Alex McGill Johnson, the CEO of Planned Parenthood was published on Saturday in the New York Times Opinion section. Ms. Johnson explained the dilemma that has faced Planned Parenthood since it's founder, Margaret Sanger, was no longer part of the organization. Margaret Sanger, like all of us, was a seriously flawed person whose flaws were part of her platform in the creation of Planned Parenthood. In her letter, Ms. Johnson reviewed these flaws and which she acknowledged but for which she gave no apology but rather an affirmation that Margaret Sanger's Planned Parenthood had evolved and has come to understand where it should be in what it does. Good enough perhaps. This is certainly more forward thinking than many of the "haters" have come around so many issues in America.
But, what I think might be equally worth consideration is the "who" that has reviewed this history and is making a commitment to move forward with a different lens than that which began what is one form of a movement. By "who" I leave Ms. Johnson's NY Times letter noting that there is no indicator as to what is the thought and perspective of the "owners" of Planned Parenthood. Have they endorsed Ms. Johnson's position? Have they an opinion? Why is this letter not signed by them?
After reviewing Ms. Johnson's letter I have a similar question about Margaret Sanger. I know she did not act alone. She too had backers and some sort of governance. And yet all the vitriol associated with Margaret Sanger appears hers, and hers alone to own. but there were others - many others - and they are not perhaps even known never mind acknowledged.
A nonprofit is not the property of the CEO. The CEO is recruited by a board to execute that board's Theory of Change and agreed upon mission. It is the owners who must come, I believe, to the forefront to explain and possibly defend, not the CEO. The "sins" of the many must be owned by the many.