information.

One of the the biggest ironies, as I see it, is that if you are truly concerned about women having access to life-saving mammograms and early detection then you would applaud the decision to break off the funding to PP even if you supported PP . . .because PP even admits that do not do mammograms themselves,

You do realize that most places don't do regular mammograms for women under 50? So if a woman is in her 30's or 40's and gets breast cancer, the only way it will be found is if someone does a clinical breast exam and then refers them for a mammogram.

they do occasional breast palpitations and referrals. They basically refer women to other places which do mammograms.

Actually...they do about 800,000 clinical breast exams a year and refer about 14,000 women a year for mammograms. Hardly "occasional".

Most of Planned Parenthood's clients are too young for breast cancer screening under most guidelines, although they are prime age for cervical cancer screening. About 80 percent are under 35.

— Planned Parenthood doesn't follow the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force guidelines, which do not endorse clinical breast exams and recommend mammograms only every other year starting at age 50. Instead, Planned Parenthood does a physical breast exam on any woman of any age as part of a regular physical, and refers for mammograms any women 40 and older.

— Komen paid for just 170,000 of the more than 4 million clinical breast exams Planned Parenthood performed nationwide over the last five years, and just 6,400 of Planned Parenthood's 70,000 mammography referrals in that time.

So if you understand the concept of a budget, (and having to make the best use of your money), it would be obvious that money would be metter spent on places which actually do mammograms . . the places where PP is referring women to go to.

Actually...the opposite is true. They screen women and refer the ones that are at risk, but a clinical exam costs very little compared to a mammogram, without even figuring in the ridiculous costs of providing the machinery and trained radiological techs to run them for every Planned Parenthood office in the country.

The money could go to those places to offer mammograms to low-income women for free; anyone who understands a basic economic lesson could understand that giving someone money to answer a phone and tell someone where to go is not an efficient use of money which could actually be paying for a mammogram.

Is there a reason you are trying (unsuccessfully) to diminish the excellent work that Planned Parenthood does? They certainly do more than answer the phones and refer people...and they don't spend the bulk of their funding on marketing silly little pink ribbons or sponsoring pink guns.

And are we to believe that if PP didn't get the money from the Komen foundation that they wouldn't take a few seconds and do a breast palpitation or answer the phone and refer a woman where to go for a mammogram???

Obviously...they will get the money somewhere else. They recieved over 3 million in private donations just because of this political fiasco. That misses the point though. The point is that Komen is supposed to provide funds to treat and cure breast cancer...and instead they decided to make some lame ass political statement about abortion and stem cell research, at the risk of denying life saving care and research to the very women they are dedicated to serve. They abandoned their mandate and decided to use the money given to them to help women...and use it to further their sick, oppresive political views...at the expense of the very women they are supposed to be helping.

I don't believe that for a second - if you did believe that you would have to believe that Planned Parenthood really has no caring for women whatsover . . .that if they weren't paid they would not do referrals??? Come on, I don't think anyone is going to seriously think that.

Well I do. I don't expect anyone to work for free. However...Komen is only a part of their funding, and couldn't do any major damage to Planned Parenthood if they tried. They damaged themselves. Badly.

The only thing this whole mess has really shown me is that people who support PP either do it blindly or have absolutely no understanding of how budgeting works and the concept of trying to use money efficiently.

Really? So you don't think there should be low cost birth control, STD testing, breast exams, pap smears, family planning, counselling, etc. offered to low income women? You don't support that?

I don't think that this mess has shown you anything, really. My guess is you still have all the same opinions you had before it began. You would have to be a special kind of cruel or a willfully blind anti-choice whack job to not support Planned Parenthood and all the good it does.

People were less aware before this that PP was getting some of those grants for not doing mammograms but for passsing women through . . .it is better in the long run that people have the information.

Planned Parenthood uses the money to PAY for exams and mammograms. It doesn't matter if the machinery is in their clinic or elsewhere...they use the money for mammograms...just as they say they do.

Really? So you don't think there should be low cost birth control, STD testing, breast exams, pap smears, family planning, counselling, etc. offered to low income women? You don't support that?

This is not about me, this is about SGK being a fundraiser for breast cancer research and prevention and what people who give to them think they are giving their money for & to . . .whether there should be STD testing, pap smears, family planning, counseling, etc available has absolutely nothing to do with SGK . . . as for as breast exams they are inexpensive to perform and I don't believe for a minute they would not get done if SGK didn't funnel money that way.

The fact that you are putting STD testing, family planning, etc into a discussion about what SGK should be funding shows precisely why this is an issue . . .SGK has a mission and when they take money from people those people have a certain idea of what their money is being spent on. Giving it for STD testing and family planning is disengenous.

By putting them together you have proven that point.

If you are, for instance, saying that you are worried there is not enough availability for low-income women to get mammograms and do a fundraiser you should make sure that as much money as is possible goes to getting mammograms to low-income women.

People should know where the money goes - when I give to charity I almost always go on CharityCheck to see how well the charity does at providing actual services with their money.

If SGK wants to give the money to PP for referrals and people are aware of that and support it, then fine ---- but many people did not really know it before this scandal . . . I know because I have mentioned it several times when I was asked to sponsor someone or attend fundraisers, often the people themselves had no idea. That was not right.

Any group who is taking people's money for fundraising purposes has some obligation to understand what the expectation of the people giviing is and try to accomodate that and BE HONEST about where the money goes and how it is spent.

Komen is only a part of their funding, and couldn't do any major damage to Planned Parenthood if they tried. They damaged themselves. Badly.

Actually, I agree -- PP gets money from its own supporters, (supporters who KNOW that they are giving their money to PP), and it would actually be much better for it to be separated for that very reason . . .let people who understand they are giving to PP give to them and PP can do the same work with money rightfully taken under no false pretenses and let then people who give to SGK can give to them knowing their money goes to the mission that they wish to support such as research or providing mammograms.

I also agree that SGK probably damaged themselves, but not for the reasons you do . . .did you know that SGK also had their best fundraising after they made the announcement separating themselves from PP? . . . that proves the two could do better being more honest with their fundraising; but I do believe that by bringing the issue to the forefront and then reversing tehmselves they have hurt themselves because now a lot of people who did not know or believe money was being funneled to Pp through them are aware of it now, many will feel betrayed,

andthe people who would have supported the decision to give PP the money are also going to feel betrayed that SGK tried to separate themselves, and will probably give money directly to PP.

It was a lose-lose IMO opinion for them to retract their stance; although they have still only said that PP can apply next year -- they did not promise to give any money. Irregardless of that the PR is a no win for them with both sides . . .but I still think it is best that people know now and the whole truth is out. More information is still almost always better.

This is not about me, this is about SGK

Now...now....if you keep moving the goal posts around, no one will want to play with you anymore. That comment was in response to your snarky remark about people who support Planned Parenthood...like that was bad thing. You weren't talking about SGK.

being a fundraiser for breast cancer research and prevention and what people who give to them think they are giving their money for & to . . .

And what SGK gives to Planned Parenthood IS used for breast cancer screening.

whether there should be STD testing, pap smears, family planning, counseling, etc available has absolutely nothing to do with SGK . . .

No...again...that was in response to your condescending comments about people who support Planned Parenthood.

as for as breast exams they are inexpensive to perform and I don't believe for a minute they would not get done if SGK didn't funnel money that way.

No one said they wouldn't. What was said...was that SGK made a really stupid decision based on politics, not on women's health.

The fact that you are putting STD testing, family planning, etc into a discussion about what SGK should be funding shows precisely why this is an issue . .

There go those goal posts again. You ought to watch that.

.SGK has a mission and when they take money from people those people have a certain idea of what their money is being spent on. Giving it for STD testing and family planning is disengenous.

I never said it goes for that. Perhaps you should go back and read what it was I was responding to....cause right now you are fighting with yourself....and losing.

If you are, for instance, saying that you are worried there is not enough availability for low-income women to get mammograms and do a fundraiser you should make sure that as much money as is possible goes to getting mammograms to low-income women.

I don't know how many different ways there are to tell you that Planned Parenthood uses the money for mammograms...just like they are supposed to.

People should know where the money goes - when I give to charity I almost always go on CharityCheck to see how well the charity does at providing actual services with their money.

So you knew all along that SGK gives funds to Planned Parenthood...which they use for breast cancer screenings and to pay for mammograms. Or...you've never given anything to SGK so didn't look it up....either way...this is all manufactured outrage.

If SGK wants to give the money to PP for referrals and people are aware of that and support it, then fine ----

They don't. They give it to Planned Parenthood to conduct breast cancer screenings, clinical exams and to PAY FOR THE MAMMOGRAMS they refer people to. Not JUST for referrals. Can you see the difference? I can.

but many people did not really know it before this scandal . . .

Because there's nothing to know. This is smoke and mirrors. SGK screwed up big time, and now they are trying to re-write history and pretend that it's all about Planned Parenthood paying for mammograms that other people perform. It's a lame attempt to change the story. It's not working.

I know because I have mentioned it several times when I was asked to sponsor someone or attend fundraisers, often the people themselves had no idea. That was not right.

There are a lot of things people don't know...so what? The money is used for exactly what it was intended. There is no deception here. Well...not by Planned Parenthood at least.

Any group who is taking people's money for fundraising purposes has some obligation to understand what the expectation of the people giviing is and try to accomodate that and BE HONEST about where the money goes and how it is spent.

So your beef is with SGK for not telling you that they fund mammograms and exams through Planned Parenthood? Mammograms are mammograms...who better to procure them for low income women than a low income women's health center? Planned Parenthood hasn't been dishonest about anything. They never said they do the mammograms on site....but they still provide them for women who need them and can't pay.

Actually, I agree -- PP gets money from its own supporters, (supporters who KNOW that they are giving their money to PP), and it would actually be much better for it to be separated for that very reason

You know...for someone who claims to research charities....you should know that any money for abortions (which is clearly your problem)...are separate from all other monies that Planned Parenthood uses. So this is all just a bunch of posturing and hot air.

. . .let people who understand they are giving to PP give to them and PP can do the same work with money rightfully taken under no false pretenses

Back up...who took money under false pretense?

and let then people who give to SGK can give to them knowing their money goes to the mission that they wish to support such as research or providing mammograms.

Which...for the dozenth time...is precisely what the money they give to Planned Parenthood IS spent on. They paid for over 70,000 mammograms in five years. So if you give money to SGK for mammograms...and they give it to Planned Parenthood....that is what it is spent on.

I also agree that SGK probably damaged themselves, but not for the reasons you do . .

It didn't help that they came up with three different stories about why they did it...only one of which was true...it was a backdoor attempt to cripple an agency that provides low cost health care to women...because they are anti-choice. Poor women can die in the streets for all they care...as long as they can make their completely useless stand.

.did you know that SGK also had their best fundraising after they made the announcement separating themselves from PP?

Really? Why won't anyone there confirm that then? No numbers...nothing. Yet there is no shortage of former supporters who have vowed to never send them another dime. I've never sent them anything, but my first instinct when I saw the story was to write a check to Planned Parenthood...apparently I wasn't alone. I will watch for the pink ribbon on what I buy...and buy a different brand. I won't support that kind of shameless politicking at the expense of women's health.

. . . that proves the two could do better being more honest with their fundraising;

Please show me where Planned Parenthood was dishonest.

but I do believe that by bringing the issue to the forefront and then reversing tehmselves they have hurt themselves because now a lot of people who did not know or believe money was being funneled to Pp through them are aware of it now, many will feel betrayed,

Then "many" are being stupid. They donate for breast cancer, and it's used for breast cancer...where is this mythical "betrayal"? If these people are just too bigoted or ignorant to educate themselves on all the good that Planned Parenthood does...and how they REDUCE abortions by providing low cost birth control....then there's no help for them. They are just being willfully obtuse and hateful.

andthe people who would have supported the decision to give PP the money are also going to feel betrayed that SGK tried to separate themselves, and will probably give money directly to PP.

Absolutely. People who want to help women aren't going to donate to an organization that just tried to throw women under the bus to advance their own hateful agenda. They will give it to the organization that actually helps women.

It was a lose-lose IMO opinion for them to retract their stance; although they have still only said that PP can apply next year -- they did not promise to give any money.

Planned Parenthood made 3 million in donations this week...about five times what SGK funds them. It's not about the money. Its about a charity devoted to women's health....that doesn't care about women's health.

Irregardless of that the PR is a no win for them with both sides . . .

Only if you are inventing reasons to make Planned Parenthood look bad. They've done nothing wrong and come out of this looking great. They didn't toss women under the bus to make some totally useless political statement. They spend the money on what they say they spend it on.

but I still think it is best that people know now and the whole truth is out. More information is still almost always better.

The only truth that wasn't already known is that SGK has become a cash-cow front for an anti-choice group who care nothing about women's health. They defunded stem cell research too...something that could actually cure cancer one day. Idiots who only care about people before they are born....and then treat them like garbage once they are...dime a dozen.

That comment was in response to your snarky remark about people who support Planned Parenthood...like that was bad thing. You weren't talking about SGK.

I don't know which comment you are referring to; I cannot say why you thought it was snarky because you don't say which comment --you took it as if I felt it was a bad thing but obviously I didn't actually say that, (I know I didn't - but you even say 'like that was bad' - so you admit it is your interpretation. I cannot say why you took it that way without knowing what I'm referring to.

Iif people want to give to PP I have no opinion on that; this is America and it's not for me to say which charities someone else should support -- I would feel snarky and perturbed with people telling other people that they have no right to not want to give to PP, because they have as much right to their opinion as anyone else.

That is why I said this is not about me - this is about honesty and transparency; I have this crazy idea that a fundraising operation should be transparent about where their money goes and people have a right to know.

whether there should be STD testing, pap smears, family planning, counseling, etc available has absolutely nothing to do with SGK . . .

Notkidding response: No...again...that was in response to your condescending comments about people who support Planned Parenthood.

Okay, this time I know which comment and agree it was condescending . . .but I did not mean it to regard people who give to PP in general but people who are so blind in their support of the group that they cannot admit that in this instance the money could be used more effectively . . .it was condescending in regard to not understanding the importance of spending charitable money to the best ability.

Whether STD testing, family planning, etc should be done is not supposed to be in SGK's mission and would be dishonest for it to give money to that end -- you can support those things but still understand that it is wrong all day for SGK to put any monies toward it, because that isn't what people fundraised the money for.

The fact that you are putting STD testing, family planning, etc into a discussion about what SGK should be funding shows precisely why this is an issue . .

notkkidding response: There go those goal posts again. You ought to watch that.

you brought up the STD testing, etc -- I agree it was off topic, but I didn't bring it up. The fact that you did though shows why someone who does not support that particular mission whould not want their money going to PP . . .you support Pp and cannot even keep the subject separate.

If you are, for instance, saying that you are worried there is not enough availability for low-income women to get mammograms and do a fundraiser you should make sure that as much money as is possible goes to getting mammograms to low-income women.

Not kidding response: I don't know how many different ways there are to tell you that Planned Parenthood uses the money for mammograms...just like they are supposed to.

Planned Parenthood themselves admits they do not have the machines and refers women out - now you believe that they then take the money that Komen has given them and pay for the mammogram that they referred the woman to . . .if that is the case please site a source, I would be interested to see that.

I still personally feel that people have a right to either support PP or not support them and I don't look down on people for either choice - and I still believe in transparency and that Komen should be making the fact that some of their money goes to PP more known so that people can make an informed decision . . .but I would be glad to see that PP actually did pay from their grant for a mammogram they referred.

People should know where the money goes - when I give to charity I almost always go on CharityCheck to see how well the charity does at providing actual services with their money.

notkidding response: So you knew all along that SGK gives funds to Planned Parenthood...

that's one reason I said this is not about me; but when I have mentioned it to other people they are often shocked; that's why I said it's simply better for the information to be out now.

For instance I had an aunt who died from breast cancer, but I happen to know she was virulently pro-life and when her daughter wanted to do a fundraiser for SGK in her honor I mentioned it to my cousin because I knew that my aunt would be aghast at this being done in her name . . . of course my cousin felt betrayed.

On the flip side, I have a close friend who does one every year (pampered chef products -- which are really not my thing) because of her mother and I think it's great because her mom would have thought it was a good thing -- her mom did not take issue with PP and it is completely appropriate for a fundraiser to be done in her name.

Maybe you think it is 'manufactured outrage', (although I hardly think I came off as 'outraged'), because you simply cannot separate your own opinions from trying to understand and respect those of another person but I can and do respect opinions other than my own.

Not kidding: They give it to Planned Parenthood to conduct breast cancer screenings, clinical exams and to PAY FOR THE MAMMOGRAMS they refer people to. Not JUST for referrals.

again - please provide a site for that; I'd be interested.

I know because I have mentioned it several times when I was asked to sponsor someone or attend fundraisers, often the people themselves had no idea. That was not right.

Notkidding response: There are a lot of things people don't know...so what?

Again I believe in transparancy . . .hmmm ithink someone else taled about the importance of transparency . . .who was that? . . .

I also believe it is best to have people be more informed -- I don't say so what; I care about people being informed.

Most people give to a charity for very personal reasons and it is something that is meaningful in their lives; there are many charitable organizations out there to choose from and when people come to the decision which one to give money to they want to know the money is going to teh cause they have chosen . . .finding out that the money was used for something else can be very upsetting and can even make people turn against all charitable org.s thinking they are all crooked; it can make people feel robbed or cheated. It matters.

At least it matters to me; whether it matters to you I cannot say -

any group who is taking people's money for fundraising purposes has some obligation to understand what the expectation of the people giviing is and try to accomodate that and BE HONEST about where the money goes and how it is spent.

Notkidding response: So your beef is with SGK for not telling you that they fund mammograms and exams through Planned Parenthood?

Not me in particular - I keep trying to tell you that I don't think the whole world revolves around me . . .that I am able to care about other people

notkidding response cont:

Mammograms are mammograms...who better to procure them for low income women than a low income women's health center?

Oh I don't know - another clinic, (which actually has the machine), who could use the money to provide a health fair or use the money for say April and October being set aside to do free mammograms for low-income women.

. . .let people who understand they are giving to PP give to them and PP can do the same work with money rightfully taken under no false pretenses

notkidding: Back up...who took money under false pretense?

SGK - for not making people very aware that some of the money goes to PP.

.did you know that SGK also had their best fundraising after they made the announcement separating themselves from PP?

notkidding response; Really? Why won't anyone there confirm that then? No numbers...nothing.

http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/02/komen-founder-defunding-controversy-a-mischactrerization-/1

from the article:

Brinker told reporters in a conference call that donations to Komen are up 100% in the past two days

http://dailycaller.com/2012/02/02/after-cutting-ties-with-planned-parenthood-komen-donations-up-100-percent/

http://www.jimhuntshow.com/after-cutting-ties-with-planned-parenthood-susan-g-komen-foundation-donations-increased-100/

but I do believe that by bringing the issue to the forefront and then reversing tehmselves they have hurt themselves because now a lot of people who did not know or believe money was being funneled to Pp through them are aware of it now, many will feel betrayed,

Notkidding response: Then "many" are being stupid.

I can see you have no respect for people who have other opinions - I do not feel that way and think that comment was uncalled for.

. . . If these people are just too bigoted or ignorant to educate themselves on all the good that Planned Parenthood does...and how they REDUCE abortions by providing low cost birth control....then there's no help for them. They are just being willfully obtuse and hateful.

Well, I can see we've degenerated into name calling now . . .

Irregardless of that the PR is a no win for them with both sides . . .

notkidding response: Only if you are inventing reasons to make Planned Parenthood look bad.

Notkidding, when I said both sides I meant the people who support PP and the people who don't want to support PP . . .that is the two sides.

but I still think it is best that people know now and the whole truth is out. More information is still almost always better.

Notkidding: The only truth that wasn't already known is that SGK has become a cash-cow front for an anti-choice group who care nothing about women's health. They defunded stem cell research too...something that could actually cure cancer one day. Idiots who only care about people before they are born....and then treat them like garbage once they are...dime a dozen

Well, what can I say after that hate-filled rant?

I have already stated many times that it was not well-known; that many people who wanted to support SGK were shocked to find out some of the money went to PP.

The rest of your statement is what I find a shockingly dismissive attitude towards anyone who dares to have a differing opinion than yours;you appear to be saying that that anyone who may have a different outlook doesn't care about women . . .which is odd that they are arranging fundraisers and racing for the cure or contributing to Birthright centers, etc . . .they sure have a strange way of harboring their hate & rage with all the outreach they do.

Might I make a recommendation, Notkidding?

If you ever decide to try and have some tolerance for people who think differently there is a great book called "Who Really Cares" by Arthur Brooks. it's a good read and it is good for opening a person's mind . . .he says writing it opened his.

I don't know which comment you are referring to; I cannot say why you thought it was snarky because you don't say which comment --you took it as if I felt it was a bad thing but obviously I didn't actually say that, (I know I didn't - but you even say 'like that was bad' - so you admit it is your interpretation. I cannot say why you took it that way without knowing what I'm referring to.

I thought it was too obvious to repeat it...I mean it was right there, above my response. I aways quote what I am responding to. But here...let me repeat it for your benefit:

The only thing this whole mess has really shown me is that people who support PP either do it blindly or have absolutely no understanding of how budgeting works and the concept of trying to use money efficiently.

To which I replied:

Really? So you don't think there should be low cost birth control, STD testing, breast exams, pap smears, family planning, counselling, etc. offered to low income women? You don't support that?

Since you were "shown" that people who DO support Planned Parenthood...which provides all of those excellent and needed services...do it "blindly"....like maybe if they could see more they wouldn't support it for some reason, you were clearly implying that you didn't support it. Additionally, you seem to think that those of us who agree that not having ridiculously expensive equipment in every Planned Parenthood clinic is using their money efficiently....are just too stupid to understand budgets. Pretty snarky.

Over 10,000 people donated money directly to Planned Parenthood last week after SGK showed their true colors. They did it knowing that Planned Parenthood provides mammograms for low income women by arranging for them to done elsewhere and paying for them. They did it knowing that Planned Paenthood also does abortions, STD testing, pap smears, family counselling, etc. They didn't support Planned Parenthood "blindly".

I don't have time for the rest of this now...I may get to it later.

okay then Not kidding, I will repeat my answer regarding that comment:

I agree it came across as condescending . . .but I did not mean it to regard people who give to PP in general but people who are so blind in their support of the group that they cannot admit that in this instance the money could be used more effectively . . .it was condescending in regard to not understanding the importance of spending charitable money to the best ability.

Whether STD testing, family planning, etc should be done is not supposed to be in SGK's mission and would be dishonest for it to give money to that end -- you can support those things but still understand that it is wrong all day for SGK to put any monies toward it, because that isn't what people fundraised the money for.

Really? And what charities would those be?

Oh. So there are no charities to donate to? Good deal. Women with breast cancer, you are on your own because planned parenthood can't get Jack from someone other than sgk foundation.

Once again,define negative ethics.

Oh. So since they aren't giving to pp they aren't helping chicks with breast cancer?Got it. Good luck with your future charitable giving. Hope you can find a worthy one to give to.

Women with breast cancer, you are on your own because planned parenthood can't get Jack from someone other than sgk foundation.

Well, PP's donations have spiked since SGK made their foolish move - one that wasn't particularly well thought through, I might ad. As of the other day, it was over $600,000.

The whole point of Polka's issue is, does a charity compromise its ethics when it allows politics (other than a political charitable organization) to affect its Mission Statement.

There was a question put out there the other day that was asking something slightly similar. and that was - with all the attempts in Congress to defund Planned Parenthood, why was there no outrage over it, at least not the immediate and noticable outrage that has surfaced because of the SGK move. The person just didn't get, why now?

And here is why I think that is. It's a sad commentary that you expect this from Congress. We have gotten used to the sewer politics of half-truths, misinformation, and out and out lies from those who wish to advance the anti-abortion agenda. Remember Jon Kyle from the floor of the Senate when he stated that abortion was well over 90% of what Planned Parenthood does, only to be confronted that he blatantly and intentionally threw out facts (which are a part of the permanent record of the Senate) known to be untrue. His response when he was called on it and openly ridiculed was to have his office come out with a statement that said, "his remark was not intended to be a factual statement." HUH?

So back to my point - we expect this crap in our politics, now. And that is just sad.

With a charitable organization whose mission is to assist women with breast cancer issues and promote research for early cures; you would expect this to be a pristine, honorable organization with that one admirable focus. You feel good supporting it because you know that the work it does is of worldly benefit. No smudges, no lies, no misconstruing facts or promoting misinformation.

SGK has sullied itself by injecting politics into its mission. By the way, I've been on their website quite often for reference and facts (and to my chagrin, I've probably helped it back up to its first place status on Google....), and NO WHERE can I locate their Mission Statement to use for quotes.

And that is the reason for the outrage. SGK has lowered itself to the level of back-alley politics with their veiled attempt to inject an anti-abortion agenda. Shame on Susan G. Komen for that.

People who give to SGK are white, brown, black, yellow, and even red and blue. People didn't care about politics or care about colors when giving to pink. Well, SGK has dirtied their pink ribbon by bringing red and its politics into a once pristine organization.

That is cause for outrage!

Oh. So since they aren't giving to pp they aren't helping chicks with breast cancer?Got it. Good luck with your future charitable giving. Hope you can find a worthy one to give to.

jrone, it's not that they aren't continuing funding it's the REASON behind it. Planned parenthood provides many low income women with services they desperately need including help with breast cancer screening. Politics should have no place in determining who gets money for breast cancer screening. Period.

PP's donations have spiked since

Susan G Komen's donations spiked too - which will create a nighmare now that they have done this reversal as undoubtedly some of these people will feel they were misled and want their money back to give to another organization. Expect a class lawsuit ahead

Pesonally I hope people wait to sue until things calm down - the problem may resolve itself.

Polka14, You said in post 7.3 "Any charity that works only to donate to good causes should be supported." Komen is trying to ONLY donate it's money to GOOD causes. Planned Parenthood does fer too many abortions to be considered "GOOD" for many people. . If they di not do abortions, there would not be any problem.

Claim: Without funding for Planned Parenthood, women will lack access to mammograms, primary health care, and other necessary services

In truth, Planned Parenthood clinics provide no mammograms. They offer only referrals to health centers, doctors, hospitals and labs for mammograms. PP breast exams are done by manual palpation, similar to a breast self-exam. But as a National Institutes of Health MedlinePlus fact sheet states: "There is no evidence that doing breast self exams saves lives from breast cancer." For that, mammography is needed.

As for primary health care services, PP clinics performed fewer than 20,000 such services in its last reporting year, an insignificant part of the total of 11.4 million services nationwide. Through state and federal Medicaid programs, low-income women already have access to contraception, as well as needed health care services-including testing and treatment for sexually-transmitted diseases (STDs), Pap tests for cervical cancer, and mammograms-at countless hospitals, doctors' offices, and over 1,000 federally-funded community health centers.

WOW!...You say "Abortions do not effect them in any way." if they do not give any donations because the money is being spent on abortions then it DOES have an effect on them. You are right, It is a personal right for a Woman to have an abortion. but you thinking people have to donate for it is crazy. You still are not understanding. Personally, if you get yourself pregnant and chose to have an abortion, you should PAY for it yourself. Why should good people who want to help Women with Cancer have to pay for your abortion? Should I use money YOU donated for something YOU do not agree with? NO, I should use your donation for what YOU want it used for. Do people have the right to say who they help?

Since people were talking about what organization to give to to support breast cancer research and treatment, I'll link to this post with ratings for alternative charities:

Breast Cancer Fund B+

Breast Cancer Research Foundation A+

National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund A

The Breast Cancer Research Foundation gives 90% of its donations to research and other programs.

The Breast Cancer fund focuses on a lot of things including mammograms, especially environmental factors...

---

As for primary health care services, PP clinics performed fewer than 20,000 such services in its last reporting year,

BS number. "Primary health care"? No, primary care physicians don't work there. Duh. Since when is getting a pap, picking up BC pills or checking for an STD "primary health care"?

Through state and federal Medicaid programs....and over 1,000 federally-funded community health centers.

And where the heck are those? Yeah I think people will pass on getting a pap done at a local emergency general care clinic by Billy Bob the technician.

Polka14, What do YOU think Komen did wrong? I think they only tried to please the people who were donating by making it clear the donated money was not going to something they did not like it going to... kind of like the above poster who did not like her Japan money protecting Whale hunters. I hope you would ask that your donations to Breast health and other Woman's health issues did not go to abortion.

Polka14, You keep saying "Like putting lives at risk to make a political point.", that is not what Komen is doing. No Women will be put at risk if Komen does not give Approx. $300,000 to PP. Komen will give that money to another organization that will spend it how they say they will spend it...Not on abotions. All that will happen is the people that donate to Komen will be sure their money did not go to abortions. Planned Parenthood ONLY takes money to refer Women to other places that do Mammograms, why not take out the middle man(PP) and be able to pay for more Women to get these screenings?

Polka14, I was taking you seriously until you said "all republicans are nothing but evil". You just lost all credibility, that was just like saying "all white people are racists" or "all Black people are thieves" Or "all Democrats are freeloaders". I'd like you to tell us exactly what Values Republicans have that are questionable. Also, please tell us what ethics the Republicans are in question about that the Democrats are not also in question. And please don't dismiss this as I thought you were quite responsible when reading all your other posts. And I am not a Republican but don't paint any group with one brush like you just did.

I'm sorry you do not know how the US political system works. From your statement above everyone can tell you have been either lied to or totally misunderstood what you were told. Can you tell me one thing you think the "Republicans" do or did that was "hating the Constitution"?