NOW Blames 'Ultra-Conservatives' for Patricia Ireland YWCA Ouster

CNS News ^ | 10/24/03

[truthandlife]

"Feminists across the country are outraged that ultra-conservative attacks could have resulted in former NOW President Patricia Ireland's recent dismissal as the CEO of the YWCA," said current National Organization for Women (NOW) President Kim Gandy. The YWCA in public statements has neither confirmed nor denied speculation that Ireland's termination after just six months on the job was the result of a groundswell of objection from YWCA donors and conservative groups. Instead, the 144-year-old Young Women's Christian Association has said that Ireland's firing was a private personnel matter and that she was not a good fit for the post of chief executive officer.

[truthandlife]

SEE EARLIER STORY:

YWCA Tight-Lipped About Ireland Firing
By Christine Hall
CNSNews.com Senior Staff Writer
October 22, 2003

(CNSNews.com) - After the YWCA fired abortion activist Patricia Ireland as its chief executive officer, the national service organization founded more than a century ago as a Christian group remained mum about the reason for Ireland's ousting.

Andrea Lafferty, executive director of Traditional Values Coalition, attributed the Ireland firing to pressure from conservative interests that were incensed by Ireland's installment as head of the historic organization.

"Patricia Ireland has been a lifelong advocate of everything that most Christians oppose," said Lafferty, whose group had been running an online petition drive against Ireland.

"She is a liberal extremist, and the soccer moms dropping their kids off at the local Y don't want any part of her and her strange friends," Lafferty said.

"Some of the more conservative organizations took exception to the appointment some months ago when it occurred," noted Bill Keegan, a YWCA spokesperson.

But an official YWCA statement demurred on the question of whether "the decision made by the YWCA to terminate Ms. Ireland [was] based at all on pressure felt by the YWCA from conservative organizations."

Ireland took the helm of the YWCA after 10 years (1991-2001) of leading the National Organization for Women (NOW) in liberal activism, focusing primarily on abortion rights.

Following the revelation that the YWCA board of directors had fired Ireland (after failing to secure her resignation), the group issued a statement declaring it YWCA policy "not to comment on private and confidential personnel matters."

"It is our belief that in order for the YWCA to continue to carry out its mission of empowering women and girls throughout the world, a change needed to be made," the statement read.

"We can tell you that we have much respect for Patricia Ireland and the work she has done on behalf of women's rights. The issues between the board and Ms. Ireland are private matters, and the board believes this separation is in the best interests of the YWCA and the women and girls it serves," the statement added.

Ireland has publicly described herself as "uncharacteristically speechless" in the wake of the decision, which was made on October 16. Ireland complained that "there had been no notice" to her in advance of the board's decision.

One local YWCA director said that, despite the fact Ireland didn't work out, her replacement need not be less controversial or politically outspoken.

"I think we all have a lot of admiration for Patricia," said Janet Marcotte, director of the Tucson, Ariz., YWCA. "It looked like it was going to be a good fit, so I don't know that the direction was wrong."

Kimberly Reeve, director of development and marketing for the Minneapolis YWCA, said she likewise had no problem with Ireland as head of the YWCA.

"I've met her personally and was impressed by her and know that she's very committed to lobbying on...women's issues and social justice," said Reeve. "But evidently, it appears that the YW may not have been the best fit for her."

"I think that people made some assumptions that Patricia Ireland's position on issues were [sic] inconsistent with the YWCA's, but they are not," Marcotte said. "The YWCA has always been a pro-choice organization," she noted, pointing to the fact that the organization filed a 1972 amicus brief in favor of abortion rights in Roe v. Wade.

"I wouldn't necessarily say that the national coordinating body would need to look in a different [direction just] because an individual didn't prove to be a fit," Marcotte continued. "As far as her stance on things, they were very consistent with our own. So that was never an issue or a problem, certainly for our organization."

Nationwide, the YWCA currently has two broad missions: to "create opportunities for women's growth, leadership and power" and to eliminate racism wherever it exists.

According to Marcotte, the Tucson YWCA serves 10,000 people in their various programs, which includes a "racial justice program." Recently, the group organized a daylong session for middle and high school students in Tucson to brainstorm on ways to eliminate racism.

Upcoming is a women's leadership conference featuring Lt. Col. Martha McSally, who last year challenged on free speech and religion grounds Department of Defense policy requiring female military personnel in Saudi Arabia to wear the abaya, a long black garment worn by Saudi Arabian women.

YWCA officials, from the local to the national level, continue to distance themselves from their history as the Young Women's Christian Association.

"It's not really a Christian group," said Keegan. "It has that in its name, but it...doesn't necessarily reflect the prevailing attitudes.

"Yes, there's a certain Christian overtone," said Keegan. "Its roots run very strong in that area," Keegan said, but not related to the YWCA's key focus of "fighting for empowerment for women and girls and fighting racism."

A name change for the group might be in order, Keegan said, but for the "huge branding effort" of trying to rename the 144-year-old organization.<br

[Wheee The People]

The VRWC at work....(snicker)

Everyone set decoder rings to: 6544 5658 2345 2345 4410 4562 7761 1003

[Always Right]

"Feminists across the country are outraged that ultra-conservative attacks could have resulted in former NOW President Patricia Ireland's recent dismissal as the CEO of the YWCA," said current National Organization for Women (NOW) President Kim Gandy.

Are ultra-liberals ever outraged when their grass root efforts to oust people work. Didn't Patricia try to oust Clearance Thomas from being on the Supreme Court?

[whereasandsoforth]

Whoever hired her in the first place should be marched out into a field and shot. But BIG DEAL! Fifty-two fat ugly lesbians are outraged! Who cares?? The real outrage would have been if all the contributors and supporters had protested and nothing was done to get rid of the Fester in a Pantsuit.

[LiteKeeper]

Everyone set decoder rings to: 6544 5658 2345 2345 4410 4562 7761 1003

DONE!

[Free_at_last_-2001]

Feminists across the country are outraged that ultra-conservative attacks could have resulted in former NOW President Patricia Ireland's recent dismissal as the CEO of the YWCA,"


Nazis across the country are outraged that allied attacks could have resulted in former National Socialist Workers Party President Adolph Hitler’s recent dismissal as the CEO of the European Govenrment.

[AlexW]

P.Ireland and YWCA is an oxymoron.

What reason could she have for being there, other then
to be a Trojan horse to destroy the organization.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

[Mark17]

NOW Blames 'Ultra-Conservatives' for Patricia Ireland YWCA Ouster

Wouldn't the majority of us love to take credit for her firing?

[Michael.SF.]

"Feminists across the country are outraged that ultra-conservative attacks could have resulted in former NOW President Patricia Ireland's recent dismissal"

Can't stand a taste of their own medicine can they?

Let's see if we can name just a few conservatives who have come under attack from the NOWHAGS or other Ultra leftist groups:

Robert Bork
Clarence Thomas
Rush Limbaugh
Dr. Laura
Michael Savage
Miquel Estrada
Judge Pickering (and four other Judicial Nominees)
Trent Lott
Senator Packwood

Feel free to add to my very short list.

I count thirteen conservatives who have been attacked and who have had their careers either destoyed, squelched or tarnished by the NOWHAGS or other similar Ultra leftist attack groups. And that is just off the top of my head.

Cry me a river and see if I care about poor Patty.

[AmishDude]

Yeah, I consider myself pretty up on the activities of the VRWC and I'd forgotten all about the YWCA, let alone that Ireland was heading it.

But, if the tinfoil hat fits, . . .

[Michael.SF.]

What reason could she have for being there?

Recruiting trip maybe?

[goodnesswins]

You know....I just realized....I haven't seen her on TV lately.....kinda hard to be a "spokesperson" if you're not the HEAD of SOMETHING....here's to her not being placed in the leadership of ANY group ever again. (I am so happy not to see her on TV anymore!!!)

[B.O. Plenty]

Naaaaaaaaa......P. Ireland is just the moron....no -oxy- to it.

[stands2reason]

Not hardly.

"It's not really a Christian group," said Keegan. "It has that in its name, but it...doesn't necessarily reflect the prevailing attitudes.

"Yes, there's a certain Christian overtone," said Keegan. "Its roots run very strong in that area," Keegan said, but not related to the YWCA's key focus of "fighting for empowerment for women and girls and fighting racism."

YWCA's gone radical.

[goodnesswins]

There's QUITE a difference between those 13 conservatives and ole' Patty isn't there......sheesh. Amazing that anyone CARES whether she loses her job.

[freedumb2003]

Everyone set decoder rings to: 6544 5658 2345 2345 4410 4562 7761 1003

That's the same as 2 months ago! We'll never succeed if we don't change the codes more often!

[driftless]

Yes, I'm sorry Mizz Gandy. I'm extremely sorry that I didn't have anything to do with getting Ireland fired. I would have loved to have her come into my office so I could have had the pleasure of personally firing her.

[Lancey Howard]

What reason could she have for being there, other then to be a Trojan horse to destroy the organization.

Based on what I read in the articles, it appears that that organization is down the toilet anyway.

[small voice in the wilderness]

Gee, maybe patty would like to head up the Girl Scouts, and BAKE COOKIES. ;)