In three days, the destruction of a well known brand...Susan G Koman..

[Stuart G]

My guess is 50 percent of the people who used to contribute, will not from now on.
Maybe more..

It is that simple, we are watching the self distruction of a well known brand..
Took years to build up, Days to self destruct...
This time for political reasons...
These people who run this organization deserve it.

But, it has happened before, and it will happen again..

[vi5]

1. I don't think it will be 50%...

Figure if their donor base follows the same general demographic and political break down as the rest of the country then let's say 50% of their donor base is pro-choice. Of that let's say maybe half of that is passionate enough about the issue to stop donating over it.

Not that even a 25% drop wouldn't be a big hit. I just don't think it will be fully 50%. And they'll probably pick up some more wingnut welfare donations to make up for at least some of it.

[izquierdista]

3. So what was ACORN's donor base?

Did they pick up enough left wing "welfare donations" to make up for losing the "half" that were passionate enough about the issue to stop donating?

Komen is toast.

[vi5]

25. I probably should clarify.....

When i said "wingnut welfare" I just meant the phenomenon by which any right wing politician or figure or whatever gets shunned by normal, rational, sane people either through not being re-elected/elected, or having their book, movie, or show bomb completely, and then just to prove liberals wrong, wingnuts pony up massive amounts of money to pretend and make it seem like that person or group was not an abject failure.

I didn't mean it in terms of actual "welfare donations".

I am just being realistic about the expectations on this. I hope it's 50% and the whole thing teaches people a valuable lesson on this type of thing. I just don't think that every single person who did donate but was offended by this will stop donating. And for at least a chunk of it, they will make up for it by right wing loons donating more just to teach liberals a lesson or some other convoluted logic.

[itsrobert]

5. Wingnuts donate to their Churches

God will take care of everyone's medical needs. Wingnuts donate to churches so they can funnel money to their political causes: stop gay marriage, stopping choice, etc.

[Ecumenist]

6. I nrespectfully disagree with you. I think that not only will 50% stop donating but

even a higher number. Cancer is something that is a personal and present reality for me and I talk to cancer patients and trust me, the anger and determination is not only palpable but growing. People are disgusted because it is an obviously transparent politcally motivated move and people aren't stupid.

[vi5]

26. Maybe you're right......

I hope you are. I hope they really feel the effects of this move. I've had an issue with the organization for a while so it would serve them right. I'm just not overly "optimistic" (quotes because I'm not sure it's right to use that word for the downfall of a charity, no matter how shady it was).

[justiceischeap]

10. Cancer isn't a political issue but Komen managed to make it one

and I'll give them the benefit of doubt for this one comment... even if they hadn't intended to make it a political issue (I highly doubt that but I'm playing devil's advocate for a sec), they certainly managed to do so. Anyone can get cancer (even men get breast cancer) and taking away funds that would allow low-income women and men get screening just never registered in sane people's minds as a part of the abortion debate--yet, they somehow managed to do so by bringing up the investigation by Stearns.

When an organizations sole purpose is supposed to be combatting breast cancer and then they turn on an organization that provides exams, that's one hell of a betrayal. Let's not forget they dumped their support of stem cell research too. It makes you wonder just how committed they are to finding that cure, doesn't it? And as they implode, more and more people will learn negative things about their brand and priorities and it won't be good.

[phantom power]

2. On that theme...

I think this might be a case of things building up for a while, and then precipitated by a particular event:

It's OK To Say You Suck

Just echoing what tbogg had already said, but what Komen has done is made it ok to point out that they kind of suck. And they kind of sucked before all this, but not many people ever want to rain on the pink paradise parade. They managed to associate their brand with a cause, and to criticize the brand was to criticize the cause.

Now we all get to say: you suck hard.

http://www.eschatonblog.com/2012/02/its-ok-to-say-you-suck.html

[nadine_mn]

4. I think that anti-abortion groups will rally and more than make up for what SGK has lost in donation

It saddens me to think this, but there is so much $$ on the Right, they will be more than happy to back up SGK's decision.

[Ecumenist]

8. I'm sure that there will be SOME makeup but by and large, there are FAR more

pro-choice and plain old "keep the fuck out of other folk's business" people who will take their nickels, dimes and pennies to more decent breast cancer research charities.

[yardwork]

19. But SGK has lost their good name and the good will that that carried.

The brand is what is most valuable, and Komen's brand has plummeted in value. They will get individual donations - they may even get millions from the Catholic Church and other far-right organizations - but they will never again have the widespread good will of millions of volunteers for their community races, etc.

[Stuart G]

22. Yardwork is correct...

The brand blummeted in value because the word is that Planned Parenthoond spends 97 percent of funds on
womens health outside of abortions. Like mamograms, pelvic exams, and contraceptives. ...

The widespread goodwill has gone because of the lie that Planned Parenthood is all about "abortions"
It is being "investigated" sure.. The lie that undermines this action will be exposed in ways that the right wing never expected.

And it is about time.....

[Ichingcarpenter]

7. Race for the Coat Hanger

[Generic Other]

9. link to contact them directly

http://ww5.komen.org/Contact.aspx

I signed myself as Neverdonateagain.com

[justiceischeap]

11. And don't forget to ask about Penn State when you contact them. nt

[MsLeopard]

14. Here's a link to their sponsors

It's even better to write them:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=261686

[Generic Other]

15. yes thanks!

will do.

[global1]

12. I Saw A Commercial Today For The Komen Three Day Walk For Breast Cancer Today......

I wonder given the latest developments with Komen and Planned Parenthood if anyone is calling for a boycott of that walk?

[liberalmuse]

13. I've never seen anything like this...

and couldn't be more pleased by all the support I'm seeing for Planned Parenthood and their breast screening program. I'm saddened that such a well-known charity that has done so much good has decided to take the low road. It's not fair to women.

[sarge43]

16. The whole thing isn't fair to women

Our bodies, our health, our very lives are being used as political pawns. I hope that if anything good comes out of this, it's that we all work to stop it.

[cpamomfromtexas]

17. They"ve long since turned into just another big business

We can put a man on the moon, don't tell me we can't cure cancer.

[Renew Deal]

18. I don't think it will make much of a dent overall

[seabeyond]

20. i think so. a lot of things needed to come to light and never would have, without this decision

from Susan G Koman.

i think it is a really good thing and will help in so many direction. let the light shine

[Cognitive_Resonance]

21. The likely corporate stampede away from Komen will be their undoing. Corporations value their brand,

and will not want to associate with an organization that is tainted by partisan politics. That is why it is so important to let Komen's corporate sponsors immediately know that further association with Komen is now toxic to their brands.

[GeorgeGist]

23. Republicans are good at destroying things!

No doubt about it.

[Travelman]

24. The opposite is happening, according to them

At least if this report is to be believed.

Nevertheless, since cutting ties, Brinker announced that Komen’s donations have gone up in the last two days — by 100 percent.

“Our donations are up 100 percent in the past two days. With all of the emotion around these issues — which we understand, we get emotional too, we do this every single day of our lives,” Brinker said, explaining that they do not make decisions to be popular, they make them to fight cancer.

Fair warning that I don't see corroboration of this quote anywhere else other than this report and I don't know anything about these people.

[HubertHeaver]

27. Inilially, so did donations to Herman Cain.

[NYC Liberal]

33. Even if true, that number will drop. How many of those are one-off donations by

anti-choicers who want to "stick it" to PP?

If Komen loses a lot of regular, long-time donors who start sending their money to PP instead of Komen, then a temporary spike won't mean much.

[LiberalFighter]

28. After watching Brink yesterday make excuses never again will I support Komen.

There are other foundations that can take up the slack and will provide more of the donations to the purpose and less for administration and salaries.

[shanti]

29. and we all know what happens to brands that screw up

they just change their name! blackwater, anyone?

[Javaman]

30. Simply put, this is a prime example of the power of the internet. nt

[DippyDem]

31. SGK is still Komen apart

Ef them. They now have proven themselves to be a political organization along with high salaries that puts them in the 1%. After the so called turnabout, now the freaking Teabaggers are bitchin', moaning and now withdrawing support at SGK and SGK facebook. They royally screwed themselves. Yup it's all politics as usual messing round with us.

[Initech]

32. My mom was a big contributor and now won't anymore because of this.