SPECIAL EDITION!
  Jerry's email update on the fight for Equal Rights (August 26, 2004)
  

JERRY'S A MARRIED MAN! 

AND I'VE RECEIVED THE PERFECT GIFTS: Thank you friends for taking action on my Human Rights Campaign page... I'm now exceeding my commitment to HRC!
Friends,  I'm off the market for good...  
 
I'M MARRIED!... (pausing)..  WOW!..   As I write those words for the very first time,  it has just really sunk in...  I'M MARRIED...  You will probably read those words throughout this update... I just want to keep on saying it: I'M MARRIED!

In a day and age where society is overrun with hatred and fear, something good has happened; something absolutely amazing.  Thanks to the courageous efforts of a select few, people who were once forced to accept and hide that they were anything but normal, can freely and LEGALLY shout "I'm Gay" and/or "I'm married."

This can be the start of something big.  If all of society can grasp this new concept of acceptance and freedom for everyone, life can only get better, now and for future generations.  We may just be on the brink of a time where terrible acts of hatred like the murder of Mathew Sheppard, may be a thing of the past.

There is more than just the the issue of civil marriage involved here; acceptance is the key.  Unfortunately not everyone is willing to accept people that are different from themselves or what they were raised to believe.  Hopefully seeing the joy that people are now able to share will encourage them to open their minds and hearts to consider the happiness and wellbeing of others.

There are more fights for equality to come, but for now I am savoring the most wonderful moments of my entire life.  I'M MARRIED TO THE LOVE OF MY LIFE!!!... I LOVE YOU ED!

Notable items this week:

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25th, 7:00 PM... 
ED AND JERRY ARE MARRIED

So that all my friends
are be to share in the excitement and absolute happiness of our private ceremony, I've created a slideshow of 10 photos from the event

SEE THE CEREMONY

 

 

 

 

WHAT'S UP WITH VP CHENEY?... Has he come to his senses? 
Vice President Cheney broke with President Bush on Tuesday on the question of same-sex marriage, saying he believes the issue should be left to the states. "Freedom means freedom for everyone," he said at a campaign rally in Davenport, Iowa.

FULL STORY
 

Please Read, Take Action and Forward


$100,000 challenge: MassEquality has received an incredible challenge from a generous donor. It's pretty simple, really. This donor will match every dollar we raise between now and August 31st, up to $100,000. 

Every dollar you give now will have twice the impact. And it couldn't come at a better time. Within the next month, not only will we be engaged in our advocacy work to preserve equal marriage rights in Massachusetts, but we'll also be hiring new staff and equipping a new office. Receiving your contribution now is critically important. 

You can make a contribution to help us meet our challenge in one of three ways: 

1) Visit our website -- www.MassEquality.org -- and click to contribute; 

2) Visit www.SupportEquality.org -- contributions to MassEquality through this site will count toward our match; 

3) Mail a check before August 31st to MassEquality.org, 398 Columbus Ave Box 198, Boston, MA 02116. 

Again, please make sure your friends and family members know about this special opportunity. With your help, we will rise up to meet the challenge. 

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. 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
Every bit helps.

TAKE ACTION HERE

 
Please revisit my HRC, take action page.
    
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

Dontamend.com

Dearmary.com
 



Previous updates:

8/19/2004:
MA Supreme Court Judge rules in favor of discriminatory law!

8/12/2004: California High Court Voids Same-Sex Marriages!

8/05/2004: ANOTHER MAJOR SETBACK & ANOTHER SMALL WIN.

7/29/2004: MAJOR SETBACK!
Discriminatory Marriage Protection Act Passed by a Vote of 233 to 194 

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

 


Dear Jerry,

NEXT WEEK, the Republican faithful - and some of the people behind the discriminatory Federal Marriage Amendment - will gather in New York to annoint the Amendment's key supporter: President George W. Bush.

There's never been a better time to send them all a message, loud and clear, about how fair-minded Americans feel about our country's leader. We want him out. We want to say: George Bush, YOU'RE FIRED! Here's the plan:

  1. Trucks. Four of them. Roaming the streets of Manhattan during the Republican National Convention with our message, "George Bush: YOU'RE FIRED!" plastered on both sides. The extremists won't be able to escape it.

  2. Buttons. Bold pins with "George Bush: YOU'RE FIRED!" for you to wear your beliefs proudly, wherever you go. Yours free when you contribute $35 to help get our message out.

  3. Ads. Same message. All over the country in states where Senators backed the Amendment and states where we know voters need to hear it. This time, you'll have a chance to add your name when you make a $50 contribution, so that readers will see that fair-minded people all across America have the courage to put their money into electing a President who values civil rights.

Let's face it: This President needs to be fired. HRC is ready to make that happen. Join us in letting him - and all who support him - know.  Click here:
https://secure.ga3.org/03/fired?source=W05EGEAG1

Many thanks,

Cheryl A. Jacques
Human Rights Campaign President

P.S. If you're in New York during the Republican National Convention, be sure to catch HRC Political Director Winnie Stachelberg at the New York Times Speaker Series event "Voices of the Gay & Lesbian Vote" on Friday, August 27 at 6:30pm. Tickets & information:
http://www.nytimes.com/timestalks