Tuesday, May 22, 2007
NAT. CENTER FOR MEN E-MAIL ON "ROE V. WADE FOR MEN"
The following e-mail was received by one of our readers from the National Center For Men. The reader then forwarded it to us.
_________________________________________________________________________
Dear friend of The National Center For Men,
I am writing to you about our reproductive rights lawsuit, known as "Roe vs. Wade for Men." We need your help if we are to continue with this case.
As you may know, a federal district court judge in Michigan dismissed the suit last year. The judge ruled that the case was "frivolous," dismissed it summarily and ordered the plaintiff, Matt Dubay, to pay the legal bills of the defendants, including the state of Michigan.
In our view, the judge's written opinion was inappropriately sarcastic and his imposition of sanctions against Dubay was intended to dissuade other men from bringing similar cases. The judge wrote that the message of the sanctions would be "ignored by a putative plaintiff at his peril." I personally interpret this remark as a threat designed to suppress the movement for men's reproductive rights. It has already had a chilling effect on other male plaintiffs.
On January 30, 2007, Matt Dubay filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals. Final briefs were submitted last week and oral arguments should be scheduled for this Fall. Going forward with this case will now subject Matt to further sanctions which could ruin his financial life. But Matt has said that this case and the cause it represents are more important to him than his economic welfare and he is willing to stand up to the judge's attempt at intimidation. He knows how imperative it is to challenge this obnoxious ruling and to keep the issue in the public eye. He plans to ask federal judges in the sixth circuit to order a hearing on the important factual and legal issues raised by this case. He wants his day in court. He knows he can still win.
I think Matt Dubay has shown remarkable courage. He was the face of our campaign for equal choice and he has been attacked by a powerful system. Those of us who have supported him with our encouraging words and good wishes have now been challenged to come to his defense. We must not let him fall. A new judge now presides over the federal district where Matt lives. The Court of Appeals might very well respond positively to Matt's compelling legal arguments and send his case back for a hearing on the merits. If the case is remanded for a hearing, Matt can, indeed, still win.
This is the reality we face: Our cause will not succeed simply because we have good intentions or because we are fighting for what is fair and just. Idealism is wonderful but activism must be sustained in a harsh and gritty political world where things have to be paid for. Lawyers have to be paid. Court costs have to be paid. The sanctions will have to be paid. None of this will happen if everyone expects someone else to do it.
We need your help. I know that many of our supporters have their own financial problems but we really do need your help in order to proceed with this case. The National Center For Men receives no government or corporate grants. We survive on small contributions made generously to us by individuals who believe in our work. But if we can't raise significant money now, this appeal will be withdrawn. We will not permit Matt to stand alone, facing financial ruin. "Roe vs. Wade for Men" will come to a sad and premature end.
There are two ways for you to help this case to continue:
1.) A Legal Defense Fund has been established for Matt Dubay. Money donated into this fund will be used to pay Matt's legal fees, sanctions and court costs. The defendants have already motioned for costs associated with this appeal. These costs could be substantial but any money remaining in the fund after Matt's legal bills are paid will be earmarked for further men's rights litigation. Donations made into this fund are not tax-deductible. Please make your checks payable to "Dubay Legal Defense Fund" and mail to:
Dubay Legal Defense Fund
c/o Citizens Bank
4700 Bay Road
Saginaw, MI 48604
attention: Louise Duran
2.) The National Center For Men will gear up its publicity machine to spread the word of the appeal. We did fairly well when the case was first filed, but our operation was limited by limited resources. We can do better. If you want to help us educate the public about the legal appeal of "Roe vs. Wade for Men," you can donate directly to us. These donations are tax-deductible. They will strengthen our organization and fortify the movement for men's equal rights.
Please donate through our website, www.nationalcenterformen.org, or by check to:
The National Center For Men
Post Office Box 555
Old Bethpage, NY 11804
If you donate to Matt's Legal Defense Fund and/or directly to NCM, you may send an e-mail to donation@nationalcenterformen.org requesting e-mail updates on the appeal. We will keep your information confidential and send you updates, as warranted.
We will continue to express our gratitude to our contributors with the gifts we offer through our website, including the "Reproductive Rights Affidavit," an NCM T-Shirt and a DVD of vintage NCM clips. We have added to our gift list a DVD of our work on behalf of men's reproductive rights which includes new (Matt Dubay's case) and old clips. We will mail out the DVD in about one month to those who request it and make a tax-deductible donation to NCM of $100 or more.
I thank you for your commitment to our cause and your generosity. Please know that, without your help in the past, we would not have gotten this far. Your helping us now will assure that our important work continues.
Sincerely and gratefully yours,
Mel Feit, director
The National Center For Men
mel@nationalcenterformen.org
_________________________________________________________________________
Dear friend of The National Center For Men,
I am writing to you about our reproductive rights lawsuit, known as "Roe vs. Wade for Men." We need your help if we are to continue with this case.
As you may know, a federal district court judge in Michigan dismissed the suit last year. The judge ruled that the case was "frivolous," dismissed it summarily and ordered the plaintiff, Matt Dubay, to pay the legal bills of the defendants, including the state of Michigan.
In our view, the judge's written opinion was inappropriately sarcastic and his imposition of sanctions against Dubay was intended to dissuade other men from bringing similar cases. The judge wrote that the message of the sanctions would be "ignored by a putative plaintiff at his peril." I personally interpret this remark as a threat designed to suppress the movement for men's reproductive rights. It has already had a chilling effect on other male plaintiffs.
On January 30, 2007, Matt Dubay filed an appeal with the U.S. Court of Appeals. Final briefs were submitted last week and oral arguments should be scheduled for this Fall. Going forward with this case will now subject Matt to further sanctions which could ruin his financial life. But Matt has said that this case and the cause it represents are more important to him than his economic welfare and he is willing to stand up to the judge's attempt at intimidation. He knows how imperative it is to challenge this obnoxious ruling and to keep the issue in the public eye. He plans to ask federal judges in the sixth circuit to order a hearing on the important factual and legal issues raised by this case. He wants his day in court. He knows he can still win.
I think Matt Dubay has shown remarkable courage. He was the face of our campaign for equal choice and he has been attacked by a powerful system. Those of us who have supported him with our encouraging words and good wishes have now been challenged to come to his defense. We must not let him fall. A new judge now presides over the federal district where Matt lives. The Court of Appeals might very well respond positively to Matt's compelling legal arguments and send his case back for a hearing on the merits. If the case is remanded for a hearing, Matt can, indeed, still win.
This is the reality we face: Our cause will not succeed simply because we have good intentions or because we are fighting for what is fair and just. Idealism is wonderful but activism must be sustained in a harsh and gritty political world where things have to be paid for. Lawyers have to be paid. Court costs have to be paid. The sanctions will have to be paid. None of this will happen if everyone expects someone else to do it.
We need your help. I know that many of our supporters have their own financial problems but we really do need your help in order to proceed with this case. The National Center For Men receives no government or corporate grants. We survive on small contributions made generously to us by individuals who believe in our work. But if we can't raise significant money now, this appeal will be withdrawn. We will not permit Matt to stand alone, facing financial ruin. "Roe vs. Wade for Men" will come to a sad and premature end.
There are two ways for you to help this case to continue:
1.) A Legal Defense Fund has been established for Matt Dubay. Money donated into this fund will be used to pay Matt's legal fees, sanctions and court costs. The defendants have already motioned for costs associated with this appeal. These costs could be substantial but any money remaining in the fund after Matt's legal bills are paid will be earmarked for further men's rights litigation. Donations made into this fund are not tax-deductible. Please make your checks payable to "Dubay Legal Defense Fund" and mail to:
Dubay Legal Defense Fund
c/o Citizens Bank
4700 Bay Road
Saginaw, MI 48604
attention: Louise Duran
2.) The National Center For Men will gear up its publicity machine to spread the word of the appeal. We did fairly well when the case was first filed, but our operation was limited by limited resources. We can do better. If you want to help us educate the public about the legal appeal of "Roe vs. Wade for Men," you can donate directly to us. These donations are tax-deductible. They will strengthen our organization and fortify the movement for men's equal rights.
Please donate through our website, www.nationalcenterformen.org, or by check to:
The National Center For Men
Post Office Box 555
Old Bethpage, NY 11804
If you donate to Matt's Legal Defense Fund and/or directly to NCM, you may send an e-mail to donation@nationalcenterformen.org requesting e-mail updates on the appeal. We will keep your information confidential and send you updates, as warranted.
We will continue to express our gratitude to our contributors with the gifts we offer through our website, including the "Reproductive Rights Affidavit," an NCM T-Shirt and a DVD of vintage NCM clips. We have added to our gift list a DVD of our work on behalf of men's reproductive rights which includes new (Matt Dubay's case) and old clips. We will mail out the DVD in about one month to those who request it and make a tax-deductible donation to NCM of $100 or more.
I thank you for your commitment to our cause and your generosity. Please know that, without your help in the past, we would not have gotten this far. Your helping us now will assure that our important work continues.
Sincerely and gratefully yours,
Mel Feit, director
The National Center For Men
mel@nationalcenterformen.org
