Saw That Coming

Earlier this week plenty of people were writing about how the foundation that has turned an ugly disease into something cool, Susan G. Koman Foundation, had cut their funding to the abortion giant Planned Parenthood.  Some hailed this as a wonderful move.  Since being an optimist isn't really my thing, I suspected that they would eventually waffle back to supporting Planned Parenthood.  I just didn't think they would go back on their decision so quickly.

I have my own reasons for not supporting the pink ribbon craze.  You see, I know people who have battled the unglamorous disease that is breast cancer.  Some of the women I know have beat the disease and others did not.  One breast cancer survivor, Bryan's aunt, made some remarks about the pink ribbon craze shortly after she had beat breast cancer.  While she suffered through radiation and chemo she came to the conclusion that the stupid pink ribbons that people were wearing as a sign of support did absolutely NOTHING.  People sent her all sorts of things with pink ribbons on them, but a pink ribbon doesn't take away the fatigue and exhaustion one faces while battling this disease.  When she lost her hair and fingernails, pink ribbons did nothing.  So her feelings about pink ribbons left an impression on me and I made it a point to not buy anything with a pink ribbon on it with the intent of supporting this cause.  Better to actually offer moral support to someone who is battling the disease than to purchase products as a sign of solidarity.

Bryan's aunt isn't the only reason I don't support the pink ribbon hype.  I had read a story a little while back that talked about how breast cancer was the "it" disease.  With the pink ribbon products and what not, the disease had been glamorized and sexualized in a way.  After all, it was the sexy cancer.  If you've ever watched someone die of cancer, any cancer, you'll know there's nothing sexy, glamorous or cool about cancer.  Cancer sucks.

So how about Koman's waffling?  I'm just as disappointed in their decision to reinstate funding to the abortion giant as the next pro-life person, but the decision didn't surprise me.  First off, their reason for cutting off funding led me to believe that they would eventually hop back into bed with them.  Once all those out in the pro-death camp started getting their backs up and wailing and gnashing their teeth about how terrible it was that Koman cut off the funding, I suspected that they might give into their critics.  I think the worst thing that came out of this entire defunding/reinstating fund fiasco is it resulted in Planned Parenthood scoring more benefactors.  The whole situation gained the organization several sizable donations which I'm sure will be used to end the lives of countless unborn babies.  So way to go Susan G. Koman foundation.  Not only did you get yourself loads of bad PR, but you also helped perpetuate the culture of death.  Oh, and I think it's amazing that you support organizations that push drugs which are known to cause to disease you claim to be battling.  It would be like an AIDS foundation encouraging junkies to share needles and have unprotected sex with multiple partners in the hopes of getting the word out about HIV/AIDS.