I support Women having the right to make their own choices about their own body.

I also support family planning and educating our children about family life, child development , and emotional literacy-so they are prepared to be active and equal partners in their relationships and as parents.

The Vermont Right to Life Committee recently contacted me -as they do all candidates- to ascertain my views on women's health/reproductive rights.

My response to Vt. Anti-Abortion :

Thank you for inquiring  of my views  regarding  women’s health issues and family planning. With due respect I will attempt to share my thoughts  and feelings  on these complicated, and emotionally  sensitive topics.

However, your  questionnaire seems to  beg labeling, so  for simplicity’s sake, we can start by labeling  my views, “Pro-Human”.

Behind  that terse appellation  are  full bodied, living and evolving views  that don’t seem to fall anywhere within the narrowly drawn lines of your  questionnaire. Thus, I will ”draw outside  the lines” of  your  questionnaire, in order to share my thoughts and feelings that include;

I believe  in families, children and community. My beliefs  have inspired me to be an active participant in helping to raise  my own children, as  well as working in youth, family and community  development .

I believe in family planning, zero population growth as a viable environmental policy for  sustaining our planet, reproductive education, and  teaching emotional literacy . I also believe in equal  and safe access to health care services  for all citizens without  any discrimination.

I believe in science-so strongly  that it accompanies me everywhere, even to church each Sunday.

I believe in freedom of religion and separation of church and state to the degree  that I want  the Constitution to  be upheld , and no laws  be made based on one religious  view being imposed on others. I especially  want this practice to insure  that the religious views of others  aren’t  brought into any hospital room, health care or hospice  services.

And, I want my beliefs  to  sow seeds of community and mutual respect  even where differences of opinion are found. I want  my beliefs practiced in such a  way as to build bridges of respect where conflict arises,  to foster compassion among reasonable  people  and to create a better  world for all regardless  of race, age, creed, color of skin, national origin, economic or marital status,  and sexual preference.

Women's Safety

This is an issue we seem to be forgetting about. At the most recent ,"Take Back the Night" rally ,sponsored by The Women's Crisis Center, there were no elected officials present to offer  support.

The main source of funding for Crisis centers here and all across the country is the Violence Against Women Act...legislation that Grover Norquist, conservative consultant to the President  has said is a waste and should be dropped from the budget along with all other attempts at  social engineering with taxpayer money.

Without consistent support  from the public and elected officials, these funds could be at  risk.

The Bottom Line ...ALL WOMEN DESERVE TO KNOW THERE IS EXPLICIT SUPPORT FOR THEIR SAFETY !

Living  Wages-

I support  establishing guidelines  for living wages, per community.

For more information visit sites  such as

www.acorn.org

www.livingwage.com

www.livingwagecampaign.org