Stop Stalkers Before They Become Headlines

By Marianne Hill

She could have been my daughter, or my neighbor’s daughter. Carnesha Nelson was a bright, attractive 19-year-old college student who unfortunately became the obsession of a young man who worked on her campus. He hounded her and wouldn't take no for an answer. The night he assaulted her, she ran screaming from him, pounding on the doors of neighboring apartments. Residents called the police, but did not let her in. He caught and killed her.

READ MORE

Listen to an Audio version of Marianne's commentary and a short interview on Women & Stalking Prevention.

Powered by Podbean.com

Counting Commentaries On Roe V Wade

Today’s the 35th anniversary of the Supreme Court’s decision of Roe V. Wade. For me, it’s an anniversary that is both worth celebrating and also a good time to take an annual stock of our pro-choice rights.

Since newspapers love anniversaries I wanted to see what is running in the country’s op-eds and editorials today about Roe V. Wade, and reproductive rights in general. I’m only looking at op-eds and editorials (not news articles and not items like newspaper blogs). And I’m only looking at January 22. I’ll be updating the list consistently throughout the day, the plan is to examine at least two major papers in every state, but also to survey some smaller papers.,

So far here is what I’ve found: Out of 41 papers surveyed (so far) only 7 ran anything about Roe’s anniversary. Here is the breakdown so far.

Washington Post
One column “Political Orphans In 2008; Is There Space for Our Pro-Life Ethic?” by a Catholic couple, Liz McCloskey and Peter Leibold, who bemoan the fact that the Democratic party -- which they feel is a better fit for their values than the Republican party -- is dismissive and unwelcoming to their anti-choice views.

LA Times
One column “Abortion's battle of messages; It's not 1973. Pro-choice forces must adjust to regain the moral high ground” by Frances Kissling, a fellow at the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, is the former president of Catholics for a Free Choice and Kate Michelman is the former president of NARAL Pro-Choice America and the author of "Protecting the Right to Choose."

A pro-choice editorial “Roe, 35 years later; The landmark abortion ruling is established law. Overturning it would cause severe upheaval.”

Denver Post
One column “Abortion Debate Is Changing” by a regular Denver Post columnist, David Harsanyi. It’s emphasis that abortions should be rare and suggests that the morning after pill be a "palatable compromise to later-term abortions."

Philadelphia Inquirer
Two columns (one pro-choice, one anti-choice) The anti-choice column, “Violating Rights of Unborn” is by Marybeth T. Hagan, the author of "Abortion: A Mother's Plea for Maternity and the Unborn."

The pro-choice column, “Let's Support A Set of Choices” is by Melissa Weiler Gerber is executive director of Women's Way, and Ann Fessler is author of The Girls Who Went Away: The Hidden History of Women Who Surrendered Children for Adoption in the Decades Before Roe v. Wade.

Chicago Sun-Times
One editorial “After 35 years, foes erode 'Roe'”

Tallahassee Democrat
One pro-choice column, “Rather than attacking abortion rights, help prevent the need,” by Staci Fox, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood of North Central Florida.

Akron Beacon Journal
One column “A Growing Aversion To Abortion” by a Chicago Tribune columnist Steve Chapman. Entirely anti-choice.

Papers without any editorials or op-ed columns on Roe’s Anniversary
Albuquerque Journal
Arizona Daily Star
Arizona Republic
Atlanta Constitution Journal
Austin American Statesman
Baltimore Sun
Boston Globe
Boulder Daily Camera
Chicago Tribune
Cleveland Plain Dealer
Dallas Morning News
Houston Chronicle
Jackson Clarion Ledger
Kansas City Star
Las Vegas Review Journal
Lincoln Journal Star
Louisville Courier-Journal
Madison Capital Times
Miami Herald
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
Minneapolis Star Tribune
Nashville Tennessean
New York Times
Omaha World Herald
Pittsburgh Review Tribune
Raleigh News & Observer
Reno Gazette-Journal
Salt Lake Tribune
San Francisco Chronicle
San Jose Mercury News
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Seattle Times
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
St. Petersburg Times

Stay tuned for more updates…
-- Rachel Joy Larris

Arnie Arnesen and her regular woman problem

photo © 2008

Talk Radio News Service
Arnie Arnesen interviews Elizabeth Kucinich on the Talk Radio News Service radio row.

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Deborah "Arnie" Arnesen is a lot of things: attorney, television producer, radio talk show host. Recently named by The Nation magazine as one of the country's Most Valuable Progressives, Arnesen was also the first woman to run for governor in the state of New Hampshire. In 1992, while facing off against Republican Steve Merrill, to whom she lost by a hair, Arnesen also helped shepherd a young presidential candidate around the state. His name was Bill Clinton.

READ MORE

--Adele M. Stan

So You Think You Can Be President

Craig Greager and Iris Burnett, authors of So You Think You Can Be President?

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Iris Burnett has a question for you: So You Think You Can Be President? That's the title of a soon-to-be-published book that Burnett co-wrote with Clay Greager. They're a bi-partisan team; Burnett has a long career in Democratic politics, while her co-author is a retired military man who identified as Republican for much of his life. The book was born out of an e-mail exchange between the two friends. Greager joked to Burnett that she should run for president; she retorted that she didn't think she could pass the test. "Is there a test?" Greager shot back. "No, but there should be," thought Burnett.

--Adele M. Stan

READ MORE

The View From Radio Row

photos © 2008 Talk Radio News Service

Laura Ingraham broadcasting from radio row in New Hampshire.

Ellen Ratner, founder of Talk Radio News Service (TRNS), and former presidential candidate Tom Tancredo.

Presidential candidate Mike Gravel. (NWEF's Adele Stan blogs in the background.)

MANCHESTER, N.H. -- Thanks to our friends at Talk Radio News Service, the National Women's Editorial Forum has an inside view of the madness known as radio row here at the Center of New Hampshire Radisson Hotel, where the national and local media have all clustered for coverage of the first-in-the-nation presidential primary.

In two hotel meeting rooms talk radio hosts occupy tables laden with microphones and computers, and representatives from all the campaigns come and make the rounds. Behind me, right-wing radio host Laura Ingraham holds court. At the table next to hers, New Hampshire's own Arnie Arnesen receives her guests. Arnesen was just named as one of the nation's "most valuable progressives" by The Nation magazine.

This morning, the place experienced a major swarm of Hillary Clinton's surrogates, along with representatives from virtually all the presidential campaigns, Democrat and Republican. A few chairs down from me, David Bonior, the former congressman who chairs the John Edwards campaign, is giving an interview to University of New Mexico radio. Over in the corner, Republican candidate Ron Paul is being mobbed by both radio and television folks.

Me, I'm just trying to keep from getting knocked in the head with a mic or a television camera.

--Adele M. Stan

Investing to Re-Energize Ohio

By Amanda Woodrum

There is a gaping hole in Ohio’s economy. At current energy prices, we are sending nearly $20 billion every year out of Ohio and out of our country in order to purchase two-thirds of our coal, 89 percent of our natural gas, and 98 percent of the oil and petroleum products we use.

READ MORE

Three Reasons to Oppose Cliffside Expansion

By Alice Loyd

What should North Carolina do in response to the growing effects of global climate change, a statewide health advisory on mercury tainted fish, and an exceptionally serious statewide drought? Apparently the answer for Duke Energy and state regulators is to build a new massive carbon dioxide spewing, mercury emitting, and water-depleting coal burning power plant just west of Charlotte. If built, this 800-megawatt coal-fired unit at Duke’s Cliffside power plant will be the largest coal burning unit ever built in North Carolina.

The answer for people who practice what they preach about environmental responsibility is quite different. These people work for a new energy economy in which officials would not permit Duke to build this proposed coal plant. Here are just three of the reasons not to build:

READ MORE