Special ALERT - If you aren't interested in NOW machinations, delete and go on to other things. Catt's Claws was originally started a year ago as a means of communication among NOW members because of National NOW's historical refusal to keep its members informed ... Carrie Chapman Catt whose leadership led women to the vote used a $1 million dollar bequest to HER PERSONALLY to set up an woman's suffrage information bureau. The funds went to spreading information, not salaries. <^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^>^<^> .....................SPECIAL ALERT - Catt's Claws - December 14, 1995...................... ..................... A Feminist Newsletter by Irene Stuber...................... ................................................................................ To subscribe: email >listserv@Netcom.com< and in the body of the note type >subscribe Catts-Claws and your full name< -=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- ALERT - You can bet the radical right, the "men are so abused" folks, and the NOW black anarchists led by Effie who have been quietly ripping NOW apart from the inside will be on the phone to Larry King, so you set this time aside for feminism to defend itself: Tammy Bruce will be on Larry King Live on CNN with Denise Brown discussing their work on domestic violence and the National NOW attack on them Friday, Dec 15. ....................... * ........................ Tammy Bruce wrote us: "What can I say? Catt's Claws statements in support of our work here has been moving and appreciated. We are committed to making sure that no one, inside or outside of NOW, distracts us from the work that we have a moral obligation to continue. "We are answerable to women at risk and to the basic notion that women's rights are of paramount concern. The beauty of our work is that the issues that affect women, like domestic violence, rape, pay equity, affirmative action, the image of women in media, etc are COLOR BLIND issues. "Our work benefits ALL women. "In a letter from Latina's of California, a political action committee, to Patricia Ireland and which chastised her for this unprovoked, mean-spirited attack, president Lisa Baca writes: "`...In the Latino community, domestic violence is a BIG issue and the statistical information has been well documented. Unfortunately, Nicole Brown Simpson was WHITE, and OJ Simpson was BLACK. The issue of domestic violence for ALL women has become marginalized along the lines of race. Shame on you and shame on Ms. Elizabeth Toledo of your California office for not publicly supporting Ms. Bruce. I suggest you try empathizing more with the frustration many women in Los Angeles feel instead of worrying about being politically correct...' "We have received hundreds of calls, letters and e-mail from around the country expressing support and encouragement not to be intimidated. I can assure you that we in fact see this attack as an opportunity to even further define our leadership and provide an example for those who have seen this episode as an indication of a lack of leadership at National NOW. We see Patricia Ireland's attack as a confirmation that we are doing a good job and have made many powerful men with money very uncomfortable by maintaining a national dialog on domestic violence. Not only will we not stop, but it is clear to us how much our leadership is needed. "A few weeks ago, Mike Gilbert, the agent of O.J. Simpson and Al Cowlings, said on CNN that "THEY WERE HAVING DISCUSSIONS WITH REASONABLE NOW LEADERS ABOUT TAMMY BRUCE." (Emphasis Catt's Claws) In that same story California NOW president Elizabeth Toledo expressed an opinion about me that mirrored Mr. Gilbert's. The attack upon me led by Ms. Toledo, began almost immediately after that startling admission on national television. We believe that in addition to a political agenda, representatives of OJ Simpson have had an influence on some at the national level. I would also point to the "civil rights leaders" who had criticized our work to national - the Brotherhood Crusade and the Urban League - were the two groups that were most vocally critical of the Simpson prosecution during the trial and supportive of Mr. Simpson himself. "We now wonder WHO is determining National NOW policy?? "In the meantime, if NOW leadership has moved to Los Angeles by default, we gladly and proudly take the challenge!" ....................... * ........................ Tammy is a bit of a loose cannon, but maybe that's what's needed now. Somebody doing SOMETHING ! ! ! We're just very sorry that Elizabeth Toledo, who became a new mother when this whole blew up, is caught in it. She should have been given time to recuperate since having a baby is hard, plus it was her first child which is even harder, and the birth was difficult with some complications. Elizabeth is a young woman of amazing abilities and I had hoped that she would toughen up and take over NOW sometime in the future. Hopefully, she hasn't been taken over heart and soul by Ellie Smeal's promises. Elizabeth headed (heads) the NOW PAC. ....................... * ........................ Ladies and gentlemen (and also you rightwingers who have subscribed so you can tut-tut at me), as long as certain groups are able to drown out the issue of domestic violence with a scream about racism, black women are not safe in this country, nor are white. ....................... * ........................ And as for NOW's so-called allies in social issues: "I would remind everyone that last year the ACLU lobbyist in Washington testified against Title III of the Violence Against Women Act (the civil rights action for women) on the grounds that the statute gave women too many civil rights. "The ACLU couldn't say that it was gender violence, their lobbyist told the Congress, when " a man comes home and beats up his wife because she crashed [sic] the car." -- Linda R. Hirshman. ....................... * ........................ MY GAWD (God, a women deity) with friends like the Urban League, Jesse Jackson who supported the less-than Million Man March of black racist Louis Farakham and women molester Louis Chaviz, and the ACLU don't you think it's about time that women corseted inside the Washington, DC beltway woke up. Women who die at the rate of three a day by their nearest and dearest deserve better. ....................... * ........................ 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 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. We are accepting *limited* donations (only what can be spared) to help offset the online costs of posting Catt's Claws. Irene Stuber. PO Box 6185, Hot Springs, AR 71902.<<<<