Skip to comments.

Posted on 09/22/2001 5:34:28 PM PDT by hchutch

Equal Time: Women Leaders Critical of U.S. Response 123
U.S. Newswire
21 Sep 15:32
Equal Time: Women Leaders Critical of U.S. Response to Terror Attacks
To: Assignment Desk, Daybook Editor
Contact: Carlean Ponder, 202-543-8505
Stephen Kent, 845-424-8382 or 914-589-5988 (cell)

News Advisory:

WHAT:
Women legislators, candidates and activists caucus in Washington Sept. 22-25, at the 2001 WiLL/WAND (Women's Legislative Lobby/Women's Actions for New Directions) national conference, "Children Ask the World of Us: Women Building a Secure Future," to demand effective defense policies in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.

WHO:
Major women political candidates, members of Congress, state and local officials, defense experts and constituents from across the U.S., including family members of victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks TBA. Conferees will be variously available on-site, in-studio or via telephone or in-person side interviews Sept. 22-25. Use contact numbers above to request interviews or RSVP for conference events. Highlights include:

-- JANET RENO, former US attorney general (making statement 9/22 at 6:30 p.m.)
-- CONGRESSWOMAN LYNN RIVERS (D-MI) (speaks on panel, 9/24 at 2:15 p.m.)
-- CONGRESSWOMAN JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D-IL) (keynote address, 9/24 at noon)
-- CONGRESSWOMAN JULIA CARSON (D-IN) (statement, 9/24 at 6 p.m.)
-- CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS (D-GA) (statement, 9/24 at 6 p.m.)
-- PHYLLIS RODRIGUEZ, whose son died in the WTC attack. She urges restraint in U.S. response and says "not in my son's name" to a war of retaliation (select interviews from NY)
-- JACKIE CABASSO, director, Western States Legal Foundation, expert on U.S. weapons labs, US treaty obligations and nuclear weapons programs (speaks on panel, 9/24 at 2:15 p.m.)
-- LISBETH GRONLUND, Union of Concerend Scientists, MIT professor and expert on the failings and frauds of the missile defense program (speaks on panel, 9/24 at 2:15 p.m.)
-- SUSAN SHAER, executive director Women's Actions for New Directions

WHEN / WHERE:
The "Children Demand the World of Us: Women Building a Secure Future" conference is held at the Capitol Hill Holiday Inn, 415 New Jersey Avenue, in Washington D.C., Sept. 22-25. Janet Reno will speak Saturday evening, Sept. 22, 6:30 p.m. at a separate location near American University (call for details).

Congresswoman Schakowsky gives a keynote address Sept. 24, 12 p.m. at the Capitol Holiday Inn's Federal North room.

Jackie Cabasso, Lisbeth Gronlund, and Congresswoman Rivers speak on a panel entitled "Armed and Dangerous and Still Not Safe," Sept. 24, 2:15 p.m. at the Capitol Holiday Inn's Federal south room.

Representatives Julia Carson and John Lewis will be honored at a 6 p.m. dinner, Sept. 24, along with members of the Service Employee International Union (SEIU -- firefighters, EMT workers, custodial workers, etc.) caught in the WTC attack. The dinner is held at the National Museum of Women and the Arts, 1250 New York Avenue, NW.

To request interviews, RSVP for any of these specific events, or for a full schedule of conference events call the contact numbers above.

WHY:
Conferees urge against waging indiscriminate wars of revenge in Afghanistan and challenge the Congress and President to use the full forces of the federal government to meet today's true security needs. Priority number one for the nation, according to the women, is effective security measures such as terrorist detection and fully funding programs such as the Nunn-Lugar Cooperative Threat Reduction Programs, designed to keep nuclear weapons and materials from falling into terrorist hands. Activists and legislators are alarmed that total funding for every facet of the nation's anti-terrorist efforts from law enforcement to stockpiles of vaccinations received only $8.4 billion in 2000, while Congress is poised to spend $8.3 billion this year on a narrow, unproven missile defense program. WiLL/WAND is the only national peace organization linking women legislators, local activists and women in Congress in order to address issues of militarism, violence and human needs.

For more information, log onto: www.wand.org

KEYWORDS:
ADVISORY, WOMEN, GOVERNMENT, DISASTERS, TERRORISM, POLICY

-0-
/U.S. Newswire 202-347-2770/
09/21 15:32

Copyright 2001, U.S. Newswire

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.