(NH) Official calls domestic violence 'gimmick' - Selectman votes down women's shelter funds

[Tab]

Source: Associated Press

A Conway (NH) town official's comment that many women use domestic violence claims as a "gimmick" during divorce has angered supporters of a group that helps abuse victims.

The Conway Board of Selectmen voted 4-1 against $7,500 in town funding for Starting Point, which offers a hotline, shelter, support groups and advocacy services for people who have suffered domestic or sexual abuse.

"There are a lot of women who use (domestic violence) as a gimmick in divorce proceedings," Selectman Crow Dickinson said in explaining his vote. "All they have to do is call the police and get the person thrown out. If I call the police and say you're abusing me, they'd have to believe me. I wish people would split up and be more polite about it."

Dickinson's comments outraged the 28-year-old agency's supporters, including County Attorney Robin Gordon. "I think comments like that are blatantly based on Neanderthal thinking," she said. "I think it's a shame our legislators don't understand the value of a program such as Starting Point."
...
Dickinson said he was sorry he upset some people. "Hell hath no fury like a woman's scorn," he said.

But he said those who took offense should harness their energy and show up at a deliberative session March 2 to overrule the board's Wednesday recommendation.

"They shouldn't be running around gnashing their teeth. They're wasting time," he said. "They should try and take advantage of this thing. But I don't want to talk to a group of 20 raging women individually. I want to talk to a group of women who seriously want to get the appropriation increased."

Read more: http://www.cmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090222/NEWS01/902220357

[Davis_X_Machina]

1. Rural New Hampshire...

...rural New England generally, despite the popular images of it, can be a very unlovely place. Lots of problems, and not much in the way of resources, plus folkways that are often unhelpful.

“The lowest and vilest alleys in London do not present a more dreadful record of sin than does the smiling and beautiful countryside.” Sherlock Holmes, The Copper Beeches

[biopowertoday]

6. I hope the 'RAGING' Women show up and............

......well, I will refrain from what I was thinking.


talk about stupidity!!

[Tab]

8. The Conway area is ski country

up by Mt Washington, and lots of upscale visitors. So it's not as unrefined as some other areas. A lot of money flows through Conway and North Conway.

He might have meant it based on a specific case (there ARE some women who make false accusations) but he can't deny it truly doesn't exist in the majority of cases, and to deny funding for a shelter based on what was probably one case (probably against him, I'd think) is ridiculous, and totally stupid to follow up with his comment about "raging women".

I've walked through supermarkets and met with certain groups and although it's a small percentage of everyone in the place, you will come across women with black eyes or bruises, or obviously being belittled and forced to follow their "partner". I suspect the percentage is much higher - these are just the injuries we see, and that's assuming they leave the house at all.

This guy is an ass, and I suspect he won't be re-elected.

I'm curious, though, why the other three votes went against the shelter. It may have been economics (budgets are tight) but then you say it's "economics", you don't say it's a "gimmick" and not needed.

[Davis_X_Machina]

9. Get a hundred yards in off Rt 16....

...and it's no different than Whitefield or Berlin.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Bigotry knows no boundaries

Dickinson needs to spend some time with battered women, or perhaps with their survivors. Maybe then he'd understand that spousal abuse hurts everyone.

[AndyTiedye]

3. Perhaps He Does

in the capacity of a batterer.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

4. Ouch! Hadn't thought about that

That would explain his attitude, that's for sure. Thanks for pointing this out.

[AndyTiedye]

5. Bullies Tend to Become Repiglickins When They (Fail to) Grow Up

[biopowertoday]

7. K and R.

[Jeff In Milwaukee]

10. Going out on a limb here....

but I'm going to guess this asshat is a Republican.

[Tab]

11. I didn't bother originally, but out of curiousity

(and I'm not sure Selectmen have to delcare political affiliation, but regardless... and yes, he is a registered Republican)

Here's some previous interesting articles snips about the guy...

Crow Dickinson, a 16-term lawmaker with a Van Dyke beard, a Mayflower pedigree and a penchant for guns and midwifery, stole the show with a typically, um, colorful speech at a party state Sen. Joe Kenney threw Thursday with leftover campaign cash.

The party's purpose was to honor the 97 GOP representatives, seven senators and two executive councilors who were unseated in the election or exited on their own.

Dickinson said he was saddened to think his constituents no longer shared his views, thanks to an influx of "yuppies" in Carroll County.

"They don't hunt and fish. They don't buy licenses," he said. "No wonder the Fish and Game Department is in financial difficulties."

He thanked Kenney for hosting the event and said he hoped it would become a bipartisan, biennial event for losers. But Dickinson said no one should mourn his departure.

"In the words of a famous black man," he said, "free - free at last!"

Dickinson (who voted against adding Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s name to the state's Civil Rights Day holiday in 1999, when New Hampshire became the last of the 50 states to do so) received considerable applause.
...
Scamman's appearance prompted Dickinson to reminisce about 1970s-era boozing and mischief at the Highway Hotel, but others in the old guard lovingly muzzled him before he got too far into any potentially damning stories.

http://concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?Date=20061203&Category=REPOSITORY&ArtNo=612030359&SectionCat=48HOURS&Template=printart

(The Concord Monitor is a nationally well-respected mid-sized paper, centrist, leaning left if anywhere, but they try to be pretty good. I liked their characterization of him as "16-term lawmaker with a Van Dyke beard, a Mayflower pedigree and a penchant for guns and midwifery", although I haven't figured out the midwifery reference yet. :)

On July 19, 2003, Howard "Crow" Dickinson headed into the Manchester New Hampshire Airport on what should have been just another routine trip. This reputable New Hampshire State Legislator travels frequently and is no stranger to airports. "Crow" is a well thought of patriotic American. He stands for law and order; he loves baseball and apple pie, and he is an avid gun collector. "Crow" Dickinson is obviously no criminal, but that's exactly what the federal government wants to make him.

You see, this time at the airport Representative Dickinson placed his carry on bag into the security x-ray machine as he had done dozens of times before, only to realize he forgot that his loaded .38 caliber pistol was still in the bag. Of course all the alarms sounded, Dickinson was taken into custody and his gun was confiscated by our federal "protectors."

Naturally, Dickinson was scared to death and distraught about the entire episode. He called it an "honest, but foolish mistake." An honest foolish mistake that the authorities are hell-bent on making a federal case out of. Yes, these are the federal agents, officers and bureaucrats who are supposedly protecting us all via the new and improved HOMELAND SECURITY! This agency's existence is based on the propaganda that we all should be willing to surrender a little freedom in order to obtain more security and safety for the nation. This is exactly what Ben Franklin warned us never to do.

Even if Mr. Dickinson had made it onto the plane with his .38, who would have been hurt or threatened? Absolutely no one! He alone would have realized the mistake later, no one else.

Mr. Dickinson is not a criminal and he certainly committed no crime at the Manchester Airport last month. "Crow" Dickinson is a victim and the perpetrator was the government. Every official involved in this case knows that there is absolutely no mens rea (criminal intent) and that there are no victims or complainants. They all know that Dickinson is not a terrorist and they know they discovered a mistake, not a crime. Yet, the director of the Federal Transportation Security Administration, Raymond A. Carolan, said they intend to seek criminal charges as well as civil penalties against Dickinson.

http://www.auctionarms.com/help/soapbox-RichardMack01.cfm (NOTE: Richard Mack is the former Arizona Sheriff who sued the Clinton administration on the Brady bill. )

[SoxFan]

13. Crooooooow

1. Yes, he's a Republican. Selectmen are elected on a nonpartisan basis, but Crow served as a Republican in the NH House from roughly 1848 to 2006.

2. Don't ask about the midwifery thing. It's a hardy perennial of an issue that seems to constantly be bubbling in the legislature. There were about half a dozen members who were passionate about it, and 390 of us who flat out were sick of listening to them.

3. Crow is, apparently, a very wealthy man (inherited) and an Ivy League graduate, who puts on this Swamp Yankee persona as a political schtick. He's got a thick beard and an unruly mop of gray hair (wasp dreadlocks) and wears frumpy outfits, but according to a DUer who lives in Conway, he's from serious money.

[Demeter]

12. That's The New Hampshire I Endured for 18 Years

Not this Democratically blue, sissified state that voted for Hillary AND Obama!

Thank the goddess I'm out of there!

[SoxFan]

14. Don't forget Crow's gun incident

In 2003, Crow Dickinson attempted to board an airliner at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport with a .38 in his carry-on bag. He seemed surprised when the TSA folks wanted to have a little chat with him behind closed doors.

[MaineDem]

15. We need some "raging women" to run against him

What an arse!

[paparush]

16. Man, and I thought rural NC had its head up its arse.