Please do the following actions:

1. VAWA (National) - support reauthorizing the current version of the Violence against Women Act, Sen. Burr should cosponsor - www.now.org/actions

2. Birth Control Coverage (National) - can't believe birth control coverage is being attacked - write your reps at www.now.org/actions

3. Anti-Marriage Amendment (NC) - Affects all unmarried couples, also with regard to benefits, hospital visiting options and Domestic Violence issues.

http://www.indyweek.com/citizen/archives/2011/09/08/about-that-anti-gay-marriage-amendment-watch-out-for-collateral-damage

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2012/02/18/3024721/marriage-proposals-broader-effects.html

Vote AGAINST Amendment One on May 8th.

Join us for the Historic Thousands on Jones Street (HK on J) March, on Saturday, 2/11/12. Meet at 10am, march begins at 10:30.

I hope that thousands come out to the HK on J march. I hope that it will be a large and diverse crowd as it was last year - but always bigger!

March against Amendment One, the proposed constitutional anti-marriage amendment that will hurt all unmarried couples (young or old) and all couples who aren't allowed to get married.

http://www.hkonj.com/

We need to focus on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). There is a nice article on why VAWA needs to be reauthorized at http://www.huffingtonpost.com/chris-coons/violence-against-women-ac_b_1249516.html

NC's Senator Hagan signed on as a cosponsor, so please call or email to thank her if you can. If you haven't written your senators, please use the now action at www.now.org/actions - Violence Against Women Act Needs Your Immediate Attention!

I had heard from a DC NOW member on 2/2/12: In the Senate Judiciary Committee meeting last week, the group voted down the many-paged Grassley proposal, but accepted several small but hurtful amendments....

We want VAWA to be reauthorized to do the most good possible for women in bad situations. Please take action!

Meanwhile, SGK pulled something else last fall that missed our attention.

An NC NOW member wrote "It has gotten lost in the shuffle, but in addition to defunding Planned Parenthood, Komen has also quietly politicized it cancer research funding. It no longer gives grants to individuals or teams who are associated with a university or other institution where someone else is conducting embryonic stem cell research. That means that their cancer research funding is driven by a political agenda, not science."

See http://jezebel.com/5881996/komen-halted-funding-for-12-million-in-stem-cell-research-like-we-wouldn't-notice

Did Susan G. Komen invent the rule to justify cutting of funding to Planned Parenthood? That is a question in the article at http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/feb/02/susan-g-komen-planned-parenthood-rule?newsfeed=true

NOW President Terry O'Neill is quoted in this article. Also, the article states that Komen's top health official, Mollie Williams, resigned in protest immediately following the decision.

You have probably heard by now that Susan G. Komen for the Cure cut all of its funding to Planned Parenthood for breast health screenings. I got notice from Planned Parenthood, MoveOn, Credo, and lots of women's newsgroups (including NOW lists, of course). This change makes breast cancer screenings inaccessible to many women - as you may know, Planned Parenthood tends to serve young women, minorities and women with lower incomes. The good news is, people are paying attention AND WE ARE MAD!! As we should be.

Anyway, please read what is going on. I have included links to many articles on this. You can find petitions against this move at moveon.org (http://pol.moveon.org/komen/?rc=homepage.sidebar, Tell Susan G. Komen to Reestablish Funding for Planned Parenthood) and a defiant petition at Planned Parenthood (https://secure.ppaction.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=OnScreenThanks&id=14091) as well as petitions other places.

Check out what your women's health movement allies have to say about Komen & Nancy Brinker - http://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=146265423&m=146265396

Our SE Regional NOW Director was quoted in the Tampa Bay Times - http://www.tampabay.com/news/health/komen-planned-parenthood-controversy-divides-tampa-bay-supporters/1213485
And Moveon.org quoted the following sources yesterday:

1. "Amid abortion debate, Komen cancer charity halting grants to Planned Parenthood," The Washington Post, January 31, 2012
http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/ap-exclusive-amid-abortion-debate-komen-cancer-charity-halting-grants-to-planned-parenthood/2012/01/31/gIQA5LbffQ_print.html

2. "Protect Women's Health, Protect Planned Parenthood," Planned Parenthood Federation of America, April 12, 2011
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/files/PPFA/fact_Pence_Fact_Sheet_and_TPs-4-12-11.pdf

3."Komen breast cancer charity severs ties with Planned Parenthood," The Los Angeles Times, February 1, 2012
http://www.latimes.com/health/la-he-planned-parenthood-komen-20120201,0,4104682.story

4. "Planned Parenthood Investigation Is An Abuse Of Government Resources, Democrats Charge," Huffington Post, November 27, 2011
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/09/27/planned-parenthood-investigation-government-resources_n_984002.html

5. "Komen Cuts Planned Parenthood Grants Months After Arrival Of New VP, Who Is Abortion Foe," Huffington Post, January 31, 2012
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/31/komen-planned-parenthood-cuts-karen-handel_n_1245568.html

This is outrageous! Not renewing a grant based on a political 'inquiry'. Sign one of the petitions to share your outrage.

I feel betrayed by an organization that should be apolitical!