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FLO KENNEDY andIRENE DAVALL: ForeverActivists•lorynce KennedyWith Volume V, On the Issues ispleased to welcome two contributingeditors: Florynce Kennedy and IreneDavall, long-time activists in both thecivil rights and women's movements.In 1971, they were instrumental infounding the Feminist Party, anational but informal organizationstill in existence, that works forwomen's equality and choice by institutinglegislative action and politicalaction in behalf of candidates. Thefirst candidate to be supported bythe party was Shirley Chisholm. FloKennedy, an attorney, was also oneof the original founders of NOW, butabandoned it soon after when shedecided it was geared too much towhite, middle-class women. In 1969,she gave up her law practice to "kickmore ass" by lecturing and writing.Her book, Abortion Rap (regrettablyout-of-print) was a comprehensivecompilation of information on theabortion issue, including the testimoniesof women who were forced toface illegal and unsafe abortions. Noone can adequately describe Flo Kennedyon paper—this straight-talking,clear-thinking dynamo has to beexperienced in the flesh for the fullflavor of her earthiness and zest tobe appreciated.Irene Davall, Flo's longtimefriend and comrade-in-arms, hasbeen an activist in the women'smovement since 1962. In the 70sshe wrote a syndicated column, "TheLiberated Woman" and had twoCable TV shows in New York focusingon women's issues. A strong prochoiceactivist, Irene has workedinternationally for women's right tochoose and she and Flo have beenworking for many years on thedecriminalization of prostitution.In 1972, as members of theFeminist Party, Flo and Irene filed acomplaint with the Internal RevenueService demanding removal of thetax exempt status of the RomanCatholic Church and affiliated organizations,charging them with illegalpolitical lobbying and campaign activityin connection with abortion legislation.They were never told whathappened to the complaint, althoughthey tried on numerous occasions tofind out.What follows is an interviewOn the Issues conducted withFLO KENNEDY in May.Issues: You read Merle's editorial onWomen and Power (On The Issues,Vol. IV). Do you think women areafraid of power, both in themselvesand in other women?Flo: Women are not afraid of power,they're afraid of the oppressor.Cause the oppressor is very ruthlesswith people in power fromoppressed groups. Also, women tendto do things that are safe. Andwhat's safe does not put you in aposition of power. Women are growingall the time, but they're doingtermite-type stuff, which means youchew the porch until it falls downand then they step out on the porchand... But, we're expanding ourinterests. Feminists called me tocome out against apartheid and wewent over and spoke out at theSouth African Consulate. In otherwords, women are pushing theirway into areas that are not just"women's issues"... in fact, so muchso that Nairobi put out the wordthrough the Heritage Foundationthat [at the World Conference of theU.N. Decade For Women] it's a "nono" to talk about women's issuesother than crotch issues. Women arenot going to be encouraged to talkabout South Africa, apartheid, Ethiopia,certainly not the Arab/Israeliscene and so there again, women arebeing silenced. The next move is thedollar power move and that's got tobe the feminists'.Issues: You were one of the pioneersof the women's movement. Do youthink there is anything real happeningin the movement today?Flo: See, what you must understandis there's a lot happening, but you'llnever know it because as long as weallow media, at our expense, to gotheir own merry way and ignore ourkind of women, we wouldn't knowcontinued on pg. 18THE MORALLITMUS TEST FORFEDERAL JUDGESBy Senator Bob PackwoodTwelve years have passed sincethe historic Roe v. Wade decision thataffirmed a woman's right to reproductivefreedom. These years havebeen far from tranquil; pro-choiceadvocates have had to continue tofight to guarantee the right tochoose. And that battle continues.I am quite certain that no one—on either side of the reproductivefreedom issue—could have anticipatedthe legislative and judicial skirmisheswhich have occurred sincethe Supreme Court decided Roe v.Wade in January, 1973. The decisionwas hailed by women's rights advocates,who thought that theSupreme Court of the land had spokendefinitively. The anti-choicemovement at that time was widespreadbut not cohesive; the Roedecision led the splintered anti-choicemovement to coalesce immediately.Opponents to reproductivefreedom moved quickly to push forlegislation which would effectivelyoverturn Roe. This effort continuestoday, with the ever-present antiabortion"riders" being proposed foralmost any available vehicle. If Congressis considering a budget orappropriations bill, anti-choice legislatorswill seek to attach language prohibitingthe use of federal funds toperform abortion or to provide abortionscounseling. Proposed Constitutionalamendments that would grantthe rights of "personhood" tofetuses have been introduced inevery Congress since 1973.As you know, it hasn't beenjust in the legislative arena that theanti-choice movement has made itspresence felt. Who can forget thejubilation of the right-to-life movecontmuedon pg. 17