> CVS Tells Women NO to Birth Control:  FIGHT BACK -
> Send an E-mail,
> Participate in Saturday Action
>
>
>
> A CVS pharmacist recently refused to fill a Texas
> woman's birth
> control prescription, saying he does not personally
> believe in birth
> control.
> A CVS spokesperson said, "We support our pharmacists
> who have a deeply
> held
> belief."  Contrast CVS management's actions to those
> of Eckerds Drug,
> which recently fired a pharmacist who refused to
> fill an
> emergency-contraception prescription for a rape
> victim.
>
>
>
> See below for news story.
>
>
>
> CVS has said NO to women's basic rights.  Say NO to
> CVS.
>
>
>
> Fight back.  Here's how.
>
>
>
> 1.  Click here to send an e-mail to CVS corporate
> headquarters
>
http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/cvs/corp_helpContact.jsp#email
>
>
<http://www.cvs.com/CVSApp/cvs/cvs/corp_helpContact.jsp#email>
>  or
> call their Investor Relations Division at (914)
> 722-4704.  Tell them
> that
> they may try to control women's access to legal
> birth control, but you
> and
> other consumers control their bottom line.  You will
> no longer be
> shopping at
> CVS.
>
>
>
> 2.  If you have a CVS "Care" discount card, give it
> back.  On
> Saturday, April 3, take your card to your local CVS.
>  Ask to speak to a
> manager.
> Give them your discount card, and tell them that you
> are disappointed
> that
> CVS has shown support for denying women birth
> control.  Tell them that
> you
> will no longer be shopping at CVS.
>
>
>
> 3.  Send this e-mail along to friends and family and
> encourage them
> to take action.
>
>
>
>
>
> Pharmacist Refuses To Fill Birth Control
> Prescription CVS Supports
> Pharmacists' Beliefs
> POSTED: 8:31 pm CST March 29, 2004
> UPDATED: 8:35 pm CST March 29, 2004
>
> NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, Texas -- A north Texas woman
> is angry that a
> pharmacist refused to fill her prescription for
> birth control pills,
> but the drugstore chain CVS said its pharmacists
> don't have to fill such
> prescriptions if it is against their religious
> beliefs.
>
> Julee Lacey said she pulled up to the drive-through
> window at the CVS
> Pharmacy in North Richland Hills to get what she
> thought was a routine
> prescription. But she said she couldn't believe the
> pharmacist's
> response.
>
> "The lady came over to the window and said, 'I'm so
> sorry I'm not going
> to be able to fill your prescription,'" Lacey said.
> "I said, 'Is there a
> reason? Is there something wrong with the
> prescription?' And she said,
> 'No, I just personally do not believe in birth
> control.'"
>
> Lacey, a married first-grade teacher with two young
> children, doesn't
> believe pharmacists should impose their personal
> beliefs on customers.
>
>
> But a spokesman for CVS said, "We support our
> pharmacists who have a
> deeply-held belief."
>
>
> He said company policy also calls on pharmacists to
> help the customer
> get their prescription filled by another pharmacist
> in the same store or
> evenby calling a competing store.  The spokesman
> said the store
> apologizes for
> the incident and regrets it happened. CVS promised
> to deliver the
> prescription to Lacey's home, but she wonders what
> will happen the next
> time.  "It
> looks like to me if I can't trust the pharmacists
> there and they can't
> help
> me, then I'll have to move my business somewhere
> else," Lacey said.
>
> Recently, Eckerds fired a pharmacist in Denton who
> refused to give the
> morning-after pill to a woman who had been raped.
> CVS said its policy is designed to respect the
> religious beliefs of
> its pharmacists as well as the rights of its
> customers.
>
> Copyright 2004 by nbc5i.com
>
>
>
> Copyright 2004 U.S. Newswire, a division of
> Medialink Worldwide
> Incorporated
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
*******************************************************************
> Only the individual sender is responsible for the
> content of the
> message, and the message does not necessarily
> reflect the position
> or policy of the National Education Association or
> its affiliates.
>


__________________________________
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Yahoo! Small Business $15K Web Design Giveaway
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Hello all!

Hopefully you have all received (or are soon to
receive) your newsletter from RI NOW. In it, you'll
learn about the NE Regional conference to be held at
Rhode Island College on Sunday, April 4, 2004. I
encourage you to register and attend! Also, please
come to our party on the evening before the
conference, at our new home at India Point Place, 132
George M. Cohan Blvd. in Providence. Hope to see you
there!

Also, please take note of the forwarded message below,
announcing a Kent County Chapter meeting on March 31.

Best,
Meaghan Lamarre, Providence Chapter Leader


>
>
> Dear Kent County Activists and Friends:
>
> Please join us for a RI NOW Kent County Chapter
> Meeting on March 31 from
> 6:30pm to 8:00pm at Emanuel Lutheran Church in West
> Warwick.
>
> You will hear about the status of NOW's legislative
> agenda, and be
> provided with an opportunity to take action on a
> number of legislative
> items. (More details to follow!)
>
> We look forward to seeing everyone on the 31st.
> Please let us know if
> you'll be joining us.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Carolyn Mark and Beth Feisthamel
> Co-Chairs, Kent County NOW
>


__________________________________
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Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time.
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Please read the attached message to learn more about the Unborn Victims of Violence Act that has been introduced to the Rhode Island House. The House Judiciary Committee will hear the bill tomorrow, March 9. Please contact your representative to let them know you strongly oppose this bill (Read the attached message for more detailed info and sample email).

Also, Tuesday, March 9, is the Women on the Hill Press Conference and Advocacy Day. Join us to show the power of women in politics and to oppose Gov. Carcieri's proposed cut of the $50 child support pass-though payment. Wear RED! More information http://www.rinow.org/030904.html"> at http://www.rinow.org/030904.html.

On Wednesday, March 10, we are meeting for Food For Thought at 6:30 pm at the Grill on Main in East Greenwich. Join us for a lively discussion and good food!

Thursday, March 11, is Lobby Day for the same-gender marriage bill. Contact your representatives in favor of this bill, or show up at the state house to testify yourself!


> ATTACHMENT part 2 message/rfc822
From: Melody828@...
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2004 11:14:09 EST
Subject: RI NOW Pro-Choice Action Alert
To: lamarrem@...

dear meaghan: can you please send emily's action alert out to yahoo.  i will send to page group.

Action Alert for Pro-
Choice RI NOW members

If you're represented by House Representatives Flaherty, Anguilla, Williamson, Lally, Amaral, Caprio, Gorham, Landroche, Moran, Savage, Schadone, Shavers, Voccala, Wasylyk

We need you to contact them to OPPOSE H. 7048 the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.  See the easy email instructions at the end of this notice and learn about attending the hearing.

Background:

On Tuesday, March 9th the RI House Judiciary Committee will be hearing H. 7048, the Unborn Victims of Violence Act.  Please write or call your legislator to tell them to oppose this bill.  If this bill is passed, it would establish in state law individual legal rights for a fertilized egg, embryo or fetus separate from those of a pregnant woman.  This bill is grossly misguided and does little to enhance protections for  pregnant women.  A similar bill has been introduced on the federal level in both the House and the Senate.  The House bill passed just last month.  Please go to http://capwiz.com/now/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=5226426 for more information on why establishing personhood for a fetus is not the way we should go.

You can send them the following letter via email if you wish or use it to create your own email.  Simply use the following format for the email address:
rep-[insert last name only]@rilin.state.ri.us
It only takes a minute.

Dear Representative     

I strongly urge you to vote against the Unborn Victims of Violence Act, H. 7048, and instead support legislation for effective prosecution of violence against women that does not undermine the legal foundation of women's reproductive rights. 

Establishing a status of "person" for fertilized eggs or fetuses in state law would set a dangerous legal precedent with broad implications for women's lives and health.

Nearly one in three women report being physically assaulted during pregnancy, but H. 7048 would do little to enhance their protection. Better ways to address this pervasive problem include increasing funding for domestic violence prevention programs, improving access to health insurance for pregnant women and increasing family planning funding to provide more prenatal care services.

Please support any substitute that would properly place the focus on violence against the pregnant woman and would exclude legal personhood for a fetus.

Regards,
Your Name
Your Address

To find out who your Representative is, please go to www.state.ri.us and click on the "Find Your Officials" icon.
To find your Representatives e-mail, address, or phone number you can go to www.rilin.state.ri.us.

HEARING: Tuesday, March 9 at 4:30 p.m. House Judiciary.  RI NOW members will be there to testify and we invite you to come to the hearing to see your representatives in action!

Please read the attached message to learn more about the Unborn Victims of
Violence Act that has been introduced to the Rhode Island House. The House
Judiciary Committee will hear the bill tomorrow, March 9. Please contact your
representative to let them know you strongly oppose this bill (Read the attached
message for more detailed info and sample email).

Also, Tuesday, March 9, is the Women on the Hill Press Conference and Advocacy
Day. Join us to show the power of women in politics and to oppose Gov.
Carcieri's proposed cut of the $50 child support pass-though payment. Wear RED!
More information <a href="http://www.rinow.org/030904.html"> at
http://www.rinow.org/030904.html</a>.

On Wednesday, March 10, we are meeting for Food For Thought at 6:30 pm at the
Grill on Main in East Greenwich. Join us for a lively discussion and good food!

Thursday, March 11, is Lobby Day for the same-gender marriage bill. Contact your
representatives in favor of this bill, or show up at the state house to testify
yourself!

I am sending this out to the group in hopes of connecting with some
activists who live in Cranston, House district 16 with Rep. Palumbo.  This
is the western Cranston, Garden City/Pontiac Ave. area.  Rep. Palumbo has
some really nasty anti-choice bills out and we need people to harass him.
If you live in this area or have friends that do, please get in touch with
me!

Thanks!
Emilt

_________________________________________________________________
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Hi everybody,
Just a reminder about the Providence chapter meeting on Tuesday,
March 2. The meeting has been moved up to 6:30 to accomodate another
meeting that night. Hope to see you all at India Point Place, 132
George M. Cohan Blvd., Providence at 6:30.

Hello All:
Hope everyone is healthy and happy this Saturday.  I am invading your
cyberspace to tell you about several upcoming events that are
important (and FUN!) as we plan for the next couple months.  Sorry
for the length.
1. Thursday, Feb. 26th - Rebuilding the Women's Movement
Celebration.  5:30 p.m. dinner will be served and mtg. will last
until 8:00 p.m. Meet with the membership of the seven women's
organizations working together to rebuild the movement in RI.  We
will discuss the results of our evaluation, worldvision of our groups
and have some time to socialize.  This meeting is a result of the
work that the $15,000 grant from The Women's Fund is allowing us to
undertake. Child care available on-site (rsvp - asap to
melody828@...) Location: Ocean State Action ofc. at 99 Bald Hill
Road.  Just past the Warwick Mall in the same shared parking lot with
WB Mason Office Products.

2. Thursday, March 4th - Announcing www.rifrn.net at Providence City
Hall at 6:00 p.m.  Introducing the NEW fabulous feminist networking
web site will be Mayor Cicillini.  We will celebrate International
Women's Day with the sounds of several RI favorites.  We also will
have a preview of a video about the founding women of Johnson&Wales.
This is a great way to kick-off a month celebrating women.

3. Tuesday, March 9th - Put on your red shoes, dress, hat etc. and
join with a group of powerful women to lobby at the state house.  We
are joining together with other feminist organizations to lobby on
behalf to bills that are part of the One RI Platform and bills
designed to help victims of domestic violence.  The press conference
is set for 3:00 pm and we will lobby immediately following. There
will be many women available to guide you through the process so no
need to worry if this is your first time lobbying - Just wear your
red power clothes and let's go! Watch for more details on our web
site www.rinow.org.

4. Save the Date: Saturday, April 3rd - cocktail party to welcome NOW
members from the Northeast Region (NY, MA, CT, NH, ME, VT) to
Providence.  We will  have special guest speakers from DC and North
Carolina.  Event time: 7:00 p.m. at RI NOW's new office at 132 George
M. Cohen Blvd.  Watch the web site for more details www.rinow.org

5. Save the Date: Sunday, April 4th - NOW Northeast Regional
Conference. Possibly the first regional conference in Rhode Island
for NOW?  Join NE activists to hear from dynamic speakers, join a
workshop on ending racism, and the election of National Board. Event
time 10:00 a.m., Rhode Island College.  Details on www.rinow.org

6. Finally, the March on Washington. Sunday, April 25th.  We will
have several buses going to the march and ticket information will be
on our web site within the next week.  Don't miss this opportunity to
join 1.2 MILLION activists fighting for women's lives.  Details on
the web site www.rinow.org &  www.now.org.

As you can see you are going to be busy and having lots of fun during
the upcoming months.  Pass this along to those who may not be members
of our yahoo list but who may be interested in joining us for these
events.  Let us know if you want to help with the planning of any of
these events - we need your help.  Thanks for your time.
Sincerely,
Melody Drnach

Hi everybody,
Welcome to the new additions to the listserv! I wanted to remind
everybody that there is a meeting of the March for Women's Lives
planning group on Tuesday, February 17th, at 7pm at the Starbucks on
Thayer st. This group developed out of the March for Women's Lives
meetup but is open to anybody who is interested in helping build the
Rhode Island contingent to the march in DC in April.

Just wanted to let everybody know about our Providence chapter
meeting being held this Thursday at 7 pm. We'll be meeting in our
NEW OFFICE SPACE!! at India Point Place, 132 George M. Cohan Blvd.,
Providence. We'll be talking about the office, the March in
Washington, and anything else you want to talk about. Hope to see
you all there.

Meaghan Lamarre
401-273-3161

**Celebrate 31 Years of Freedom of Choice with 2 Events on Jan. 22

Join RI NOW and the Coalition to Protect Choice on Thursday, Jan. 22
at PPRI, 111 Point Street, Providence at 10:00 a.m. to celebrate 31
years of safe, affordable choice for women in Rhode Island.  Dress
warmly as we will be outside.  Bring your signs and voice your
support.

Join the pro-choice community to celebrate Roe v Wade and help to
preserve choice at 6:30 p.m. at the Gatehouse "Riverdeck Room", 4
Richmond Square (at the end of Waterman Avenue) Providence.  Tickets
are $35 general and $15 students. Tickets in advance: PO Box 5863,
Providence, RI  02903.

**January 24, 2004 RI NOW Winter Retreat
Please join us on Saturday, January 24 as we gather to plan our
agenda for 2004. We are meeting at the Greenville Public library
from 10 am to 5 pm, and will carpool to a nearby restaurant for
lunch. In the morning, we will be discussing the strategic planning
process for building the women's movement in Rhode Island. The
afternoon will be focussed on strategies for fundraising and
membership development. An informal gathering will take place in the
evening; information will be given out at the retreat.
Directions:
Take Route 295 and travel to the Route 44 west, Greenville exit 7B.
Take this exit and follow Route 44 (Putnam Pike) approximately two
miles. The library is on the right, at the intersection of Route 116
and Route 44, across from the Winsor School.
Address:
573 Putnam Pike, Greenville, RI 02828
Phone: (401)949-3630

Hope to see you at these great events!

**RI NOW Annual Winter Retreat!
Join us for our annual winter retreat and be part of the planning
process to develop RI NOW's strategy for 2004.  Additional details
and an agenda will follow in later posting.
When: Saturday, January 24, 2004
Where: Greenville Public Library, 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
If you have questions about the retreat, you may contact Meaghan at
lamarrem@... or Melody at Melody828@....

**March for Women's Lives MeetUp
Not a NOW event per se, but there is a MeetUp scheduled for January
20, 2004 at 7 pm somewhere in Providence (exact location to be
determined). Interested folks from various organizations will be
meeting to discuss the logistics of getting from Rhode Island to DC,
how to get more people to attend the march, etc. More information is
available at http://marchforwomen.meetup.com.

Happy New Year everybody!

RI NOW, along with other progressive women's organzations, has an
opportunity to send five members to a special fundraising training
session.  This session will help RI NOW to develop an effective
fundraising strategy that will allow us to increase our impact on
the lives of women living in Rhode Island.  Come and learn from
leading fundraisers and from other organizations in the women's
movement.
When: Thursday, January 8, 2004 at 5:30 p.m.
Where: Ocean State Action (NEA building) 99 Bald Hill Road, Cranston.
Dinner will be served! and there is no charge as this is a result of
our grant from the Women's Fund.
Please RSVP to Melody at melody828@... as we have only five
slots for this session.

Thanks to everybody who attended our State Conference on Nov. 1.
What a great way to officially convene our organization!

Upcoming Events:

This Thursday, Nov. 13, NCCJ is having its annual meeting and
diversity in the media awards ceremony. More information is
available at http://www.rinow.org/nccj1113.html

Our next Providence Chapter Meeting is scheduled for Thursday,
November 20, at 7 pm at the Central Congregational Church in
Providence. At this meeting we will be discussing/voting on the next
chapter leader. Please join us!

We won't be having our monthly Providence chapter meeting this week
on account of planning for the state conference. Hope to see you
all this Saturday, Nov. 1 at Rhode Island College. It's not too late
to come - just register on-site! More info is available at
http://www.rinow.org/conf.html.

Just a note to encourage all of you to attend our state conference on
Saturday, November 1.

RI NOW State Conference Agenda, November 1, 2003
Rhode Island College, follow signs to conference site.
visit www.rinow.org for more information

8:30 am - 9:00 am Registration & Coffee

9:00 am - 9:10 am Welcome, Morgan Rock, Providence Chapter Leader

9:10 am - 9:30 am Official Convening of Conference, Melody Drnach,
  Acting President
  Bylaws Report, Emily Davis, RI NOW Providence
  Treasurer's Report, Carole Bell, RI NOW

9:30 am - 10:00 am Candidate Introduction & Voting Rules, Kris Moody,
NE Region NOW

10:00 am - 10:15 am BREAK

10:15 am - 12:00 noon Taking Action: Women in Rhode Island
  Facilitator, Simone Joyaux, The Women's Fund, RI Foundation
  Deb DeBare, RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence
  Linda Katz, The Poverty Institute
  Kathy Kushner, Planned Parenthood of RI
  Kate Monteiro, Alliance for Lesbian & Gay Civil Rights
  Kate McCarthy-Barnett, Disability Rights Movement
  Questions and Answers

12:00 noon - 12:15 pm Building Political Power, Marti Rosenberg,
Ocean State Action

12:15 pm - 2:00 pm Lunch & Roundtable Discussions

2:00 pm - 3:00 pm Workshop Session One
  Community Call to Action: Marti Rosenberg, Ocean State Action
  Hate Crimes and Gender Bias: Dr. Jodi Glass

3:00 pm - 3:15 pm BREAK

3:15 pm - 4:15 pm Workshop Session Two
  Feminist Spirituality: Morgan Rock and Erin Hanna, RI NOW
  Dating Violence: Rebecca Gordon and Margaret Rose,
  Coalition Against Relationship Abuse

4:15pm - 4:30 pm BREAK

4:30 pm Closing Remarks and Election Results

6:30 pm Informal Celebratory Gathering at Ri-Ra, 50 Exchange Terrace,
  Providence

We are asking folks to pay what they can $10, $20, or $30. We do have
scholarships available. Just send melody828@... an email
requesting one and your nametag will be at the registration table. We
welcome ALL.

--- "Kim Gandy, NOW President" <nowpresident@...>
wrote:
> From: "Kim Gandy, NOW President"
> <nowpresident@...>
> Subject: Fight the Latest Assault on Our Rights
> Date: Thu,  9 Oct 2003 18:25:50 -0400 (EDT)
>
> October 9, 2003
>
>
>
>
> As you may already know, last week 272 members of
> the U.S. House of Representatives voted for an
> unconstitutional and unconscionable ban on a medical
> procedure that is a last-resort health-saving
> measure for thousands of women each year.
> Unbelievably, this bill doesn't even make an
> exception for cases where a woman's health and
> reproductive future are in danger.
>
> The so-called "partial-birth abortion" ban, if it
> makes it through one last vote in the Senate in the
> next 10 days, will be signed by George W. Bush with
> great fanfare as a reward for his radical religious
> right supporters. A safe—and until now legal—medical
> procedure will be criminalized.
>
> Even Senators who call themselves pro-choice are
> being bullied into supporting the bill, and we need
> your help at
>
https://www.now.org/specific/abortion-rights.html?code=APB03CE&memberid=11923687\
&fn=Meaghan&ln=Lamarre
>  to mount an Emergency Action to raise an outcry
> over this unprecedented attack on our right to safe
> and legal abortion.
>
> Our brave ally, Senator Barbara Boxer, despite her
> upcoming re-election campaign, successfully attached
> an amendment in the Senate to the bogus
> "Partial-Birth Abortion" bill, affirming the
> language and validity of Roe v. Wade. But the
> House/Senate conference committee gleefully stripped
> it away. Boxer may have one more chance to salvage
> this important statement IF enough Senators support
> her threatened filibuster.
>
> Please help NOW take emergency action to get the
> word out to the communities represented by members
> of Congress who think they know more than doctors
> what is medically necessary for women. We need your
> help to mount a massive public response against this
> vicious and dangerous bill. We must counteract the
> lies and deception upon which this legislation is
> based. Please lend your support to our campaign at
>
https://www.now.org/specific/abortion-rights.html?code=APB03CE&memberid=11923687\
&fn=Meaghan&ln=Lamarre
>  and then forward this message at
>
http://www.now.org/send.html?page=http://www.now.org/organization/letters/10-09-\
03.html
> to everyone on your e-mail list.
>
> If we raise $250,000 in the next 3 days we can use
> advanced telephone patch-through technology to flood
> Senate offices at home and in D.C. with a barrage of
> phone calls all day and faxes all night. With your
> help, we can reach out to activists in states
> represented by key Senators and demand that they
> vote against and even filibuster this bill which
> undermines our basic right to safe, legal abortion.
>
> Once the vote is over—win or lose—we'll send
> materials and assistance to our grassroots chapters
> in districts across the country and organize
> truth-telling missions to help voters in pivotal
> congressional districts understand what their own
> representatives are prepared to do to placate the
> radical right. Voters—and women voters in
> particular—need to know that this bill undermines
> their fundamental rights and threatens the health of
> women and girls all over the country. Your help
> today will make it possible for us get to work
> immediately at
>
https://www.now.org/specific/abortion-rights.html?code=APB03CE&memberid=11923687\
&fn=Meaghan&ln=Lamarre
> .
>
> It's not too late to take action. $250,000 will
> allow us to send a powerful message to every key
> Senator in the next 7 days and then to organize in
> the districts of our 272 House opponents to make
> sure their constituents know exactly what's at
> stake.
>
> We can put the Senate on notice that we will
> remember this vote next November. We can start right
> now training and supporting local activists in
> identifying, educating and mobilizing women's rights
> supporters in their communities who will stand with
> us in next year's elections.
>
> We won't let them get away with it. Please send your
> contribution at
>
https://www.now.org/specific/abortion-rights.html?code=APB03CE&memberid=11923687\
&fn=Meaghan&ln=Lamarre
>  of $35 or $50 or $100—whatever you can afford—to
> NOW. We'll put it to work immediately.
>
> And then send this e-mail to everyone on your e-mail
> list at
>
http://www.now.org/send.html?page=http://www.now.org/organization/letters/10-09-\
03.html
> who cares about preserving the right of every woman
> to safe, legal, accessible abortion and
> contraception.
>
> For equality and justice,
>
> Kim Gandy
> President
> National Organization for Women
>
>
>
>
>
>
>


__________________________________
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Hello Everyone!

Don't forget that we're having a potluck barbeque tomorrow night,
Tuesday, September 30, at 6:30 pm at Morgan's house. This is a
social event, a chance for everybody to get to know one another and
just hang out -- although we will spend a little time preparing a
mailing :) Please email Lisa (middleton_lisa@...) to RSVP -
she'll give you directions and a suggestion for what to bring.
Everyone is invited - bring your friends!

Also, we would like to encourage all of you to consider running for
a statewide office with RI NOW. Positions include President, Vice
President for Membership, Vice President for Action, Secretary, and
Treasurer. Elections will be held at our Nov. 1 State Conference. If
you have questions about these positions don't hesitate to contact
Bylaws committee chair Emily Davis (edavis3081@...). I am
happy to answer questions as well (lamarrem@...).

Hope to see you on Tuesday!

Food For Thought scheduled for September 30 at 6:30
pm. Please view the invitation at http://www.rinow.org/septfft.html for more
info.


__________________________________
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Just a reminder that Carol Moseley Braun, NOW-PAC endorsed candidate
for President, is giving the Krieger Lecture at Brown University
tomorrow, September 10, at 4 pm in the Solomon Center for Teaching.
Although we had planned an action for this event, we did not receive
permission from Brown. However, we are still encouraging everyone to
attend this speech. It promises to be a popular event so arrive as
early as possible for the best seats.

Estrada Withdrawal, Urges Senators to Filibuster
Extremist Nominees
Date: Thu, 04 Sep 2003 16:01:46 -0400

NOW Press Office
202-628-8669 Rebecca Farmer, x 116
202-785-8576 (fax)

For Immediate Release
September 4, 2003

NOW Encouraged by Estrada Withdrawal, Urges Senators to Filibuster Extremist
Nominees

"Miguel Estrada did the right thing," said National Organization for Women (NOW)
President Kim Gandy after Estrada withdrew his name from nomination for a plum
spot on the federal appeals court. "NOW and other supporters of a fair and
independent judiciary applaud the senators who held strong in their commitment
to keep a bad nominee off the federal bench."

Estrada, a contender for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia
was one of several controversial nominees put forward by George W. Bush. Estrada
has been compared to Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia, a vocal opponent of
abortion rights, because of his extremist views, and both
Estrada and the Bush administration were criticized for refusing to release
information about Estrada's record while at the Justice Department.

"Through the filibuster, senators can ensure that a controversial nomination
does not go forward without the support of at least 60 of the 100 senators,"
said Gandy. Earlier this year the Senate rejected (54 to 43) a sixth effort to
move Estrada's nomination. "For a lifetime appointment of such a controversial
nominee to such a key court, 60 votes is a reasonable threshold--and we urge
senators to hold every questionable nominee to this standard.

"Democratic senators opposed to Estrada's nomination sustained a filibuster
against him for several months. This is a huge victory," Gandy said. "Two years
ago it was hard to find anyone in Washington who would touch the
f-word--filibuster. But as the Bush Administration continues its relentless
campaign to hijack the federal courts with right-wing nominees, the tide has
started to turn. And because these senators stuck to their principles and held
the line, Estrada was forced to back down. This, in essence, is  democracy in
action."

"We urge all senators who are committed to a fair judiciary to hold strong in
their determination to filibuster, thereby requiring any extremist nominee to
achieve at least 60 senate votes--a reasonable standard than any mainstream
nominee will easily meet," concluded Gandy.

Oppose Attempts to Take Away Overtime Protections
from Working Women and Families

Action Needed:

Please urge your senators at
http://www.now.org/congress/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=3101816 to vote to
block a Bush administration proposed rule change that would eliminate overtime
pay for 8 million paycheck-earning Americans. As early as tomorrow, Senators
will vote on an amendment sponsored by Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) to counteract
the Department of Labor's recent efforts to erode the 40-hour work week and
undermine overtime pay protections for millions of working families.

It is vital that we promote this amendment, which mirrors legislation introduced
last month by Sen. Harkin and Sen. Edward Kennedy (D-Mass.), because
millions of working women in non-supervisory jobs will be forced to work extra
hours without the guaranteed overtime pay that helps them make ends meet. Even
if you've already contacted your Senators regarding overtime, please call at
http://www.now.org/congress/dbq/officials/ or email at
http://www.now.org/congress/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=3101816 again!

Background:

Corporate and business employers have joined forces with the Bush Administration
and anti-employee Republican legislators to undermine overtime pay protections
for millions of low and middle-income workers. In an avowed effort to avoid
lawsuits, the Bush Department of Labor has proposed regulations at
http://www.lexisone.com/news/ap/ap032703c.html to the Fair Labor Standards Act
that would remove the right to be paid for overtime from non-supervisory,
mid-level workers. Workers who might lose overtime pay
include medical health professionals, computer technicians, nurses, police
officers, firefighters, cooks, secretaries, dentists, surveyors, designers,
graphic artists, paralegals and many other white-collar workers making $10 or
more per hour.

NOW activists have been working on this issue for months. We helped stop a bogus
comp time bill in the House this spring and sent thousands of messages to
the Department of Labor protesting the proposal to undermine overtime benefits
at http://www.now.org/issues/economic/061203dol.html. The Harkin amendment would
deny funding for this effort, which is treading on millions of workers' job
protections and jeopardizing the livelihood of "regular" working families at
http://www.now.org/press/07-03/07-24.html who count on overtime pay to support
their families.

Workers who receive overtime depend on it for an average of 25% of their income,
and often welcome the opportunity to work extra hours because the extra work
allows them to pay for healthcare, childcare, housing
and transportation costs without having to get a second part-time job. Without
overtime pay protections, these workers will have no defense if
their employer demands that they work excessive hours. The Department of Labor's
proposed changes would especially hurt women and single heads of households who
must juggle their work schedules with daycare and
family responsibilities. The Department of Labor refused to hold public hearings
about the proposed regulations. Even after receiving thousands of
concerned emails and calls (many of them inspired by NOW's action alerts), the
Department of Labor is still determined to make these devastating changes.

From our coalition partners:

America's Future at http://www.ourfuture.org reminds us that independent
analysts from the Economic Policy Institute estimate that the Bush
administration's rule change would cheat 8 million wage earners out of overtime
pay. To counter this analysis, the Bush Department of Labor claims that the rule
change would ONLY cheat 644,000 workers out of overtime. Quite an
argument. Ask your Senators why overtime should be eliminated for anyone. Demand
that your Senators uphold the basic American value of working hard and
playing by the rules. Demand that your Senators reject this latest relentless
push for Americans to work more and earn less, making it harder to raise a
family and make ends meet. We know which side the Bush administration is on.
Where do your Senators stand?

Working Families suggests this message to Senators:

I urge you to support the Harkin amendment that would block President Bush's
changes in the overtime pay laws. Tens of millions of working families rely on
overtime pay to make ends meet. And working people everywhere are concerned that
if overtime pay protections are taken away, employers will demand
longer and longer hours from us without fair compensation. I oppose changes in
the overtime laws that will take away overtime pay for any person. The
Bush administration's drive to take away overtime pay from millions of people is
a bad policy. Please vote to block the Department of Labor from implementing
these changes. This is one of the issues I will use to measure your commitment
to working families.

You can help prevent the Department of Labor from pushing this nation backward
and cutting overtime pay for our nation's valuable workers. Please call at
http://www.now.org/congress/dbq/officials/ or email at
http://www.now.org/congress/mail/oneclick_compose/?alertid=3101816
your Senators today. Feel free to use data from the fact sheet at
http://www.now.org/issues/economic/081303overtime.html provided by Senators
Kennedy and Harkin.

Fantastic FREE training opportunity for current pro-choice Democratic
politicians or those who may consider candidacy in the future.

EMILY'S LIST-- a political donor network and resource for pro-choice
Democratic candidates-- is conducting a FREE training seminar at
WESTIN HOTEL in Providence. The program begins Friday Sept 5th with
dinner and the training seminar is SATURDAY Sept 6th.

Space is limited -- call KATE COYNE MCCOY at 934-2323 or email her at
kcoyne-mccoy@...

Carol Mosely-Braun to give 2003 Krieger Lecture Sept. 10
Brown University
Wednesday 10 September 2003 at 4:00 p.m.

Former United States Senator and Ambassador to New Zealand Carol
Moseley-Braun will give the 2003 Krieger Lecture on Wednesday, Sept.
10 at 4 p.m. in the Salomon Center for Teaching on The College
Green. Currently one of nine announced Democratic candidates for
president, Moseley-Braun was elected as the first female senator
from Illinois in 1992 and served for six years; at the time she was
the only African American in the chamber and the first to serve
there since the election of former Massachusetts Senator Edward
Brooke. This event is free and open to the public. For more
information, call (401) 863-2201.