July 2015

Contents

Feminist Calendar ................. p.2

News Bites &

Good Reads ......................... p.7

Contacts ................................ p.7

Become a member! .............. p.7

Chapter Events

Planning Meeting: Tues. July 7, 7:30 pm,

at the home of President, Judy Buckman

(see Contacts). Participate and vote on

chapter actions. To request time on the

agenda, call Judy Buckman. Open to

members only.

NOW in the Afternoon Wed, July 1, 1:30

pm.at Maple Shade Library Contact:

Marion Steininger, 856-772-0689.

Program Meeting Wed. July 15, 7:30 pm at

First Baptist Church, 19 West Main Street,

Moorestown.

Newsletter Mailing: Sun. July 19, 10am–

noon, home of Judy Buckman (see

Contacts). We’ll train and feed you. Please

volunteer—the work is easy but very

important. This is a great activity for new or

longtime members

Open to members and non-members

This issue of The Equal Write is partially

underwritten by the Judith Glick Buckman

Fund for the Future. To make a tax-deductible

contribution to the Fund, please make check

payable to JGB FFF and mail it to Judith

Glick Buckman Fund for the Future, P.O. Box

4725, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034.

Chapter Program Meeting

July 15, 2015

HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN OUR OWN

BACKYARDS

Lynda Hinkle is the principal attorney at the Law Offices

of Lynda Hinkle in Gloucester, Camden, and Burlington Counties. Her

specialties include family law, elder law, and estate planning.

Ms. Hinkle earned her bachelor's degree from Rowan University in

Glassboro and her Juris Doctor from Rutgers–Camden School of

Law. Ms. Hinkle serves on the alumni boards of both of her alma maters

and on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Burlington, Camden and

Gloucester Counties. Since opening her firm in 2010, Ms. Hinkle has

dedicated many pro bono hours to the cause of ending human trafficking

in New Jersey.

"I never realized the extent to which human trafficking even existed here

in New Jersey. We're seeing women and children being trafficked into

prostitution at shockingly high levels in all corners of our state," explains

Ms. Hinkle. "In addition to forced sexual servitude, victims of human

trafficking are subject to violence, addiction, and disease. It's simply too

heartbreaking to ignore."

Ms. Hinkle also serves as founding editor for the MP Journal, an online,

international peer-reviewed feminist academic journal. She has worked

in politics, run a boutique writing and PR company, and taught at the

high school and community college level. “We are all supposed to be

giving as much as we get,” she says. “That’s how community works.”

Please join us for a fascinating evening with one of our very

accomplished chapter members.

Program includes announcements, refreshments, and letter writing.

Meetings are open to members and non-members.

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Feminist Calendar

For phone numbers of chapter members referenced below, see

Contacts, page 7.

Like us on Facebook for up-to-date

news and information!

Facebook is a great way to keep informed

about Chapter Events and to connect with

Chapter Members and other like-minded

Feminists. Please support your Chapter by

“Liking” our FB page today!

Women’s Opportunity Center. There will be no orientation session at the Women’s Opportunity Center (WOC) in April or May but please make an appointment to discuss their services. New location is the Riverside Branch YMCA of Burlington and Camden counties, 302 Commerce Square Blvd, Burlington, NJ 08016. WOC assists women who have lost financial support due to separation, divorce, death, disability of spouse by providing educational/vocational info, community referrals, interest/aptitude testing, life skills workshops, free career clothing. Childcare available (reservations needed), please note new phone number: 609-543-6200, ext. 224, www.woc-bc.org. WOC is now on Facebook (like their page by visiting their website and following the Facebook link). See also Gloucester County’s program, People in Transition (5/20).

JUNE 19 Southern Burlington County NAACP Juneteenth Cabaret Celebration. Commemorate the 150th anniversary of the nation’s oldest celebration of freedom from slavery. Step out in your best summer whites and party at Foster’s Military Lodge Temple, 351 Charleston Rd, Willingboro, NJ 08046, 8pm–midnight. Tickets: $25, Jeanetta Warren (856-209-4450). See also: www.sbcnaacp.org.

JUNE 19–21 National NOW Conference, Hyatt Regency, New Orleans. In addition to amazing speakers and great local food, this conference will also tackle critical issues shaping the future of women’s rights as well as bylaws and organization changes to make NOW more relevant. Keynote speakers include Kimberle Crenshaw, UCLA and Columbia law professor and Heidi Hartmann, president of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research. Registration fee is $125 but there’s a sliding scale only for NOW members ($5–100). Info: Meghan Czaikosi; member@now.org, 1-202-628-8669, ext. 112 or Natalie, 1-800-833-1354.

JUNE 22

Planned Parenthood Legislative Summit in Trenton to ensure that our elected officials know that women and men are watching and want them to restore life-saving funding for family planning in the state budget. From 9–5, the day will include breakfast, lobby training, a rally and press conference, lunch, speakers, meetings with elected officials, and a cocktail party. Buses may be provided by PP of Southern NJ (856-365-3519). See enclosed flyer for more details.

JUNE 23–JUNE 25 Chapter Fundraiser: Ruby Tuesday, Dearborn Circle, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054, 856-439-0042. Have a meal between the hours of 11am–11pm, give the server your coupon (will be sent with the next issue of the newsletter) and 20% of your check (eat in or take out) will be donated to South Jersey NOW. To have dinner with other chapter members, please join us at on Tuesday, 6/23 at 7pm. RSVP to Judy Buckman so we know what size table to reserve.

JUNE 24 Planned Parenthood of Southern NJ Sangria Supper at Tortilla Press, 703 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, 6:30pm. $35 for starter, choice of five entrees, dessert and beverage. 856-365-3519, ext. 217. Engagement and Empowerment Series for Women: The Power of Support to Create Empowerment. “Actions speak louder than words” so create your personal intentions, individual plan of support, and action steps that work just for you. Women’s Leadership Council at People in Transition (see 7/14), 7–9pm.

JUNE 25 WOMEN’S WAY Women’s Issues Summit, www.womensway.org or 215-985-3322.

JUNE 26 Job Search Using Technology for In-Demand Careers. Explore popular sites, set up a search profile, upload resumes and research potential employers. Attendees must have completed a WOC-approved resume and cover letter; both must be e-mailed to your e-mail account. Women’s Opportunity Center (see top of calendar), 10:30am–1pm.

JUNE 27 Clinic Escorts Needed. Volunteers are needed Saturday mornings, and some week days, to escort women seeking abortions at the Cherry Hill Women’s Center (we no longer escort at South Jersey Women’s Center across from Wegmans). Escorts protect patients from harassment of anti-choice protestors who aren’t permitted near the door. Patients are extremely grateful for our help

so your efforts will be very much appreciated. To sign up for mandatory one-hour training, or to volunteer once a week, once a month or on an as-needed basis, please contact Roxanne Sutocky (800-877-6331, rsutocky@thewomenscenters.com).

JULY 1 NOW in the Afternoon. South Jersey NOW’s group for those unable to attend evening meetings but anyone can participate. Featured speakers from Planned Parenthood of Southern NJ will be Aurora Connor, Community Advocate and Educator (and also a chapter member) as well as PPSNJ Executive Director Lynn Brown. Maple Shade Library, 200 Styles Avenue, 1:30pm. Questions: Marion Steininger, 856-772-0689.

JULY 4 Clinic Escorts Needed (two or three escorts are needed, see 6/27).

JULY 7 Chapter Planning Meeting at Judy Buckman’s home, 7:30. If you’re a chapter member, please plan to attend (call for directions). Chapter newsletter deadline to submit stories, articles or info to our new newsletter editor Janis Hines (jkhines2525@gmail.com).

JULY 9 Caitlin Moran discusses her new book, How To Build a Girl”. Moran (whose last book was the autobiographical How to Be a Woman) has often been compared to Tina Fey, Lena Dunham, and the early Roseanne Barr. Her working-class background and politics inform this, her first novel about connection, sexuality, and coming-of-age from a feminist perspective. Free Library of Philadelphia, 1901 Vine St, free event, no ticket required, 215-567-4341, www.freelibrary.org/authorevents.

JULY 11 Clinic Escorts Needed (two or three escorts are needed, see 6/27). Tour of Paulsdale, Alice Paul’s historic childhood home in Mount Laurel, noon and 1pm. Learn about Alice’s life, work and upbringing as well as the work of the Alice Paul Institute, $5 per person. Tours can also be scheduled by appointment Monday–Friday, January to December at 856-231-1885 or info@alicepaul.org.

JULY 13–17 Alice Paul Professional Leadership Institute (APPLI): College. One-week program for teen girls to explore college programs, locations and costs through campus visits and workshops. 9am-12:45pm, $150 for five-day workshop (scholarships available), www.alicepaul.org.

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JULY 14 and JULY 28

Effecting Parenting and Positive Discipline: Moving From Chaos to Connection. Two-part workshop to develop parenting strategies to improve behavior at all stages of development. Create harmony at home and help children build self-confidence. People in Transition, 6:30–9pm. at Rowan College at Gloucester County (RCGC), 1400 Tanyard Rd, Sewell, NJ 08080, 856-468-5000, www.RCGC.edu. Workshops are free and open to those 18+ years but registration is mandatory. People in Transition assists women who have lost financial support due to separation, divorce, death or disability of a spouse by providing counseling, community referral, job search skills, vocational/ personality surveys, and life skills. See also Women’s Opportunity Center (top of calendar), Burlington and Camden County’s program.

JULY 15 Chapter Program Meeting, see front page.

JULY 18 Clinic Escorts Needed (two or three escorts are needed, see 6/27).

JULY 19 Chapter Newsletter Mailing, 10am–noon, Judy Buckman’s home (see contact box). We’ll train and feed you. Please volunteer—the work is easy but very important. This is a great activity for new or longtime members. Screening of the film “Vessel” the story of Rebecca Gomperts, a young doctor who was horrified by realities created by anti-abortion laws around the world and felt compelled to change this by providing abortions on a ship in offshore waters. Her project, “Women on Waves’ became an underground network of emboldened, informed activists who trust women and transformed a wildly improbable idea into a global movement (http://vesselthefilm.com). Donation of $10 or more; refreshments, raffles and fun. Proceeds benefit South Jersey NOW’s Women in Need (WIN) Fund which helps NJ residents access abortion care. Held at the Cherry Hill Women’s Center. This event is not open to the public so attendees must RSVP: rsutocky@thewomenscenters.com.

JULY 20–22 “Suffragists to Senators” professional development for K-12 educators from all disciplines. The seminar will be held from 9–4 each of the three days for a total of 21 hours of continuing education credits. Paulsdale, 128 Hooton Road, Mount Laurel, $50, www.alicepaul.org or 856-231-1885.

JULY 21 Understanding Your Investments, Stocks vs. bonds, mutual funds, tax-deferred investing, risk

management and estate planning. People in Transition (see 7/14), 6:30–8:30pm.

JULY 25 Clinic Escorts Needed (two or three escorts are needed, see 6/27).

JULY 29–AUGUST 26 GET the Job and KEEP the Job Workshop Series, Most benefit by attending all sessions: 1. Mistakes individuals make on applications, resumes, cover letters and thank you letters. 2. Resume Writing. 3. Role Play the Job Interview. 4. Appropriate Apparel. 5. Keeping the Job is More than Skills and Experience. People in Transition (see 7/14), 6–8pm.

AUGUST 4 How to Sell or Buy a House During Divorce, Avoid nine critical mistakes. People in Transition (see 7/14), 7–9pm.

AUGUST 8 NOW-NJ State Board Meeting hosted by Northern New Jersey NOW (Bergen County location). To car pool, contact Rita Spalding, Dea Evans or Michelle McMullen.

AUGUST 10–14 Alice Paul Professional Leadership Institute (APPLI): Careers. One-week program designed to introduce girls to a variety of careers through workplace visits, workshops and mentorship opportunities. 9am–12:45pm, $250 for five-day workshop (scholarships available), www.alicepaul.org.

AUGUST 17 Navigating Child Support. For those who want to establish paternity, file for support, enforce existing order, learn what to expect in court. Also: role of family court, probation and social services. People in Transition (see 7/14), 6:30-8pm.

AUGUST 18 Smart Women Finish Rich. Plan your financial security and put your money where your values are. People in Transition (see 7/14), 6–8pm.

AUGUST 23 Women Rock the 19th Amendment (to the Constitution; women’s right to vote). Outdoor music and craft festival on the lawn of historic Paulsdale, 128 Hooton Rd, Mount Laurel, 2–4pm, www.alicepaul.org.

SEPTEMBER 26 Paulsdale Uncorked. Celebrate the end of summer with gourmet food and specialty wine pairings on the lawn at Alice Paul’s Mount Laurel home, Paulsdale, $60 (Equality Award attendees get two tickets for $100), 5–7pm. For sponsorship and advertising opportunities, contact Jackie, 856-231-1885 or jburke@alicepaul.org.

OCTOBER 10

Paula Poundstone at the Keswick Theatre, Easton Road and Keswick Avenue, Glenside, PA, 8pm. 215-572-7650, www.KeswickTheatre.com or AXS.com.

OCTOBER 20 Chapter Fundraiser: Boscov’s Day. Purchase a 20% coupon from South Jersey NOW for $5 and use it to purchase holiday gifts, warm winter clothing, kitchen and bath items, furniture, shoes or boots, make-up, even greeting cards you’ll need in the upcoming year! Also refreshments and live music. Even if you don’t purchase anything, put your ticket stub into the jar at the store to be eligible for door prizes including large screen TVs, jewelry, and shopping sprees. Coupons make great gifts—you could pay $5 for a greeting card which will end up in the trash or you can give these coupons as a thoughtful present. Coupons will be sold at all Planning Meetings, Program Meetings and newsletter mailings or call Fran Forte or Norma Blake to make special pick-up arrangements.

OCTOBER 25 Kick-off Event for the Judith Glick Buckman Fund for the Future, Moorestown Community House, 4–7pm. Celebrate the beginning of the 501c3 (tax-deductible) organization that will help fund many chapter activities going forward (it has already funded $1170 for newsletter mailings, Program Meeting church rentals and educational materials). Enjoy good food, music and great conversation. Save the date, invitations and more information coming.

OCTOBER 30 Southern Burlington County NAACP Freedom Fund Awards Dinner. Merion Caterers, Cinnaminson. Save the date, more details coming. STROLLERS AND WAGONS NEEDED Gently used strollers and wagons are needed by refugee children and their families who often have to walk long distances. If you have any to donate, or know someone who does, please contact Priscilla Adams at 609-234-4175 or peacepc@aol.com. BRANDING ASSISTANCE IS NEEDED The Judith Glick Buckman Fund for the Future (“JGB FFF” or “the Fund”) is the new tax- deductible 501(c)3 organization that was established to help fund many chapter activities going forward. The Fund is a very exciting, much-needed effort but in order to increase its impact, the Fund Board is seeking help from someone with marketing experience specifically, someone knowledgeable about branding. If you have this type of experience, or could recommend someone who does, we’d be very grateful. Your time investment would be minimal but your assistance would be invaluable. For more information, please contact the Fund’s Board President, Barbara Irvine at 856-829-8969 or bhigni@aol.com. See also 10/25 in the calendar of events.

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Why I’m Ready—and Excited—for

Hillary

by Katha Pollitt, The Nation, 6/02/15

My women college classmates (Radcliffe ‘71) aren’t so excited about Hillary Clinton. An e-mail to our New York City potluck group elicited distinctly modified rapture. They’re bothered by her high-priced speeches and the aura of favor-trading and favor-banking around the Clinton Foundation. They don’t like her Wall Street connections, and they don’t like Bill (a k a the “ick” factor). Plus, she’s not progressive enough. “It’s all so old and tired,” wrote one; “she’s been running forever.” “I’m definitely excited about the prospect of a woman,” another chimed in. “I am weary, not excited, about her in particular, and find it sad that she’s our best hope.” I should mention that these women are demographically much like Hillary (Wellesley ‘69) herself: prosperous, white, highly educated, sixtysomething feminists and professional women. You would think these women, of all people, would be jumping for joy at the prospect of someone so like themselves winning the White House. But this is where women differ from the other American groups underrepresented in politics. Racial and ethnic minorities can be extremely loyal to their own, but women are hard on other women—and feminists are no exception. Even the idea of electing a Democratic, pro-choice woman president doesn’t necessarily get a rousing cheer. “I’m glad we have a female presidential candidate,” one 22-year-old woman told National Journal [1], “but it’s incredibly difficult to get excited about something that should have happened decades ago.” Why the world-weariness? Black people were pretty excited about Barack Obama, although electing the nation’s first nonwhite president is another thing that should have happened decades ago. You’d better believe that when the first Jew wins the White House, there will be kvelling from coast to coast, although there have been White House–qualified Jews for a century or more. It’s as if women believe that all those things that should have happened decades ago—passage of the Equal Rights Amendment, the enshrinement of abortion rights with the Roe decision, vigorous enforcement of antidiscrimination law, equal representation in government, federally funded childcare—actually took place and we can all move on. Here are three reasons why I’m excited about Hillary. First, I’m excited about beating the Republicans, and she’s the best

candidate for that job. Even Bernie Sanders recognizes that, which is why, after making stirring speeches that will push her to talk more about inequality, poverty, and campaign-finance reform, he will endorse her. Martin O’Malley may have a few high-profile progressive positions, but his claim to be more liberal than Hillary—or, rather, to have come to the same positions as Hillary sooner—is dubious. As mayor of Baltimore, he set in place the brutal and racist policing strategies that brought us the death of Freddie Gray and the arrest of one-sixth of the city’s entire population in 2005. Furthermore, as Ed Kilgore revealed in his Political Animal blog, back in 2007 O’Malley had the same “vital centrist” Democratic Leadership Council politics that he now accuses Clinton of promoting. So there. Second, Hillary will be the first woman president—and that is important. At this point in world history, it is embarrassing how backward the United States is. More than 70 women have been chosen to lead their nations, including in gender-conservative countries like Pakistan, Ireland, and the Philippines—and 22 nations have female leaders right now. What is the matter with us? Indeed, we score poorly on every measure of women in politics: not quite 20 percent in Congress (which places us 72nd internationally, between Kenya and Panama); 24 percent in state legislatures; only 17 mayors in the top 100 most populous cities; and only six governors out of 50. A woman president—not a Sarah Palin or Margaret Thatcher, but a liberal Democrat keen on promoting women in politics—would shake up the old-boy networks, energize the women’s vote, and draw more women to the party. To those who say a woman president is only symbolic, I say symbols matter—and who’s to say it will stop there? It’s hard to imagine having the #BlackLivesMatter conversation without Obama in the White House. Maybe Hillary will change the discourse in a similar way. Third, Hillary is a feminist and is running as one—as she made clear in an April speech: “It is hard to believe that in 2015, so many women still pay a price for being mothers. It is also hard to believe that so many women are also paid less than men for the same work, with even wider gaps for women of color. And if you don’t believe what I say, look to the World Economic Forum, hardly a hotbed of feminist thought. Their rankings show that the United States is 65th out of 142 nations and other territories on equal pay.” She

might not have the language of intersectionality down pat, but on a range of issues that matter to women—reproductive rights, healthcare, childcare, pay equity—she will move the ball forward. She will nominate liberal women and people of color to important posts. On the crucial issue of the Supreme Court, where Scalia and Kennedy are close to 80 and Ginsburg is 82, the next president will make choices that shape the nation in fundamental ways for the next 20 or 30 years. Who do you want making those nominations: Hillary, or the Republican who beats Bernie Sanders? Look me in the eye and tell me that you don’t care because what’s really important is Mark Penn, or those State Department e-mails, or that failed Clinton healthcare plan from 22 years ago. “Why does one have to be ‘excited’ about a person running for president?” one classmate wrote. “Can’t we just be determined?” Point taken, but excitement matters in a campaign. It means donations, volunteers, spreading the word, firing up your friends, and actually making the effort to register and get to the polls. Save the Date! Please Join Planned

Parenthood for the My Health, My Life

Legislative Summit

The Summit will take place at the State Capitol in Trenton on June 22 and will include meetings with elected officials, a rally and press conference, and training for supporters from across the state who want to build a stronger network of reproductive health supporters in their hometowns. The purpose of the Summit is to ensure that our elected officials know that women and men are watching and want them to restore funding for life-saving family planning in the state budget. More information can be found on the Planned Parenthood website: http://ppactionnj.org/summit/.

Feminist Icons in our Midst!

At the 2014 NOW-NJ State Conference, high school students Sammy Bravo and

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Taylor Turner put together a video exploring women's rights and gender inequality. They focused on three areas: pay inequity, sexual violence, and getting men involved in the fight for women's rights. They interviewed Judith Buckman, Vanessa Loh, Carol Loscalzo and Rita Spaulding for their views and expertise on these crucial topics. The students did a great job with their video and it is so encouraging to see the next generation tackling these important gender inequality issues. Check out the video at the following: http://www.viddler.com/v/aa165c54?secret=53212274. Obamacare Enrollees Anxiously Await

Supreme Court Decision That Threatens

Their Coverage By Sam Stein and Jeffrey

Young, Huffington Post, 06/07/15

Karen Hines is worried about getting two pieces of very bad news this June. The first would be her cancer returning. The second would be her health insurance becoming abruptly unaffordable. “I’ve got my six-month, regular cancer checkup in June, and so I’m saying I hope they don’t come out with any kind of decision, just in case it’s bad news, until after,” Hines said. “You always get nervous, usually a day before or day of, going for a checkup. But I think I started a little more on the worrying ahead of time.” Hines, 59, has been relying on health insurance purchased through the Affordable Care Act marketplaces to help cover the costs of those checkups. But she has the misfortune of residing in a state, Virginia, where the federal government is operating that marketplace. Because of that, she could end up losing her tax subsidy to help purchase coverage right at the time her health takes a dive for the worse. The Supreme Court will issue a ruling this month on a lawsuit engineered by conservative activists alleging that a brief phrase in the law -- “exchange established by the state” -- means subsidies can only be provided to individuals residing in states that set up their own health insurance exchanges. Should the justices side with Obamacare's critics, Hines would be one of an estimated 6.4 million people in 34 states whose subsidies will disappear. Many will be forced to drop their health insurance because of heightened cost. For someone like Hines, who has had breast cancer three times, most recently in 2009, this presents a Hobbesian choice. She considers health care coverage essential and must get screenings twice a

year to ensure her cancer doesn't come back. But she has little money to afford insurance on her own. A former public relations professional, she’s devoted her life to caring for her ailing, octogenarian mother, and currently works part-time as an educator at the aquarium near her home in Virginia Beach. Her low income, qualifies Hines for a subsidy that cuts the price she pays by about half, to $200 a month. “I could probably manage another year,” Hines said when asked if she could afford the coverage without the subsidy. She would have to draw down more of her retirement savings to pay for health care. But doesn’t have enough money to hold on to health insurance until she turns 65 and becomes eligible for Medicare, she said. “I’m doing what I can to try to prepare for the worst, but I don’t want to think about the worst,” Hines said. Hines was one of six people the Huffington Post featured in a report this March on the case surrounding Obamacare's subsidies. At the time, the Supreme Court was hearing oral arguments on the case and the prospect of those subsidies potentially disappearing was becoming less abstract for those in states with federally run exchanges. The clock is ticking even louder now. And so, we decided to catch up with those we interviewed to see how their circumstances, health and mental well-being has changed. In Pittsburgh, house painter Joe Lucas bitterly keeps up with the news about the Supreme Court case. Like Hines, he lives in a state where his subsidy could disappear. But unlike Hines, he’s sure he’d have to drop his coverage immediately if the court rules with the law's critics. He can’t pay for the health insurance without it. “I’m following it very closely, because it has a very profound effect on my life, and I’m very disgusted and tired of being a political football,” said Lucas, 53. “They look upon me as like some kind of moocher,” he said of the Affordable Care Act's opponents. Lucas had an aortic aneurysm in 2010, so he has to keep monitoring his heart condition. Even though his most recent tests came up clean in May, Lucas knows the computed tomography (CT) scan he needs as part of his checkup every two years would cost him $11,000 without insurance, instead of $50 now. He also knows his prescriptions would run to $2,600 every three months rather than $65 with insurance. Lucas, who is self-

employed, earns $25,000 to $30,000 a year, he said. Lucas might be shielded from the ramifications of a ruling against the subsidy if Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf (D) persuades the GOP-majority state legislature to go along with his proposal to set up a state-run exchange. But as Lucas takes stock of the court decision to come, he's struck by what he sees as dramatically misplaced priorities among lawmakers in Washington. Jared Blitz, a teacher in Mesa, Arizona, with an Obamacare plan, also has a heart problem and little patience for being held in limbo while the Supreme Court decides his fate. “You know, it sucks,” said Blitz. “The stress isn’t good for the heart.” Blitz turns 33 on Monday. Since birth, he has dealt with aortic valve stenosis, meaning he has a heart valve that is too narrow. He recently received good news from his cardiologist that he can delay an expensive major operation he thought he’d need this year. But he will have to undergo a less serious procedure at a later date. All this would be difficult to handle on its own. But it's compounded by the problems Blitz has had in navigating the health care law. He ended up with a plan he doesn't recall picking. He lost his subsidy of $30 a month even though his income level should qualify him for some tax credit. And he assumed that his home state would get rid of all Obamacare exchanges entirely if the court ruled against the subsidies (in fact, state Republicans have passed a bill saying that Arizona won't set up a state exchange. The federal one will remain regardless). Blitz is in the process of trying to get his subsidy back and is hopeful he can do so. Though the credit is relatively small, for someone making about $29,000 a year, every bit helps. "Even though it is only $30, it creates a small problem at least getting through the summer," he said. Were he to ultimately lose the subsidy, Blitz would figure out a way to pay for his insurance. He calls himself "fortunate" in that regard, compared to those who don't have savings to dip into or expenses to cut or friends to rely on. But Blitz's fortune -- if you want to call it that -- comes at a cost, and it underscores how the damage from a Supreme Court ruling for the plaintiffs extends beyond those who currently receive tax credits. Without the subsidies, most of the low- and moderate-income people using the health insurance exchanges will exit the

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exchanges, leaving those with the greatest health care needs -- people like Blitz with medical conditions -- as an increasing share of the market. Because people with greater medical needs generate more medical bills, that would increase expenses for insurance companies, forcing them to increase premiums. Those higher premiums, in turn, would lead more people to drop coverage. In the industry, they call this a “death spiral.” Blitz hasn't thought that far ahead. He lives his life, in many ways, appointment-to-appointment, waiting to hear word on when or if he will need a major medical procedure for the condition he was born with. The current court case is, for him, the type of high-stakes drama he wishes he could avoid. "There is a lot of information and it gets confusing," he said. "You are dependent on something, something that is new basically, and you haven't been able to get access to it in the past and it can make and break your life. That's frustrating." “Billions of dollars in corporate welfare to oil companies and whatnot, you know, and that’s not a problem for them, but I’m a person who gets $2,400 a year in subsidies to help pay for my insurance -- and I pay almost three times hat much in taxes, so it’s not like I’m taking them on the negative side,” Lucas said. 50 Years Later: The Long March From

Selma To Ferguson

By Terrence Heath, Campaign for

America;s Future, 03/06/15

On Wednesday, nearly fifty years after the “Bloody Sunday” march from Selma to Montgomery, the Department of Justice released a damning report of its investigation of the police department and municipal court system in Ferguson, Missouri. The Department of Justice (DOJ) report on Ferguson uncovers both the same racism the Selma marchers stood against, and the same economic consequences. When riots ensued in Ferguson, after the shooting death of 18-year-old Michael Brown, and again after the grand jury’s failure to indict officer Darren Wilson in Brown’s death, the unrest was sometimes attributed to “outside agitators.” The DOJ report reveals a city government, police department, and municipal court system driven by racial bias, and that preyed upon Ferguson’s African-American population. The conditions in Ferguson, detailed in the report, suggest that the riots had deep roots in the African-American community’s anger at a system so racist that many people who hadn’t lived with it could

hardly believe it could exist today. It sounded like something from another era. The city raises a significant part of its annual revenue through fines and court fees primarily levied against African-American residents. This year, the city expects to raise $13.36 million, $3.09 million of which will come from fines and fees. According to the DOJ report, the city government’s focus on raising revenues through increasing payments of fines and fees turned the police department into a collection agency, and the municipal court into “shakedown central,” where the Fourth Amendment’s due process and “equal protection” guarantees were ignored. In the Ferguson police department, evaluations and promotions depended upon “productivity.” Officers saw African-Americans as both potential offenders, and sources of revenue. Despite accounting for 67 percent of the city’s population, African-Americans accounted for:

• 85 percent of traffic stops,

• 90 percent of citations,

• 93 percent of arrests,

• 88 percent of cases where police used force,

• 95 percent of all “manner of walking in roadway” charges (aka, “Walking While Black”), and

• 100 percent of the police canine attacks reviewed by the DOJ.

In 2013, Ferguson’s municipal courts issued 9,000 arrest warrants for minor infractions, for which jail time is usually considered too harsh. The courts issued arrest warrants for people who failed to pay fines on time, as well as for failing to appear in court. Courts tacked on extra fines and fees missed payments and appearances, creating a vicious cycle in which minor infractions resulted in massive debts, jail time for inability to pay, and loss of employment and/or housing. The DOJ uncovered racist emails between city officials. One suggested that Barack Obama wouldn’t last long in office because, “What black man holds a steady job for four years?” Another joked about an African-American woman who received a $5,000 check from “Crimestoppers” for terminating her pregnancy. City officials knew Ferguson’s system was harming African-Americans. In another email, one official noted the lack of a community service option, which would “keep those people who simply don’t have the money to pay their fines from constantly being arrested and going

to jail, only to be released and do it all over again.” Other emails revealed a double standard, as officials claimed that African-Americans who couldn’t pay their fines lacked “personal responsibility,” even as they wrote-off tickets for themselves, their relatives, and their friends. To read the DOJ report is to step back in time fifty years, to the era when government policies helped turn Ferguson into a city once ranked as the 9th most segregated in the country; a city where one-fourth of the population, and 28 percent of the African-American population, lives in poverty; a city that relies on fines and court fees paid by struggling African-Americans for one-fifth of its revenues. It’s not just Ferguson. In November, Richard Rothstein of the Economic Policy Institute explained how, “explicit intent of federal state, and local governments to create racially segregated metropolises.” As protesters chanted in the streets of Ferguson last fall, “The whole damn system is guilty as hell. The conditions detailed in the DOJ report on Ferguson exist in cities across the country. Last month, three groups filed joint lawsuits against Ferguson and nearby Jennings, charging the cities with creating modern-day debtor prisons filled mostly with African-Americans. Last year, the DOJ investigated similar abuses in the Newark, New Jersey, police department. An NPR investigative series revealed that all 50 states tack on extra fines and fees, and that poor people who struggle to pay fees inflated by those penalties are sent to jail. During the weekend of March 7th, Americans celebrated the progress made on civil rights, in the 50 years since the march from Selma to Montgomery. The DOJ report on Ferguson, and similar abuses occurring in many other cities, is a sober reminder that the long march towards equality and “justice for all” is far from over.

Recycle Cartridges And Earn Funds For

South Jersey NOW—Alice Paul Chapter

Looking for a way to recycle your old toner and printer ink cartridges AND raise much-needed funds for South Jersey NOW? Drop them off at a Planning Meeting, Program Meeting or newsletter mailing. Or call us for a pickup (856-552-6731). Staples will give us $2 for each one we recycle, up to 20 per month--that’s $40 per month for something that would otherwise be trash!

- 7 – Equal Write

MEMBERSHIP FORM (New Members Only) I wish to join NOW and commit myself to take action to bring women into full participation in the mainstream of American society now, exercising all rights and responsibilities in truly equal partnership with men.

NAME___________________________________________________

ADDRESS ______________________________________________

TOWN/CITY/STATE ________________________ ZIP ___________

PHONE___________________ EVE. PHONE___________________

EMAIL___________________________________________________

EMPLOYMENT___________________________________________

HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT US? __________________________

__ $35 Regular membership dues (includes national, state & chapter dues/newsletters)

__ $75 Women's Rights Hero (regular dues, plus contribution) __ $20 Newsletter subscription ONLY (as a "friend of the chapter") __ $5 Newsletter subscription ONLY via email __ $ ______Contribution only, or in addition to any of the above. If you are/may be a National NOW member, please check here ____ Make checks payable to: South Jersey NOW-NJ 0385. Send form and

check to: South Jersey NOW, PO Box 2801, Cherry Hill, NJ, 08034 All membership dues include national, state, and chapter newsletters. To join the chapter or state, you must become a national member. NOW's policy is that no person shall be denied membership because of inability to pay. Special memberships are available on a sliding scale from $20 to $35 (based upon ability to pay). Installment payments also available. If you are committed to NOW, but are unable to pay the membership dues, we urge you to speak to our Membership Vice President to make some other arrangement.

NOW-NJ State Office, PO Box 10299, Trenton, NJ 08650 .......................... 609-393-0156

NJ State Legislative Services (Legislators/Bills) .......................................... 800-792-8630

SOUTH JERSEY NOW CONTACTS MAR. 2015 - FEB. 2016 CHAPTER PHONE (Voice Mail) ................................................................ 856-778-8320 CHAPTER E-MAIL ........................................................... outreach@southjerseynow.org CHAPTER WEBSITE ................................................................www.southjerseynow.org CHAPTER MAILING ADDRESS ....................... South Jersey NOW–Alice Paul Chapter P.O. Box 2801, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 PRESIDENT: Judy Glick Buckman ................... 856-234-8649 V.PRESIDENT/ADMINISTRATION: Roxanne Sutocky ........................ 856-287-2698

V.PRESIDENT/FUNDRAISING: Norma Blake ............................... 856-235-1698 Fran Forte Gomolson .................. 856-547-9413 V.PRESIDENT/MEMBERSHIP: Natalie Sykes .............................. 856-914-0671 TREASURER: Shirley Gregory .......................... 609-871-9380 RECORDING SECRETARY: Roxanne Sutocky ........................ 856-287-2698 DATA PROCESSING MANAGER: Lorraine Petrie ............................ 609-471-5763 WEBSITE COORDINATOR: Ann Stockton .............................. 609-234-1146 NOW in the AFTERNOON: Marion Steininger ....................... 856-772-0689 NEWSLETTER EDITOR: Janis Hines .................................. 609-923-6805 PROOFREADER Suzan Preiksat............................. 856-468-9344 PUBLICITY: Anita Sopenoff ............................ 856-768-0080 PROGRAM SPEAKER COORDINATORS: Marilyn Quinn ............................ 609-439-6541

Marge Morris .............................. 856-848-4949 Judy Glick Buckman ................... 856-234-8649 PROGRAM MEETING SET-UP: Jane Paone .................................. 856-667-0692 PROGRAM REFRESHMENTS COOR: Marilyn Quinn ............................ 609-439-6541 FACEBOOK: Jessica Van Liere .......................... via Facebook NOW-NJ BOARD DELEGATES: Dea Evans ................................... 856-667-0692 Rita Spaulding ........................... 609-410-8254 Anita Sopenoff ............................ 856-768-0080 NOW-NJ PAC REP: Barbara Nehmad ......................... 609-271-0977 Francine Cartwright ................... 856-727-5112 ALICE’S LIST CHAIR: Francine Cartwright .................... 856-727-5112 WOMEN IN NEED FUND: Roxanne Sutocky ........................ 856-287-2698 CLINIC ESCORT COORDINATOR: Roxanne Sutocky ........................ 856-287-2698

CHAPTER PHONE/DIVORCE INFORMATION KIT: Linda Delany .............................. 856-779-2890

FEMINIST ESSAY CONTEST: Jenifer Groves ............................. 856-834-0100

News BitesNews BitesNews BitesNews Bites & Good Reads& Good Reads& Good Reads& Good Reads

� California Assembly Passes Bill Banning Crisis Pregnancy

Centers From Misleading Patients, By Samantha Lachman, Huffington Post, 06/26/2015

� Majority Leader McConnell Calls For Extraordinary Blockade

Of Obama’s Judges And Justices, By Ian Millhiser, Think Progess, 06/05/2015 � Ireland Votes to Approve Gay Marriage, By Danny Hakim and Douglas Dalbymay, The New York Times, 05/23/15

� Beau Biden Dies of Brain Cancer, By Caroline Bankoff, New York Magazine, 05/31/2015

� Medical Experts Are Challenging an Arizona Law that Forces

Doctors to Lie to Women, Feminist Newswire, 06/05/2015

� Most of the Suspects Accused of Attacking Malala Yousafzai

Were Secretly Acquitted, by Gabrielle Canon, Mother Jones, 06 06/05/2015

Living in the Crosshairs: The Untold Stories of Anti-Abortion

Terrorism by David S. Cohen and Krysten Connon. Living in the Crosshairs is a rich and humane portrait of women's health professionals who persist in their work despite harassment because they believe in what they are doing. These providers' voices have not been heard in recent debates, leaving the public with a deficient understanding of exactly how abortion is limited in this country, yet their experiences illuminate the truth of the issue and offer us a path to a better policy.

How to Be a Woman by Caitlin Moran. Caitlin Moran interweaves provocative observations on women's lives with laugh-out-loud funny scenes from her own, from the riot of adolescence to her development as a writer, wife, and mother. With rapier wit, Moran slices right to the truth—whether it's about the workplace, strip clubs, love, fat, abortion, popular entertainment, or children—to jump-start a new conversation about feminism. With humor, insight, and verve, How To Be a Woman lays bare the reasons why female rights and empowerment are essential issues not only for women today but also for society itself. Please send your bites & reading recommendations to jkhines2525@gmail.com

THE EQUAL WRITE Editor .................... Janis Hines Proofreader .... Suzan Preiksat Calendar/News ....... Judy Buckman Labels ............. Lorraine Petrie

The Equal Write is published monthly. All input is welcome and subject to editing. Email articles, ads, and tributes to jkhines2525@gmail.com. Call Judy Buckman to submit items to the calendar.

Newsletter Mailing Staff in April Judy Buckman, Dea Evans, Loretta Lynch, Tina Lyons. Kathy Pritz, and Dianne Wahner.

Advertising Rates Business Card: $15/1 mo., $40/3 mos., $75/6 mos.

Back Page: 3”x8”, $35/1 mo., $90/3 mos., $150/6 mos.

Newsletter Flyer Inserts: If you supply the copies: $20/1 mo., $35/2 mos.,

$45/3 mos. If Chapter makes the copies: $50/1 mo., $90/2 mos., $120/3 mos.

The number of newsletters sent out varies each month. To determine the exact

number needed (if you are making the copies), contact our Data Processing

Manager, Lorraine Petrie.

Personal Business: (Buy/Sell/Rent): $15/mo.

Personal Greeting: (5 lines max, inner pg): $10/mo.

Ads should be sent electronically to jkhines2525@gmail.com and

judithbuckman@hillintl.com by the first Tuesday of each month.

Checks (payable to South Jersey NOW) should be sent to Ad

Coordinator, South Jersey NOW, P.O. Box 2801, Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

South Jersey NOW–Alice Paul Chapter PO Box 2801 Cherry Hill, NJ 08034 ADDRESS SERVICE REQUESTED

NONPROFIT ORG US POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #731

CHERRY HILL, NJ

South Jersey NOW – Alice Paul Chapter

1971-2015

Over Forty Years Strong

If you renewed your NOW membership this month,

thanks! Your voice counts.

Ruby Tuesday Restaurant Voucher

For South Jersey NOW–Alice Paul Chapter June 23rd - June 25th 2015

Dearborn Circle, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054, Tel: 856-439-0042

Please present this voucher to your server when dining at Ruby Tuesday on June 23rd – June 25th between 11am and 11 pm, eat in or take out, to support South Jersey NOW–Alice Paul Chapter. The Chapter will receive 20% of sales from members on any of those days.

 

   

Ruby Tuesday Restaurant Voucher For South Jersey NOW–Alice Paul Chapter

June 23rd, 2015

Dearborn Circle, Mount Laurel, NJ 08054, Tel: 856-439-0042

Please present this voucher to your server when dining at Ruby Tuesday on June 23rd between 11am and 11 pm to support South Jersey NOW–Alice Paul Chapter. The Chapter will receive 20% of sales from members that day.