Friends, 

OK, I am EXHAUSTED!.. I just finished cleaning house after an incredible Equality Party Success... I had 26 people attend and commit to taking action, and over $300 in contributions...  THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO CAME, AND THANKS TO EVERYONE ELSE in advance for taking part in the calls to action that we discussed.

PARTY IN REVIEW 6:30 - 7:30 -  Arrival, meet-n-greet and hors dourves 7:45 - 8:00 -  Welcome &  "Thank You" from Jerry and Amy Mello from MassEquality. Announcement that the Quincy Human Rights Council (QHRC) will launch a formal release to Legislators recommending they reject the petition. Presentation to Ed Grogan from the QHRC, for his support in defending our rights.  8:00 - 8:15 -  We watched the DVD "Better Angels" which is being distributed to the MA Legislators.  It documents what the State of Wisconsin went through, when they (a state that has supported GLBT protections even before MA!) suffered the process of a similar ballot initiative that passed by 2%, thus banning marriages protections.  8:15 - 8:45 -  WE PIGGED OUT!..  :-) I kinda went overboard on the food preparation  8:45 - 9:00 - Joe and John from Attleboro took the floor and started a brainstorming session on what we can do to step up the efforts to defeat this hurtful amendment. CALL TO ACTION: (FOR YOU TO DO TOO!) We all agreed to identify 5 friends/acquaintances that live in MA that have not yet contacted legislators - We press them to write letters and leave messages requesting legislators reject the petitioned marriage amendment. We even offered to ghost write letters so that they need only sign and mail. We also agreed to step up our efforts in submitting and responding to "letters to the editor" in local papers.  Especially the Patriot Ledger, not that they are accepting letters from anywhere in MA.  We need at least 2 letters on our side for everyone of "theirs."  I keep track of all the latest letters in my "editorial watch" section of this newsletter. These are CALLS TO ACTION that everyone on this last can be doing - WE NEED Everyone's Help!	Equality Party Photos
	Click to view "Better Angels"

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

ON 5/11, WE COULD LOSE AN EXISTING VOTE FOR EQUALITY The 11th Norfolk District (Dedham, Westwood & Walpole) is holding a special election to fill vacancy of  Pro-Equality Rep Robert K. Coughlin. Candidates:         D- Stephen Bilafer         R- Doug Obey         I- Paul McMurtry

Rights groups battle question on gay nuptials. 
Gay and lesbian advocates are hoping that a video and house parties will boost their campaign to block a referendum that would outlaw gay marriage in Massachusetts.

An 11-minute video arguing for the preservation of gay marriage is scheduled to be unveiled today and tomorrow at house parties across the state, said Marc Solomon , campaign director for Mass Equality, a gay rights advocacy group. "Advocates for gay rights are getting their family and friends together to watch the video and go out and support us," Solomon said.

The target of the campaign: the state's 200 legislators, and in particular, the 63 legislators who in January voted to put gay marriage on a statewide ballot in November 2008.. (Read More)
  

Wisconsin gay marriage activists warn Bay State lawmakers on vote. 
BOSTON -- Lawmakers and gay rights activists from Wisconsin -- where voters approved a ban same-sex marriage last year -- are urging their Massachusetts counterparts to avoid a statewide vote, with one saying it lets "mob rule" dictate on a question of discrimination.

The admonition comes on a video being unveiled this weekend at house parties across the state, and being sent to Massachusetts lawmakers considering a proposed constitutional amendment outlawing gay marriage. (Read More)

Crashing the VoteOnMarriage.org party 
Score one for supporters of marriage equality. On April 19 VoteOnMarriage.org sponsored a community meeting at the Beverly Farms Library to talk about the organization’s efforts to pass a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, but only five supporters turned out for the meeting. Meanwhile, 10 supporters of same-sex marriage also turned out for the meeting, dwarfing the VoteOnMarriage.org crowd. Since the event was held in the public library, VoteOnMarriage.org had no way of keeping out the marriage equality supporters. (Read More). 

 

Focus on the Family comes to Massachusetts. 
H.B. London, vice-president of ministry outreach and pastoral ministry for Focus on the Family, will take a whirlwind tour of Massachusetts April 30 through May 2, holding meetings with pastors in Springfield, Worcester, North Reading, Brockton, Plymouth and Boston as part of a series of events co-sponsored by VoteOnMarriage.org, the lead organization working to outlaw same-sex marriage in Massachusetts. Lisa Barstow, a spokesperson for VoteOnMarriage.org, said the event will not be political in nature and will not focus primarily on the marriage issue. (Read More)