|
|||||
   This is from Marriage Equality USA: Federal Court Case Challenging Prop 8 Monday January 11, 2010 6:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Phillip Burton Federal Building Plaza 450 Golden Gate Ave in San Francisco Join Marriage Equality USA leaders Molly McKay & Davina Kotulski and Stuart Gaffney & John Lewis, PFLAG parents Sam & Julia Thoron and Helen Laird, NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell, Lambda Marriage Project Director Jenny Pizer, couples who joyfully married, couples who want to marry, clergy leaders, musical performances by Veronica Klaus, Diane Larsen, local choirs and many many more! Together we will share the spirit of courage, hope and strength that will herald in the light on this important next chapter of our civil rights movement. There will be LOTS of strong coffee provided to those willing to get up that early and join us. Perry v Schwarzenegger, the federal trial challenging Prop 8, is scheduled to begin on Monday January 11, 2010 at 8:30am in Courtroom 6 on the 17th floor of the Phillip Burton Federal Building at 450 Golden Gate Ave. in SF. There will be very limited seating available in the courtroom. There will be an overflow room on the 19th floor broadcasting the proceedings and hopefully the court will decide to televise the trial as well. http://www.marriageequality.org/index.php?page=event
New Jersey Marriage Inequality Vote: How lawmakers voted; Who to The New Jersey State Senate has voted for discrimination and Marriage Inequality. The Twenty New Jersey State Senators Listed Below Who Voted No, for From N.J.com: The debate ended, the votes were cast, and all eyes turned toward the It was not close. With Democrats in firm control of every lever of At the end, Democrats stumbled away like a defeated army. The board “This should have been a slam dunk,” said Sen. Ray Lesniak, one of the The victims this time were the thousands of gay couples across this More: How lawmakers voted - Hide quoted text - YES (14) Sen. Jim Whelan (D-Atlantic) NO (20) Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-Cape May) ABSTENTIONS (3) Sen. Paul A. Sarlo (D-Bergen) DID NOT ATTEND SESSION (2) Sen. Diane B. Allen (R-Burlington) *Senate has 39 members following this week’s resignation of Dana Redd, More: http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2010/01/nj_gay_marriage_how_lawmakers.html
This is extremely urgent and extremely important. U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker — who will be overseeing a federal court challenge to Prop 8 starting this Monday (January 11) — is considering whether or not to open the court room to TV cameras. The court just announced that it is seeking public comment on the proposal to televise the trial — and that all comments must be submitted to the court by a Friday deadline. The interest in this case is unprecedented. And not surprisingly, supporters of Prop 8 — who eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry — do NOT want the trial to be televised. Opponents of Prop 8 — led by attorneys David Boies and Ted Olson — are seeking to televise the case in the interests of full transparency. They want this historic trial to be watched by as many Americans as possible. And, of course, we agree. We have just this one chance to make our voices heard — thousands of Americans calling for equality, transparency and accountability. That’s why we’re teaming up with CREDO Action to collect as many signatures as possible asking Judge Walker to televise the case. We need your signature now: SIGNATURE DEADLINE: FRIDAY 9 a.m.: http://www.couragecampaign.org/TeleviseTheTrial Together, along with our friends at CREDO, we will hand-deliver your signatures to Judge Vaughn Walker on Friday before the deadline. This case presents issues that are very important to the public, and will affect millions of people. However, if the case is not televised, only a tiny fraction will ever be able to watch the trial in person. By televising the trial, the public will be able to see for themselves the arguments and evidence presented by both sides, and will therefore have more confidence in the outcome of the trial. That’s why we think the Prop 8 court case should be televised and we’re collecting as many signatures as possible to submit to Judge Vaughn Walker. Click here to sign now and say “YES — the Prop 8 trial should be televised.” SIGNATURE DEADLINE: FRIDAY 9 a.m.: http://www.couragecampaign.org/TeleviseTheTrial If you know other people who believe the Prop 8 trial should be televised as well, please forward this message to them ASAP. Thank you so much for making your voice heard at this critical time. We will update you as soon as further news develops. Rick Jacobs
From the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force: We know it’s a little clichéd – but here’s what we want to tell the census: We’re here. We’re queer. And we want you to ask us about it. It’s crazy – the U.S. Census Bureau wants an accurate count of everyone in the country – but there’s no question in the survey that asks if you are lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender. You read that right: LGBT people are basically invisible in the survey that is supposed to reflect the diversity of America’s population – and that’s a big problem. The data collected impacts issues critical to every American – like our health care, our economic stability, and even our safety. And when LGBT people aren’t counted, then we also don’t count when it comes to services, resources … you name it. It’s past time to Queer the Census! Sign the petition at right to demand that the census ask the question and count everyone! http://www.queerthecensus.org/site/c.jeJLIVOxEnH/b.5474287/k.9C4D/Queer_the_Census.htm
Urgent Action Alert: Help Get Marriage Equality Passed in New Jersey -by Tommy News We only have a few days to get Marriage Equality passed in New Jersey Time is running out fast. Please contact New Jersey Legislators by Marriage offers 1,138 Federal benefits and responsibilities, not Gov. Jon Corzine, a Democrat, has said he would sign a law to legalize Lawmakers could technically approve a law by noon Jan. 19 and see it Further information is available from Garden State Equality here: http://www.gardenstateequality.org/issues/marriage.html “We at Garden State Equality are often asked whether we’re a Get contact information for New Jersey State Assembly and Senate members here: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/contact.asp OFFICE OF LEGISLATIVE SERVICES OFFICE OF PUBLIC INFORMATION For general information and assistance, you may contact the Office of Office of Legislative Services Phone: (609) 292-4840 Your State legislator(s) welcome your thoughts, concerns, ideas and Go Here for More information: http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/legislativepub/contact.asp List of Legislators here: New Jersey Senate and Assembly Alphabetical List of Members Senator Diane B. Allen Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Bill Baroni Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Christopher Bateman Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator James Beach Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Jennifer Beck Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Anthony R. Bucco Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Barbara Buono Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Gerald Cardinale Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Andrew R. Ciesla Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Richard J. Codey Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Christopher J. Connors Republican Votes by Bill Votes Senator Sandra B. Cunningham Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Michael J. Doherty Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Nia H. Gill, Esq. Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator John A. Girgenti Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Robert M. Gordon Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Philip E. Haines Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Sean T. Kean Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Thomas H. Kean, Jr. Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Joseph M. Kyrillos, Jr. Republican Votes by Bill Senator Raymond J. Lesniak Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Fred H. Madden, Jr. Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Kevin J. O’Toole Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Steven V. Oroho Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Joseph Pennacchio Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Dana L. Redd Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Ronald L. Rice Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator M. Teresa Ruiz Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Nicholas J. Sacco Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Paul A. Sarlo Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Nicholas P. Scutari Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Robert W. Singer Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Bob Smith Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Brian P. Stack Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Stephen M. Sweeney Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Shirley K. Turner Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Jeff Van Drew Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Joseph F. Vitale Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Loretta Weinberg Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Senator Jim Whelan Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Assemblywoman Dawn Marie Addiego Republican Votes by Bill Assemblyman Nelson T. Albano Democrat Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Assemblyman John F. Amodeo Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini Republican Votes by Bill Assemblyman Peter J. Barnes, III Democrat Votes by Bill Votes Assemblyman Peter J. Biondi Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject Assemblyman Jon M. Bramnick Republican Votes by Bill Votes by Subject As we go in to the New Year, we have to turn our eyes to to the complicated process controlled by Congressional leaders House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV). That overly complex process is the passage of Health Care Reform. Below are the following provisions that were included in the House Health Care bill as provided by HRCs blog. I can’t seem to remember the larger LGBT community listing these on the top of their legislative priorities to be passed. However, we should appreciate the leadership of Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and her office for working to include specific LGBT provisions in the House version of the health care reform bill (health disparities, unequal taxation, and non-discrimination). Each issue is about fairness, sound public policy, inclusion of the LGBT community, and lives being saved. We hope that Congress and its Leadership do not leave the LGBT community out of such a significant piece of legislation as they go into the merger process between the House and the Senate this month.
A post from Act On Principles reader, Thomas Waters. You can follow his excellent LGBT issues blog at http://thomascwaters.com/ I saw a post on The Bilerico Project- a guest post by Chris Geidner, who usually posts at LawDork. If you don’t follow Chris, his is a really great blog to follow. The specifics of the post are interesting and worth knowing about- how the republican led Ohio Senate gutted a teen dating-violence bill and the democrat controlled house went along with it, and a democrat governor signed it. But I think there are two other points to stress anyone who cares about GLBTQ issues. First, support or a lack of support for GLBTQ issues, doesn’t fall along party lines. we can say that in general republicans are more likely to oppose GLBTQ rights, and democrats in general, are more supportive, but in the end party affiliation isn’t the thing that is going to bring gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queers any closer to full equality. At least when talking about how already elected officials act. I’ll make a comment on work to elect officials in a moment, below. Second, GLBTQ and our allies must care about every bit of legislation out there that can affect us. If our focus is only on marriage rights, in the end we will lose on many other fronts, and fronts that matter in a big way. If our focus is only on nondiscrimination, we will lose in other areas that matter. I can’t stress that enough, we have to care about all legislation that affects GLBTQ people in every way, shape and form. That doesn’t sound like any easy task, and it isn’t. And I believe in the past we have allowed the difficulty of the fight to be the excuse many use for not getting engaged in the legislative process. But we do not have that luxury. Perhaps we once did, I don’t know, but no longer. We must either decide that we care about equality, and we are going to become willing to do something about it, or not. Once that determination is made on a personal level, then we each have to decide what equality is worth to us. What are we willing to do? Spend 15 minutes every day working for equality? Spend $50 a month working for equality? Volunteer 10 hours a week to demand equality? More? Less? We have two political fronts upon which we need to be working tirelessly. Electing officials who will move forward on legislative work that assures a better life and greater equality for everyone. This itself is no small task, because many politicians will talk a good game to get your vote, but then abandon the cause after election. But this is extremely important but slow work, as elections don’t happen every day, and in any given election, some progressives, some moderates and some conservatives will be elected. But we have to stay at this one and work at it diligently. The other front is both the harder one, but at the same time, shows more immediate payoff for the work. We must be engaged with the legislative process every day, and with every elected official. This is the task, that I have been most interested in and will continue to keep talking about- probably at great length.
|
 
| ||||
