| Fall 1999
Love Your Body Day: Panel explores gender issues Making a major shift: A letter from MN NOW lobbyist Susal Stebbins New cosmetic surgery technique makes emulating false standards of beauty dangerously easy Conventioneers discuss proposed Feminist Communications Network National NOW conference a "head-spinning" experience Headwaters Walk for Justice draws 700 participants MN NOW PAC rates candidates
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MN NOW PAC rates candidates
By Beth Anderson, PAC Chair The Minnesota NOW PAC has rated three candidates running in the upcoming election. In order to receive an A rating from the MN NOW PAC, the candidate must have the same position as Minnesota NOW on six core issues: ratification of an unamended Equal Rights Amendment, repeal of all laws restricting safe, legal, abortion, protection of lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender civil rights, eliminating racism, freedom from violence, and opposition to punitive welfare reform. In addition, the candidate must have shown leadership in one or more of these areas. Each one of these requirements not met reduces the candidates rating one letter grade. For instance, a B rating could mean that the candidate supports MN NOW positions on all six issues but has not shown leadership. Or it could mean that the candidate supports MN NOW postions on five issues and has shown leadership. The 1999 candidate ratings are as follows: • Greg Filice, St. Paul School Board—A State offices are not up for re-election this year so our candidates seeking endorsement have been fewer in number. For the first time in several years the MN NOW PAC has a complete slate of directors. The 1999 Minnesota NOW PAC officers are Beth Anderson, Chair, Lyn Crosby, Treasurer, and June Mathiowetz, Secretary. The MN NOW PAC directors are Claire Peirce, Julie Blaha, Ann Wyse, Lynn Raasch, and Rachel Callanan. In addition our president, Sheri McPherson-Higdon, has a seat on the PAC. The MN NOW PAC is using 1999 as a rebuilding year. We would like to build up our treasury so that we can help feminist candidates throughout the state in election year 2000. The MN NOW PAC is limited in its fundraising abilities in that we must fundraise only from our members. If you are fed up with the slate of non-feminist candidates on your election ticket this fall send the MN NOW PAC a check to help feminists run for office and win in 2000. Checks can be made out to the MN NOW PAC and sent to the Minnesota NOW office at 550 Rice Street #106A, St. Paul, MN 55103. The MN NOW PAC is also interested in putting together a list of volunteers who would be available for campaign work during the 2000 election cycle. Volunteer requests are almost as frequent as monetary requests from candidates. Ideally we would like a list of volunteers that we could call on to help candidates with door knocking, telephoning and other campaign activities as needed. If you are interested in this type of volunteer work, short lived but effective, please call the MN NOW office and request a volunteer form to fill out. The MN NOW PAC will then contact you regarding your interest. The MN NOW PAC urges all of our members to get out and vote on election day. If there isn't a feminist candidate on the ballot, consider running for office yourself in 2000. You could be part of National NOW's Victory 2000 campaign. This campaign seeks to elect an additional 2000 feminists to all levels of elected office by the year 2000. Let us know if you want to be part of that number. |