It seems to me that Susan G. Komen Founder Nancy Brinker falls into one of two categories. Either she is truly ignorant and she is being betrayed by Karen Handel, et al or she knew from the beginning what was happening within the organization politically. At first, I leaned toward her being ignorant and naive. That would make Karen Handel, the VP, a truly evil lone conspirator set on bringing about the cut of funding to Planned Parenthood at the expense of the mission of the Foundation. Nancy Brinker would then be one who was betrayed and an innocent victim. Unfortunately, a second glance at the situation made this scenario highly unlikely. For one thing, who hired Karen Handel? Presumably, Ms. Brinker would have known Ms. Handel's political point of view as she had run for Governor on the platform of cutting funding for Planned Parenthood. Whoever brought Ms. Handel on board did so with full knowledge of who she is. It is thus likely that the Vice President's agenda was known from day one and tacitly approved.
The insistence that the decision to cut funding from Planned Parenthood was simply a result of a policy change rings very hollow. Indeed, it looks very much like the policy was designed to provide an excuse to cut funding rather than the other way around. Especially since Penn State is also under investigation but it is not losing funding.
Susan G. Komen spent the past 24 plus hours doing everything it could to cover-up the tracks of the primary players in this debacle. Former statements were deleted from the website, unfortunate re-tweets deleted and so on. If Watergate taught me anything at all, it is that a cover-up implies knowledge of wrong doing.
That is what makes me sick to my stomach - the darkness that has insinuated itself into what was once a noble enterprise. It is the same darkness that pervades so much of government and politics from the Right these days. It is beyond sad. It might even be called a Cancer on our Society. The question is: can Susan G. Komen treat itself? Or will it remain in denial?
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