Others have talked at much more length and much more eloquently on the Komen for the Cure controversy: the caving, the botched PR, all of it. I've just got a couple tangents to add.
Part of this fight is about the "politicization" of a charity that had been seen as neutral. No more. This fight proves that in a hyper-polarized political climate, a neutral stance is impossible. The moment the right targeted Komen, they had to choose. Pro-choice? Anti-choice? See, even choosing language to discuss this takes a side, because I didn't say "pro-life" and "pro-abortion."
The only good thing about this is that the majority rose up and vetoed the quarter or so of America that makes up the religious extremist subculture. Look for more of these fights as the hard right retreats further and further from the mainstream, into their separatist bookstores and schools and channels and megachurches.
The worst.
It's deeper than that John. It's about core values. I don't have a problem with Komen putting a stipulation on things by saying, "This money is only to be used for breast health." Had Komen done that, you perhaps wouldn't have written your article.
ReplyDeleteYep, it's that simple and many conservatives feel that way, nothing extreme about it.