TELL ME LIES, TELL ME SWEET LITTLE LIES

I SWORE... swore swore swore swore... promised me.... I was done with the Komen chatter.  Clearly, as you will soon see, I am a liar.  I simply can not be trusted to keep my word.

Last week, I was distraught.  If my charming husband were to read those words, he would have plenty to say.  "Distraught? Isn't that a bit dramatic?  Why do you DO that, always with the drama??"  In another lifetime, I would have taken those words to heart and, well, I would have been even MORE distraught.  Since I'm relatively sure he is not reading this blog and I'm fairly certain he has no clue it even exists, I'm guessing I am the only person who would be privy to such a conversation.  Just me and anyone who has access to the internet and stumbles across this and wants to catch a glimpse of what goes on inside my brain challenged head.

In the midst of my distraughtness..... yes, I'm concocting my own words again (and yes, I do this deliberately so I might amuse myself), I realized the loss of life; correction, the loss of three young lives, held far more weight than a PR crisis involving an organization for which I have no respect.

Before I go any further, I want to say something on behalf of three other women who mean lots to me.  These women are volunteers at local Komen affiliates in New York and New Jersey.  My gripe is NOT with the affiliates.  I don't know what goes on at the local level, but I do know these three women and their hearts are made of gold.  Nah... they are made of platinum.  Yes, I love them, I respect them and I support their choice to volunteer within their communities.  (Quietly, I wish the affiliates would all break free so they could keep all of the funds they raise without kicking back to The Komen Corporation but that's a whole other story.)

I am being honest.  And I don't want to insult my friends even though they may not be reading this thing either......  The honesty is for anyone who is reading.  I can't bash the affiliates.  I can't take away from the pure efforts of good friends.

Now that the transparency of AnneMarie is divulged, I'm bothered by the fact that the Komen big time PR firm seems to have effectively doused the five alarm blaze.  It appears things have simmered back down to just a bunch of bitchbloggers (thank you, Kathi Kolb and the late great Rachel Moro for the term which I will wear proudly).  Apparently, Komen has TWO PR firms on retainer but the alpha dog in the crisis PR race is Ogilvy.  Hmmmmm..... Here goes my zig-zagging brain again....  Ogilvy was retained in August??

The timeline of the unraveling began in September as I recall with this "PP investigation" that triggered the "new rules" that gave Komen something to "point to" within their "guidelines" .....  I keep telling people to get off the Grassy Knoll and suddenly, I am the biggest conspiracy theorist on the planet.  WTH?  Seriously?  Ogilvy, if you don't know, is one of the largest and most successful PR firms in the world.  Coincidentally hired in August on an eight month retainer?  Read it for yourself.

Surely I can't be the only person on the planet who thinks an eight month retainer is a weird amount of time?  And I can't be the only one who feels like they knew "something" was coming with this August retainer and the the "something" just happened to begin in September.  I do believe one might refer to that as an anticipatory maneuver.  The proverbial preemptive strike.  Having ones ducks all in a row.

Alas, and oh yes, AS usual, I digress big time ..... This has nothing to do with the point I want to make but that's the thing about those internet detours..... And, why the need for TWO PR firms on retainer.  Read into that however you like. Something stinks and it's not only that stupid perfume.

Where was I headed with my big fat going back on my word, how could you, liar liar pants on fire..... Ahh, yes....BECAUSE of those deaths, this is important.  Some of their blood is on Komen's hands.  (Cue the lawyers.... I'm feeling a lawsuit) Ok... let me rephrase.... I am of the opinion that the lack of research and the fact that Komen positioned itself to garner SO much money with its marketing and its ability to maintain worldwide recognition, they controlled the whole breast cancer gig.  And that control halted everything because the wrong research was being done... Lots of blood dripping from that ribbon.

I had a visual pop into my head and that was really all I wanted to share.... this should have been a two paragraph post.  I keep saying, "Komen is the middle man.  Donate directly."  I'm thinking some disco song came on the radio when these thoughts were in my head which is where this visual came into play.

I think most people know Studio 54.  Yes?  No?  Whatever.....This is what began unfolding in my funny little brain.  Back in the day... when crazy stuff went on... stuff like a white horse being brought into the club to surprise Bianca Jagger on her 27th birthday, a horse she later hopped on in her red Halston gown.... back in THOSE days, the nights people stood outside like loonies pleading to be chosen to be one of the ordinary people  who would walk through those doors and watch the spectacle that was Studio 54.

In my hypnotic trance, the people on that line were the researches and the facilities that fund the underservered women and the educators.... and they were all BEGGING Komen to choose them... "please give us some grant money to research this idea" ... "we are uninsured and we need financial assistance" ....  And there stands Komen, High and Mighty, holding the key to the door.  They kept far more on the wrong side of that red velvet rope.

The keys to the kingdom slipped through their fingers.  We need to maintain control of those keys and make sure that we fund our causes directly.  No more applying for grants and waiting for Komen to unclip that red velvet rope.  Take your money and send it to a local organization.  Send it to a research hospital.  Send it to the Dr Susan Love Research Foundation so the research can begin NOW.  I refuse to allow that fire to be extinguished.  I'm pouring the gasoline and tossing the match.  If we become complacent, we will remain stuck in the mud.  Or standing on the wrong side of the velvet rope.  For the next thirty years, as we have for the past thirty.  That's just damn stupid.  And, we AIN'T stupid.

Time for a stampede, folks.  We are in control.  The money is coming from OUR wallets.  Spend wisely.  There's no need to pay a Komen cover charge.  AND, there's no need to wait for Komen to unclip the red rope and make the decision about who gets in and who stays out.  Step right up to a worthy group whose goals are in line with your own beliefs.  It's time to get the blood off the ribbon and then it's time to toss the ribbon into the bonfire, too.