The American Equality Bill – ONE Bill for Equal SO&GI Civil Rights

Notes from Sunday, July 11th, National Phone Gathering.

IN A Hurry SUMMARY:
—Next Circle August 15, Noon, EST.
–Focus now: Sponsorship HUNT – Focus on Your Congress person. Register on AEB Sponsorship Hunt page (http://www.actonprinciples.org/aeb-house/) and let’s find that FIRST Sponsor.
–Focus on YOUR Congressman.
–Join Nationwide Sponsorship Hunt Listserve: [email protected]
–Join – STATE specific Sponsorship HUNT listserves to find local organizers for AEB (see below).
–Focus on your congressman (yes, this is subliminal messaging)
FILING GOAL: November, 2010.

IN HUMAN FORM:

Hey Equality Seekers — all over!

Great call last night. We even had someone on the call from Baghdag! News sure travels fast!

There was great energy. States were represented from all over from VT to CA, FL, NY, UT, IL, D.C., 29 calls registered on the conference call report, but I got bumped and had to call in 3 times, so that’s not a firm number, but close. We spoke in order by STATE, and people hooked up that way, and by interest (like youth organizing, and writing cover letters for the bill).

I personally shared how impatient I am — and that I want to work on this like the barn is on fire and we have to put it out. These are my human rights I’m being denied. My life is ticking by, so I’m in a hurry and AEB is what I want and deserve. No more 2nd class citizenship!

That energy seemed beyond doubt.

FOCUS FORWARD: THE SPONSORSHIP HUNT
A bill has 4 stages: 1. Draft Bill (done, http://bit.ly/AEBJuly4SponsorshipDraft). 2. FILE BILL, 3. Get Votes, 4. Bill Signing.

We’re AT TWO: FILE BILL.

So ALL FOCUS is on the FIRST PRIZE: A BILL SPONSOR. So EACH OF US is going after our OWN Congress person, some more, and groups formed by state to work on their state Senators.

To help people find others working on the AEB Sponsorship Hunt, a listserve for EACH STATE has been set up. The listserves are the same for each state, just put in your state abbreviation. For example, for NY the listserve is: [email protected] Florida is: [email protected], etc.

These are unlocked for your community organizing for the Sponsorship Hunt. If there’s a problem, shout out.

THE OFFICIAL PUBLIC “AEB SPONSORSHIP HUNT LIST” – is on ActOnPrinciples.org.

http://www.actonprinciples.org/aeb-house/
http://www.actonprinciples.org/aeb-senate/

Our friends at ActOnPrinciples.org have created Sponsorship Hunt pages just for the AEB with a list of all the Congress targets and Senate targets. It’s called a “Whip Count” because that’s what they call it in congress when they secretly count the votes to see if they have enough to pass something. They created this tool so WE CAN DO THE COUNTING OURSELVES – in public for all to see, verify or dispute.

This is VOTE COUNTING central once we file the bill. Until then it is “Sponsorship Hunt” Central.

IF YOU ARE WORKING ON YOUR CONGRESS PERSON definitely post your name and join your STATE LISTSERVE so folks can find you (if you want to be found).

LIKE MARY TYLER MOORE : DO IT YOUR WAY

Everyone is encouraged to do their own thing – but all focused on GETTING THAT Congress/Senate SPONSOR. Stop by their office, do a phone zap, sing in front of their office, find their hair dresser, have a Civil Rights March to their office. Let your imagination run wild, but do it with love, not anger. If you’re stuck for ideas, rent Legally Blond and get creative!

CLOSING THE CIRCLE
Toward the end, Chole Nobel tapped into the power of the youth movement as she described how the AEB fits their vision of community organizing. She sent us all off with sweet dreams of equality. It was a great circle.

NEXT CALL: August 15, 2010. This time earlier: NOON ET. We looking into inviting Ed Koch to the call. He’s the former Congressman and Mayor of NYC, who with Bella Abzug in 1974 filed a Gay Civil Rights Bill – like the AEB. It’ll be interesting to find out what happened to that first attempt. Of course, that was then. This is NOW.

FOR NOW: THE SPONSORSHIP HUNT is the FOCUS. You could find the First Sponsor and be part of history. Just print out the bill (http://bit.ly/AEBJuly4SponsorshipDraft) and go to their local office. Bring friends. Keep going back until you get YES.

Keep us posted on the AEB’s Public Whip Count. It’s time to WHIP up a flurry for SO&GI Civil Rights NOW.

JOIN Your fellow Sponsor Hunters and share TACTICS and ANTICS at: [email protected]

FILING GOAL: NOVEMBER 2010. Let’s get this party started!

p.s. I forgot to record the call. So bummed! If you were on it, please add your thoughts here.