“Cards Against Humanity” may not be your favorite card game, and to many hobbyists, it’s often done in crass, poor taste. Yet, the popular party game has taken a stand on the Roe v. Wade decision which made it legal for states to decide and in many cases ban abortions or introduce overly restrictive rules. This is why the game and its creators have vowed to donate all online profits collected in 22 states to the National Network of Abortion Funds.
Taking a Stand Against Ill-Informed Policy
The 22 states have to do with those places where abortions are now harder to get for women with the game’s website simply stating “Your state sucks” when informing about its decision. The company has already placed a donation of $100,000 and has confirmed that the profits of the web store sales for its new packs will be donated to the organization.
“Cards Against Humanity” also threw a punch at consumers, and said that it had interviewed people from states where abortions were now outright banned or more difficult to seek and carry out. The company took a survey asking people what they knew about the issue, and appealed to people to participate in the legislative process by voting.
While suggesting that voters were to blame for much of the sweeping abortion bans enacted as a result of Roe v. Wade, this is not entirely true. For the most part, there has been a fair degree of religious pressure on passing the laws, and on public institutions which should not be a factor in advising and forming public policy. Skilled politicians have exploited the divisiveness of the issue in places to settle scores and gain clout as opposed to engaging in a meaningful discussion on the matter.
Besides, “Cards Against Humanity’s” own genre of card game is not entirely the moral high ground here. The company’s co-founder, Max Temkin, was accused of sexist office culture and racism and he eventually stepped down. Some good has come out of the company, that is certain, and the commitment to support women who need help is definitely a worthwhile cause. The company also saw the first union in the board game industry, all of which cannot be denied as its own achievements.
The proceedings will go to the organization which is focusing on assisting local efforts to help women who may need abortion but are prohibited under state laws. The organization focuses on providing education, care and legal advocacy. There are a total of three new packs coming, which will continue to generate money for the cause with the Written by Kids, Scary Pack, Picture Card Pack 3, and other now helping raise funds for the cause.
Do Not Blame Voters for All Their Politicians’ Sins
Consumers from states that are not included in those 22 where legislation is found to be restrictive will have the option to add $5 to their purchase to donate to the cause, with “Cards Against Humanity” matching this donation. A daring move, the company is blasé with potential backlash.
“We don’t need your money,” is the terse response that “Cards Against Humanity” shared on its website. International customers may not be able to donate, and no information is publicly available as of right now whether this is indeed the fact and if so if it would change in future. A good guess is that the campaigning efforts will remain localized with overseas profits channeled to offset the dip in revenue at home.
Regardless, “Cards Against Humanity” can afford to be a proponent of good causes, but it should probably not imply that bigotry is all that there is to the issue. The public discourse has become divisive with people less open to cogent arguments and more accustomed to shifting the blame and inciting hatred.
It’s unlikely to bridge societal gulfs by throwing punchlines around nor by pouring what is a generous amount of money to fix an issue that needs an honest public debate that informs and educates voters.