[WestMALocals] Re: Court Ducks Marriage Question

Mon Jul 10 12:10:41 EDT 2006

House:

http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenuh.htm

Senate:

http://www.mass.gov/legis/memmenus.htm

Travaglini:

http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/ret0.htm

DiMasi:

http://www.mass.gov/legis/member/sfd1.htm


On 7/10/06, Owen Broadhurst <owen.broadhurst at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Owen Broadhurst <owen.broadhurst at gmail.com>
> Date: Jul 10, 2006 12:04 PM
> Subject: Re: Court Ducks Marriage Question
> To: lavender at green-rainbow.org, Discussion List for StateCom members <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org
> >
>
>  I had urged that GLAD please include in its petition reference to how the
> Homphobe Initiative was essentially faith based, and hence an illegal effort
> towards imposing only the religious views of particular
> politically powerful sects. I believe this would have been a far stronger
> argument for GLAD to make.
>
> Unfortunately, we're here now. The SJC has lent its assent to Reilly's
> illegal certification of Petition K.
>
> We must now mobilize in strength. The time to secure the defeat of the
> Homophobe Initiative is NOW.
>
> I shall be forwarding a list of legislators and their complete contact
> information. CALL them. Call also the Speaker of the House and the Senate
> President. Ask for the exercise of the same parliamentary maneuvers that
> killed this alarming travesty last time around. It doesn't need to come up
> for vote.
>
> ACT NOW
>
> Owen R. Broadhurst
>
>
>
> On 7/10/06, Lee Swislow, GLAD Executive Director < gladlaw at glad.org>
> wrote:
> >
> >    You are receiving this email from Gay & Lesbian Advocates &
> > Defenders. To no longer receive our emails, click to unsubscribe<http://ui.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=un&m=1101153764278&ea=owen.broadhurst%40gmail.com&se=10081&t=1101349467716&lang=en&reason=F>
> > .   [image: header 1]      July 10, 2006        Dear Owen,
> >
> > GLAD is dismayed by today's SJC decision upholding Attorney General
> > Thomas Reilly's certification of the anti-gay ballot measure seeking to make
> > marriage for same-sex couples illegal again in Massachusetts [Read
> > GLAD's Press Release]<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=esnwywbab.0.7h6xywbab.w6ac5qbab.10081&ts=S0194&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.glad.org%2FNews_Room%2Fpress117-07-10-06.html>
> > .
> > [image: ConCon05]
> > GLAD filed *Schulman v. Reilly<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=esnwywbab.0.6h6xywbab.w6ac5qbab.10081&ts=S0194&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.glad.org%2Fmarriage%2FSchulman_Decision.pdf>
> > * in January 2006 with a strong legal argument – the constitution
> > clearly forbids using the ballot initiative process to overturn a court's
> > decision. *Moreover, matters of civil rights should never be subject to
> > popular vote *.
> >
> > But we are not surprised. We knew that this case was an uphill battle
> > and that courts rarely rule against a sitting attorney general. Your support
> > gave us the resources to take this case to court and will be critically
> > important as we continue this fight in the courts and in the court of public
> > opinion. There is still much work ahead.
> >
> > Since GLAD's landmark *Goodridge* decision, more than 8,000 same-sex
> > couples have married in Massachusetts. All across the state, couples and
> > families, gay and straight, are involved in business as usual, taking care
> > of each other, and their communities. Despite opponents' challenges through
> > countless lawsuits and ballot initiatives, support for marriage equality has
> > grown steadily both in the legislature and among the general public.
> >
> > The Massachusetts constitution – the oldest in our country – is
> > considered a model of fairness all around the world. It's never been a
> > vehicle for discrimination and it shouldn't be twisted into one now. Justice
> > Greaney, in his concurring opinion, wrote that "the only effect of a
> > positive vote [on the amendment] would be to make same-sex couples, and
> > their families, unequal to everyone else; this is discrimination in its
> > rawest form."
> >
> > The proposed amendment now goes to the Constitutional Convention on
> > Wednesday, July 12, where it will need only 50 votes to send it to a second
> > Convention in the 2007-2008 legislature. There, the same 50-vote threshold
> > would apply. If approved in both sessions, the question would appear on the
> > ballot in November 2008.
> >
> > In the next two days leading up to the Convention, GLAD will do
> > everything we can with our colleagues at MassEquality<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=esnwywbab.0.ww7wywbab.w6ac5qbab.10081&ts=S0194&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.massequality.org>as they work to convince the legislature to do the right thing and defeat
> > this mean-spirited amendment. We urge you to do the same! Find out how
> > you can get involved<http://rs6.net/tn.jsp?t=esnwywbab.0.zw7wywbab.w6ac5qbab.10081&ts=S0194&p=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.massequality.org%2Fevents>.
> >
> >
> > We have no doubt that this is a battle we will win. The only question is
> > when.
> >
> > Thank you for your support.
> >
> > Sincerely,
> > [image: Lee's Signature]
> > Lee Swislow Executive Director
> > ------------------------------
> > gladlaw at glad.org
> >
> > Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) is New England's leading
> > legal rights organization dedicated to ending discrimination based on sexual
> > orientation, HIV status and gender identity and expression. Since 1978,
> > through impact litigation and public education, GLAD has worked to create a
> > better world for lesbians, gay men, bisexuals, transgender individuals and
> > people living with HIV.
> >
> > To learn more about GLAD and be added to our e-mail list, please visit our
> > website <http://www.glad.org/Join_Us/mailinglist.php>. To help GLAD fund
> > the fight for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender marriage equality,
> > please make a donation today - visit our Donation Page at
> > www.glad.org/Donate_to_GLAD. If you would like to be removed from our
> > email list please send a message from the address where you received this
> > message to unsubscribe at glad.org. Thank you for getting involved and for
> > supporting GLAD.
> >
> >
> >
> >     *Tell a Friend!<http://ui.constantcontact.com/sa/fwtf.jsp?m=1101153764278&ea=owen.broadhurst%40gmail.com&a=1101349467716>
> > *
> >
> >
> > <http://ui.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=un&m=1101153764278&ea=owen.broadhurst%40gmail.com&se=10081&t=1101349467716&lang=en&reason=F> This
> > email was sent to owen.broadhurst at gmail.com, by gladlaw at glad.org
> > Update Profile/Email Address<http://ui.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=oo&m=1101153764278&ea=owen.broadhurst%40gmail.com&se=10081&t=1101349467716&lang=en&reason=F>| Instant removal with
> > SafeUnsubscribe<http://ui.constantcontact.com/d.jsp?p=un&m=1101153764278&ea=owen.broadhurst%40gmail.com&se=10081&t=1101349467716&lang=en&reason=F>™
> > | Privacy Policy<http://ui.constantcontact.com/roving/CCPrivacyPolicy.jsp>
> > .
> >  Powered by
> >  <http://www.constantcontact.com/index.jsp?cc=business02>
> > Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders | 30 Winter Street | Suite 800 |
> > Boston | MA | 02108
> >
> >
>
>
>
> --
> Owen R. Broadhurst
> Candidate for State Representative
> Third Hampden District
> http://www.owenbroadhurst.org
>
>
> --
> Owen R. Broadhurst
> Candidate for State Representative
> Third Hampden District
> http://www.owenbroadhurst.org
>


-- 
Owen R. Broadhurst
Candidate for State Representative
Third Hampden District
http://www.owenbroadhurst.org