Four Funerals and Komen...

So it's been a week or so of funerals. Two expected, and two unexpected. One of them was a gal I knew from grade school; instead of dying from the leukemia she had, she died after a fall (unexpected).

One of them was a friend's dad. This friend is the person (outside of my mother) that I've known the longest in my life. We were born 11 months apart, and grew up together, literally. Across a playlot. Her dad died of cancer (this we expected).

Another one was a friend's husband. This was a case of a very vicious cancer and it was unexpected in that I didn't know he had cancer! He was sick only a few months.

And the final one was a friend I've known for almost 10 years. He died on a trip and we are just stunned. We have had no details; just that he died. It's like we want to know "why" but it feels ignorant to ask. You know the feeling...

And then, we see the Susan G. Komen decision to yank support from Planned Parenthood pressured by the right-wing-right-to-life-as-long-as-you-stay-a-fetus group. Honestly, I can't say it any better than this: http://www.ginandtacos.com/2012/02/02/race-for-the-cure-to-being-relevant/

Just read it. This blogger puts it perfectly. And let's just look at something called "math." Which is closely related to that thing called "facts." Something that a lot of RTLALAYSAF people seem to want to ignore. Planned Parenthood does not operate a "drive-through" abortion factory. They provide preventive care to women. Preventive care includes screening for other ailments, including breast cancer, Pap smears, and general health care. See the following link: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/ for more information.

And let's look at this little chart. According to the math, a full 97% of Planned Parenthood's care for women does not include abortions. That means that out of 100% of services to women who otherwise couldn't afford health care, only three percent of their services include abortions. THREE percent. OK, this is from 2009, but I can't imagine that they've changed much at all.

Because this organization helps poor and underinsured women, the RTL(etc.) people are all up in arms. Because you know those poor people. They're lazy; they're not willing to work; they expect "entitlements;" and they want all they can get from US -- the working folks, dont'cha know? If they "get pregnant" (because of course you know it's ALWAYS the woman... men apparently don't have any responsibility in this case), it's their own fault. ONLY their fault.

I thought it took two to tango.

Maybe it's because I'm grieving anyway, but the Komen Foundation makes me sick. Literally. And everyone who bought into the whole "pink" campaign? Take a look at who's sporting pink and what they're trying to sell you. Open your eyes and do some more research.

I'm planning to do the Avon 2-day walk. See http://www.avonwalk.org/ - and click on "Where the money goes" to do some research.

It seems like this post is all over the place; but it just seems that it's that kind of day. And that kind of week.