Jerry's email update on the fight for Equal Rights (March 3, 2005)
  

SD Marriage Ban to go to Voters - TN Next.

2,968 Marriages now in Limbo in Ore. 

PARTICULARLY IMPORTANT ACTION FOR PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF MA TO TAKE:
If you have spoken out already, THANK YOU, but if not,  Please CLICK HERE NOW to go right to a pre-written letter to legislators from your state, telling the to oppose writing discrimination into the US Constitution!

Notable item(s) this week:

Romney Attacks Gay Families, Angers Parents!
On Monday, February 21, Mitt Romney spoke at a Republican Party meeting in South Carolina. And for blatant political gain, he used the opportunity to scapegoat same-sex couples and their children in order to please a conservative crowd.

Boston, MA — As he travels the United States making speeches and appeals to Republican leaders, the governor of the only state in America where same-sex marriage is legal is using his opposition to gay marriage as an argument for why the country has fallen out of esteem with many of the worlds nations. 

Gov. Mitt Romney has made no secret of his opposition to gay marriage and civil unions and last week, sparked controversy by attacking Massachusetts’ Supreme Court for paving the way for gay marriage, which he called “a blow against the family.”
FULL STORY



Please write Mitt Romney a letter expressing your profound disappointment.

So far, 1753 MassEquality Members have communicated with Mitt Romney.

CLICK HERE TO SEND HIM A LETTER

More Bills Banning Gay Marriage in DS and TN Move Forward
Legislation to amend the constitution to ban gay marriage in Tennessee was approved overwhelmingly Tuesday by the House Finance Committee, but gay rights activists may have received a slight victory later in the day.

The committee's action comes a day after the Senate approved the resolution with only three dissenters, all Democrats. The legislation will now go to the Calendar and Rules Committee to be scheduled for voice vote on the House floor.

"I'm glad that it's out of the Finance Committee," said sponsor Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville. "Hopefully we can get it to the floor and continue the debate so people can speak for and against the bill, vote on it, and give the people of Tennessee the opportunity to have control of their constitution."

On Monday, the South Dakota Senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage for placement on its 2006 general election ballot. The House passed the legislative resolution earlier.
FULL STORY

 

2,968 Gay Couples Wed in Ore. in 2004
These marriages are now in Limbo...
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Every morning before she headed out into the world, Evelyn Hall took off her gold ring and placed it on the kitchen counter. When she returned at night, she slipped it back on.

Last year, she put it on for good when she married the woman whom relatives had assumed was her roommate, cracking open the secret life the two had hidden for 46 years.

BUT....Last November, voters in Oregon and 10 other states passed ballot measures banning gay marriage. Voters in two other states, Missouri and Louisiana, banned gay marriages earlier in 2004.

"They’re basically lying to themselves,’’ said Tim Nashif, political director of the Oregon-based Defense of Marriage Coalition, which backed the ballot measure here banning gay measure.

FULL STORY
Please revisit my HRC, take action page.  

There is a new prewritten letter to send to your representatives in DC!

PLEASE CLICK HERE TO SEND!
Submit an editorial to your local paper every 35 days.  Helpful suggestions
Please e-mail MA legislators Remind them that we are as determined as ever to defend equal marriage rights. 
Boycott FedEx!
They refuse to provide health benefits to married gay couples in Ma!
e-mail fedex.com to tell them what you think of their policy of predjudice.


call CBS today at:
(212) 975-4321
or e-mail them at:
audsvcs@cbs.com
Urge them to publicly clarify their position on the network's recent refusal to air the United Church of Christ's inclusionary ad.

Visit Dontamend.com

Volunteering at GLAD:
GLAD welcomes volunteers of all ages & backgrounds. Volunteers contribute invaluably to work toward Equal Justice Under Law.
Please consider getting involved
News Articles of Interest

Previous updates: 

 
Year later, Oregonians lobby for equality 
"Equal rights under attack. What do we do? Stand up, fight back!" chanted some of the participants in a pro-gay rights march in Salem, Ore., on Thursday afternoon. The event marked one year since same-sex couples began marrying in Portland.
FULL STORY
 

Virginia lawmakers OK gay marriage ban 
Lawmakers in both chambers of the Virginia General Assembly approved a constitutional amendment on Saturday that would forbid same-sex couples from marrying.
FULL STORY
 

House OKs faith-based bill, hiring bias
If approved by the Senate and the president, the bill would allow religious organizations that receive federal funds to operate job-training programs that discriminate in employment based on religious grounds, which could include rejecting job applicants who are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. 
FULL STORY

Gay couple says ad exploits their image
A gay Oregon couple has been swept up in the battle over Social Security reform, saying they are "outraged" that a right-wing group has unlawfully used a photo of them from their wedding in an attack ad.
FULL STORY
   
 
Group reverses, backs Conn. civil unions
A marriage equality group that had lobbied against civil unions in Connecticut in favor of same-sex marriage has changed its tactics, telling members it will cease lobby operations to kill the bill.
FULL STORY
  

WARNING: THIS ARTICLE INVOLVES PHELPS!... Kansas voters keep anti-bias ordinance
TOPEKA, Kan. -- A minister known for picketing the funerals of AIDS victims failed in his attempt to repeal a Topeka ordinance that prohibits discrimination against gays and lesbians in municipal hiring.
FULL STORY
 

Oscars: Williams mocks gay cartoon flap (BUT CENSORED OUT)
LOS ANGELES -- Robin Williams gave new meaning to the term "tape delay" at the Academy Awards. Before presenting the award Sunday for best animated feature, he paused to rip a large piece of white tape off his mouth and then proceeded to mock those who connect cartoon characters with pro-gay messages.
FULL STORY

PLEASE DONATE TO OUR SUPPORTING ORGANIZATIONS! Our Opposition has gained significant ground! 

Join/Donate to the Human Rights Campaign

Donate to MassEquality

In a few months, a state Constitutional Convention will again vote on an Amendment to strip away equal marriage rights. This is our last chance to stop it in the Legislature and keep it off the ballot. If the vote were held today, we would lose!

Many people don’t realize that, but it’s true.  We’ll have to fight hard to win... but MassEquality, our leading supporter, 
is broke! They  bet the farm on last November’s elections — they simply had to — but now we have nothing left against opponents with deep, deep pockets.

Please act quickly to help us.  
Visit: www.MassEquality.org/gift

If we lose, discrimination will be embedded into the world’s oldest written Constitution — and thousands of families would have their marriages taken away by the state.

Your contribution will help to mobilize supporters of equality across the state... reach out to voters to influence the Legislature... build field operations... staff phone banks... send advocacy mail ... ramp up our online efforts... and hire professional lobbyists. In short, you’ll help us do everything it takes to win.

 
2/24/2005: The Pope calls gay marriage 'evil'.

2/17/2005: MA to delay 2005 gay marriage vote.

2/10/2005: Three more states finalize amendments

2/3/2005: "I support a constitutional amendment to protect the institution of marriage."- George W Bush

1/27/2005: FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT PROPOSAL IS BACK

1/20/2005: White House Again Backs Amendment on Marriage

1/13/2005: Gay Marriage Tops Vatican’s 2005 Agenda

1/6/2005: 2005 kicks off civil rights granted & refused

12/23/2004: "equal" rights in CA begins January 1st

12/16/2004: Marriage reversal case begins in OR

12/9/2004: Canada & New Zealand grant marriage & union rights

12/2/2004: Supreme Court Declines Ma Gay Marriage Case

11/26/2004: ACLU Drops Marriage Case

11/18/2004: SS Marriage Ruling 1yr Later

11/11/2004: No marriage Backlash in Ma

11/4/2004: Dealing with the bad news!

10/28/2004: Last chance to spread the word...VOTE!

10/21/2004: Ohio's anti-gay "Issue 1" campaign gets ugly.

10//142004: La. marriage ban goes to state high court.

10//72004: LA Amendment is THROWN OUT.

9/30/2004: BUB-BYE Bigoted MA House Speaker.

9/23/2004: L.A. VOTES TOTAL DISCRIMINATION

9/16/2004: Primary elections victories for pro- equality candidates, but not for Jerry's.

9/9/2004: House is back in session, to debate marriage again!

9/2/2004: Tell Bush "YOU'RE FIRED"

8/26/2004: JERRY IS MARRIED!!!

View The Full Timeline/Newsletter History HERE

*