Friends, 

PLEASE FORWARD THIS LINK TO YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES ASKING THEM TO JOIN MY DISTRIBUTION: http://home.comcast.net/~sscivilrights  .. We need more people to get involved else our marriage protections are definitely going to the ballot!

THANKS TIM AND JIM FOR YOUR PUBLISHED LETTERS TO THE EDITOR SUPPORTING EQUALITY!!!..  Now if we can get other on this list, off their keisters to do the same!...  I've got one submitted but am not sure if they will approve.

I have not found out any further info on the interim elections to replace the two pro-equality representatives leaving office, and I think we should remain very concerned.  It is very quiet in the news which I'm not sure is good for us. I've sent in questions to MassEquality on who is endorsed but have not yet received any reply.  PLEASE!... if you know anyone in Dedham, Walpole, West Boylston, Westwood or WORCESTER, SPREAD THE WORD ON THESE ELECTIONS!... Both races hold a REAL potential to LOSE of pro-equality support.   

The second BIG story of interest is that State Senate President Travaglini (who continues to vote FOR the amendment) has been offered a $300k per year job in the private sector...  It is rumored that he is VERY INTERESTED in the opportunity.  He has children now entering college which significantly strains his $90k salary, and the offer is with a medical special interest group of which he has particular interest. 

If Travaglini does accept this offer, it is said to happen very soon; if he is to leave it has to be before the legislator starts debating the state budget.  I cannot stress the importance of his departure...  Travaglini has PROMISED his support to the Vote on Marriage effort. He has publicly stated that he firmly believes this will not be resolved until the public votes... (which we all know will never be the case.)  

Now here's the even MORE exciting part of this story... Senator Therese Murray is his likely replacement!... We would be replacing a Senate President FOR the petitioned amendment with a new President AGAINST the amendment!  I'll post the news stories on the topic in the news area below.  . 

If you have comments/feedback that I should include next week, please feel free to use the feedback link to the left. 

Anti-gay marriage MA SJC judge dies at 56
In 2003, when a high court ruling made Massachusetts the first state in the nation to legalize gay marriage, She wrote a strenuous dissent for the court’s minority. In her opinion, she belittles the majority’s advisory opinion, saying that it ”merely repeats the impassioned rhetoric” of gay marriage advocates.... Gov. Deval Patrick will appoint a new justice to serve on the seven-judge panel.

 

   
Priests Protest Same-Sex Marriage Ban 
AMHERST, Mass. --Five Massachusetts Episcopal priests say they won’t perform any more wedding ceremonies until their church allows them to bless same-sex marriages. The Rev. Robert Hirschfeld, rector of Grace Episcopal Church in Amherst, and four other priests have joined in a protest they call a "holy fast," the news agency Reuters reported March 13.

"We are called to abstain from any wedding or marriage ceremony, hetero or homosexual, until such time as my bishop, in agreement with the Episcopal Church, allows us to celebrate the holy faithful relationships of all persons." 

"We are called to join the fast that our homosexual brothers and sisters in Christ have had to observe all their lives," (Read More)

Job offer intrigues Senate leader 
Senate President Robert E. Travaglini, under mounting financial pressure at home and increasingly discontented with his job, is intrigued by a lucrative job offer from a community hospital association and will probably step down from his legislative post soon if the details of the deal are attractive enough, according to several close associates. (Read More). 
     

Murray could become state's first woman senate president if Travaglini goes 
The Plymouth Democrat is the presumed front-runner to succeed Senate President Robert Travaglini if he steps down. She would also be the first woman to head either legislative body. (Read More). 

Same-sex marriage seen as factor in 14th District 
Activists on both sides of the battle over same-sex marriage are watching the special House election in the 14th Worcester District with the knowledge that the winner will eventually cast a vote on whether to let the public settle the issue once and for all. 
 
Actually, there are two special elections going on right now, and both involve races to replace state representatives who voted against putting same-sex marriage to a referendum. (Read More)

Statewide special elections could unseat gay-friendly legislators 
GAY MARRIAGE ADVOCATES UNSURE OF ELECTION OUTCOMES 
The outcome of special elections scheduled to take place in the next few weeks across the state could mean the difference in the next Constitutional Convention between legislators moving forward or permanently squashing efforts to put a proposed amendment banning same-sex marriage on the 2008 ballot. (Read More)

Please take note, that you don't need to be from my area of MA anymore to get a letter to the editor published. PLEASE help to counter the anti-gay comments being printed and to help educate the general public. You can take a look at the recent letters in my "Editorial Watch" below for inspiration then submit your own letters.

PLEASE HELP by forwarding to me (sscivilrights@comcast.net,) "letters to the editor" and "news editorials" from any/all sources possible so that we can keep track and try to respond. 

THIS WEEK	LAST WEEK
PATRIOT LEDGER: READER’S VIEW: Don’t impose your religion on me  PATRIOT LEDGER: READER's VIEW: Public schools must stick to the basics PATRIOT LEDGER: READER’S VIEW: Do I get to vote on your rights?  BOSTON GLOBE: Disdain sealed with a (same-sex) kiss BOSTON GLOBE: Room for bigots BOSTON GLOBE: Gays -- and morality -- in military  (BOTH VIEWS)	PATRIOT LEDGER: READER’S VIEW: Hate shows through in gay marriage argument  BOSTON GLOBE: A call for separation of school and state BOSTON GLOBE: The meaning of marriage BOSTON GLOBE: School lessons  (BOTH VIEWS)

BOSTON GLOBE EDITORIAL: A shameful reversal of rights

 

PLEASE FORWARD THIS LINK TO YOUR FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES ASKING THEM TO JOIN MY DISTRIBUTION:

http://home.comcast.net/~sscivilrights 
We need more people to get involved else our marriage protections are definitely going to the ballot!

Contact Your Legislators... REGULARLY!

Contact your legislators
Its now time where new people need to step up.  Legislators already know the names of those who have been dedicated to this fight so far and seem to be taking them/us for granted.  WE NEED NEW PEOPLE TO CONTACT LEGISLATORS!..  AND SUBMIT LETTERS TO THE PRESS... From gay AND STRAIGHT folks alike.

Learn about your legislators

View the 2006 votes [pdf]

Write your local newspaper... REGULARLY!

Important debates happen in your local newspaper. Help us spread the word about marriage equality.

Write your newspaper
Anti-gay groups have been watching the editorial section of the South Shore's Patriot Ledger and noticing that letters WERE starting to lean in our favor.  Since my last newsletter, 3 anti-gay letters have been published that need our response... if 3 are published against us, then we need to strive for 6 more for us.  We NEED to send a public message to our legislators that majority is against this amendment.  I cannot stress enough, that it is the legislators in this area that a critical to killing the amendment.  PLEASE WRITE IN... OR... Ghost write for friends and submit for them (with their permission of course as they will need to respond with a final OK when the paper contacts them)