<^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> ........Catt's Claws # 122 ... September 2, 1996......... ........ A Feminist Newsletter by Irene Stuber......... <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> <^> We had the privilege of speaking to Hillary Rodham Clinton at the rally for President Clinton Sunday afternoon in Little Rock. It was a hurried word in the rush of hand shaking and hellos but she stood eyeball to eyeball, concentrating and listening as I said, "I am a past officer of Arkansas NOW and that woman in Washington does NOT speak for the majority of women in NOW. Most of the women of NOW are enthusiastically supporting you and the President." She replied, "Thank you for your support," and then leaned back to me and said, "thank you, we need to hear things like that." I have no doubt that she conveyed the message to President Clinton because her eyes lit up at my message. I sincerely hope every member of NOW reading Catt's Claws writes a snail mail postcard saying that you as a NOW member support his re-elction. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . I'm going to assume that a lengthy message I received actually did come from NOW - the Internet routing header looks legitimate although I've been fooled before. It matches National NOW's inimitable style of not signing a human name and not taking responsibility for its actions. The clincher is, of course, that they *royally* ask that their release be posted to Catt's Claws - using my dime, my time...giving me orders. So typical I have to assume it's a legit message. This is my reply: Catt's Claws was started in December, 1994 because THE OFFICERS OF NOW refused to abide by a resolution adopted unanimously by the NOW membership at convention to get onto Internet and to start an online dialogue among the members. They still haven't done it. And contrary to your ridiculous request for a subscription to Catt's Claws dated 08-29-96, Now headquarters has been on my personal mailing list of Catt's Claws since the day it got its Internet connection, about 6-8 weeks after Catt's Claws began. In other words, anonymous NOW person, if you ran a ship that knew where the stern was in relation to the vortex, you'd know that Catt's Claws has been sent to you every single time since February, 1995. I do not operate behind anyone's back! I am also a person who doesn't have to hide behind the royal wave. As one who is devoted to furthering the cause of women in the world as well as the cause of free speech and expression, I hereby print the heart of NOW's letter. I sincerely hope they will post it in its entirety on *their* website. In part, this is what the anonymous NOW letter said: "There are also misinformed and misguided statements about the welfare bill in this edition (of Catt's Claws), such as the fact that Clinton is `working to help people' with this bill.... "Finally, we note that because there are consistently flagrant untruths in Catt's Claws about NOW, and we have so many important issues to deal with, we have chosen not to squander resources on her ravings. However, her ignorance about the welfare recision bill could not be ignored. "We invite Ms. Stuber to call the National Action Center to verify her statements about NOW before she makes them." Two points, if I may: 1 = Important issues to deal with? Such as taking PAID time off the job to write an autobiography and then take a lengthy book selling trip? 2 = Call NOW? Good grief, the constant, everlasting moan of the officers of state and local NOWs is that they can't EVER get anyone on the phone - and those state and local NOW officers aren't unimportant people like me who "rave." And, oh yes, I sent NOW president Ireland a fax before anything went into Catt's Claws ... Of course it was not acknowledged. Anyone wanting to read NOW's full blast at me is invited to check http://www.now.org/ . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . Another point: I try to verify as much as I possibly can before I post anything in Catt's Claws. There is a paragraph in the NOW letter that I consider, from my sources, to be - ah - incorrectly worded. For example, a chance passing and an exchange of "hellos" at a rally in January, 1996, is not a "meeting" to discuss the welfare bill. Yes, I forwarded the entire NOW release to a number of sources for confirmation and/or comments. Oh, my! . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . And PLEASE, anonymous National NOW people, read what I have written MANY, MANY TIMES: I and I alone write and am responsible for Catt's Claws. Don't involve innocent volunteers. Such harassments and the other side actions that you're engaging in are cheap shots. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . In an Associated Press story that was very kind in that they used her printed statement instead of what Patricia Ireland was reported to have ACTUALLY said (and evidentally recorded by CNN): WASHINGTON, DC --(AP) `This fall, we will be voting for the lesser of two evils,' NOW President Patricia Ireland said. `Many of us will hold our noses and vote for President Clinton, but others of us will not - we'll be discouraged voters who will simply stay home.' The White House, gambling that the issue will help Clinton win re-election, shrugged off the criticism. If the president has to live without the support of the National Organization of Women in the coming election, he'll just have to pay that price,' press secretary Mike McCurry said. Rev. Jesse Jackson said at the Democratic National Convention that he had picketed the White House with Patricia Ireland, and went on to say: "Now that we have ended welfare as we know it, let's fight for jobs and day care and health and education as we ought to know it. Hear this if you will. "The fight was never about welfare. It was always about jobs and opportunity. "My friends, as I rise to support our President, let me make this case. A President must take strong positions on defense and offense. President Clinton has been our first line of defense against a Newt Gingrich contract, America's Right Wing assault on elderly, our students and our civil rights. We must maintain with integrity the force, on the defense, as they attack the integrity of the First Lady. It is beneath the dignity of American citizens. We have that obligation. "It's a moral obligation.... "So we disagree on the critical issue of welfare. But then if we elect (Clinton), there's another day and a better day. But don't stop there. We are mature enough to differ without splitting. We make democracy real. We must protect one big tent.... "In your cynicism, don't you walk away from this vote. If you don't vote, you're irrelevant to the process. If you do not have integrity, you are a coward. Only by engaging, engaging, engaging can you make things happen. "Stand tall, Mr. Clinton. We will win and deserve to win. Keep hope alive." . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . Ms. Ireland, I have engaged you fairly, questioned your policies and leadership of NOW, always to your face, always sending you copies of the what I say. I sought in every way I possibly could to get those with NOW who are ensconced behind the beltway in royal splendor to engage in a dialogue with the membership of NOW and the women's movement. NOW you call it raving. There are those out here who would call it anger. I cannot and will not stand mute while you make the women's movement irrelevant to the government and the power structure of this nation. I owe no less to my children and my children's children. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . There is a very tragic, almost unbelievably horrible saga of the little girl who died in New York City after "the system" let her down. Stone Phillips on _Dateline_ did a heart-rendering hour-long review of the case, but - as usual with the guys - he just mentioned that this lovely child was sexually abused and then passed on to the horrible things her drug addicted mother did to this child, much of which the mother confessed in a drug fog. There was a stepfather in the apartment as well as a big stepbrother (and two other girls). Why is nothing being done by the judicial/police system about the sexual abuse - or for allowing or contributing to the physical abuse. How come? The mother is justifiably in jail. What about the men? Why have they been allowed to plead ignorance? To reach _Dateline_ email Dateline@nbc.org . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . The gag order that is supposed to keep order in the Simpson civic case is so broad that the families of Nicole Brown and Ron Goldman cannot continue their work in the violence against women campaigns. And yet O.J. Simpson was allowed to collect $10 a head for a speech he made in one of the poorest sections of Washington, D.C., according to black columnist Raspberry, and talk about the case. Hey - what's going on here? These gag orders, contrary to the U.S. Constitution are becoming more and more common as judges want to continue to operate in a vacuum of their own prejudices and rushes to poor judgments. How about when Darlie Routier's husband and mother proclaimed her innocence during a trial in Rowlett, Texas in which she was accused of stabbing her children? They were cited for contempt by the judge but the prosecution was allowed to say whatever. Recently, when a Dallas police officer was arrested on charges of trying to have a football player killed, the judge publicly warned the *entire* Dallas Police Department to keep silent. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . The Department of Health says 7,500 people, 95% women, are diagnosed with anorexia nervosa each year - and about 1,500 women a year die of eating disorders. Read that sentence again, please. And then look at the magazines and the TV ads and see the ideal portrayal of women as skeletal ... And consider the attempt to force Miss Universe to lose 27 pounds or lose her crown ... It's an epidemic and women like sheep aren't doing anything to change the image. There's thin and then there's death... . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . Health officials in Canada estimate that one in 1,000 Canadians is infected with HIV, but the rates of infection among the First People reach to 10% or higher. Drug use via needles is rampant in the aboriginal people and, of course, because of lack of education, unprotected sex is the norm. First People are also over-represented in prisons and in prostitution. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . I must unequivocally oppose the New York Board of Education girls-only school. Once girls-only is allowed, then the next step is boyz-only, then white-only, rich-kids only, etc., and we're right back to where we were in the 19th century. Yes, women do better in an all-woman environment but the answer is not to segregate because that only opens the door to boyz-only schools or to black-only schools. The only way to go is to teach girls self-reliance so they are able to stand up to boyz in the classroom - and educating teachers so that boyz are to disciplined for disruptive behavior. Boyz can be taught manners: sit in your seat and don't shout out, raise your hand ONLY when you KNOW the answer and be penalized when you make smart remarks to cover your ignorance - and be punished when you snicker or make coarse remarks. Dammit - Girls are taught manners ... are boyz *that* stupid and untrainable? My son wasn't. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . Bob Dole has promised the faithful that his wife won't be in charge of health care, "Or anything else." And President Clinton says that Rodham Clinton is his closest advisor and always speaks highly of the various roles she has taken on. On _60 Minutes_ two weeks ago, President Clinton said, "Everyone I know will tell you my wife has style, class, caring and love," said Clinton. "She's done well. I'm proud of her." Rodham Clinton continues to be his acknowledged closest advisor. And the pundits keep writing stories about the inscrutable gender gap as if it's unsolvable by human minds. For those who see Hillary Rodham Clinton as a strong woman and not as an opportunity to punish the president: http://www.wic.org/bio/hclinton.htm http://www.us.net/indc/hilhome.htm -- Friends of Hillary Home Page http://www.whitehouse.gov/WH/EOP/First_Lady/html/ It has a biography and other information, including some of her speeches. http://www.voyager.net/hillaryfans/ The Hillary Fan Club page - a great deal of information . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . The coroner of Bloomington, IL, decided not to do an autopsy of Cokie Uban after she was found dead and partially burned in a not-so-bad automobile accident in the middle of the night. Her parents and even the local newspaper demanded an autopsy, but the good 'ole boy coroner refused. The investigation was allowed to pass away even though Cokie's husband had a live-in lover within the month. Cokie's parents couldn't let the matter die. TWENTY-EIGHT YEARS LATER Cokie's husband (he's since married and remarried) is charged with her murder after Cokie's body was finally exhumed and autopsied recently. Uban, now 54, was an insurance company executive. He faces 14 years to life in prison if convicted. The original coroner is now dead but we'd like to know if he had any connection with the husband. So often these good 'ole boy networks prevent prosecutions of their buddies. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . IF you need to get your stomach cleansed out by vomiting, go read the posts on the various men's and father's rights groups. One recent one was from a "Joe" who boasted about having all his friends and "fathers everywhere" send icky-sweet faxes to the District Attorney to question obscure things about child support that tied up the office machine and prevented employees from performing important duties. "For example, after flaming up their fax machines for a month while I was negotiating support payments, I sent a very nice fax to the DA complimenting the people in his office who "helped" me and promised to contact them PERSONALLY if I ever have to deal with them again.... I was able to secure the lowest payments and the largest visitation rights. I also guarantee you that no one in that office will even CONSIDER opening another pointless "re-evaluation" case against me for any reason! And I was always sweet and nice about the whole thing." . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . Joseph Tyler, 42, a paroled rapist was sentenced to 55 years in prison for attempting to rape the therapist who was put in charge of his sex-offender counseling. Joseph Tyler, 42, attacked his therapist, wrestled her to the floor, and was attempting to undo her slacks when she freed a hand and jabbed him in the face with the pen she had been using to make notes when he grabbed her. The counseling sessions were a condition for his early parole. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . Where did this child learn such behavior? Where are the men who taught him to rape? A 10-year-old boy in Manchester, N.H., was charged with raping two smaller children and probably raped as many as ten other children ages 4 to 13, male and female. Neighbors have complained that the 10-year-old was almost immediately returned home. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . Since there was "only a single allegation of indecent behavior" against a girl, Christoper Keeton, 32, was allowed to continue teaching at a high school near Manchester, England, although later more allegations surfaced. A year later he was caught doing the same thing. After a SIX DAY trial, he was convicted and sentenced to one year in jail. Wonder what it would have been had it been "a single allegation" by a boy? The parents are objecting to the lenient sentence given this sexual predator. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . A charity group which is trying to help young prostitutes in England has found that most girls are enticed into prostitution by older men when they are as young as 12. By gaining a hold over them by giving them the male care that they never got from their fathers - most of who deserted the girls _ they convince the children to sell themselves because the older man knows what is best for them. Under the law, the pimp-man friends face a maximum sentence of two years. Efforts are being made to raise it to five years. Many of the girls are so confused by having come from dysfunctional families that they refuse to testify against their pimps. Of course the fact that pimps and their attorneys have full access to the girls to threaten or beguile them is not to be mentioned. What the REAL horror is that there are so many tiny bubbles men in the world who need to pay for sex. . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . From a June, 1996 UNICEF report: About 585,000 women die worldwide each year during pregnancy or childbirth...and about 17.5 million suffer injuries, infections or disabilities related to pregnancy and childbirth, many of them humiliating and painful problems or morbidities that will continue for life. That comes to 1,600 women dying worldwide because of pregnancy or childbirth EVERY DAY! May of these death are preventable according to Carol Bellamy, UNICEF director. In the U.S. the death rate of women due to pregnancy is 2.5 EVERY SINGLE day or approximately 950 deaths a year. And since nearly 25% of all deliveries result in serious complications for the mother, that means almost ONE MILLION women suffered serious medical problems because of birthing. ONE MILLION !!! And our church fathers, our medical profession, our society proclaims refuse to acknowledge the pandemic. SHAME ! . . . . . . . ^c^c^ . . . . . . . ....................... * ........................ Women's rights are young and tender and we must protect them from the plagues of holy hypocrisy and newts. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- >>> Send your ideas, comments, and news to istuber@cswnet.com for inclusion in the Catt's Claws feminist newsletter which will be emailed up to three times a week. This is NOT an interactive discussion net but an exchange of information. Catt's Claws is NOT sponsored by any organization. We are accepting *limited* donations (only what can be spared) to help offset the online costs of posting Catt's Claws. Copyright 1996, Irene Stuber. PO Box 6185, Hot Springs, AR 71902.<<<< To receive Catt's Claws by email, write and in the body of the note We thank Jennifer Gagliardi for handling the madding subscription list through her listserv.