[2602] in peace2
funds sought to keep rape crisis centers open
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Aimee L Smith)
Fri Jun 27 16:53:56 2003
Message-Id: <200306272053.QAA13852@m12-182-21.mit.edu>
To: peace-announce@MIT.EDU, greens-announce@MIT.EDU, nowar-announce@MIT.EDU,
peace-women@MIT.EDU
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Date: Fri, 27 Jun 2003 16:53:32 -0400
From: Aimee L Smith <alsmith@MIT.EDU>
We missed the press conference, but anything you can do to help
keep the rape crisis centers up and running would be great.
At the very least, note what our democrat controlled legislature
has done... meanwhile, the money for Raytheon, Draper, Phizer,
etc. keeps pouring in, whether from the federal budget or from
State of Mass corporate tax breaks - we need funds for human welfare,
not defense industry welfare. (As I know you all already know...)
I know all of these assaults on people, families, the poor, the
Iraqi people, etc. can seem quite dispiriting. On the other hand,
look at the recent victories for affirmative action and the rejection
of bigoted sodomy laws. When enough of the people recognize that
we need affirmative action and affirmative action is just, it
affects the courts. When enough people recognize that we all have
a right to express our love for one another as we choose, so long as it
is consensual, the courts eventually back that. Let these victories,
partial as they may be, that represent the fruits of thousands and
thousands and thousands of people working for decades to make change
remind us that it is worth it for us all to keep struggling to press
for the kind of world we know is just, even when the odds look stiff.
In hope,
Aimee
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Sarah Dawgert" <sdawgert@barcc.org>
>Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2003 1:13 PM
>Subject: Thursday's event to save MA rape crisis centers
>
>
>Hi everyone-
>
>Thank you all for your continued support of the work of rape crisis centers
>and for survivors in our communities.
>
>The state's Fiscal Year 2004 Budget eliminates 75% of public funding for
>rape crisis centers and sexual assault services in Massachusetts. The
>Conference Committee budget cuts these funds from approximately $2.5 million
>to $800,000. Our goal is to raise private funding to fill this gap while
>vigorously pursuing public funding. Legislative efforts and supplemental
>budgets can take several months....and survivors cannot afford to have these
>services shut in the meantime. The SAVE MASSACHUSETTS RAPE CRISIS CENTERS
>Campaign aims to raise $150,000 within the next few weeks and an additional
>$650,000 by December 30, 2003.
>
>Attached is a flyer about a press conference on Thursday (tomorrow) The
>flyer contains information about location and purpose. Please feel free to
>distibute it widely. We need your help to ensure that no hotline goes
>unanswered, no support group gets cancelled and no survivor is left alone
>without the advice, support and assistance they need to heal from sexual
>assault.
>
>Thank you and I hope to see you tomorrow! Sarah
>
> <<2003.06.26 flyer.doc>>
>Sarah Dawgert, LCSW
>Public Education and Volunteer Coordinator
>Boston Area Rape Crisis Center
>99 Bishop Allen Drive, Cambridge, MA 02139
>617-492-8306 x33
>
