Komen-Planned Parenthood Kerfuffle Exposes Something You Probably Didn’t Know
News flash: if you give money to that group that does the “pink ribbon” campaign for breast cancer, some of that money you give might go to an organization that performs hundreds of thousands of abortions every year.
That organization also gives out birth control and referrals to other agencies that provide free or low-cost mammograms and other women’s health stuff that are not abortion-related. That’s what Planned Parenthood does, and some of that breast cancer pink ribbon money you give goes to Planned Parenthood. Maybe not much money, and maybe not directly for abortion. But if you give money to Komen’s “pink ribbon” campaign, some of it might wind up in the hands of Planned Parenthood, which is a very large provider of abortions.
Recently, two women in the pro-life movement, through slightly sneaky means, managed to get Komen (the pink ribbon people) to stop giving money to Planned Parenthood. These women (one of them a breast cancer survivor herself) have always been quite up-front about the fact that they are staunchly against abortion, though they weren’t up front with the defunding of Planned Parenthood, arguing merely that organizations currently under investigation for possible legal or ethical violations shouldn’t get money from the Komen foundation–and it turns out that Planned Parenthood is under such investigation. This caused an explosion of outrage among pro-choice/abortion rights activists who (rightly I think) said it was a sneaky way to fight abortion. Planned Parenthood got a sudden surge of new donations, and Komen, in the wake of the publicity, changed their minds, somewhat, and said Planned Parenthood would still continue receiving whatever grant money it’s now getting and will remain eligible to apply for future grants, but did not say it actually would give any future grants to the organization.
What a lot of people in this whole story might have missed is what this stunt really did:
It just informed tens of millions of Americans that if they give money to those cute pink ribbon campaigns, some of their money might wind up in the hands of an organization that performs hundreds of thousands of abortions every year.
So while at the moment Planned Parenthood is reaping a wave of new donations from people who support Planned Parenthood’s abortion program, here’s what else happened:
Tens of millions of people with strong to moderate anti-abortion feelings have just learned that if you give money for pink ribbons, you may be giving money that helps an organization that performs hundreds of thousands of abortions every year. That, in fact, you may already have given money that you did not know might wind up in those folks’ hands.
An awful lot of pixels have been spilled on how this whole thing supposedly comes from a dastardly far-right-wing religious-extremist agenda. Which seems to expose a big blind spot a number of people suffer from: that performing abortions is an uncontroversial, mainstream thing that most people have no problem with. They just assume that if you feel otherwise, you’re somehow on the fringe, and maybe even have an agenda against women, or against poor people.
Here’s the problem: about half of Americans consider abortion immoral, and more than half would support greater restrictions on the practice than the law currently allows. Indeed, if you look only at American women, the numbers are rather stark: about half of all women consider themselves pro-life, and if you add up those women who would outlaw the procedure in all circumstances with those who would only allow it to be used under few or limited circumstances, you get about 64% of all American women. About two-thirds of American women, in other words.
If you don’t believe that, simply look at any nonpartisan poll that asks the question. They all look pretty much the same. Here is the latest from Gallup, for example, taken just last year.
Thus the problem here for the Pink Ribbon people is this: a lot of very mainstream American women (and men) are against abortion completely, and for a whole lot more of them, it is one thing to say “I don’t think it should be illegal” and quite another to say “I wish to donate money to an organization that does this.” Or, to put it shorter, there is a substantial gap between “I would not put someone in jail for this” and “here’s five bucks, go ahead and do it.”
And so I note again what it appears to me that this explosion of rage at the Komen Foundation’s action has really done:
Alerted millions of people to the fact that if they raise or donate “pink ribbon” money, some of that may go to Planned Parenthood, which performs hundreds of thousands of abortions every year. That, indeed, money they might already have given in the past may have already gone to that organization.
I suspect that the Komen Foundation will in the long run suffer from this not because they said they’d stop giving money to Planned Parenthood. Yes, this angered pro-choice/pro-abortion-rights people, and yes, and some of them are still angry even though Komen has backpedaled somewhat. However, I suspect that the biggest problem for Komen long-term is that the vast majority of Americans, who are deeply uncomfortable with abortion, will never look at those pink ribbons quite the same way again, and may now begin to hesitate, asking themselves exactly where that money might go.
I for one will never look at those pink ribbons quite the same way again.
And by the way, your own position on abortion? It isn’t exactly relevant is it? It is the opinion of the millions of people who used to give pink ribbon money who will now be thinking twice about giving money for pink ribbons. That’s not your problem, it’s Komen’s.
It’s high time we acknowledge that opposition to abortion is not a “religious extremist” position. It is a thoroughly mainstream opinion among American women (and men), and I suspect very little blustering about how you personally feel about the matter is going to change the fact that the famous pink ribbon now doesn’t look quite the same as it used to.
(This item cross-posted to The Moderate Voice.)
29 Responses to “Komen-Planned Parenthood Kerfuffle Exposes Something You Probably Didn’t Know”
Wow, talk about a tortured reading of surveys. The only fair reading of the Gallup results is that there is a pretty much 50/50 split on “pro-choice” v. “anti-abortion”. As for the Komen relationship to Planned Parenthood (having nothing whatsoever to do with abortion), Foundation founder Nancy Brinker put it best in her 2010 book, “Promise Me”:
“The grants in question supplied breast health counseling, screening, and treatment to rural women, poor women, Native American women, many women of color who were underserved–if served at all–in areas where Planned Parenthood facilities were often the only infrastructure available…. we were not about to turn our backs on these women.”
Most people are not one issue zealots, though one has slipped into SGK (Karen Handel) and brought down an otherwise long running, successful brand.
So a procedure that roughly 1/6 of the US population has had or will have in their lifetimes is not “mainstream”? That’s an odd way of thinking.
Ross Douthat has a nice essay on how pro-choice has become the default position in the media, counter to the majority of citizens. Personally I am pro-choice but it is telling how at least half the population has been portrayed throughout this controversy.
http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/05/opinion/sunday/douthat-the-medias-blinders-on-abortion.html?_r=1&ref=rossdouthat
I seriously doubt that Komen’s donations to PP, presumably earmarked for Breast Cancer related purposes, were a highly kept secret. If this is an eye opener for anyone who donated, that’s only because they had them shut really, really tight.
Again from pollingreport.com
CBS News/New York Times Poll. Jan. 12-17, 2012. N=1,154 adults nationwide. Margin of error ± 3.
Kaiser Family Foundation Health Tracking Poll. Aug. 10-15, 2011. N=1,201 adults nationwide. Margin of error ± 3.
Memlaw: Tortured how? The Gallup numbers for women look like this:
Abortion should be legal in any circumstances: 22%
Abortion should be legal in most circumstances: 8%
Abortion should be legal in only a few circumstances: 37%
Abortion should be illegal in all circumstances: 24%
How is my statement a tortured interpretation?
As for Komen’s defense of giving money to Planned Parenthood: that is all well and good. But I don’t think most people read that book, or considered this question. Now they will, and I don’t think everyone will just blithely say “Oh I knew that all along, and now I am 100% confident I’m giving to a cause I suppose when I buy that cute pink ‘save the ta-tas’ ribbon.”
Slamfu: I had to have my eyes shut really tight to not-know money I gave for pink ribbons went to Planned Parenthood? Well OK but all I ever saw was ribbons and “breast cancer.” I never heard Planned Parenthood mentioned. Is it somewhere in most of their generally available literature? Do they announce this at all those pink ribbon events and I just wasn’t listening? Or might it be more the case that a lot of people like me were surprised to learn this?
SteveK: Interesting. That CBS/New York Times poll winds up pretty close to the Gallup result: 60% or so would restrict the procedure significantly. Both polls demonstrate that pretty much by definition, there is nothing extremist or out of the mainstream about an anti-abortion stance.
Perhaps most people who gave money for “race for the cure” and cute “save the tatas” ribbons and all that were completely aware some of the money they were giving (or raising) was going to go to Planned Parenthood and that Planned Parenthood does this. Call me a doubter. I think Komen’s long-term problem from this is going to be that a lot of people now know something they weren’t aware of before.
Again, Dean, you seem very interested in how people would vote on whether or not I get a say in who gets to live in my body. Do I get a vote on who lives in yours? I choose Don Rickles.
roro80: I am not interested in what you think I “seem” to be interested in. I have not even offered my opinion on the question of abortion. What I am interested in is what American women say about the matter. I suggest you go argue with them about it, because it very much appears that a majority of them would not accept that it is a simple and straightforward question of “who lives in your body.” Take it up with them. If you want a suggestion though, you’ll probably do better in your discussions with them if you acknowledge that the question is complicated for most people, even if it seems simple to you.
That strikes me as an evasion. Ahem.
Also: I didn’t actually ask for suggestions, but a heavy dollop of condescention is always received warmly from those who think other people get a vote on what other people do with their bodies. So thanks. xxoo
Interesting spin you’re trying to put on it Dean… Here’s how I read it:
NYT Poll:
74% think abortion should be legal
23% think abortion should be illegal.
Gallop poll:
67% say abortion should be legal.
24% say abortion should be illegal.
No one is pro-abortion but the these polls both say that less than 25% of those polled are ‘anti-choice’ / ‘anti-abortion’ and the majority think these people are extremist and they are out of the mainstream.
That’s how I read it too, SteveK. Furthermore, even for those who think abortion should be legal in only limited circumstances, theoretically those women who get the “acceptable” abortions need somewhere to get them. If you happen to live in an area that is underserved medically, a lot of times Planned Parenthood is your one option.
“I have not even offered my opinion on the question of abortion.”
Dean, you offer your opinion in the way you interpret what you see and how you choose to write about it. No reason to be disingenuous about it. Let’s cut to the chase: The numbers show clearly that most people believe abortions should be legal. Many of these people favor restrictions, such as first trimester only, etc. but the fact remains, most people think it should be legal. People can spin it all they like, but that’s the bottom line.
SteveK: Do me a favor and do not accuse me of “spin” simply because I read something different from you.
I think you have misread the polls you quote. The one you’re using from CBS/NYT states clearly the question:
“Which of these comes closest to your view? Abortion should be generally available to those who want it. OR, Abortion should be available, but under stricter limits than it is now. OR, Abortion should not be permitted.”"
37% said they wanted it under stricter limits than it is now, while 23% chose “not allowed.”
Frankly, I think it’s tough to put 23% of the population into “out of the mainstream” to begin with. Minority, certainly, but a quarter of the population is “out of the mainstream?” That seems hard to justify to me, but I guess it’s open to interpretation.
What isn’t open to interpretation is the 37% who said they want it legal but more restricted than it is now.
I also must question your inclusion of the question on “birth control and other preventive services” because I don’t think it applies; I doubt most people think of abortion as birth control or a preventive service. Do you?
Look, you can get mad at me all you want, but I’m not your enemy. I’m noting what the polls say, and I’m bending over backwards to focus only on what women say (the polls you cite don’t break it out by gender by Gallup does). It’s pretty clear to me just looking at the two polls that if we held a national referendum and ONLY allowed women to vote on it, we would wind up with a different set of abortion laws than we do currently. Make of it what you will. In any case I think that on the whole, every poll the two of us cite pretty clearly calls into question the entire “pro-life is out of the mainstream” argument. You can argue as passionately as you want that the pro-lifers are wrong, but you can’t support the proposition that most people see things your way. Because no matter what your position–no matter WHAT your position–a majority of American women don’t necessarily see it your way, let alone the men.
Well Dean most places you can donate to will give you a list of how they disburse their money. In fact I think they might be required by law in some cases to do so. Usually I do some homework before I donate money to anyone. To be fair I really know nothing about Komen and will do some research before I assume what you should and shouldn’t know about who you give money to. My apologies in advance if you had no way of knowing and feel like you got hoodwinked by these guys.
“Not allowed”, whether a commonly-held view on abortion or not, is, in fact, extreme. For example: ectopic pregnancies. The fetus will never grow into a baby, and the pregnancy will kill the woman involved. Not allowing an abortion in that case is extreme.
Someone very close to me was not told by her doctor that the round of antibiotics she was prescribed would reduce her birth control effectiveness. She also happens to be on medication to keep her alive. That medication causes severe developmental defects in the fetus in over half of pregnant women who take it, and minor defects in most of the rest. I think it is an extreme position to hold that she should have been forced to carry that pregnancy. I also think that, when actual circumstances are explained, most women don’t support forced childbirth.
Zephyr: Please see my response to SteveK. The poll he cites clearly shows 37% support for stronger restrictions than are the case now, with a separate quarter of the population wanting an outright ban–which is not what SteveK said. I think he misread it and you must have too. Just look at the plain black and white of the question.
I do not accuse you or anyone else of “spin,” nor do I attempt to mindread and tell you what your position is. Please don’t do that to me.
Read what I wrote again: the vast majority of American women (not to say men) have obvious ambivalence and/or outright discomfort with abortion. Whether I want them to feel that way or not, they do feel that way. And I suspect most of them did not know until now that Planned Parenthood gets Pink Ribbon money AND Planned Parenthood performs abortions. Now they do. That is likely to have greater repercussions on Komen’s future fundraising efforts than other things we’ve discussed.
Which is my point: the effect on Komen is probably not what a lot of people are assuming right now.
Roro80: Like you I suspect that most people who claim the staunch “always illegal” stance don’t really mean it and haven’t thought it through.
But what I’ve been trying to talk about all along is how this will impact Komen and the pink ribbon campaign in its future fundraising. Much is being made in some circles about how infuriating their choice has been to the “abortion rights” side of this, and very little is being paid attention to that vast swath of people who have serious discomfort with abortion issue and who might now think twice before just unthinkingly buying that pink ribbon in the future. At least one female friend of mine has already dropped all her support for Komen because this event has brought to her attention the fact that some of that money she’s been giving has been going to Planned Parenthood and she is not happy about it. And if you think she’s some fringe religious nut, you do not know her.
This isn’t ultimately about what any one person thinks about abortion. It’s about how people in general feel about giving money to an organization that funds abortion–which is a very different question for a lot of people. Just as you (rightly, in my experience) note that there are people who SAY they want abortion completely illegal until they personally run into a situation where they think it’s justified, so too I think there are a lot of people who say “of course abortion should be legal, but, I’m not sure I want to actually give money to someone who performs them without knowing a lot more.”
All of this is going to be coming to Komen now. It’s not going to be fun for them. I sympathize. The days of “oh yes, I want to fight breast cancer, here’s a check give me that pink ribbon!” are probably over.
Actually the opinion of the 37% in the CBS/NYT poll is very open to question. Stricter rules? How much stricter? Do those saying that know what the actual current law is or do they believe the anti-choice spin about abortion being currently completely unrestricted? Polls like this need to be at least a bit more detailed.
Bottom line, abortion IS legal, and the polls show the overwhelming majority of women, and the public in general, want it to stay that way. Duh, Someone has to perform them! That being the case, it IS extreme to demonize Planned Parenthood for providing that LEGAL service.
P.S. 90-95% of what Planned Parenthood does is provide ob-gyn offices to serve poor and uninsured women and provide pap smears, cancer screenings, STD treatment, birth control in communities that would otherwise not have such necessary services. If the anti-choice crowd wants to take over this job..DO IT. Until then, get off your one issue Jihad against this charitable and LEGAL organization that the majority of the public supports.
Piece of cake Dean I just realized that you’re the same Dean Esmay that had all those interesting theories on the War in Iraq and the ID debate… Think I’ll leave further comment to others with more free time on their hands.
Jim-I just posted this in another thread:
http://www.gallup.com/poll/148631/common-state-abortion-restrictions-spark-mixed-reviews.aspx
It shows the responses to support or opposition to specif types of restrictions.
Thank you, CStanley
You might be surprised to learn that way back when — in 1972 — more Republicans (68%) thought that the decision to have an abortion should be between “a woman and her doctor” than Democrats (59%). And both were a majority, an pretty overwhelming one in the case of Rs. Oh. A slight majority of Catholics (56%) felt this way, too.
What changed?
According to the New Yorker (Nov 2011 story) …. Richard Nixon’s re-election. http://www.newyorker.com/reporting/2011/11/14/111114fa_fact_lepore?currentPage=all
On another matter: I am so BLOODY tired of people characterizing pro-choice folks as “PRO abortion” I could scream bloody murder. Or string up by the (insert selective painful anatomical part here) men and women who make such accusations.
No one is PRO abortion, for chrissakes.
Hypocrisy, thy name is the radical right. Anti-choice but pro-death penalty. My way or the highway, that’s the ticket.
Agreed Kathy. The choice to use the phrase “pro-abortion” is no accident. It is intended to be a pejorative and is intended to provoke anything but rational discourse.
“It’s about how people in general feel about giving money to an organization that funds abortion–which is a very different question for a lot of people.”
I would counter that it is the framing of the issue.
Saying that Komen “funds abortion” by making grants to Planned Parenthood is a stretch to say the least. If you give a dollar to Komen, then the reality is that a tiny fraction of just one penny of that money might wind up at Planned Parenthood, and won’t be spent on abortion.
But that’s not how it is being framed.
“nor do I attempt to mindread and tell you what your position is.” – D E
The one sure way to avoid coming across as disingenuous is to be straightforward about ones position. In fact there is an excellent opportunity awaiting your attention here:
http://themoderatevoice.com/137615/gop-in-decline-someone-had-better-tell-the-voters/
This is an opportunity to clarify a couple of your contradictory statements and to circumvent any need for “mindreading”…
Here is my response to that poll in the other now dead thread…
Those numbers make perfect sense to me…and my opinions matches a lot of the pro-life questions..
Doctors should be required to tell their patients about any medical procedure, including abortions. This is a no-brainer isn’t it?
Minors should not be allowed to get an abortion without parental consent. We don’t allow them take a school trip without consent, but an abortion should be ok? Of course parents should be involved.
I am against partial birth abortions. Once the fetus hits air (begins to exit the mothers body), imho, it is then its own entity and protected by law. Late term and partial birth abortions are different topics and should not be lumped into one question.
Ultrasounds are stupid, unless there is a medical reason to show one.
Anyone running a business that provides health care should be required to supply legal pharmaceuticals that are prescribed by a doctor.
the last question isnt worth answering.
I pretty much match the majority of the people polled in that survey and I am very pro-choice.
I don’t think anyone should be surprised by those results….
and dont forget…mainstream America is still very Christian and their opinions are still based on religious teachings. So this argument that “mainstream” America feels this way, so it isn’t a religious issue is kind of silly..and illogical.
Hey Shannon — I know it’s a little off-topic, but I just wanted to make sure that you know that the term “partial-birth abortion” was made up by pro-life people. It isn’t actually what they say it is. What was banned when they banned “partial-birth abortion” was what is called an Intact Dilation and Extraction, or IDX. Like most things involved in the debate, it’s not a pleasant thing to think about, and as it’s a late-term procedure, it always happens under extremely scary circumstances that occur when things go horribly wrong with the pregnancy. Also like most things in the abortion debate, it has been really radically distorted by the pro-life side. The wiki page on IDX is pretty good at explaining the controversy if you’d like to take a look, but it’s definitely not something where an 8-month pregnant woman just decides the whole motherhood thing isn’t for her and induces labor then kills her otherwise-healthy baby and calls it abortion.