Contact: Life Decisions International (LDI) for reporters/journalists, 703-203-3500, media@fightpp.org; General E-Mail, ldi@fightpp.org

 

FRONT ROYAL, Va., Feb. 2, 2012 /Standard Newswire/ -- "We could not be happier," said Douglas R. Scott, Jr., president of Life Decisions International (LDI), a Planned Parenthood watchdog group. Scott was speaking about the recently announced decision by The Susan G. Komen Foundation to end support of the world's most vociferous pro-abortion goliath.

 

Life Decisions International has tracked corporate support of Planned Parenthood for 20 years. One element of its chief project is a boycott against corporate supporters of the abortion-committing enterprise. The Boycott List, which is published twice per year, identifies those entities that have refused to stop supporting Planned Parenthood despite their having received several requests that they do so, along with educational material about Planned Parenthood and the validity of economic boycotts. To date, at least 282 corporations have agreed to make Planned Parenthood ineligible for future support.

 

One section of The Boycott List, called "Dishonorable Mention," identifies nonprofit organizations that have ties to Planned Parenthood and/or its agenda. Komen appears in the section, along with groups such as AARP, American Cancer Society, Amnesty International, Boys & Girls Clubs, Camp Fire, Dr. Phil Foundation, Doctors Without Borders, Easter Seals, Girl Scouts, March of Dimes, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Education Association, Red Cross, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Rotary Clubs, Salvation Army, Save the Children, YMCA, and YWCA.

 

Scott said that despite Komen's decision, the group will remain in the Dishonorable Mention section of The Boycott List. "Despite Komen's wonderful announcement, actual support of Planned Parenthood will not end for another 13 months or so." Komen will honor commitments made to several Planned Parenthood affiliates prior to implementation of the new policy." He said it would be wrong to drop Komen from The Boycott List, only for the general public to see grants going to Planned Parenthood in the future.  Still, Scott is elated and he looks forward to the day when the last donation is made to Planned Parenthood.

 

"Many people are rushing to take credit for the Komen decision, including some who were thoroughly opposed to our boycott" Scott said. "While a handful of individuals played key roles, the real heroes are the countless numbers of pro-life activists and organizations that have continued to pressure the charity over the years."

 

Komen has faced intense criticism for two other policies -- unrelated to Planned Parenthood. It has not opposed embryonic stem cell research and refuses to acknowledge the link between abortion and breast cancer, despite dozens of studies that have validated the claim. "We are happy to report that prior to the recent announcement, Komen adopted a clear policy on embryonic stem cell research." It supports research conducted "without creating a human embryo or destroying a human embryo." Scott said the only disappointment now is that Komen is still wrong on the abortion-breast cancer link. "Our job is to help educate Komen's leaders and we will continue this work."

 

"Planned Parenthood's legions act as though Komen owes them money," Scott said. "But Komen officials know there are far better ways to help women -- ways that do not force Komen to carry the ungodly baggage carried by Planned Parenthood."

 

Scott said Planned Parenthood supporters who say they will no longer support Komen because it has decided to spend its money elsewhere are behaving as though they were members of organized crime. "Pro-life people want all corporations, be them for-profit or not-for-profit, to stop supporting Planned Parenthood. Failure to do so will result in a boycott. We are not demanding that they fund pro-life groups. Pro-abortion apologists, on the other hand, want all corporations to give money to Planned Parenthood. Failure to do so will result in a boycott. And once a corporation begins to support Planned Parenthood it better not even think about having a change of heart. Isn't that extortion? If these people truly cared about the health of women, they would accept the Komen decision and urge Planned Parenthood to seek private funding."

 

Scott urged Planned Parenthood czar Cecile Richards to "stop the high-class whining and accept the fact that few people want to be associated with a group that embraces killing as a 'solution' to social problems. We can do much, much better than that."