UPDATE 12/3/11 Life Decisions International reports: The Komen matter is on hold until we investigate the recent allegations that it is involved in supporting embryonic stem cell research.

We will keep you posted of their announcements.

12:45 CST, 12/2/11: A few minutes ago we received a reply from Komen in Orange County, confirming this grant was handed out today, a day after the LDI announcement. Here is Komen's response (see the entire post below for context):

"A representative from Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino Counties was in attendance this morning to accept two grants; one from the Komen Fund for Breast Health Care and another Community Grant for its “Breast Health Program.” We hope you were able to join us to enjoy the presentation and great keynote discussion with Susan G. Komen for the Cure." -Elizabeth Thompson

Life Decisions International (LDI) has done a valuable service to the pro-life community by spending its time and resources to expose those funding Planned Parenthood. It publishes a list of corporations but also includes a “dishonorable mentions” portion in which it lists the names of charitable organizations which support abortion in some way.

One of the most prominent names on the dishonorable mention list was removed this week, but with no clear explanation of why. The Susan G. Komen Foundation has been funding Planned Parenthood through many of its affiliates for several years. Despite research that links abortion to breast cancer, Komen has discounted this and continued to fund the abortion provider. We’ve written in previous blogs about the Komen/Planed parenthood connection, which is well documented and admitted by Komen. While the breast cancer organization says that it only donates money for cancer screenings, we know that that’s an impossible task because funds are fungible, that is, easily movable and interchanged. If we give Planned Parenthood money for one thing, it simply frees up other money designated toward that thing for more abortions. Thus, it’s been without excuse that Komen has funded the abortion giant.

And it’s without explanation that LDI announced Thursday night that it has been removed. Here’s part of LDI’s release:

Corporations are added to The Boycott List if they refuse to stop funding Planned Parenthood. Corporations may be removed from The Boycott List if they: 1) agree to make the pro-abortion group ineligible for donations in the future; or 2) have not funded Planned Parenthood for at least five years.

Then LDI explains this:

The Susan G. Komen Foundation was placed in this section because it has allowed affiliates to make grants to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood received nearly $700,000 from Komen affiliates this year alone. The Foundation has recently informed us that Planned Parenthood is now ineligible for grants because it is under investigation by the U.S. government and several state governments.

The press release goes on to explain the background of when AT&T stopped funding Planned Parenthood and was publicly targeted by its president then as having “caved in to anti-choice extremists” and was “catering to a close-minded minority intolerant of differing ideas…”

Despite that fact that that tells us who the real extremists are, LDI says it changed its policy to avoid corporations being targeted this way by not publicizing openly why this occurred. LDI says:

Unfortunately, there is actually one more downside to the new policy. In keeping with our promise to corporate leaders we cannot discuss the reason(s) why an entity was removed from The Boycott List. We yield instead to the individual corporations/organizations and we will never dispute what they say. This means no one outside of our national headquarters will know the whole story behind changes made to The Boycott List. But we can assure every pro-life activist—especially LDI Partners—that changes are made only when we are 100 percent sure it is the right thing to do. We know this is somewhat frustrating. But please keep in mind that if the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation deserved to be included in The Boycott List, it would still be there. Our standards, faithfulness and commitment are both clear and consistently applied. Moreover, integrity is the most important aspect of our work. Therefore, there is reason to celebrate. Just do not do it too loudly.

If there truly is reason to celebrate, I would like to know more. Abortion thrives on secrecy; we need truth.  It would be with great rejoicing that I honored Komen for removing its funds from the abortion giant, but from what LDI has released so far, there's not yet sufficient evidence that it is. It simply says because of investigations it’s ineligible for grants. However, Monday this story ran in Orange County, CA which includes the list of recipients of Komen grants which are to be given out Friday morning, the day after the LDI announcement:

Some of the 2012 Komen Fund for Breast Health Care grant recipients include … Planned Parenthood of Orange and San Bernardino counties…. Visit komenoc.org to reserve tickets to this year’s Grants Award Breakfast.

When you visit komenoc.org, you can also find Planned Parenthood listed. If this information is correct, Friday morning, Komen will give a 20102 grant to Planned Parenthood.(You can also see Planned Parenthood listed on KomenOC’s blog here.)

This information is troubling to me. I want to celebrate, but I don’t want to celebrate prematurely or falsely. So far, I can see no evidence from Komen that it will cease funding Planned Parenthood. If it gives Planned Parenthood a grant tomorrow in Orange County, then that would mean it’s not “clean” as it’s been declared. Perhaps technically if Planned Parenthood is under investigation it can’t receive grants, but that doesn’t mean it won’t receive grants already applied for or that it won’t again.

Let’s not jump for joy until we see the hurdle removed. When Komen announces it’s stopped funding Planned Parenthood once and for all, then we should celebrate. If we get statements from other pro-life groups who also investigate this matter, such as  Texas Right to Life, which produced Pink Ribbon Scandal and called for Komen to stop, let’s celebrate. Until then, we should be cautious. Without LDI explaining why they are removed, it’s too soon to celebrate until we see Komen's actions follow suit.

Abortion funding is serious business allowing Planned Parenthood to build big centers and kill little babies. We should remain cautious on all fronts.  For breast cancer providers who do not fund abortion, see the bottom of this link. We’ll be watching to see if this is an end to Komen’s funding, but if that grant goes out tomorrow morning in Orange County, then we know the battle isn’t over yet.

Please check back here for updates. We'll monitor this situation and post updates as we obtain them.