Met with two members of local group and decided to postpone press coverage until after group meeting. Some concern over particular reporter and his history of misquotes and inappropriate spin. Add to the agenda to tomorrow's meeting delegation of press contacts in the Vally (Northhampton) and Berkshire County that could feature a sensitive and honest expose on this story.
Someone who read my blog on DU showed up at Stone Soup today and they will be coming to the meeting tomorrow! I didn't expect that someone right from town would connect so immediately. It is a small world.
Talking amongst the group of four women today, the extent of fear that the anti-choice groups have instilled in the pro-choice supporters is a subject that needs to be openly discussed and explored. The bullying and violent tactics employed by those who suppress a woman's reproductive freedom has been an effective tool in creating silence on our side. This must end. I put forth that the only way to deal with bullies is to confront them and set the terms of the debate. It was sad and telling that the discussion immediately turned to fear of violence and harassment by the anti-choice movement. The emphasis from the women was that we must maintain safety and support with each other. By the end of the discussion, courage was building for the work ahead.
..................................
For ease of reference, here is the text of the fall/winter 2006 newsletter that clearly defines the intent of the Susan B Anthony Birthplace to utilize the museum as a front for their anti-choice agenda:
http://www.womensenews.org/story/abortion/061006/susan-b-anthonys-abortion-position-spurs-scuffle"In July 2006, FFLNY board member Carol Crossed learned the birthplace of Susan B. Anthony, co-founder of the Women’s Suffrage Movement, was to be sold at auction in Adams, Mass. The wheels for an exciting new venture were in motion! On August 5th, Carol was surprised and overjoyed to learn that hers was the winning bid and she was now the new owner of this historic house.
Feminists for Life of America will manage and care for the home and Sally Winn, VP FFLA will head a committee to explore ideas of how to best utilize the property for the advancement of the pro-women/pro-life philosophy. The committee is to include pro-life leaders, women historians, other academia and possibly artists and other experts on Anthony’s era.
The purchase of Susan B. Anthony’s birthplace by a pro-life woman has caused some controversy among local and national pro-choice organizations and was covered by over 70 newspapers around the country including the Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, Houston Chronicle, Washington Post and New York Times. NY Times writer Stacy Schiff and others have questioned Carol’s right to purchase Anthony’s birthplace in the name of a pro-life ideology. Opponents to the purchase claim there is no direct evidence of Anthony’s opposition to Susan B. Anthony’s Birthplace in Good Hands abortion. Supporters infer Anthony’s opposition in light of her refusal to allow the advertisements of abortifacients in her publication, The Revolution and also to the lack of any indication in Anthony’s writings that points to a connection between women’s right to an abortion and women’s equality.
Carol says, “The purchase of the house has generated a lot of discussion about the early feminists’ position and whether they were for or against abortion. One certainty, proven by their writings, is that the early feminists didn’t try to disguise what abortion was: ‘Child murder’ and ‘infanticide’ were not purposely ambiguous as is ‘reproductive rights’ or ‘termination of pregnancy’ is today.”
Carol also believes that the purchase of the house has the potential to revitalize the women’s movement by incorporating Susan B. Anthony’s broader viewpoint of feminism compared to the narrower viewpoint of today’s pro-choice feminism which continually binds women’s equality with abortion rights. Carol Crossed closes on the birthplace of Susan B. Anthony in Adams, Mass. Feminists for life of New York is a pro-life, pro-woman organization that seeks to open minds to its philosophy of pro-life feminism, the belief that all people, by virtue of their human dignity, have a right to live without violence from conception to natural death.
Carol received sincere approval and congratulations for her purchase from Eugene Michalenko of the Adams Historical Commission and from Lorraine Robinson, Chairperson of the Foundation to Preserve the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace"
..............................................................................................................
Feminists Choosing Life: Fall/Winter 2007
http://www.feministschoosinglife.org/files/FCLNY_Fall_2007.pdfFeminists Choosing Life of New York is thrilled to announce the creation of the Susan B. Anthony Birthplace
Museum at the site of Susan B. Anthony’s birth in Adams,MA. Following the generous donation of the historic
property by Carol Crossed to FCLNY, the FCLNY Board of Directors immediately began to make plans for the house’s
preservation and development as a museum. The Susan B.Anthony Birthplace Museum is now a registered non-profit
subsidiary of FCLNY. Although the SBABM has a separate board of directors and is located in Massachusetts, FCLNY
retains control of the selection of SBABM Board members and of the development and direction of the museum itself.
The current selected Board of Directors numbers seven,with Carol Crossed as President.Rehabilitation work on the physical structure of the museum is scheduled to begin on Dec. 1st and plans for the grounds and contents continue. The official opening
of the SBABM is scheduled for February 15, 2009, the anniversary of Ms. Anthony’s birth.
..........................................................................................................
Follow-up note on conversation with Deborah Hughes, director of the Susan B Anthony House in Rochester NY - she stated in her conversation that people are confusing the Rochester house with the Birthplace museum. There needs to be a distinct clarification between the two institutions. Donations from pro-choice supporters find their way to the birthplace in the mistaken connection between the two institutions. In addition, Deborah reported that the Rochester house has received backlash from the activities of Susan B Anthonys List (Sally Winn, the new director for the Adams Birthplace museum is a boardmember of this group). She reported that when the group had instituted robo-calls against partial birth abortion describing the procedure in detail, she was the recipient of a angry father's anger when his seven year old daughter picked up and heard the call.
Printer-friendly format
Email this thread to a friend
Bookmark this thread
(1000+ posts)
Send PM |
Profile |
Ignore
