Michigan District Court Judge Joel Gehrke suspended all fines and a maximum 90-day jail sentence against Stewart Marshall, convicted of misdemeanor wife abuse. Then, with a figurative slap in the face to all women, he literally slapped Marshall's wrist with three fingers, saying "Don't do that." Gehrke added insult to his injury to women by saying, "Sometimes women lie. Sometimes women manipulate." This is a state judge who should not be sitting on the bench. Governor John Engler (517-373-3400; fax 517-335-6863) appointed him, and should be urged to remove him.

Even though the Episcopal Church of the United States voted to accept women's ordination 20 years ago, die-hards in Washington staged a boycott of Suffragan Bishop Jane Holmes Dixon. St. Luke's Episcopal Church (301-927-6466) took away altar decorations, flowers, and candles, and falsely alerted parishioners that there was no service when Dixon conducted Mass. Support Dixon by calling or faxing the Diocese (202-537-6550; fax 202-364-6605). She is scheduled for more churches throughout the year.

Hilary harassment continued this week when the first lady was subpoened by special prosecutor Kenneth Starr to rehash Whitewater yet again. The Back to Business Committee was formed in 1994 by a group of women who were tired of personal attacks on a strong woman who happens to be married to the President. If you are sick of seeing and hearing Hillary bashing in your local media, this group can help you do something about it. Contact Stacy Beck at 202-955-1297 for resources and background information on any matter regarding the First Lady that is currently in the press.

Women breathed a sigh of relief this week when President Clinton vetoed the punitive Republican Welfare bill. Thanks to all of you who called, faxed, wrote and e-mailed urging the President to take this action. Now we must thank the President; if we don't thank our friends, we can't blame them when they listen to our enemies. This fight is not over; the President needs our encouragement to insist on keeping Aid to Families with Dependent Children a guaranteed safety net -- so mention this in your message. Say "thanks and hang tough" to President Bill at 202-456-1414; fax 202-456-2461, E-MAIL [email protected] More women than you think are just one paycheck or one man away from needing this kind of help. Remember that an attack on poor women is an attack on all women.

The long knives are growing longer in the election-year attacks on Hillary Clinton. Weak men just don't seem to tolerate strong women. If the first lady's book tour comes to your town, monitor your local media. When coverage is aimed at shooting her down for accomplishments such as "being a Yale-educated lawyer" as WFF heard on one TV program, call their hand by calling the station to protest. On the other side of the aisle, folks are talking about the new book by Republican activist Tanya Melich, The Republican War Against Women . Melich's tell-all reportedly documents a misogynist strategy to exploit the backlash against feminism by running candidates against abortion rights, affirmative action, family planning programs, mothers on welfare, and Murphy Brown.

It seems that the joke is on women when it comes to comic strips. Psychologist Camille DeBell at Texas Tech University (806-742-2327) analyzed six months worth of strips from 1983 and 1993. Men outnumbered women in work settings 4-1 in '83, 3-1 in '93. Women are still overwhelmingly nurses, secretaries and teachers, and repeatedly shown out of control. This week Mother Goose and Grimm was a single frame entitled Alice in Wonderbra, showing the cartoon character admiring her large breasts suspended by a single strap. 100 million readers see the comics every week; protest this sexist stereotype to your local paper, and to Tribune Syndicate who distributes the strip at 800-245-6536. Cartoonist Mike Peters can be reached by fax at 312-222-3459 or on the world wide web at www.grimmy.com

The University of Oklahoma has created the Anita Faye Hill Professorship of Law for the study of harassment and other women's issues. Money ($250,000) was raised by women in Minnesota. Some neanderthals led by a character named E.Z. Million have vowed to close the law school if the chair stands, and they have the support of some state legislators. Letters and taxes are needed to University of Oklahoma President David Boren (405) 325-3916; fax 405-325-7605) expressing support for Hill and for keeping her endowment. You can also E-mail President Boren at E-MAIL * [email protected]

The National Library of Medicine has long used a high-tech three-dimensional image, the Visible Man, for health sciences study and to aid researchers. Now in one small step for scientific equality, the Visible Woman will be available soon. The following comes straight from news reports: ". . . the Visible Woman's images are three times better. The woman's body is that of a 59-year-old Maryland housewife who donated her body to science. She died of heart disease. The man was a 38-year-old convicted killer who also donated his body." See what girls are made of by checking her out on the World Wide Web at http://www.nlm.nih.gov.

Feminist columnist Barbara Reynolds has been USA Today's premier voice for progressive causes for the last ten years (one of the few left on the national scene). Last month the paper cut the size of her weekly column, permanently moved it to the bottom of the page, and filled her usual space with cartoons. We know newspapers are getting more conservative, but this one smells of sexism and racism. We need every feminist voice we can get - - call, fax, and e-mail USA Today's editor Karen Jurgensen to demand that Reynolds' column be restored to its full length and given priority over editorial cartoons. Voice: 703-276-3400; fax: 703-276-5513; E-MAIL * [email protected] Include your day and night phone number so letters can be verified.

The White House has been DELUGED with calls from anti-choice conservatives urging President Clinton to sign HR 1833/S 939, the so-called "partial birth" abortion ban. Make no mistake - - this bill is a direct assault on Roe v. Wade. It takes choice away from women and subjects doctors to jail time. The procedure in question is used in late term pregnancies where there are either dangerous medical complications for the woman or severe fetal abnormalities force women to end a pregnancy. The bills' supporters have used medical misinformation and inflammatory rhetoric. President Clinton has vowed to veto this bill because it makes no exceptions for health of the mother, and because this is a private choice. But the President needs our support in light of the well-orchestrated anti-choice call-in that has jammed White House phone lines. Call or fax the comment line (202-456-1111; fax 202-456-2461) to express support for a veto. Keep trying if busy - - someone you love may need a choice. You can E-Mail a letter to the President addressing this issue.

ABORTION UNDER FIRE

MANY anti-abortion measures are coming out of many committees in the Senate and the House. Hill Staff (both Democrat and Republican) say they are not hearing from the pro-choice majority. By far the calls and letters coming in are from anti-choice people in each congressional district. If abortion is going to remain legal, we MUST mobilize. At least three anti-choice amendments to the FY '96 Labor/HHS funding bill are expected: allowing states the option of refusing Medicaid funds for rape/incest abortions; banning federal embryo research; and language undermining training requirements calling for residency programs in ob/gyn to provide medical training in abortion. The Canady/Smith bill (HR 1833/S. 939) passed in the House criminalizes certain late term abortions with no exceptions, even if the woman's life is endangered. Call your Senator today (202-224-3121) and urge voting AGAINST these restrictions, as well as miscellaneous provisions in Defense and Treasury funding bills restricting insurance coverage for federal employees and military personnel.

The Blue Mountain Clinic was fire-bombed by an anti-abortion radical on March 29, 1993. The clinic is now raising funds for a safe, secure new facility.

Because of rabids, security alone will cost $175,000. This is the only clinic providing abortion within 150 miles, and it serves clients from Idaho and Canada as well as Montana. The capital campaign to rebuild the clinic is a long way from reaching its goal. The non-profit clinic (now operating in borrowed space with a scaled down staff) serves as a training site for Montana nursing students, and provides pre-natal services, HIV testing, and public education. Blue Mountain needs your help. If every woman who has had an abortion this year (or knows someone who needed a choice) gave $2, the clinic could be rebuilt instantly. Send contributions to 610 North California, Missoula, Mt. 59802, or contact development director Vivian M. Brooke at 406-728-3438.

Budget cuts on the Hill are taking place so fast it's hard to keep up; the most recent slash is in Medicare and Medicaid. If Medicaid is dismantled, it will disproportionately affect women; 75% of nursing home residents are female, and the program now pays almost half the costs. If nursing home care is cut, the caregiving burden will overwhelmingly fall on the women in families of the patients. The last minute deal also limits medical liability, so women suffering from future ill effects of products like the Dalkon Shield and silicone breast implants won't be able to recover punitive damages. It's not too late to speak out. Call your member of Congress (202) 225-3121 or 800-972-3524) about the Medicare/Medicaid vote, or to protest punitive budget cuts that hurt women in education, child care, violence prevention, and job training.

Women are the majority (63%) of minimum wage workers. If the minimum wage were increased to $5.15 it would bring families of two out of poverty, and allow many women and their children to get off welfare. Those with E-Mail can send messages to the Secretary of Labor at [email protected] Women are still making only 72 cents to a man's dollar overall, and all wages are pulled down by a low minimum.

1996 candidates hostile to abortion rights are already all over the airwaves. If more women were in Congress (we're now 10%), we'd have fewer problems with anti-woman legislation. FIFTY PLUS ONE, a non-partisan, non-profit group training pro-choice women in campaign skills to run successfully for local, state, and national office, has teamed up with the American Nurses Association and Business and Professional Women/USA to offer beginner level campaign trainings this fall. To learn how you can run and win call Becky Dinwoodie at (301) 587-8061.

...began their term this fall by dismissing the Shannon Faulkner case (to break the all-male admissions policy at the tax-supported Citadel) as moot, since Faulkner dropped out due to physical problems. Elsewhere -- in the twentieth century -- the nation's oldest private military college at Norwich University in Vermont has been admitting women since 1974. The school recently unveiled a recruiting poster with a picture of two female cadets and the slogan, "What's this about a few good men?" Fax the school a salute at 802-485-2340.

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