To subscribe or unsubscribe: irenestuber@delphi.com !^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^! ! Catt's Claws ... a feminist newsletter #31 ... April 11,1995 ! !^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^!^! One of the sharpest ladies I've met in NOW is the president of Pennsylvania NOW, IN%"Barb6754@aol.com" who writes: "Regarding Affirmative Action -- I've been trying to turn the argument around here in Pennsylvania, where Rep. Ron Gamble (D) from Western PA has introduced legislation to abolish affirmative action. "I've chosen to define the "Preferential Treatment" that white males enjoy. Figures show only 33% of the population are white males. Yet men (all men) hold 97% of school superintendent jobs across the country, 97% of the firefighters jobs, and 88.2% of all college presidents are men. "We have to take these terms such as _affirmative action_ and _preferential treatment_ back from them. In Pennsylvania, state workers breakdown as follows: White males 53%, white females 34%, black men 4%, black females 7%, hispanic men .6% (6/10) and hispanic females .6%, others 1.8%. Among state agencies and commissions (officials and administrators) 90% are white, 7% black, 2% Asian and .2% Hispanic. Don't these figures make you sick that we're on the defensive?" cc--> I've often thought the original legislation should have been called "Anti-hiring practices of white males in hiring white males." But then I have lived in several areas where minorities have predominated and found that the preferential hiring/treatment went to the "minority," i.e., blacks and Cubans who hired their own friends. So that is why I personally favor big, bad, far away Washington forcing us *all* to be humane and decent towards each other. Saying the states will do it is like turning all the chickens in the hen house over to the Lion King for lunch. And saying religions will do it is ignoring the cries of the latest batch of the religious supremacists who say that _tolerance_ is a bad word. By the way, Barb, have you broken down the percentages by wages? That is, white males earn how much per week as compared to females, blacks, Asians and Hispanics? The amount in the paycheck economists have seen as ever more significant. See the next item ... ....................... * ........................ Those of you who get my Women of Achievement and Herstory can tack this onto your files: Event: 03-16-1995, Mississippi ratified the amendment to the U.S. Constitution that abolished slavery, almost 130 years after the fact. I wonder if the Congressional Republicans just made a deal with the Mississippi legislators so that they could claimed there is no racism or affirmative action needed in this country - after all, Mississippi has abolished slavery. ....................... * ........................ "Here is an announcement of an award given to a video offering evidence of the ordination of women in early Christian times. "The New York Festivals: 1993 Awards Competition for Television Programming and Promotion. Non-Broadcast film and video (New York City: Jan. 14, 1994): The 1993 competition attracted 3,239 television and non-broadcast entries from 34 countries. "Finalists were reviewed by panels of professional peers, whose scores determined the Gold, Silver, and Bronze Medal winners. "Under the category Religious Programs, Silver: USA BBC/Reel Spirit Productions, Houston, TX: "Women's Ordination: The Hidden Tradition" (Angela Tilby, Producer, Director, Writer and other credits). Tilby raised money herself to do the documentary, which includes films of catacomb paintings. "The BBC crew came to Harvard Divinity School (Sept., 1992) where they interviewed Elizabeth Schussler-Fiorenza, Cathy Kroeger, and Mary Ann Rossi. The British version was aired on November 8, 1992, three days before the Anglican synod voted on women's ordination. "It was viewed by over 2 million people in the UK, and some think this video persuaded some members of the synod to vote for the measure. "For further info: Reel Spirit Productions, 3724 F.M. 1960 W. Dept. LCWR, Ste. 315, Houston, TX 77068. Fax: (713) 893-5313. "THE VIDEO IS NOT EXPECTED TO BE AIRED IN THE U.S. FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. IT IS 58 MINUTES LONG. "(The above is an email note from Ritamary Bradley, Professor Emerita, St. Ambrose University, Davenport, Iowa, 52803, e-mail rbradley@saunix.sau.edu. I thought deserved another reading. "I wonder why it isn't shown in the United States, the home of the free ... ) ....................... * ........................ From: Thea Deley "I've been volunteering with Colorado NARAL (doing projects for my PR classes). I put together a rather frightening fact sheet and brochure on TERRORISM aimed at women, done under the guise of anti-choice violence. "Tid-bits: Typically, anti-choice terrorists are working class men under the age of 40, who have few close relationships outside their religious community. "The social profiles of convicted abortion clinic bombers and arsonists are very similar to those of rapists, differing only in their strong religious beliefs. Like rapists, anti-choice terrorists hope to control women through violence. "This information came out before the murders committed by anti-choicers. You'll notice, however, that the profiles are right on target for Paul Hill and John Salvi. "Unfortunately we will cut this information from the brochure I'm doing, because NARAL doesn't want to alienate pro-choice men. "Fine. I wanted you all to know the WHOLE story. "PS: Thank you for all your suggestions re: organizations committed to fighting the RR. I feel I may need to take them on through a few different channels...I've got info re: how to start a local anti-RR coalition if anyone's interested @:->> ....................... * ........................ What they are saying: " Intolerance is a beautiful thing...There are people that are politically correct that want to say the cardinal sin of the hour is intolerance and I think that is a bunch of junk." --Randall Terry, Operation Rescue "Rank discrimination is not part of our nation's culture. Tolerance is...This country is great because of its accommodation of diversity." --Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg "You say, `You're supposed to be nice to the Episcopalians and the Presbyterians and the Methodists and this, that and the other thing'---nonsense! I don't have to be nice to the spirit of the anti- Christ! I can love the people who hold false opinions, but I don't have to be nice to them." -- Rev. Pat Robertson, Christian Coalition "The richness of the diversity of this country is a treasure and it's a constant challenge, too, to remain tolerant and respectful to one another." --Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (Quotes from the Citizens Project is a grassroots organization in the Pikes Peak Region dedicated to upholding the traditional American values of pluralism, freedom of religion and separation of church and state.) ....................... * ........................ From: IN%"MCKEE-AI@Umoncton.Ca" "As a piece of information, the Canadian government recently cut funding of the National Council on Women." (It's happening all over the world and women are so disorganized they are taking away our rights and privileges with impunity.) ....................... * ........................ The book Newt Gingrich was to get the big bucks for was set to be ghost written according to _Newsweek_. Newt was going to collect $4.5 million for a book he wasn't even going to write! Gingrich had tried to explain the big check that he was expecting from British newsmonger and TV station owner (and book publisher) Rupert Murdock by saying writing a book was hard work. But like hiring a gardener to make his yard beautiful and then showing it off as HIS garden, Newt was going to hire a professional writer (going rate is less than $5,000) to ghostwrite. How Republican of him and then getting the Congress to lower the capital gains tax ... A profit of $4,495,000 wasn't enough. The address for "Newtwatch on the Web is "http://www.cais.com/newtwatch/" All the ethics complaints against Gingrich are fully posted there, plus other stuff. ....................... * ........................ What's a man's idea of helping with the housework? Lifting his legs so you can vacuum. ....................... * ........................ Women's rights are young and tender and we must protect them from the plagues of holy water and newts. -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- >>> Send your ideas, comments, and news to irenestuber@delphi.com for inclusion in the Catt's Claws feminist newsletter which will be emailed three times a week: Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday. This is NOT an interactive discussion net but an exchange of information and is NOT sponsored by any organization. If anyone out there is flush enough to help me with the extra $10-15 (or any small part of it) that it's costing me a month on Delphi because of Catt's Claws, I would be grateful...or anyone with access to a listserv? I'm averaging almost 300 messages a week for the Claws! Irene Stuber, PO Box 6185, Hot Springs, AR 71902. <<<