Jerry's email update on the fight for Equal Rights (July 29, 2004)
  
 
MAJOR SETBACK!
Discriminatory Marriage Protection Act Passed by a Vote of 233 to 194

Last week in a 233 to 194 vote, the House of Representatives passed the Marriage Protection Act, a dangerous and discriminatory measure that would strip the federal courts of jurisdiction over challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act and block access for the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender community to the judicial system.

While the 911 commission was trying to report it's findings on terrorism, the GOP slipped a bill through congress that,  if approved by the Senate, will allow states to ignore and deny our civil rights as they see fit, with out any worry of court challenges.

This isn't the only recent setback, there are a lot of political moves going on against us nationwide... I've added a few stories below.

Notable items this week:

House OKs gay marriage jurisdiction bill

WASHINGTON -- Stung by a Senate setback on gay marriage, Republicans passed legislation in the House Thursday to prevent federal courts from ordering states to recognize same-sex unions sanctioned elsewhere.

A day before Congress closes down for six weeks, the 233-194, mainly party-line vote handed at least a symbolic victory to social conservatives who form a key Republican constituency. The bill has the strong backing of the Bush administration, but is not expected to make headway in the Senate, aides to Democrats and Republicans said.
FULL STORY

State Representative Doug Petersen never wavered in his support For equality for same-sex couples.
 
Now we must stand with him!
Please join us at a reception and fundraiser for Doug as he squares off against a Democratic primary challenger and a Republican Romney ally who both support adding discrimination to the constitution.

Meet Doug, Show your support for his reelection, and Enjoy the company of your equality-minded neighbors!

Wednesday, August 4, 7 p.m. 17 Currier Road, Lynn

RSVP to Kirstie Yetter, Campaign staff at 617.909.4012

Contribute online! Visit www.dougpetersen.com and click "Contribute to our Campaign"


 
Donate For Equality: The Freedom to Marry PAC supports Equality Candidates.

We are pleased to announce the creation of the Freedom To Marry
Political Action Committee by longtime marriage advocates Josh
Friedes and Marc Solomon. The goal of their PAC is to support
candidates who support equal marriage rights for same-sex couples.

Mitt Romney wants an amendment that outlaws same-sex marriage.

He has targeted several incumbents that voted against that amendment.

His party has raised over $600,000 to unseat them.

He'd like to pack the State House with legislators that agree with him.

To defeat the amendment we must elect candidates who will vote against it at the next Constitutional Convention. Money matters in campaigns. In Massachusetts, the candidate who spends the most money almost always wins. Money pays for mailings, yard signs, polls, bumper stickers, radio advertisements, and staff.

Please donate to the Freedom to Marry PAC now to help elect
candidates that support same-sex marriage:
http://FreedomToMarryPAC.org/donate.php

Please forward this to friends and family nationwide that
want to help preserve same-sex marriage rights in Massachusetts.
In doing so you help us help the Freedom to Marry PAC.

Every bit helps.

Thank you,
Robert DeBenedictis and Valerie Fein-Zachary, Co-Chairs
The Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts
http://EqualMarriage.org

TAKE ACTION HERE

 
Only 17 days, and one option left to sign on my HRC, take action page.
I have 65 out of my goal for 100 actions.
   
Contribute to the campaign of Paul Meoni   
He is challenging the My local representative who has consistently voted against my civil rights.

Submit an editorial to your local paper every 35 days.  It is important to publicly show support for gay marriage! 
Helpful suggestions


Previous updates:

7/21/2004: GOP HAS MOVED THE MARRIAGE DEBATE TO THE HOUSE AND EXPECTS TO WIN

7/15/2004: The US SENATE SHOOTS DOWN THE FEDERAL MARRIAGE AMENDMENT!    But,..

7/08/2004: Court Date Set In Mass. Out-Of-State Weddings Case

6/30/2004: Federal appeals court denies attempt to block same-sex weddings 

6/24/2004: Romney urges federal ban on gay-marriage 'experiment'

6/17/2004: Gay marriage opponents gear up for fall. .

6/9/2004: Tell Mitt Romney To Stop His Anti-Gay Crusade.

5/27/2004: Governor Romney is BOOed at Suffolk Commencement Ceremony!

5/20/2004: WE CAN MARRY!!! 

5/13/2004: Judge refuses to stop gay marriages!!!

5/7/2004: Boston may ignore governor's directive on gay marriage

4/30/2004: Governor Aims to Limit Marriage to Mass. Residents, GLAD Offers Perspective

4/22/2004: I'm featured in today's paper  :-) HORRIBLE PICTURE!

4/13/2004: LETTER FROM QUINCY'S HERO: REP RONALD MARIANO

4/8/2004: Quincy's Rep Mariano Changes Vote to Support Civil Rights!

4/1/2004: CIVIL RIGHTS SETBACK IN MA

 

News Articles of Interest

Upcoming Events 

 
Psychologists Group Backs Gay Marriage
The nation's largest association of psychologists is backing same-sex marriage. The American Psychological Association's Council of Representatives made its support official Wednesday, the first day of the group's annual convention in Waikiki. The council also expressed opposition to discrimination against lesbian and gay parents.
Full Story 
  

FBI ends benefits for gay agent's partner
HARTFORD, Conn. -- The FBI has rescinded health benefits that it says were mistakenly given to the same-sex partner of an agent after the couple wed in Massachusetts.
FULL STORY

 
Court annuls France homosexual marriage
BORDEAUX, France -- The first gay couple to be married in France vowed Tuesday to fight a court decision that annulled their union and said any redefinition of marriage should be taken up by lawmakers.
Read the FULL STORY


Gay man in Massachusetts has trouble getting passport under new married name
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. -- A man who married his partner of 23 years after gay marriage was legalized in Massachusetts now is having trouble getting a new passport.
Full Story

 
Rights Activists Praise Partner Registry 
Miami Beach commissioners voted Wednesday to create a broad domestic-partnership registry that gives unmarried couples a range of legal rights while they're in the city -- a measure hailed by gay-rights activists as the most expansive in the state. 
Full Story 
 

N.D. may vote on gay marriage amendment 
BISMARCK, N.D. -- Supporters of a North Dakota constitutional amendment to limit marriage to heterosexual couples say they have collected more than enough petition signatures for their campaign to put the issue to a November vote. 
Full Story 
 

Measure Banning Same-Sex Marriage Makes Ballot 
The initiative would amend the state constitution to define marriage as only between one man and one woman, jeopardizing more than 3,000 marriages between same-sex couples registered in Multnomah County earlier this year. 
Full Story 

Democrats embrace gay rights, not marriage 
BOSTON -- Democrats are doing a delicate dance as they attempt to embrace gay rights but not necessarily gay marriage. Nearly 42 percent of Democratic convention delegates interviewed by The Associated Press said they support gay marriage. But 21 percent are against it and around 38 percent said their feelings either didn't fit into a "for" or an "against" category or they declined to answer the question. 
Full Story 

 


Democratic National Convention
Next week, Boston will be the center of political attention for the entire nation.  There are a number of events geared to members of the GLBT community, including one co-sponsored by MassEquality.

For a full list of GLBT-themed events during the Democratic National Convention, please check the calendar published by Bay State Stonewall Democrats at www.BayStateStonewallDems.org .  Also, check out the Stonewall Democrats national convention this weekend in Providence.  Full details are available at www.StonewallDemocrats.org .

Summer of Equality
Last month, we (MassEquality) launched the Summer of Equality.  We are working with the Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts to provide you and thousands of other MassEquality members with  meaningful opportunities to make a difference in our campaign.  We have volunteer opportunities around the state -- opportunities to identify supporters of same-sex marriage at public events or by going door-to-door.  In addition, we are working to connect our members with electoral campaigns where the outcome could make a difference for us.

Check out the Summer of Equality calendar and sign up today by visiting www.MassEquality.org/soe_doc/index.php