Ressurrection: Speaking at the National Press Club

Yesterday, I sent out an email inviting friends, colleagues, and social media followers to suggest me as a speaker for the National Press Club. Several people responded stating that I was suggested by them including a Phd Child Sexual Abuse Expert who supports my petition to Make Child Sexual Abuse Grooming a Felony.

One person who suggested me as a speaker sent me the following message today:

Hello. I contacted the NPC on your behalf this morning and received the following response a few minutes ago. I requested their reason for declining but am awaiting Donna’s response.

And here is the declining email:

From: “Leinwand, Donna” <removed email address> To: “removed name and email address” Sent: Tuesday, April 23, 2013 6:56 PM Subject: Resurrection Graves

Dear Ms. (removed name), Thank you for your interest in the National Press Club’s Speaker Series. At this time, we’ll have to decline your suggestion of Ms. Resurrection Graves.

Very best wishes,

Donna Leinwand Leger

Vice Chairwoman, Speakers Committee National Press Club Donna Leinwand Leger Reporter USA TODAY (I have removed her direct contact information – because I am a nice person!)

Here is the email which offered a response for why the opportunity for me to speak for the National Press Club was declined:

The speaker is not sufficiently well-known nor is the topic of unusual news value to have an unknown speaker. If you look at our list of recent speakers, you’ll see that the threshold is quite high.

Mariska Hargitay, the star of Law and Order: SVU, recently spoke on sexual abuse. Other notable speakers in the last few months are Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, Postmaster General Pat Donahoe, Drug Tzar Gil Kerlikowske, Iceland’s President Olafur Grimsson and BET CEO Robert Johnson.

Upcoming speakers include tennis great Chris Evert and astronaut Buzz Aldrin.

I would like to thank everyone who has already suggested me as a speaker with the National Press Club. While I appreciate the response, I also understand that we live in a society who often is motivated by popularity contests, and not newsworthy causes independent of an established presence.

Child Sexual Abuse is a common topic but my petition is one that has never been drafted before in an effort to prosecute premeditated child sexual abuse. I am also working to create a national clearinghouse for child sexual abuse victims, another feature of the petition which has never been done before. I have found numerous stories reported by journalists who are promoting the pro-pedophile movement. This is important, and I consider it an honor that you would suggest me to speak.

Additionally, providing a platform for the petition creates a national and international conversation that would be both newsworthy and necessary for moving the petition forward so that we can obtain an official bill number by an approving legislator, and ultimately law.

In response to the decline, and her request that I become more well-known I would recommend that everyone who reads this, click here and suggest me as a speaker. You can be sure to mention that I am a current speaker full-time, and that I have written a memoir.

You can also mention that I have created the petition “Make Child Sexual Abuse Grooming A Felony” and direct them here, so that they can view the petition for themselves, and sign if they agree. I am working on my next book that will feature in-depth information about the child sexual abuse grooming law that I propose.

Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Ressurrection

Here is Mariska Hargitay’s presentation at the National Press Club 3-13-2013