Ditched
I am writing in response to the law virtually banning all abortions that was recently passed in South Dakota on February 22. (See "Ditched," by Sara Donnelly, March 3.) In 1984, I went with my mother to march in Washington in order to celebrate women’s choice. It was an amazing experience for me because I learned what women had to go through to make their own personal choices about family.
Reminders of back alleyways, wire hangers, and lack of choice for desperate women: we all thought they were things of the past. Since then, pro-choicers have kept a watchful eye on the liberty to be autonomous, making sure that the states do not inch their way back to pre Roe.
But now it seems that what we never thought would happen, has occurred. South Dakota has passed a law outlawing virtually all abortions, even in cases of rape or incest. The state thinks that will cut down on abortions. WRONG! Abortions in safe clinics will go down and abortions in illegal unsafe areas will go up. This ban attacks the rights of women and families to make private, personal decisions about whether and when to have children.
Rachel Violette
Portland
All the Bands in One Place
Gee whiz! A seemingly thorough issue on Portland’s music scene (see "All The Bands In One Place," February 24) made many oversights, but one that struck me dumb. As their first and possibly biggest fan, I am grieved that you didn’t give the power trio Visitations their due recognition! They’re brilliant! Their recent mangdisc release is pure testimony to this! Sing praises for Visitations!
Michael Connor
Windham
State House Democrats Stick It to Political Reformers
With respect to the Lance Tapley article on the breakup of the Maine Citizen Leadership Fund (see "State House Democrats Stick It To Political Reformers," January 13), make no mistake about it, this was a hostile take-over by their “sister” organization, the Dirigo Alliance. I felt Tapley’s article was well written but somewhat lacking in explaining the causes of the bitter “sibling” rivalry clearly acted out by Dirigo staff and several of their board members.
Unfortunately almost totally absent from the article was explanation of the (by many insider accounts) role that former Dirigo director George Christie played in deep-sixing MCLF. George’s descent will be softened by a compensation package (higher than other most other staff) and by the knowledge that he continues as a consultant and behind-the-scenes player with the surviving organization and its new executive director Joanne D’Arcangelo.
The knowledge of MCLF on program work is now dismal and they (according to D’Arcangelo) will likely be hiring program, development, and political directors. So much for saving money, one of the supposed rationales for paying the new director significantly more than either former executive director of Dirigo and MCLF.
