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From: sdb@shark.UUCP (Steven Den Beste)
Newsgroups: net.women
Subject: Role reversal in a mailing list
Message-ID: <1463@shark.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 29-Aug-83 15:19:44 EDT
Article-I.D.: shark.1463
Posted: Mon Aug 29 15:19:44 1983
Date-Received: Wed, 31-Aug-83 20:22:49 EDT
Lines: 38

A couple of years ago, the NARAL was set up at a local art-fair
("Saturday Market", a term that wouldn't make any sense to anyone not
from Portland) and they had some pre-made-up post-cards that one could
send to both Senators and the Congressman that represented each
individual, expressing that individual's support for freedom of abortion.

I contributed 5 bucks and got three of their post-cards. One went to
Congressman Au-Coin, who made no response. One went to Senator Hatfield,
who promptly sent me a form letter telling me why he thought abortions
should be banned. [I returned a long letter telling why I thought that
the real issue was not whether abortions were right, but who should
make the choice. They sent me back one of those not-quite telegrams
that the Post-office has, saying that my ideas were "interesting". It
occurred to me later that this is a good technique for shutting up vocal
people like me, at least it worked in my case.]

The last went to Senator Packwood. Now, I don't know if anyone was watching,
but Packwood is the Senator that led the filibuster in the last session
of congress that defeated the last anti-abortion bill. [One thing I have
to say about Oregon's senators is that they have both taken a firm position.
One I agree with, one I disagree with - but at least neither one is
ducking the issue!] Senator Packwood's staff sent me a form-letter thanking
me for expressing support for his position on abortions, but it was addressed
to "Ms. Steven Den Beste" - and ever since, once or twice a month I have
received flyers from him about his stands on women's rights, always addressed
to "Ms. Steven Den Beste". I find this more amusing than anything, but
we have yet another false mapping: If you are in favor of women's rights,
you must be a woman. (Of course, I am not a woman.)

I might mention that except for this slight administrative bobble, I have
been extremely pleased with what Packwood has done for women's rights, and
I plan to vote for him the next election that he is up. Hatfield, on the
other hand, has to go!


   "Ms." Steven Den Beste
   Tektronix
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