COMMENTARY | MSNBC reports that Susan G. Komen for the Cure charity will reinstate funding to Planned Parenthood, after receiving a significant backlash from every angle. This decision comes as a top official resigned in protest over the decision, and as Mayor Michael Bloomberg planned to donate up to $250,000 for Planned Parenthood. Although the organization reversed course on this issue, here is how I feel about this decision, and how this decision will impact the organization for years to come.
Susan G. Komen for the Cure is going to have to go on a public relations quest to get men and women to continue supporting the organization. The organization was criticized for bowing down to political pressure, and this is not a topic that is just going to go away quickly. The organization will need to offer a plausible explanation why the decision was made in the first place to cut funding, and then why that decision was overturned days later. I personally think that it comes down to so many people choosing to pull back support for the organization, and the organization would have lost a lot of money if the decision was not reversed. Susan G. Komen for the Cure has the right to not fund Planned Parenthood, but the public has the right to stop funding the organization in return.
I know I will be more cautious when donating money to an organization, especially if I choose to donate money to Susan G. Komen for the Cure. This whole fiasco happened within a matter of days, so what would stop the organization from doing the same exact thing in the future? Susan G. Komen for the Cure might have a hard time finding supporters and getting donations because people will be wary of how quickly the organization can pull support for a partner. It also puts donating money in the spotlight, since obviously charities can stop a partnership with ease, and the donated money might not be going to the organization you choose to support. This will have a lasting impact on how much money the organization sees in donations, because more people will be hesitant to support the organization just based on how this whole situation was handled from top to bottom.
This is a good decision by Susan G. Komen for the Cure, as long as it was for the right reason, which is to give women better access to cancer screenings. If the organization is worried that the money is going toward abortions, then hopefully an agreement can be worked out with Planned Parenthood. One agreement that should be made is making Planned Parenthood show that the money went towards breast and cervical cancer screenings, which would just be a good business move. As a woman, I am glad that there will still be cancer screenings funded by the organization at Planned Parenthood locations, because it helps lower income women and teenagers.
Myself, Personal Opinion
MSNBC News Service, “Komen backs off decision on funding cuts”, MSNBC