Tuesday, August 15, 2006
NARAL and Planned Parenthood are still endorsing Lieberman
THIS IS MY FIRST POST ON MY FIRST BLOG-NOT SURE WHAT I'M DOING BUT LET ME TRY
A rainy day in Menemsha and an opportunity to spend the day making phone calls. After reading on Daily Kos that NARAL was continuing to endorse Lieberman-the loser in Ct. Senate race.
NARAL ENDORSED JOE LIEBERMAN IN PRIMARY AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO DO SO
"THURSDAY, MAY 04, 2006
"Lieberman vs. the Day After Pill"
Joe Lieberman supports the approach of the Catholic hospitals when it comes to contraceptives for rape victims (as reported in The New Haven Register, by Gregory B. Hladky on 03/13/2006, via KissJoeGoodbye.Com).
Lieberman said he believes hospitals that refuse to give contraceptives to rape victims for "principled reasons" shouldn't be forced to do so.
"In Connecticut, it shouldn't take more than a short ride to get to another hospital," he said.
Well Joe, that's not very helpful. I mean, I know that you'll never need emergency contraception at two o'clock in the morning after having been brutally raped. So I guess it's easy for you to disregard any woman who is unlucky enough to have gone through that trauma.
But here's a suggestion: Why don't you provide maps for the victims, so they can walk out of the Emergency Rooms of the various Catholic hospitals around the state, hail a cab, and take that "short ride" to another hospital?
Now NARAL is still supporting him- call them and tell them they can't do this!!!
TeddySanFran got a letter from NARAL that I thought was worth sharing:
Dear (TeddySanFran),
Thank you for contacting us about the Senate race in Connecticut.
As you know, NARAL Pro-Choice America has endorsed Sen. Lieberman in that race. As a nonpartisan organization, we support pro-choice elected officials, regardless of party affiliation. Therefore, our endorsement stands, regardless of Sen. Lieberman’s party registration. We responded similarly when pro-choice Sen. Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party to become an Independent.
We recognize that some of our members are avid party activists as well as pro-choice stalwarts, and understand that not everyone will agree with each of our endorsement decisions. However, we hope you will continue to stand with us. Our only chance of defending a woman’s right to choose is by focusing our energies on our real opponents: George Bush and his anti-choice congressional allies.
Thank you again for getting in touch. Please feel free to do so at any time with additional questions or comments.
Well, I had questions and comments, so I gave them a call at (202)530-4179, which is the number that Elizabeth Shipp, political director of NARAL, gave to Teddy in her note.
And I was told, yes indeed, they are continuing to endorse Joe Lieberman, loser of the Democratic primary. When I asked why, the fellow with whom I was speaking didn’t really have an answer, and didn’t feel comfortable talking with me further about that particular question. When I asked if they had spoken as yet with Ned Lamont’s campaign to ascertain whether a switch in endorsement might be the better move, considering Ned kicked Joe’s butt in the primary and all, I was told that he didn’t know the answer to that question. When I asked if they were getting a few phone calls on this latest contact on the CT Senate race, he told me that they were.
You, too, can contact NARAL if you would like, and ask why it is that they continue to endorse Joe Lieberman, whether they plan on ever contacting the Lamont campaign to even speak with a fully pro-choice candidate, instead of a pseudo-pro-choice-but-voting-for-Alito-cloture-short-ride-kinda-guy like Lieberman, and just what they are thinking with this myopic decision-making in general. Here is their contact information: Main Number: 202.973.3000; Main Fax: 202.973.3096; Shipp’s Number: (202)530-4179.
I think they are interested in hearing lots of opinions on this — clearly, they just aren’t interested in actually taking them into consideration. Hmmm…kind of like Joe Lieberman was interested in participating in the CT Democratic primary, he just didn’t care what the voters thought of him since he’s decided to completely disregard the primary results and keep on whining."
Now I find that Planned Parenthood is doing the same thing. After calling Planned Parenthood's national media center I was told that the CT. branch in New Haven made the decision. Connecticut says not true. In fact, I understand that some of their CT. leadership has broken away and formed their own pro-Lamont group.
We need the media to help us figure out why national would continue to endorse the candidate that a) lost and b)would like to make it so difficult for rape victims to get help. Suggestions and comments encouraged!
A rainy day in Menemsha and an opportunity to spend the day making phone calls. After reading on Daily Kos that NARAL was continuing to endorse Lieberman-the loser in Ct. Senate race.
NARAL ENDORSED JOE LIEBERMAN IN PRIMARY AND THEY ARE CONTINUING TO DO SO
"THURSDAY, MAY 04, 2006
"Lieberman vs. the Day After Pill"
Joe Lieberman supports the approach of the Catholic hospitals when it comes to contraceptives for rape victims (as reported in The New Haven Register, by Gregory B. Hladky on 03/13/2006, via KissJoeGoodbye.Com).
Lieberman said he believes hospitals that refuse to give contraceptives to rape victims for "principled reasons" shouldn't be forced to do so.
"In Connecticut, it shouldn't take more than a short ride to get to another hospital," he said.
Well Joe, that's not very helpful. I mean, I know that you'll never need emergency contraception at two o'clock in the morning after having been brutally raped. So I guess it's easy for you to disregard any woman who is unlucky enough to have gone through that trauma.
But here's a suggestion: Why don't you provide maps for the victims, so they can walk out of the Emergency Rooms of the various Catholic hospitals around the state, hail a cab, and take that "short ride" to another hospital?
Now NARAL is still supporting him- call them and tell them they can't do this!!!
TeddySanFran got a letter from NARAL that I thought was worth sharing:
Dear (TeddySanFran),
Thank you for contacting us about the Senate race in Connecticut.
As you know, NARAL Pro-Choice America has endorsed Sen. Lieberman in that race. As a nonpartisan organization, we support pro-choice elected officials, regardless of party affiliation. Therefore, our endorsement stands, regardless of Sen. Lieberman’s party registration. We responded similarly when pro-choice Sen. Jim Jeffords left the Republican Party to become an Independent.
We recognize that some of our members are avid party activists as well as pro-choice stalwarts, and understand that not everyone will agree with each of our endorsement decisions. However, we hope you will continue to stand with us. Our only chance of defending a woman’s right to choose is by focusing our energies on our real opponents: George Bush and his anti-choice congressional allies.
Thank you again for getting in touch. Please feel free to do so at any time with additional questions or comments.
Well, I had questions and comments, so I gave them a call at (202)530-4179, which is the number that Elizabeth Shipp, political director of NARAL, gave to Teddy in her note.
And I was told, yes indeed, they are continuing to endorse Joe Lieberman, loser of the Democratic primary. When I asked why, the fellow with whom I was speaking didn’t really have an answer, and didn’t feel comfortable talking with me further about that particular question. When I asked if they had spoken as yet with Ned Lamont’s campaign to ascertain whether a switch in endorsement might be the better move, considering Ned kicked Joe’s butt in the primary and all, I was told that he didn’t know the answer to that question. When I asked if they were getting a few phone calls on this latest contact on the CT Senate race, he told me that they were.
You, too, can contact NARAL if you would like, and ask why it is that they continue to endorse Joe Lieberman, whether they plan on ever contacting the Lamont campaign to even speak with a fully pro-choice candidate, instead of a pseudo-pro-choice-but-voting-for-Alito-cloture-short-ride-kinda-guy like Lieberman, and just what they are thinking with this myopic decision-making in general. Here is their contact information: Main Number: 202.973.3000; Main Fax: 202.973.3096; Shipp’s Number: (202)530-4179.
I think they are interested in hearing lots of opinions on this — clearly, they just aren’t interested in actually taking them into consideration. Hmmm…kind of like Joe Lieberman was interested in participating in the CT Democratic primary, he just didn’t care what the voters thought of him since he’s decided to completely disregard the primary results and keep on whining."
Now I find that Planned Parenthood is doing the same thing. After calling Planned Parenthood's national media center I was told that the CT. branch in New Haven made the decision. Connecticut says not true. In fact, I understand that some of their CT. leadership has broken away and formed their own pro-Lamont group.
We need the media to help us figure out why national would continue to endorse the candidate that a) lost and b)would like to make it so difficult for rape victims to get help. Suggestions and comments encouraged!
