Good news from the left coast

[Rooster7]

Perhaps this is an over simplification, but...

 

BSA doesn't encourage the murder of babies. Planned Parenthood not only encourages it, but they do it for profit.

 

[ScoutParent]

Isn't that what many of you are doing when you refuse to donate to United Way because you think Planned Parenthood is "pushing" abortions on people?

 

Not at all. It's called taking a proactive stance and donating money to causes you feel worthy of your support. Planned parenthood was started by Margaret Sanger, a well known eugenicist whose main goal was to eliminate the offspring of the poor, the uneducated and the minorities. It was a form of racism and is continuing to this day.

 

So, no, it's really not the same thing at all.

[KoreaScouter]

Sctmom;

 

Actually, my personal perspective on United Way isn't based on a liberal or conservative bias -- I didn't link the two in my last post, although I guess the insinuation was there.

 

I think you're right, that many forum members wouldn't donate to United Way until all liberal agencies were removed...I don't believe in Balkanizing our charitable giving that way. My concern is over things like United Way funding volunteer fire departments. I think that's ridiculous; a public safety service should be supported by tax dollars, at whatever level the citizens who receive that service vote to do so. If your United Way contribution is in part funding tax supported public services, you are in essence a victim of taxation without representation.

 

That's what I was getting at, not cutting off battered women shelters and infant health screening...

 

KS

[OldGreyEagle]

I never heard those things about Margaret Sanger, are they documented anywhere?

[SR540Beaver]

OGE,

 

I did a search on Google using just her name and got a lot of hits. Here is one site that has a lot of info:

 

http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about/thisispp/sanger.html

 

It had some good and some bad things to say about her views.

[eisely]

The days of corporate arm twisting on United Way are not over. These pressures wax and wane line anything else. The year your boss is chair of the local United Way, you will see arm twisting.

 

Decades ago United Way used to fund a few majore charities. Gradually more and more charities qualified and considerable pressure was applied to accept almost anybody. This has the effect of diluting your contributions. Personally I gave up on United Way a long time ago, primarily because of the controversy over scouting. All my cash donations are either to the church or to BSA.

[sctmom]

Rooster and Scoutparent,

People who don't want their money to go to BSA because of the homosexual policy are also standing up for what they believe in. The causes may be different, but the basic motivation is the same --- it is what you each believe in as "right".

 

 

 

[Weekender]

This is for those donating to BSA through the United Way.

 

Our scout exec told me that the UW gave our council a set amount of money each year (lets just pick a number...say $45,000). If an individual gives $120 to UW and sepcifies that it is to go to our council the council still gets $45,000. $120 of which was from specified donations. The only way for the council to get more than the $45,000 is if people specify more than $45,000 to them. If the same person gives their $120 and specifies a troop then the council must take $120 out of the $45,000 and give it to the troop...The council loses the money. If you want your money to go to your council give it directly to yoru council...if you want it going to a troop, give it to the troop. If you give the money to UW it will be put in a big trough and who gets to feed from it is no longer up to you.

[fboisseau]

NJCubScouter

In response to your statement that follows:

 

"Of course, these people wouldn't have to go through all this effort and trouble, and get into a public spitting match with a respected organization like the United Way, if the BSA did not insist on excluding qualified leaders, who live by the Scout Oath and Law, on the irrelevant ground that they happen to be openly gay."

 

I have the following to say the reversal is even more true. The problem would not exist if the United Way did not try to use it power via the money to control the policies of the organizations that they support. Another way to look at it is how would you feel if the United Way would not support your group because they did allow homosexuals as leaders. The fact of the matter is if the United Way is going to act as a clearing house for any charity money then only criteria they should use is how well a charity uses the money and not the policies of the charity as the base of it will support a charity or not.

[sctmom]

The following was taken from United Way websites. You might want to check out your local United Way organization for more details about what they do and don't do. Same for Planned Parenthood.

 

*****

United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta funds three local Boy Scout councils, with 2002-03 funding totaling $1.91 million.

 

United Way is a volunteer-led, volunteer-driven organization representing our entire region. From the board of directors to fund raising volunteers and the thousands of others who lend a hand each year, volunteer leaders ensure United Way continues to help metro Atlanta make impact on the issues that matter most.

 

 

United Way is a system of 1,400 separately incorporated, independent organizations. Each raises money in an annual fund-raising campaign and allocates funds to local health and human service agencies.

 

Action taken by the volunteer board of any local United Way has no bearing on any other United Way or Boy Scout Council across the country. United Way of America as the national membership service and training organization for local United Way organizations, does not dictate policy or funding decisions to local United Ways except to the extent that funding decisions must be consistent with applicable laws.

 

United Ways ensure that each organization in which they invest is a non-profit, tax-exempt charity governed by volunteers, and that it submits to an annual, independent financial audit, provides services at a reasonable cost, and maintains a policy of non-discrimination.

 

Abortion is not funded through United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta. No community-fund dollars are used to perform abortions. United Way funds the Planned Parenthood Association of the Atlanta area, which provides education, contraceptive and gynecological services for women in need. They do not provide abortion services, nor do they make recommendations for abortion. They have no financial interest in any abortion clinic.

 

 

United Way and Planned Parenthood

Pro-choice and anti-abortion advocates in all parts of the country have tried to make the abortion issue a United Way issue. United Ways have taken a position of neutrality on this divisive issue because we do not want any single issue to overshadow our mission "to increase the capacity of people to care for one another."

 

No United Way funds are currently used, or have ever been used to support abortion services.

 

Several United Way member agencies provide professional family and individual counseling services which include professional counseling on pregnancy-related problems.

 

Each agency encourages clients to make well-informed decisions.

 

Do community-based United Ways support abortion?

No local United Way funds are currently used, or have been used to support abortion services.

 

What Planned Parenthood programs/services are local United Ways supporting?

 

United Way funded programs through Planned Parenthood include community health maintenance, e.g. communicable disease prevention; medical care service; family planning; health education; public awareness services; and family preservation and strengthening services, e.g. counseling and family life education.

 

Do community-based United Ways provide funds to Planned Parenthood?

 

Nationally in 1999, local United Ways distributed an estimated $3 million to Planned Parenthood agencies. In 2000-2001, United Way organizations collectively raised $3.91 billion. Less than one percent of total funds are distributed to Planned Parenthood. Of that total, approximately one third of these dollars were donor designated to the agency by individuals.

 

************

 

Since Planned Parenthood doesn't provide abortions, has no financial interest in abortion clinics and is a non-profit organization, HOW can they be "making money" off of abortions?

 

[NativeTexan]

I just found this on my local United Way website & thought it was an interesting example of how to designate the distribution of funds:

 

"To make sure designations are properly recorded, please enclose a completed designation card or a list with the following information: employee's name, designated agency (if more than one, include all agencies), and the amount of the designation, and the address to be used for acknowledgment.

Example:

Bill Smith

700 North Street

Yourcity, TX 77701

Boy Scouts - $75.00, Family Services - $25.00"