Quotes of the day

“[O]ne source close to the organization’s leadership says a shake-up may be inevitable now that the organization has changed direction.

“‘Somebody besides Nancy Brinker is going to pay for it,’ the source said.

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“The likely target is Vice President Karen Handel, who called for defunding Planned Parenthood during an unsuccessful run for governor of Georgia…

“Even if Handel isn’t forced out, it seems likely that the reversal could lead her to resign, just as it might drive away many abortion opponents who may see Komen as more closely identified with abortion rights than it did before it attempted to sever ties with Planned Parenthood.”

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“[O]fficials across the organization said they were still reeling from the fallout of what many described as a public relations fiasco created by Komen’s leadership.

“‘I felt like we were eaten alive,’ said Logan Hood, executive director of Koman’s Aspen affiliate in Colorado. ‘We had no advance warning. . . . We were sent into battle without armor.’…

“The affiliate has already lost $50,000 in corporate sponsorship for a Race for the Cure next fall. Farmer Sherman said she has scheduled meetings Saturday to try to make amends with supporters.

“‘There are some relationships that are, perhaps, irrevocably damaged,’ she said.”

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“The liberal blacklist. Of course I support anybody’s right to withhold money or approval from any organization for any reason. But let’s just be clear what’s going on here. Komen broke ranks, and for the cultural left, that cannot be understood, forgiven, or overlooked; Komen must be ruined. Nothing Komen or Nancy Brinker has ever done for women in 30 years matters to these people. This is war…

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“You know, the more I think about it, the more I realize this is a clarifying moment. Think of it! Three decades of service to women fighting breast cancer, and having raised and distributed … nearly $2 billion towards that goal, means absolutely nothing to these people now trying to destroy Komen. They could have denounced Komen’s decision, but in light of all Komen has done, and still does for women, turned their ire on the Republicans, the Religious Right, and so forth. But no, Komen broke ranks, and it must be dealt with harshly. And the sympathetic mainstream media is helping them do the job. All this reminds one of exactly what we’re dealing with here: what John Paul II called the culture of death. It is helpful to be reminded which side you’re on.”

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“Look, the beauty of free speech is that, if you’re inclined to do so, you can write a check to PP in an act of solidarity, or write a check to Komen as an expression of moral approval. That’s all fine. But there’s something quite a bit different, something creepy and not a little despicable, about the Planned Parenthood set’s besmirching Komen’s good name across a thousand platforms for having the audacity to stop giving them free money. And I don’t care why that decision was made, frankly. If it was made because PP is controversial and under congressional ‘investigation,’ that’s a perfectly valid reason for an organization to disentangle itself. If it was made because they judged that money would have a greater impact if directed toward the provision of actual mammograms and not just clinical screenings, that makes sense. And if the decision was made because a controlling faction at Komen feels a moral disgust toward the dismemberment of viable fetuses and would rather not subsidize an outfit that does that 300,000 times a year — well that’s fine, too. None of those rationales justifies the outrageous non-sequiturs about how Komen ‘hates poor women.’

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“Imagine I volunteered to run a cub scout troop, and for years, when the annual soapbox derby came near, I knew I could count on Joe’s Deli as good for a hundred dollar donation. If one year Old Man Joe decided he didn’t want to donate any more — because he didn’t like the design of our racer, or because he thought his hundred bucks was better spent on a little league team, or because he disapproved of the scouts’ stance on gays — what on earth would justify me going on public access TV to grill Old Man Joe on why he hates kids? What would justify me hacking the Joe’s Deli web site or maliciously editing Old Man Joe’s Wikipedia page? What would justify me goading a handful of my city councilman into standing up at the next town meeting and publicly calling on Old Man Joe to reinstate his donation?”

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“House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi said the Susan G. Komen foundation’s retreat from its decision to eliminate funding for Planned Parenthood is a victory for women’s health…

“‘It was an unfortunate situation but it was dealt with in a short period of time, [and] I commend the Susan G. Komen foundation for seeing the light on this,’ Pelosi added. ‘[It] just goes to show you, when women speak out, women win. Women’s health has a big victory this morning.'”

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David Strom 5:20 PM | April 19, 2024
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