State of Emergency for Women's Rights

	Dear NOW Summary Archives, Only a week since Sandra Day O'Connor resigned from the U.S. Supreme Court, and what a week! Tens of thousands of messages went out from NOW supporters in response to our alert, and we thank all of you who wrote to your senators so quickly. As I write to you, rumors are spreading that we'll see a second resignation within days. And George W. Bush could announce his nominees to replace these departing justices at any time. We must be prepared to meet whatever comes with unflinching resolve. At the NOW Action Center our phones are ringing non-stop. And we're ready. Our months of planning are paying off as we provide organizing materials, technical assistance, and up-to-date information to NOW chapters and individuals all over the country who are turning to NOW for leadership in this crisis. I want to give you a brief update about what NOW has been doing, a preview of the coming weeks, and ways that you can help keep the momentum going. We can make a real difference in this fight, but we need your help. Please give generously to our Save the Supreme Court Fund. I'll put your contribution to work immediately. When I heard the news last Friday morning, I was in Nashville, Tenn., attending the annual National NOW Conference with 1,000 other activists. We immediately declared a state of emergency for women's rights, and within an hour our Urgent Alert email started going out to thousands of activists per minute — many of whom first heard about O'Connor's resignation from the NOW network — and they responded with immediate messages to their senators. Within three hours we were holding the country's first major press conference on the O'Connor resignation, which was covered by ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC, FOX and more. Every major newspaper and television station in more than 150 media markets reported the message that NOW will not stand by and watch another right-wing extremist, modeled after anti-women Justices Antonin Scalia or Clarence Thomas, take Sandra Day O'Connor's place on the Court. Simultaneously we began planning the first national march and rally - and 24 hours later our allies joined us at a large event we organized at the Tennessee State House in Nashville. The passion and commitment were palpable as the message went out that the women's movement is a force to be reckoned with. This will be the first of many marches, literally and figuratively, on the home offices of every U.S. senator. Since our return to Washington, our office has been campaign central for a whirlwind of grassroots communications and planning meetings. There have been NOW-sponsored rallies across the country and more are in the works. NOW chapters are gearing up for local actions to target senators at their home offices with the same message: Don't you dare sell out women's rights. We need your financial support in order to build the groundswell of grassroots determination and action that will make a difference. Our chapters have received a "toolkit" for the basic organizing they need to do to ensure that each U.S. senator receives thousands of messages, but we need to design ever more creative approaches to break through the clutter and get the attention of the Senate. We are in daily communication with our grassroots chapters and NOW Campus Action Networks, providing them with talking points, action ideas, sample letters-to-the-editor, informational flyers, chants and songs, and suggestions for rallies and vigils. But there is so much more we could do with increased resources — including critical on-the-ground organizing in key states. Building the movement to stop a right-wing Bush nominee will require commitment and action from each and every one of us. Please make the most generous contribution you can afford to our Save the Supreme Court Fund. There's never been a more important moment. I look forward to hearing from you soon. For justice, Kim Gandy President, National Organization for Women P.S. If you have not yet sent a message to your Senator, please do so now. Even our strongest supporters and most adamant opponents need their mailboxes flooded to understand that we are dead serious. We're watching and we won't go away. And keep checking back to www.now.org for regular updates on the Supreme Court along with tips for action and organizing.

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