Hi Folks,

I have been very busy this past week trying to fulfill the follow-up action items that I committed to at the April 28th, Equality Party we held here in Quincy.  Friends, PLEASE try to help out... If you are not from MA, but know people in MA that can help, then you too can support our follow-up actions.  

I realize that everyone is busy with their own commitments, but I too have a time-consuming job and many other outside commitments... But this is about human rights!.. We are in THE position to help move this country in a positive direction... YOU CAN HELP MAKE HISTORY!  PLEASE HELP US TO DEFEAT THE HURTFUL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT TARGETED AT GAY COUPLES IN MA.

Here is the status of what I have been working on

Here is what those in attendance have agreed to try, AND EVERYONE ON THIS LIST SHOULD TRY TOO

I submitted the Quincy Human Rights Commission's Press Release to the Patriot Ledger, The Quincy Sun, The Boston Globe, EdgeBoston, Bay Windows and InNews Weekly.  So far, only In News Weekly has confirmed that something on the release will be published (THANKS TO EVERYONE who contacted the Ledger about the Story) I've teamed with our Harvard Party attendee, Katie to pull together a helpful, recommended format for Ed Grogan to submit a "SPEAKOUT" column in the Patriot Ledger. (THANKS KATIE) I've been in communication with MassEquality and the leaders of the other Equality Party in Quincy, and learned that they determined the town of Quincy needs to focus on our own city affiliate of MassEquality to focus on our Legislators, since they seem "sensitive"/"defensive" to the topic of MassEquality.  I have helped to create a logo and am working with another Quincy contact who has communications expertise, to launch a website for "Quincy for Marriage Equality" (take a secret peek at my progress here) I've sent 6 prewritten letters to our friend ( and contact on this list) Cheryl, who could not make it to the party, but committed to finding 5 other contacts to email the Weymouth legislators. (THANKS CHERYL!) - If anyone else wants help drafting letters, please let me know I still need to follow-up with the politicians that I invited to the party, to see if they will speak out in support.

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.  THANK YOU JOE & DAVID, SO FAR YOU ARE THE ONLY 2 ATTENDEES TO CONFIRM THAT YOU'RE TAKING ACTION, SO FAR. EVERYONE ELSE: Please confirm that you can give this a try... be creative ghost write letters in advance, 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.   THANK YOU Ed, Joe, Scott, Jim and Steve for submitting "Letters to the Editor" at the Patriot Ledger... In response to the negative rants that were published last week.  Watch "Better Angels" today - and then share it with all of your friends and family. The documentary film shows us what happened just two years ago in Wisconsin, when supporters of equality lost a campaign to prevent a similar discriminatory anti-gay amendment... despite strong endorsements across the state and encouraging poll numbers, they lost by a wide margin.  And the same thing could happen here.  LET ME KNOW IF YOU PREFER TO SHARE A DVD WITH YOUR FAMILY AND FRIENDS - I'M WILLING TO MAKE COPIES FOR YOU.

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.  If you know anyone from this area, please contact them, asking they get out and vote for the democratic candidate Stephen Bilafer. Candidates:         D- Stephen Bilafer         R- Doug Obey         I- Paul McMurtry

Anti-gay lobby day success, say organizers. 
MARRIAGE EQUALITY OPPONENTS URGE LAWMAKERS TO TAKE SECOND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE BAN VOTE 
More than 100 supporters of a proposed amendment to the state Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage, asked lawmakers, on April 24, to support their efforts and let voters decide. (Read More)

MA House Parties Boost Marriage Equality 
House parties in support of marriage equality took place across Massachusetts over the weekend, featuring an 11-minute video produced by MassEquality.  The parties represent an attempt by supporters of marriage equality to rally in opposition to a proposed amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution that would strip marriage equality from residents and prevent future marriages between same-sex couples. Since 2004, Massachusetts has been the only state in America to allow same-sex couples to wed. (Read More)
  

Cirignano back in court, rally videos on the web. 
Larry Cirignano, former executive director of Catholic Citizenship, was back in Worcester District Court May 1 for a further arraignment on charges of misdemeanor assault and battery and civil rights violations, following his plea of not guilty April 11. Judge Robert Gardner ordered Cirignano to come back June 8 for a pre-trial hearing. Cirignano, who now resides in Virginia, is being represented by Walpole attorney Alexander Matulewicz. (Read More)

Marriage battle could broaden
Gay rights activists ask aid from DNC 
Two staff members from MassEquality, the group leading the fight to protect same-sex marriage in the only state where it is legal, met last week in Washington with officials of the Democratic National Committee to make their case that a high-profile, expensive battle in Massachusetts next year would drain valuable resources away from the presidential race and its other national political efforts. (Read More). 
  

Low-key Senate race seems a ground game. 
... Both candidates support the Patrick administration's effort to close corporate tax loopholes and allow communities to levy added local taxes on meals and lodging. And each says he would vote against efforts to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage -- though Petruccelli won the endorsement of MassEquality, the main lobbying group in support of gay marriage. (Read More)

Wing nuts turn out for anti-bullying hearing 
Are anti-bullying laws one more tool of the gay agenda? That seemed to be anti-gay activist Brian Camenker’s argument at a May 1 hearing before the legislature’s Joint Committee on Education, which heard more than two hours of testimony on a series of bills focused on requiring school districts to develop plans to address bullying. Camenker’s argument that the backers of anti-bullying legislation have ulterior motives provoked a stern response from committee co-chair Sen. Robert Antonioni (D-Leominster), co-sponsor of one of the bills, who aggressively questioned Camenker and at times forced him to limit his answers to either “yes” or “no.” Camenker became visibly angry during the exchange with Antonioni, shouting over the senator to be heard.. (Read More)