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Seacoast NOW Action Alert Archive
September 18, 2003

Action still needed on NH Women's Commission nominations

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September 18. 2003

ACTION ALERT

There is still time to have your voice heard, and to ask the Executive Council to vote NO on Governor Benson’s nomination of extremists to the New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women.

WRITE A LETTER, SEND AN E-MAIL, MAKE A PHONE CALL!

Next Executive Council meeting:
Wednesday, 10/08/03
10:30 AM
New Hampshire State House

The nomination of Karen Testerman to the New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women was postponed at yesterday’s meeting of the Executive Committee. As noted in the last Seacoast NOW alert, Karen Testerman is an anti-choice activist, who worked for Family Research Council's Gary Bauer's presidential campaign, and is executive director of the Cornerstone Policy Research center. She has a clear anti-choice, anti-gay agenda.

Another concern on this same topic: Governor Benson has also nominated Shannon McGinley to the New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women. Shannon McGinley is an activist in NH Right to Life (Education Director and “sidewalk counselor”) and a former field director for the American Life League.

If you want to do some good for the future of the women of New Hampshire, you should inform members of the Executive Council that the appointment of Karen Testerman, Shannon McGinley and anyone else whose agenda contradicts the mission and fine work of the New Hampshire Women’s Commission, is UNACCEPTABLE.

It is not known at this time when these votes will take place, but they may possibly be on the agenda for the Executive Council meeting on Wednesday, 10/08/03.

PLEASE CONTACT THE EXECUTIVE COUNCIL IMMEDIATELY.
(Contact information printed below.)

Here is some additional information: (Or just do a web search for these women’s names and see what you find.)

State of New Hampshire Commission on the Status of Women
www.state.nh.us/csw
Mission Statement: The Commission on the Status of Women serves as a strong voice for women in the state by monitoring legislation, overcoming discrimination against women, promoting opportunities for women to develop their skills and continue their education, and recognizing women for their accomplishments.

American Life League (ALL)
www.all.org

ALL posts the following information about their organization:

"The mission of American Life League is to serve God by helping to build a society that respects and protects innocent human life from fertilization to natural death - without compromise, without exception, without apology."

"ALL will not support exceptions for rape, incest, life of the mother, fetal deformity or other such language of discrimination."

"The practice of contraception is intrinsically evil and lays the groundwork for other evils such as the act of abortion."

NH Right to Life:
www.nhrtl.org

Cornerstone Policy Research Center:
www.nhcornerstone.org
(This web site has been down for at least the last few days.)

Family Research Council:
www.frc.org

Concord Monitor Article:
Nominee for women's board disputed
Some leery of Testerman's political views
By Jennifer Skalka

EXECUTIVE COUNCIL CONTACT INFORMATION:

Ray Burton
338 River Road
Bath, New Hampshire 03740
Home: 603/747-3662
Business: 603/787-6941
Car: 603/481-0863
E-Mail: rburton@gov.state.nh.us

Peter Spaulding
386 Gage Hill Road
Hopkinton, New Hampshire 03229
Home: 603/746-2670
Business: 603/227-8251
Fax: 603/226-4364
E-Mail: pspaulding@gov.state.nh.us

Ruth Griffin
479 Richards Avenue
Portsmouth, New Hampshire 03801
603/436-5272
E-Mail: rgriffin@gov.state.nh.us

Raymond J. Wieczorek
1060 Ray Street
Manchester, NH 03104-1620
Home: 603-624-1655
Office: 603-271-3632
E-Mail: rwieczorek@gov.state.nh.us

David K. Wheeler
523 Mason Road
Milford, New Hampshire 03055
Home: 603/672-6062
E-Mail: dwheeler@gov.state.nh.us

For more information, email Seacoast NOW at info@seacoastnow.org.

Last Updated September 17, 2003