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kengr(from a mailing list I'm on)
As many of you know, a so-called Defense of Marriage Act petition is being circulated across the state that would amend Oregon's constitution. The amendment would state that "only marriage between one man and one woman is valid or legally recognized as marriage."
In March and April over 3000 same-sex couples got married in Oregon and for the first time they are seen as equal under the law. The proposed ballot measure would take away their right to visit each other in the hospital and get health insurance. It would take away their marriages.
There is a small window of opportunity for the Defense of Marriage Coalition to get the number of signatures needed to send this initiative to the November ballot. At Basic Rights Oregon we are working to counter the message of the petition with a message of fairness. In order to do this we need to know when and where petitioners are and that is where YOU come in.
We need folks all over Oregon to ALERT us! Call Alissa Haslam at 503-222-6151 when you see a petitioner. Tell your friends, family, and coworkers to call when they see signature gatherers. The more details you give us, like where and when you saw the petitioner, the better.
We need you to COMPLAIN! If you see a petitioner on public transportation, complain to your driver. If you see them at your local grocery store or department store complain to the manager and email corporate headquarters. And then you can ACT! We can provide you with flyers to distribute to folks in your area that encourages people NOT to sign discrimination into the Oregon constitution.
Through a statewide effort of folks like you, we can help educate voters on this issue. Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to defend our basic right to marry this November?
For more information or to tell us where the petitioners are in your community, contact Alissa Haslam at 503-222-6151 or email alissa@basicrights.org. Thank you!
As many of you know, a so-called Defense of Marriage Act petition is being circulated across the state that would amend Oregon's constitution. The amendment would state that "only marriage between one man and one woman is valid or legally recognized as marriage."
In March and April over 3000 same-sex couples got married in Oregon and for the first time they are seen as equal under the law. The proposed ballot measure would take away their right to visit each other in the hospital and get health insurance. It would take away their marriages.
There is a small window of opportunity for the Defense of Marriage Coalition to get the number of signatures needed to send this initiative to the November ballot. At Basic Rights Oregon we are working to counter the message of the petition with a message of fairness. In order to do this we need to know when and where petitioners are and that is where YOU come in.
We need folks all over Oregon to ALERT us! Call Alissa Haslam at 503-222-6151 when you see a petitioner. Tell your friends, family, and coworkers to call when they see signature gatherers. The more details you give us, like where and when you saw the petitioner, the better.
We need you to COMPLAIN! If you see a petitioner on public transportation, complain to your driver. If you see them at your local grocery store or department store complain to the manager and email corporate headquarters. And then you can ACT! We can provide you with flyers to distribute to folks in your area that encourages people NOT to sign discrimination into the Oregon constitution.
Through a statewide effort of folks like you, we can help educate voters on this issue. Wouldn't it be nice if we didn't have to defend our basic right to marry this November?
For more information or to tell us where the petitioners are in your community, contact Alissa Haslam at 503-222-6151 or email alissa@basicrights.org. Thank you!
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no subject
Date: 2004-05-30 02:36 pm (UTC)Something like:
Family has always been considered the strongest, most basic tie that binds people together. We allow adults to select one person who is their beloved, their partner, and more... part of their family, their next of kin, the one person we accept is the closest person to them.
Some have gone so far as to argue that gay folks *can* marry... just so long as they marry someone who they don't, and can't, love.
Everyone deserves the right to join the person they love most in this world to their family.
no subject
Date: 2004-05-30 03:04 pm (UTC)*If* they get enough signatures, then we can worry about that sort of thing.
BTW, if you can find it, you might want to compare your comments to those in the US Supreme Court decision that overturned the bans on interracial marriage. You just re-invented most of it.
Yes, the folks arguing for the ban actually used the "they can marry anybody they want to, as long as it's someone of the same race" argument. And the court pointed out pretty much what you did.