Komen Not Off the Hook Yet, Says Pro-Life Group
Pro-life and family groups are celebrating the Susan G. Komen Foundation's decision to cut ties with Planned Parenthood this week. But Douglas R. Scott Jr., president of Life Decisions International, a Planned Parenthood watchdog group, says not so fast.
"Despite Komen's wonderful announcement, actual support of Planned Parenthood will not end for another 13 months or so, Komen will honor commitments made to several Planned Parenthood affiliates prior to implementation of the new policy," Scott said in a released statement.
The breast cancer charity will thus remain in the "Dishonorable Mention" section of LDI's Boycott List. Scott said it would be wrong to drop Komen from The Boycott List, only for the general public to see grants going to Planned Parenthood in the future.
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Nancy G. Brinker, founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen, released a video explaining Komen's decision regarding their grants this week. She said, "Contrary to what some are saying we are not pulling any existing grants. Current grants are not affected. As we move forward we will implement these new strategies."
The breast cancer charity recently adopted new strategies and criteria that bars grants to organizations that are under investigation by local, state or federal authorities, which will eliminate Planned Parenthood as they are in the midst of an ongoing congressional investigation.
Brinker said in the video, "Regrettably this strategic shift will affect any number of long standing partners, but we have always done what was right for our organization, for our donors and volunteers."
Brinker also addressed critics of the decision who have said they were pressured into their decision to cut funding by right-wing groups. She said, "We will never bow to political pressure, we will always stand firm in our goal to end breast cancer forever."
"Planned Parenthood's legions act as though Komen owes them money," Scott said. "But Komen officials know there are far better ways to help women – ways that do not force Komen to carry the ungodly baggage carried by Planned Parenthood."
Planned Parenthood supporters who say they will no longer support Komen because of their decision not to renew grants with the reproductive health care and abortion provider are behaving as though they were members of organized crime, Scott observed. "If these people truly cared about the health of women, they would accept the Komen decision and urge Planned Parenthood to seek private funding."
Scott urged Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards to "stop the high-class whining and accept the fact that few people want to be associated with a group that embraces killing as a 'solution' to social problems. We can do much, much better than that."
LDI has tracked corporate support of Planned Parenthood for 20 years, and started numerous boycotts against supporters of the abortion provider.
Their Boycott List, which is published twice a year, identifies organizations that have refused to stop supporting Planned Parenthood despite receiving several requests that they do so.
One section of The Boycott List, called "Dishonorable Mention," identifies nonprofit organizations that have ties to Planned Parenthood. Komen appears in the section, along with groups such as AARP, American Cancer Society, Boys & Girls Clubs, Doctors Without Borders, Girl Scouts, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Education Association, Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Rotary Clubs, Salvation Army, Save the Children, YMCA, and YWCA.
