By now, we're all hearing the news. Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the largest grassroots campaign for breast cancer awareness, has reversed its decision on Planned Parenthood and will continue to fund their programs.
It's a disgrace. I'm very disappointed.
I've admired the work of Susan G. Komen for a long time. For years, I've participated in the Race for the Cure. And while I personally didn't agree with their funding of Planned Parenthood, I begrudgingly understood that you needed to "fish where the fish are," and help the underserved where they lived.
But they don't just live at Planned Parenthood. Komen provides grants to a multitude of organizations that help the poor and needy in a variety of communities. The funding Komen did provide to Planned Parenthood was a small fraction of the funds they receive for mammograms. Planned Parenthood is not the only fish in the ocean, and there are other, more appropriate organizations that could use the money. There are organizations that target poor African American women, the Asian community that shun doctors, Hispanic organizations that break the language barrier. Komen really didn't need Planned Parenthood to get the job done.
When Komen decided to cut ties, I felt they were taking a moral stand. That they no longer wanted an affiliation with an organization with a very dubious past and a current shady underbelly. That the fight against breast cancer was stronger without Planned Parenthood.
But it seems that doing what they felt, and what many people still feel, is the right thing, was too hard. And they changed their mind.
And now Komen no longer stands for a promise between sisters over 30 years ago. They stand for nothing.
For God's sake! If you want to stand for what you believe, then do it! Don't cave after days of pressure. Dissenters always scream the loudest. If you believe it's worth doing, it's worth fighting for.
Unless it's easier to cave under the pressure of obnoxious liberal bullies. Then doing the right thing goes flying out the window.