Komen Caves

In the 1960s, Tom Wolfe wrote a semi-famous essay called "Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers."   The piece was essentially an extended observation of a peculiarly modern phenomenon of radical black activists shaking down liberal bureaucrats in government and business for money, with the implicit threat that they will make their lives hell if they don't pony up.   The "profession" of "community organizer" is simply the shakedown routine of the radicals Wolfe observed writ large.   Certain groups arrogate to themselves the right to informally tax the rest of us with the threat that they'll make our lives hell if we don't comply with their demands -- essentially, they are political protection rackets.   The affirmative action and diversity industry is the most prominent, but the abortion industry is a close second. 

Over the past three days, we've seen the well-respected Susan G. Komen Foundation, which has become the most prominent charity supporting breast cancer prevention services (mammograms, etc.), be raked over the coals for having the temerity to withhold a "grant" (read:  payoff) to Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider, with over 300,000 abortions a year.   Komen's rationale was that Planned Parenthood is under Congressional investigation (flowing from the Lila Rose sting last year), and, well, because it doesn't provide mammograms at all, but only "refers" women to mammographers.   Not really the best use of your charitable dollar if what you're trying to subsidize is mammograms.   But Planned Parenthood went nuclear on Komen, essentially saying to them what the mob says to a barkeep in a bad neighborhood:  "Nice little place you've got here.... shame if anything happened to it."

So, inevitably, the Komen Foundation caved today, and gave Planned Parenthood its tribute payment back.   Nancy Pelosi, the minority leader in the House for the Democrats, hailed the decision as a "big victory" for "women's health."   Well, I guess not for the 150,000 or so girls who are killed by Planned Parenthood abortionists every year.   But Pelosi obviously defines "victory" differently than I do.  

What this also demonstrates is the extraordinarily narrow set of interests that American liberals and the Democratic Party now stands for.   Let's summarize the liberal creed.   What are they really for?  What really gets them energized and angry?  Abortion, above all.   Then:  public employee union benefits.   Taxing the rich.   Affirmative action forever.  

And, of course, the converse:  who do they hate?   The successful businessman.   Christians, especially Catholics.   Israel.  

Narrow, narrow, little minds these people have.