Infiltration and Capitulation: The Cult of the Zygote
Posted: February 2, 2012 Filed under: abortion rights, War on Women, Women's Rights | Tags: Charities, Planned Parenthood, Religious Fanatics, Susan G. Komen, United Way 42 Comments
The Susan G. Komen debacle is just the latest in a long history of the infiltration of organizations with the sole purpose of de-funding family planning services and eliminating women’s access to reproductive health services. I remember the first time I witnessed the infiltration and capitulation of a nonprofit organization that was designed to help families in need. This happened back in the very early 1980s. My local Planned Parenthood in Omaha was a major recipient of funds given by the local United Way. It was one of the first Planned Parenthoods defunded as anti-family planning zealots strategically worked to remove it from the United Way list of partner organizations. In this case, they brought in Catholic Charities and booted Planned Parenthood. I had already had problems with United Way as they are well known for unequal funding of girls and boys organizations. This made me resolve to never give them another dime EVER again.
Simultaneously, there was a move by zygote zealots to take over the Republican Party with the goal of removing the pro-choice and pro-ERA positions from the platform and to infiltrate local School Boards. These actions are directly a result of organized religious activity. The Komen decision is just the continuation of a 30 year plan to inject strict religious interpretations of “life” and what constitutes acceptable and unacceptable forms of birth control into the process of granting both private and public funds to organizations. Similar infiltration happened to the Libertarian Political Party and other charities. In other words, this is nothing new. It’s been a well orchestrated, funded, concerted effort that is fully supported by major right wing, reactionary, anti-women churches in the country as well as right wing, religion-based social and cultural organizations.
Here’s an example of a recent move by the Canton Ohio United Way.
The United Way of Greater Stark County will remove Planned Parenthood from its all-star list next year after a 40-year run.
Beginning April 1, Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio will become an affiliate partner. That means United Way no longer will consider funding Planned Parenthood with the contributions it receives as part of its annual campaign drive unless the donor specifies the contribution for that purpose.This year, United Way allocated $141,765 to Planned Parenthood’s Canton Health Center. United Way has funded Planned Parenthood since 1970.
United Way spokeswoman Sarah Hayden said the change is due to increased concerns from donors regarding Planned Parenthood’s abortion services and counseling. In 2007, Planned Parenthood of Stark County, which does not provide abortion services, merged with Planned Parenthood of Northeast Ohio, which includes a Cleveland office that does provide the service.
To ease the funding cut, United Way’s board of directors will give Planned Parenthood a special board grant of $140,000 a year for two years to fund Stark County programming. Hayden said the special grant, which expires in March 2013, comes from prior campaign donations that now make up United Way’s reserves.
I have refused to participate in any shape , way or form in any United Way drive since this usurpation started. In several cases, I have had drive representatives in my organization make donations in my name to meet their goals of 100% participation against my will. This has actually been one of my pet peeves for over 30 years now. It was also a source of stress between my ex-husband and I since he received intense pressure to give to United Way. He would sneak donations to them so as not to rock the boat with the rest of the senior management. He was also pressured to give to politicians which was another bone of contention between us. His job at Mutual of Omaha and the pressure to fund right wing religious freaks became a major source of arguments. I can’t tell you how many times I told him to quit the job or I’d quit him. I finally quit him.
An article in today’s Atlantic outlines how the zygote zealots on the board of directors of Susan G. Komen infiltrated and changed the policy of the foundation. It’s not a cautionary tale. It’s a detailed outline of a plan that’s been in place for some time. It appears that major employees of the foundation quit rather than carry out the edicts.
Komen, the marketing juggernaut that brought the world the ubiquitous pink ribbon campaign, says it cut-off Planned Parenthood because of a newly adopted foundation rule prohibiting it from funding any group that is under formal investigation by a government body. (Planned Parenthood is being investigated by Rep. Cliff Stearns, an anti-abortion Florida Republican, who says he is trying to learn if the group spent public money to provide abortions.)
But three sources with direct knowledge of the Komen decision-making process told me that the rule was adopted in order to create an excuse to cut-off Planned Parenthood. (Komen gives out grants to roughly 2,000 organizations, and the new “no-investigations” rule applies to only one so far.) The decision to create a rule that would cut funding to Planned Parenthood, according to these sources, was driven by the organization’s new senior vice-president for public policy, Karen Handel, a former gubernatorial candidate from Georgia who is staunchly anti-abortion and who has said that since she is “pro-life, I do not support the mission of Planned Parenthood.” (The Komen grants to Planned Parenthood did not pay for abortion or contraception services, only cancer detection, according to all parties involved.) I’ve tried to reach Handel for comment, and will update this post if I speak with her.
The decision, made in December, caused an uproar inside Komen. Three sources told me that the organization’s top public health official, Mollie Williams, resigned in protest immediately following the Komen board’s decision to cut off Planned Parenthood. Williams, who served as the managing director of community health programs, was responsible for directing the distribution of $93 million in annual grants. Williams declined to comment when I reached her yesterday on whether she had resigned her position in protest, and she declined to speak about any other aspects of the controversy.
But John Hammarley, who until recently served as Komen’s senior communications adviser and who was charged with managing the public relations aspects of Komen’s Planned Parenthood grant, said that Williams believed she could not honorably serve in her position once Komen had caved to pressure from the anti-abortion right. “Mollie is one of the most highly respected and ethical people inside the organization, and she felt she couldn’t continue under these conditions,” Hammarley said. “The Komen board of directors are very politically savvy folks, and I think over time they thought if they gave in to the very aggressive propaganda machine of the anti-abortion groups, that the issue would go away. It seemed very short-sighted to me.”
I frequently thought that the pervasive campaign to revamp the goals of United Way to a culturally reactionary funding source would wake people up. It has not. My hope is that the Komen move will finally shine some much needed light on this situation. Reasonable people cannot be complacent. I seriously recommend that you watch your dollars and make sure that any charity or organization that you’ve supported has not experienced the infiltration and capitulation to these narrow minded religious zealots. I make sure that I write exactly why I will not give any money to United Way on every plea from the organization that I get. I will not fund any organization that directly funds religious groups no matter what the affiliation. We have seen not only our charitable giving but our public tax dollars go to religious organizations that practice discrimination, deny civil rights to individuals, and push narrow religious tenets. We cannot afford to be blind to this any more.
Contribute directly to Planned Parenthood. Do not give money to organizations–like United Way and Komen–that have become tools in the war against women and children. Let them know exactly why you will not be contributing them because the anti-women right is the only group they usually hear from. This situation is only going to get worse and it’s time to fight back.
peej
Carissa
bostonboomer
ecocatwoman
mablue2
peggysue22
quixote
skydancingguestblogger
Mona (aka Wonk the Vote)
Sky Dancing 
http://www.mediaite.com/online/the-susan-g-komen-site-got-hacked-following-defunding-of-planned-parenthood/
Bwahahaha! … Um, ah, not a nice thing to do. Mustn’t … hack … snort, chuckle … people’s websi– Hahahahahahoohooharharhar!
Likewise, I’ve gone out of my way to support groups that have adopted inclusive policies or policies I feel are good for women. I remember going out of my way to purchase some American Girl products when it came to my attention that the anti women brigade were attempting to force them to jettison Girl, Inc. This year my family will goout of its way to help the girl scouts after it had its run in with folks that do not support transgender girls.
Judging by the Komen facebook page, I’d say that this was a horrible PR move for Komen(although I’d imagine good for PP since they raised half of the money in 24 hours that they would have gotten in an annual grant). I know that I will go out of my way to avoid products with a pink ribbon this year. Judgemental women judging and second guessing other women’s choices leave a sour taste in my mouth.
Most people don’t know that organizations like United Way take 15% off the top of all donations, so it’s always been better to give directly to the group you support. I can’t believe that the reps would donate in your name. There is so much pressure on companies to get 100% giving, but companies should not be allowed to force people to give – to UW or to politicians. Lawsuits anyone? This, of course, is just another reason that unions are so important & why Repugs hate them so much.
The average person needs to make informed choices when either donating or purchasing. After Congress declared pizza a vegetable in the new school food guidelines, I vowed to never (a word I really dislike) to purchase any DelMonte products or frozen pizzas. Why because they were 2 of the industries behind the move to alter the school food guidelines. We also VOTE with our dollars.
And, sad to say, all Girl Scout cookies are made with palm oil. Native forests, home to wild orangutans, are being destroyed to plant palm oil farms. Then there’s Monsanto and GMO foods and additives (corn syrup, anyone?) and herbicides like Roundup. Oops, stepping down from my soapbox.
Palm oil gets me on my soapbox, too.
According to some sources it’s in 50% of everything we buy. Try and find a bar of soap without it – even at Whole Foods. “Sulphate” is a product of palm oil. I use sulphate-free shampoo (also because sodium laureth sulphate gives me pimples on my neck).
Anyway – yeah they harvest it in poor tropical areas without regard for indigenous people or environmental concerns.
It’s official – The Donald shall anoint Mittens as His Chosen One.
Thank goodness I never give to United Way. I don’t trust them, with good reason apparently.
Don’t forget that NARAL has also thrown women under the bus. Their president is “personally” anti-choice. I stopped donating to them several years back. Then when they supported Obama over Hilary, I knew for sure they had gone over to the other side.
Excuse my stupidity, but I thought they were a pro-choice group.
With a name like “National Abortion Rights Action League” you’d think so, wouldn’t you? They seem to be one of many organizations who’ve turned into mere husks of their former selves, a covering over something alien underneath.
When my brother was young (remember he has Downs Syndrome) my mother was very involved in United Way…but she found out just what United Way was all about and has been cynical towards all charities since…for good reason.
This film is releasing at an almost perfect time.
Pink Ribbons, Inc.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=3QPZfcYTUaA
Oops, h/t to tbogg!
Thanks for this link, Ralph!
You’re welcome. It’s certainly relevant to the discussion.
In case ya’ll didn’t see this, it’s a great blog post about SGK from a non-profit marketing professional: http://www.nonprofitmarketingguide.com/blog/2012/02/01/the-accidental-rebranding-of-komen-for-the-cure/
This article is really a great “what not to do” resource.
Also Energizer’s bunny — the ad appearing on the Komen facebook page — giving Pro choice women a corporate face to boycott.
There was heavy pressure on my husband to donate to United Way — but we never did give in. United way was giving money to a lot of groups that we would Never support.
Then United Way in WA State dropped Planned Parenthood and some other women help focused groups. This was back in the 80s and until I started reading DAK’s parallel experience of the right wing nuts taking over he state — I believe that this crap was only happening in my state. Now it seems that this right wing take over of politics was far more wide spread and organized on a National level — then I realized.
Interesting that United Way in WA was giving money to the Catholic Church — which was at the same time too busy covering up for the sins of priests. Sexual Molestation of young children. I wonder how much United Way money assisted the Molestation???
The aim of the Right Wing religious nuts was to infiltrate and destroy from within — this is what they proclaimed in the 1980s. They have taken over school boards, got their own hired as Superintendents of School Districts — and hired Fundamentalist trained Biology teachers.
Yup, and Oliver O’Grady was given just 3 years for the untold number of abuse he forced on children year after year, after year. Three fugging years.
Over at MoJo I commented on something Drum said: http://motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/02/planned-parenthood-and-culture-wars#comment-427916059
Someone responded and what a great idea…
That’s great!!
I think one has to think of this as another attempt to corrupt any and all organizations that hold the Congress feet to the fire. This is not specifically targeting women, but I think this targets groups that are effective and popular. They need to be stopped and it is easier to corrupt them than eliminate them. I have watched how AARP was eviscerated during the GWBush years. It was classic. Get a right wing head who can fly under the radar, change the rules of the organization and get its cohorts on the board. Voila!!! You have a new organization with an inhouse funding that will go on for years and who will be the wiser for many years? We saw this in the DNC during 2008, Emily’s List, NY Naral, NOW. Just how did Donna Brazille and Karl Rove get to be such good buddies? And how did she get her CNN contract? Infiltrate and corrupt. Those who won’t go along quit and they clean the organization out of every one with a conscience. Easy pickings, if you ask me. Ever since 9/11 it has been like taking candy from a baby. Any organization that actually has any clout has been targeted and basically neutered.
I always felt the Democrat party was co-opted in 2008 just like AARP, NY NARAL, and now Susan G Komen. Easy pickens and the ones who stay, bend over backwards to defend the organization. Imagine. if it is easy to buy a Congessperson, how easy is it to get a DNC member who will make a silly rule to strip Florida and Michigan of their primary votes? It is elementary.
Yeah, I was having similar thoughts along those lines.
United Way has a history of scandals for misallocation of donations, which sent a former CEO of 20 years to prison. I remember the scandal was huge at the time. It also came out they had a huge overhead, so a big percentage of donations went to cover their costs, not the charities they represented.
Absolutely good advice to donate directly.
A few new updates:
Susan G. Komen Founder Tells Shocked And ‘Anger’(ed) Andrea Mitchell, They Didn’t De-Fund Planned Parenthood | Mediaite
Why Did Susan G. Komen Pull the Plug on Planned Parenthood? – Megan McArdle – Politics – The Atlantic
The nation Magazine also has an article and the response are interesting — donate to PP in the name of
Karen Handel or Nancy Brinker
P. O. Box 650309
Dallas, TX 75265-0309
http://www.thenation.com/blog/166026/komen-foundation-pinkwashes-anti-choicers-punks-planned-parenthood?rel=emailNation
Then these ladies get a nice thank you from PP.
Back in 2010 Karen Handel announced she was anit planned parenthood. Why did KGK hire hire?………………………Dak is right, it’s their 40 year plan, their one plus one equals none bullshit.
HELP! I’m in a Facebook discussion with a friend who is anti-abortion. She’s commented on a couple of the 50 or more anti-SGK posts I’ve shared. Obviously she isn’t a fan. Her latest claim – which I saw somewhere yesterday as well – is that PP protects sexual predators. Can anyone point me to a non Right Wingnut site about this? I’m thinking that it’s simply that they refused to release medical records due to the Privacy Act. I’d like confirmation, if possible.
I think the reason you are having trouble finding legitimate sources is because this is another right wing production of false information on parade. My question to your friend is, if she is so worked up about sexual predators, she needs to be spending her time and energy on protesting the catholic church, who are at the top of my list for protecting sexual predators and pedophiles.
Needless to say I came down hard on the Catholic Church in my response. Haven’t heard back from her yet. Abortion is the primary issue we disagree on. I told her yesterday this wasn’t about abortion and told her again today.
I did check 2 of the wingnut sites & it’s a “we did this, so it’s true” crap. It’s like the Acorn “sting” BS. They made calls claiming to be an underage girl with an older boyfriend. Blah, blah, blah. Proof, who needs proof? Indictments? Well there are all those activist judges, don’t you know. ARGHHHHH! It’s so hard to fight the pod people. Invasion of the Body Snatchers was NOT science fiction.
I think that we’ll be seeing a whole new crop of false/faux information — which will then be used to “brain wash” the faithful who will march out and do battle on the blogs.
If they can’t win with the truth — then these creeps will lie.
Komen group made up a new rule — they won’t make grants to any organization that is “under investigation”. This rule was a made for the sham “investigation” forced by the Anti choice forces. It would seem like this whole show was pre-planned.
1. Force another sham “investigation” of Planned Parenthood
2. Make up a rule — worded especially for Planned Parenthood
3. Stop funding because of the rule.
These right wing nut fundie taliban work together — they have think tanks — all of this crap has been in the work for decades. Besides taking dominion over women’s bodies their ultimate goal is to turn the US into a Theoretic dictatorship.
There are a whole lot of Christian churches who believe and teach the separation of Church and State. I was raised in a Fundy church — but the SDA church is very much against any one church having control in the US — Separation of church and state was/is a church doctrine. They didn’t want prayer in schools — or blue laws. Logical since Sunday isn’t a day of worship for the SDA.
I think she’s referring to that idiot who dressed up as a pimp and went under cover to seek help for underage girls at PP. He was told PP would take care of the girls no questions asked and the right wing went crazy saying they were protecting pedophiles. I wouldn’t engage “her”. I’m sure it’s a right wing sock puppet being paid to troll the blogs and make like there is some kind of grass roots support for SKG’s move.
No, actually she is a good friend. Long story, but she’s a good person and a reasonable person compared to most born agains.
Connie,
That sexual predators nonsense is based on a so-called sting that was run by a right wing nut, James O’Keefe.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_O'Keefe
He is the same guy who recently tried a voter fraud sting in NH and who got arrested for breaking into Mary Landrieau’s office a couple of years ago.
He is associated with Andrew Breitbart, so that should tell you what a fraud and an a-hole O’Keefe is.
Mayor Bloomberg is going to give $250,000 to Planned Parenthood.
http://cityroom.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/02/02/bloomberg-to-give-250000-to-planned-parenthood/
He is smart — very smart.
Komen Struggles to Defuse Planned Parenthood Crisis
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/02/03/us-usa-healthcare-komen-idUSTRE8111WA20120203
Heh heh! You’re not in Kansas anymore.
You knew they’d find one:
http://motherjones.com/mojo/2012/02/komen-foundation-gave-75-million-grant-penn-state
I just wrote about this in the evening news post…
Komen’s $7.5 Million Grant to Penn State Appears to Violate New Policy
Lie and it will catch up with you.