KOMEN APOLOGIZES

angelsister

Planned parenthood and its supporters have the power to kick people around??? For real? Who was planned parenthood trying to kick around? you amaze me

DiDel

I have been done with Komen for a while. They never gave any funding to MD PP so it didnt really affect them here in Maryland ALthough now with all the support PP has gotten they will locally benefit.

I agree too little too late. LuvRving love the return to peach!

I would definitely rather support BCO and smaller local charities than the GIANT monster that Komen has become.

crazy4carrots

Perfect timing for this movie.  Being shown in Canada, will reach the U.S. soon!

Pinkwashing’ and the dark side of breast-cancer philanthropy LIAM LACEYFrom Friday's Globe and MailPublished Friday, Feb. 03, 2012 12:00AM EST

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Near the end of the polemical new National Film Board documentary Pink Ribbons, Inc., activist Judy Brady is asked what she thinks of when she sees the pink ribbon symbolizing breast-cancer awareness: “I see evil,” says Brady.

Who could possibly see anything wrong in a symbol that has mobilized people to raise hundreds of millions of dollars for breast-cancer research since the 1980s?

MEDIA

Pink Ribbons, Inc.: The official trailer

The answer is provided in this documentary by Quebec’s Léa Pool (Emporte-Moi, Lost and Delirious). The film is based on a 2007 book by Queen’s University professor Samantha King (Pink Ribbons Inc: Breast Cancer and the Politics of Philanthropy, one of a handful of studies in the past dozen years on the contentious social history of breast cancer and the gulf between the reality of the disease and the high-profile public perception of it.

In spite of the optimistic messages, breast cancer is not being beaten. According to the film, in 1940, a woman had a one-in-22 chance of developing the disease, while today that figure is one in eight (based on the assumption that, if all women lived to be 85, one in eight would develop it during her lifetime). And, in any case, the high profile of breast-cancer fundraising has less to do with its risk (cardiac disease and lung cancer kill more women) than its marketability.

As Barbara Brenner of the activist group Breast Cancer Action puts it, breast cancer is the “the poster child of cause marketing” because of its links to motherhood and women’s sexuality. With women doing most household buying, they’re a ready market for products that piggyback on the breast-cancer cause.

Brenner is one of a line of well-informed and impassioned women academics and activists who raise their objection to the “tyranny of cheerfulness,” demonstrated by scenes of pink-clad women walking and running for cancer fundraisers.

More insidiously, some industries began to use breast-cancer philanthropy to “pinkwash” soiled corporate reputations. Car companies that cause pollution, chemical companies that produce pesticides, cosmetics companies that use carcinogens, even KFC, which sold fried chicken in pink buckets – all engage in philanthropy to advertise their brands as woman-positive.

For balance, we have interviews with the formidable Nancy Brinker of the vastly successful fundraisers Susan G. Komen for the Cure, and a number of double-talking marketing types.

The line of critics accuses the pink-themed campaign of promoting a quick-fix mentality, focusing too much on early screening and achieving a “cure” for the disease, instead of researching causes and protection from environmental contaminants. As well, the pep-rally mentality of the movement obscures women’s fear and suffering. The case is made forcefully in interviews with a half-dozen women in a support group who are facing death from the disease: “The message," one woman says, "is that if you just try really hard, you can beat it,” while those who died "weren't trying very hard."

Pink Ribbons, Inc. is unabashed advocacy filmmaking. In spite of improved mortality rates and scientific advances, few women in the film will acknowledge that pink-ribbon-financed research has done any good at all. Yet, this alternative message needs to be heard and Pool’s documentary provides some cold clarity on a well-advertised if misunderstood disease.

Booboo2

cynsister -

For people who are not being kicked around, they sure caved in awfully fast.

I'd say they were under enormous pressure.  Whether or not you call that being kicked around is a matter of what choice of words you prefer. 

Mallory107

I will never contribute another penny to SGK.  I never knew that they supported an organization that I personally oppose.  I bet lots of people did not know that.  Hopefully my 'choice' here will not be ridiculed by those who do not feel as I do. 

pupmom

Libby, unbelievable! The hypocrisy just screams out!

angelsister

I agree with you mallory i havent given anything to them for a couple of years and the last few days has really shown their true colours but is no suprise to some of us

gardengumby

booboo2 - yes, planned parenthood does give estrogen to some 13 year-olds - in the form of birth control pills.  Do you think it would be better for those 13 year olds to get pregnant?

There is a difference (for me at least) between a non-profit organization providing birth control to a group of people (which will have it's own downside - and possible future bc is one of the possible downsides), to a corporation that makes only one thing - which is bad for all people in every way (such as Kentucky Fried Chicken) and is openly and publicly and VISIBLY (via pink buckets) partnered with a breast cancer "for the cure" group. They are making this "partnership" for one reason only, and that reason has nothing to do with a cure for breast cancer - it is making money.

In my opinion Planned Parenthood is a wonderful organization.  Kentucky Fried Chicken - well, not so much...  and Susan G. Kommen "for the cure"???  At least if you go to Kentucky Fried Chicken you know what you're getting.

Anonymous

Thanks Linda - I was just going to post the link to that documentary!  Released today - THANK YOU CANADA...wanna stand up and SING "Oh, Canada" but don't know the words..

Pompeed - LIKED/LOVED your post.....

ah, Karma working very fast now....

EvasMom

Even if you are fine with abortion and Planned Parenthood, imagine if Komen was giving lots of grants to an organization that provided a few mammograms but also shipped arms to Al Qaeda or tortured puppies or lobbied against gay marriage or did something that you think morally abhorrent.

Not everyone is cool with Planned Parenthood performing so many abortions, you know. Why is it so important to you that no one be able to donate to Komen without seeing some of that money shuffled off to Planned Parenthood? You're still perfectly free to support Planned Parenthood directly as much as you want. After all, if you want to give money to Planned Parenthood, there was never any reason to suppose that the best way of doing that was by giving money to Komen (which is not the same organization).

suemed8749

Stand Up 2 Cancer 's site claims that 100% of its $$ goes to RESEARCH. Their "dream teams" of researchers are impressive - Dr. Slamon heads up the breast cancer team. They collaborate and share their results - truly working for the cure. (Hope Komen doesn't read that and slap me with a lawsuit.)

Anonymous

There is nothing PLANNED about UN-PLANNED Parenthood...Geesh...

angelsister

Is that you and your sister or daughter suemed? You radiate the same warmth, sorry off topicr

FireKracker

People are gonna get confused about who is who in the research dept?

We all know komen suks.They are takin a fast ride on the KARMA train.

Stand up to cancer is wonderful but like someone said its for all kinds of cancer.

Avon is good but they refuse to take parabins out of their products.

pinktober...hell no!!!!!

EvasMom

http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/290083/you-should-find-anti-komen-backlash-disgusting-even-if-youre-pro-choice-daniel-foster

hrf

I have donated directly to the hospital where I get my tx as they do extensive cancer research. This past spring I focused on helping them get their rapid diagnosis clinic up and running - so I knew exactly where my money went. I don't think Komen is active in Canada. The Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC) sponsors an annual "Run for the Cure" ... it's been going on for years - I think the money goes to the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation. And the yearly 2 day walk which is sponsored by Shoppers Drug Mart and raises mega millions directly supports the research department at Princess Margaret Hospital which is one of the leading cancer centres in the world. The doctors who receive the money show up for the event. 

iodine

I agree with you all.  Komen sucks and has for a long, long time.  They lost my support many many years ago.

I detest that they were so wussy in there reversal of pulling funding.  They will continue to pull funds from PP and we sure need to watch them before they pull other items.  Just wish all that dought actually went for research instead of funding ambassadoships and CEOs.

So so sad.

1Athena1

Pompeed - lol! I will "up" you one. How about this:

The holes in the Komen statement are larger than the ones in the ozone layer.

(Of course one hopes some people actually acknowledge that the ozone layer exists, let alone that it has gaps.)

kcshreve

When you look at the actual amount Komen gave to PP, it was about 1/1000th of their profits.  Pennies, when you think of it.  The whole thing is ridiculous and politicized, rather than being of good intentions.  Disgusting.

pupmom

It was blatant political pandering. Plus, I think the upper echelons of Komen are rabid anti-choice proponents. Obviously that agenda is more important than saving the lives of bc sufferers.

Faye33

Enjoyed the article EvasMom... thanks for sharing.

Yes, I'm pro-life!  But the thing that frustrates me most about how this has worked out, is I feel Komen has been very unclear, at best, as to how their money was being spent in the past.  I honestly didn't know Komen supported PP until a few weeks ago.  So when they cut funding to PP, I was happy, not just because I am Pro-life, but mostly because I feel neutral is where an organization like Komen should stand on such a controversial political/moral issue.  I wouldn't think it right for Komen to give to a pro-life organization which happened to refer women for mammograms on the side either.

So just when I finally think Komen is being more clear about what they are doing with their money (granted, they had a LONG way to go), now they turn and say pretty much "Well, maybe we'll give to PP and maybe we won't", which in my mind is even worse then where they started.  At least before I knew if I had the oppurtunity to give to Komen money was going to PP, and I could say "No thank you".  Now, it's a crapshoot, to which I'll say "Absolutely not!".  The workings of today makes me think Komen was trying to appease both sides and save face at the same time.  I believe it only comes down to making them look even more deceptive and confusing then when they started this whole thing... and they didn't look great to start with.

So frustrating!

steelrose

Finally Komen's true colors are revealed and pink ain't one of 'em. I've never been a fan so it doesn't surprise me, but this "apology" is a complete insult. Are you kidding me?

twistedsteel

So, anyone know anywhere to donate for BC PREVENTION. I am all for a cure, especially for stage iv, but dammit, why should anyone have to get this disease? I know it's big big business to provide us w chemo drugs and mammograms and rads, and surgery and hormonal treatments, but I wish there was no need for any of it. I don't want my daughter to have to fight if she ends up w it, even if it's caught early and never gets past stage 0.



Save The Tatas... Save them by preventing cancer in the first place. But there's no money in preventing.

ananda8

Komen is suing small groups who raise money for research just because they use the word "cure" in their event title.  They are a corrupt organization which sends very little money to cancer research and are all about power and publicity.  We will know they have learned their lesson when the color pink disappears from the month of October.

debbie6122

Cure, cure, cure, cure!!! There i said it, so sue me Komen! I too say its little to late, will never donate to komen again.

twistedsteel

Thank you Birdlady. Gonna join when I have cc nearby.

Anonymous

It's been an emotional few days so if anyone needs a laugh here's a video from Stephen Colbert making fun of politicians/Fox news who say Planned Parenthood isn't needed-

http://gawker.com/5791100/watch-stephen-colberts-defense-of-planned-parenthood 

angelsister

Oh hohohoho! Thank you so much kate33 that was just what i needed. I spat my tea at the walgreens bit. Best wishes

CherrylH

Great video!!

ruthbru

Hilarious....but scary in the fact that the national discourse has sunk to about that level!