See also
sites.google.com/site/noonprop8events/Home/orange-county-events No on Prop 8 Events - Orange County
noonprop8events.ning.com/group/orangecounty
ocequality.ning.com Orange County Equality Coalition
meetup.com/ocequality/calendar
Proposition 8 Is Keeping Same-Sex Couples From Marrying, But It Has United
OC's Gay Community
Published on November 18, 2009 at 11:27am
Hello all. I have been collecting photos for awhile for our
OC Pride
picnic, but an idea was submitted to me this weekend that I thought was
outstanding and that was to not only show Prop 8 photos, but to display couple's
wedding photos too. I've already got a few, but I want more more more.
In addition to that, I would still like to see some children's artwork
displayed. I am looking for what Equality or Pride means to children. So far I
only have one confirmed entry from a child so I really need some more of this
too.
Please pass the word around and have people get in contact with me if they
can help out with either thing. Time is of the essence, so the sooner the better as I need
time to put this all together too.
Thanks!! Much appreciated!
Greg
Hi All,
This is late notice of an important rally held by
strong supporters of the “NoOnProp8” campaign, who will be steadfast coalition
partners with us in the future, both financially and as volunteers. It is important that we support their
cause in their moment of need.
Harvey
ECCO
Vice-chair
PFLAG Board
Member
The UNITE HERE! Local 11 Disney
Action is taking place on:
Tuesday, July 14th from 4:30pm until 6 pm at
EITHER the front of the Paradise Pier Hotel (1717 S. Disneyland Drive,
Anaheim 92802) OR in front of the Anaheim Convention Center on Katella
Ave.
Please come out to support the more
than 2,100 employees of the three Disneyland Hotels: Paradise Pier, Grand
Californian, and Disneyland Hotel. They clean the rooms, cook and serve the
food, wash the dishes, and carry the luggage. And at this moment they are in the fight
of their lives.
Disney is Faithful to its Shareholders.
Disney is enormously profitable,
even in these hard times. Disney’s
net income in the first half of FY2009 was nearly $1.46 billion. Disney’s leaders are among the highest
paid in the world. In FY2008,
Disney CEO Robert Iger made $30.6 million.
Disney benefits from public subsidies.
Last month the Anaheim City Council
approved a $40 million tax subsidy for two new hotel developments that Disney
was reportedly in negotiations to manage and operate under its
brand.
Disney, Be Faithful to your
Employees
1. Disney wants to take away their
affordable family health insurance. They could be forced to pay $500 a month
for family health insurance that is free to many of them today. Few of them can afford this on our modest
wages. Many families will lose
their insurance.
2. Disney wants to take away full-time
jobs, forcing many of their employees into “casual regular” positions with no
health insurance at all, no stability, no seniority, no vacation and no
rights.
3. Disney’s demands are unprecedented
in the unionized Hotel industry in California and set a dangerous precedent for
all hotel workers.
HERE IS WHAT YOU CAN
DO!!
March with US! The Disneyland Hotel Workers invite you
join them in a March for Economic Justice at the Disneyland Hotels, Tuesday,
July 14, 4:30pm, in front of the Convention Center on Katella Blvd or the
Paradise Pier Hotel.
Sign the Pledge to Boycott Disney
Hotels. If they decide to strike or
call a boycott in the coming weeks and months, let them and Disney know that you
will respect their decision.
Take word of their struggle back to
your community, and ask them to sign the pledge as well. You can also sign the
pledge at DisneyBeFaithful.org.
If you have any questions, feel free to
contact Anthony Navarrete at
anavarrete@occord.org
or (619) 307 -3445
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Anthony Navarrete
Community
Organizer
Orange County Communities Organized for Responsible
Development (OCCORD)
13252 Garden Grove Blvd., Suite
200
Garden
Grove,
714-621-0919 –
phone
619-307-3445 –
cell
714-750-2683 –
fax
anavarrete@occord.org
CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT UPHOLDS PROPOSITION 8, AMENDING CONSTITUTION
18,000 Same Sex Marriages Remain Valid
ORANGE COUNTY, CA – The Orange County Equality Coalition (“OCEC”) is
deeply disturbed that discrimination has now been enshrined into our
state’s constitution and deeply concerned about the effect of this
ruling on its membership and on the LGBT community in Orange County. We
are gratified that the court unanimously upheld the 18,000 marriages
and reaffirmed its prior holding that sexual orientation is a suspect
classification. However, relegating gays and lesbians to "domestic
partnerships" going forward enshrines the kind of second class
citizenship into the Constitution that is deeply destructive of the
dignity interests of gays and lesbians and their families.
OCEC was formed in the wake of Proposition 8 and now has approximately
300 members and 1,000 people receiving its emails. OCEC predicts that
its membership base will be re-energized by the challenges faced in the
wake of the court’s ruling today.
“The legal significance of this ruling is far-reaching,” said Professor
M. Katherine Baird Darmer of Chapman University School of Law and Chair
of OCEC’s legal team. As dissenting justice Moreno noted, “’requiring
discrimination against a minority group on the basis of a suspect
classification strikes at the core of the promise of equality that
underlies our Constitution.’ By failing to prevent a slim voter
majority from taking a fundamental right away from the minority, the
majority has allowed itself to become complicit in enshrining
fundamental discrimination into the Constitution itself. This is a sad
day for minority rights in our state and in our country.”
Darmer noted that gays and lesbians remain particularly vulnerable,
because federal protections for gays and lesbians are minimal. Before
today, gays and lesbians were able to rely on state level protections
in California. “Now, those protections are enjoyed only at the whim of
the majority.”
“This ruling conflicts with everything that fair-minded people believe
in,” said BJ Davis, Chair of the Orange County Equality Coalition. “I
know that people will look back on this as a time when fear and bigotry
overtook the higher principles of dignity, equality and mutual respect
that are important to all Californians,” she continued. “Today, in
light of the Supreme Court decision, we are more committed than ever to
establishing marriage equality for all.”
The Orange County Equality Coalition together with our coalition
partners The Center Orange County, Elections Committee of the County of
Orange, Harvey Milk Stonewall Democrats OC, California Faith for
Equality, and the Democratic Party of Orange County will be holding a
rally this evening at the Old County Courthouse in Santa Ana at 6:00 pm.
-------- Original Message --------
If you have resources you
want listed please let me know ASAP.
Please note and publish …
Care Line hosted by Orange Coast UU Church (If you
need someone to talk to please call 24 hours.
- This line is available for
people who are in distress and need care. This is NOT a general information
line. It will be open 24 hours.
- During the rest of May and June, this line will be open
for all Orange County Residents. We will have our OCUUC pastoral care
team answering this line. We will provide an initial pastoral care response as
well as refer to pastoral care team of other UU and faith traditions.
877-228-5490
Open Sanctuary Hours (Open for pray, meditation, and
fellowship.)
- During these hours we will have pastoral care members
available for drop-in.
Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Laguna Beach
429 Cypress Drive
Laguna Beach, CA
(949) 497-4568
Rev Kent Doss - minister@uulagunabeach.org
Tuesday, May 26 1:00 pm—5:00 pm
Wednesday, May 27 4:00 pm—7:00 pm
Thursday, May 28 4:00 pm—7:00 pm
Orange Coast UU Church
1259 Victoria St
Costa Mesa, CA 923627
www.ocuuc.org
Rev Dr Karen Stoyanoff - minister@ocuuc.org
AJ Blackwood - internminister@ocuuc.org
Tuesday, May 26 1:00 pm—5:00 pm
Wednesday, May 27 4:00 pm—7:00 pm
Thursday, May 28 4:00 pm—7:00 pm
-------- Original Message --------
FINALLY! The CA Supreme Court just announced that
they will publish their Prop 8 ruling Tuesday (5/26) at 10am. Regardless of their ruling, we are staging
a giant, peaceful rally on Tuesday, May 26 @ 6pm in front of the Old Orange
County Courthouse to celebrate or to mourn (just momentarily), and be
invigorated for the inevitable battle ahead, whatever the outcome (details
below).
And Special Screening TONIGHT of OUTRAGE. RSVP Immediately if you can
attend.
Harvey
ECCO
Vice-chair
PFLAG Board
Member
Section 1:
Events
Friday, May 22 @
7pm, Santa Ana, Rally & Special screening of OUTRAGE,
a
documentary indicting the hypocrisy of closeted gay politicians with appalling
gay rights voting records, at South Coast Village Regency 3
Theater, 1561 W. Sunflower Avenue, SA. Hosted by
The Harvey Milk Stonewall Democrats
of Orange County and ECCO. (The
movie will actually begin at 7:45pm)
PLEASE RSVP
IMMEDIATELY to 714.317.8122 as seating is limited for this event. If we get enough people, it will be shown
in a larger screening room.
Tickets will cost $10 and a portion of the proceeds will go to support
education and outreach for the LGBT community in Orange
County.
From Academy Award-nominated
documentary filmmaker Kirby Dick (This Film Is Not Yet Rated) comes OUTRAGE, a
searing indictment of the hypocrisy of closeted politicians with appalling gay
rights voting records who actively campaign against the LGBT
community they covertly belong to. Boldly revealing the hidden lives
of some of the United
States’ most powerful policy makers,
OUTRAGE takes a comprehensive look at the harm they’ve inflicted on
millions of Americans, and examines the media’s complicity in keeping their
secrets. With analysis from prominent members of the gay community such as
Congressman Barney Frank, former NJ Governor Jim McGreevey, activist Larry
Kramer, radio personality Michelangelo Signorile, and openly gay congresswoman
Tammy Baldwin (Representative, Wisconsin 2nd district), OUTRAGE probes deeply
into the psychology of this double lifestyle, the ethics of outing closeted
politicians, the double standards that the media upholds in its coverage of the
sex lives of gay public figures, and much more.
Tuesday, May 26 @
6pm, Santa Ana, Peaceful Rally at the Old Orange
County Courthouse
(historic, red, sandstone and granite
building dedicated in 1901) 211 W. Santa Ana
Blvd. (bet. N. B’way and N. Sycamore)
Santa Ana, CA 92701
This event is being
planned and sponsored by a coalition of OCEC, ECCO, Laguna Beach Dem Club, The
Center OC, HRC, Harvey Milk Democratic Club.
We will gather in
front of the Old Orange County Courthouse at 6-pm, and after a few speakers, we
will march to the Plaza of the Flags (see map, below) to continue our
rally.
March
Route: After a few speakers, we are marching
from the Old Courthouse on Broadway, North to Civic Center Dr.; then West to
Ross; then South to the walkway leading (Westerly) to Plaza of the Flags (an
internal plaza not bounded by a city street). After our rally we will continue South
on Ross to 4th
St.; then East to Broadway, returning to the Old
Courthouse from where we will disperse.
Events are also planned for the days immediately
following the decision. Updates will be posted on www.ocequality.ning.com and www.eccopac.org.
Saturday, May 30 @
1pm, Fresno, Peaceful Rally, Fresno City Hall, 2600 Fresno
Street, 93721
Why Fresno?
The battle for equality has to be fought in towns like Fresno, CA — not only in
gay-friendly cities like San Francisco and
Los Angeles.
California's Central
Valley population is far more reflective of national attitudes
towards LBGT Equality and until we engage the communities of "middle-America,"
LBGT persons will not gain the full equality they deserve.
OCEC is organizing carpools and
caravans to go to Fresno for Meet in the Middle for
Equality! www.ocequality.ning.com
Saturday, May 30 @
5-7pm, Irvine, Irvine United Congregational Church,
4915 Alton
Pkwy, Irvine, CA, OCEC
Special Event with Lt. Dan Choi, OC native, West Point grad.,
deployed in Iraq, who was recently discharged
from the Army after he announced he was gay on the Rachel Maddow Show. He has been seen and heard singing with
Men Alive (and
maybe he’ll sing for those of us who are not going to Fresno).
We need
volunteers for Decision Day (Tuesday-
5/26)!!
We are looking for married same-sex couples and
same-sex couples that want to get married to participate in this rally (to
celebrate or mourn). If you would
like to stand together with your community on this famous or infamous evening,
we would like to involve as many couples as possible in our peaceful
demonstration.
NEED
Volunteers: for crowd
communication.
Volunteers, please contact: Archer Altstaetter
714-225-0396 or BJ Davis at bjdavis76@gmail.com,
or Harvey Liss harveybronx@cox.net with your cell phone
number. In any case, volunteers,
you can just show up at 4pm in front of the Old Orange County Courthouse, at the
cannon.
Section 2:
News
>> States that can legally
marry same-sex couples:
Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa,
Vermont, Maine
and New
Hampshire?...almost
>> Prediction on Prop 8
ruling: Mary Ellen Waller, an attorney with
Feinberg & Waller, has written that the media may have read this one wrong,
noting that it is ill-advised to simply look to the oral arguments themselves to
make a determination of the outcome, as there is likelihood that the vote on
Proposition 8 will be overturned. "It is foreseeable that the Court will rule
that the people have an inalienable right to amend the Constitution as they see
fit, but a change to core constitutional guarantees of equal protection of the
Constitution that would selectively deprive a disfavored suspect class of
fundamental rights must be subject to the rigors of the Constitutional revision
process," she said.
Section 3: Links to
Related Organizations
ocequality.ning.com
Orange County Equality Coalition
(OCEC)
www.eccopac.org
Elections Committee of the
County of
Orange
tell-three.org
Tell 3 campaign: That is, tell three people in your life
about what marriage of same-sex couples means to you. Choose someone who might not be
completely supportive. Tell Three is about engaging the people whom we need to
educate about the freedom to marry.
Get three people to join the Tell 3
campaign and talk to three people in their own lives about what marriage of
same-sex couples means to them. This action could not be more important
to gaining a groundswell of support for marriage equality.
GetToKnowUsFirst.org
This is a terrific organization that
has produced 30-second public interest TV announcements. They need your support: See the videos at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhpdcqNB3SY
www.ALLorNotAtAll.org
ALLorNotAtAll launches
the "I Do!" Campaign.
Our goal is to proactively educate the
public about same-sex civil marriage, but we'll be tackling a number of
different issues from a number of different angles. For example, while we are going to be
correcting the false and misleading perceptions perpetuated from the Yes on 8
folks, we believe it also critical to explain the real
issues.
Using a combination of "real" folks and
recognizable celebrities, we are producing a series of Public Service
Announcements tackling some of the main inequities that currently exist.
>From hospital visitation rights to survivor benefits to health insurance
coverage, we are going to educate California and the rest of the country about
why it is so critical to extend marriage rights to every citizen, regardless of
their sexuality.
ALLorNotAtAll.org exists to make
sure that the constitutional rights of every citizen are protected equally by
making civil marriage legal for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. We
will do this through education and outreach and our primary tool will be the
truth.
Either we all stand together or we
succeed not at all.
Greetings friends,
OCEC is involved in so many events that it is impossible to keep up! Invites will be soon sent out to our May 30th meeting with special guest Lt. Dan Choi. In the meantime, you can rsvp on our website at http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://ocequality.ning.com/events/ocec-special-event-with-lt-dan.
We will also have tables this weekend at the OC AIDS Walk in support of all of Team OCEC and all of the walkers and fundraisers who have helped to raise money for AIDS services. http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.kintera.org/faf/home/default.asp?ievent=297310
We will also be at Long Beach Pride! Stop by our booth and say hello at our inaugural pride booth! http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.longbeachpride.org/
Finally, please tell all your friends and families to join us at 6:00 pm at the Old Orange County Courthouse on the day the Supreme Court hands down its decision on prop 8.
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://ocequality.ning.com/events/decision-day
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://dayofdecision.wetpaint.com/page/Orange+County
We are also organizing to caravan to Fresno for Meet in the Middle, the first Saturday after the decision comes down.
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://www.meetinthemiddle4equality.com/
http://www.facebook.com/l/;http://ocequality.ning.com/group/meetinthemiddle4equalitycaravan
In solidarity,
Laura Kanter, on behalf of OCEC
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Remember back in high school how you learned about all those amazing
Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgendered people in American history?
Yeah, NEITHER DO WE! That's why it's critical that you attend this
event, to learn about our SHARED HISTORY
On behalf of Equality Network, OCEC is honored to extend this invitation to what will certainly be an historic event.
We hope to see you there!
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Teach-in for Equality:
Our Shared History
The Teach-in for Equality will be a day-long event where participants will learn
about our LGBTQ community's shared history, and connect with their
LGBTQ ancestors through a series of break-out sessions, performances,
and speakers.
Guest speakers include Cleve Jones, Sheila Kuehl, Torie Osborn and many more.
If you're interested in meeting some of these speakers face-to-face and
picking their brain for a while, we encourage you to sign up for the Breakfast with History event!
9:30 am - 5:00 pm
Plummer Park
7377 Santa Monica Blvd.
West Hollywood, CA
Phone: 310-880-7791
Email: david@equalitynetwork.org
view map
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Potato Skins and Platform Shoes
Please join Team OCEC and help us raise money for the OC AIDS Walk.
Drag Show!
Raffle Prizes
Free Appetizers 7-8pm
Come in drag for fun
$15 Minimum Donation
Contact Vic Carmona 949-302-0210
Saturday, May 9, 2009
7:00 pm to 10:00 pm
Durty Nelly's Irish Pub
2915 Red Hill Ave
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
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I'm sure most of you have heard about the controversy surrounding the
production of the musical "Rent" at Corona Del Mar High School. It finally
opened there tonight; and tomorrow, Friday, the Westboro Baptist Church
contingent from Kansas (yes, the ones that celebrate at gay servicemen's
funerals) will be there protesting with their "God Hates Fags" signs! We invite
all of you to come to the corner of East Bluff and Jamboree at 2pm and join in
the counter-protest. PLUS: we have good news! Thanks to the work of the
dedicated creator of the Phelps-A-Thon, the Westboro crowd will
actually be raising money for OCEC and GSA students with every
minute of their protest! To see how this works, please visit the web
address below...and be sure to join us for the fun(d)-raising excitement
tomorrow!
For the background of the CDM situation, here is a synopsis:
At Corona del Mar High School, the musical Rent was scheduled to be performed by
the students, then abruptly cancelled, apparently because of its gay
content. After major protests from
alumni and the community, it was reinstated, and performances are now scheduled
to begin on Thursday evening (tonight, sold out). Nonetheless, the investigation of its
cancellation and the publicity it generated brought to light a terribly
homophobic environment at the high school.
In fact, the ACLU filed a lawsuit focusing on a threat by three CdM
football players who threatened to rape and kill a female classmate, and used
slurs to describe homosexuals, as well as cancellation of the play. The lawsuit states that "School and
district officials, through their action and inaction, have not only failed to
take steps to address this hostile environment, but they have contributed to it
and given sanction to it."
To make it crazier, on Friday afternoon, so-called
Reverend Fred Phelps and his “God Hates Fags” Westboro Baptist Church (!)” family and friends have announced they
will be at the high school to picket the play and support the homophobic
environment. According to their
website (www.godhatesfags.com/schedule.htm): “Jews Killed Jesus, love fags! …WBC to picket
this High School, and the goofy Jewish bastards who pretend they have a cause
against the Lord and against His anointed.” This is the same group that tried to disrupt the
funerals of returning military service personnel.
Please come show your support for the CdM students
who, gay, lesbian and straight, are also taking a stand for what is
right.
2:15pm-3:15pm is when the Phelps folks are scheduled
to stage their picket, according to their website; but there is no guarantee
they will adhere to that.
6:30pm-7:00pm is when the Phelps folks are scheduled
to picket according to their flier.
2:45pm the
students get out of school.
6:30pm the
cast and crew for the play, “Rent,”
arrive.
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Subject: URGENT Actions: Opponents up 2-1! Call/Email NOW!
Dear Friends,
I'm forwarding an email from One Iowa. We need each and everyone of you to call and write State Legislators in Iowa to ask them not to repeal the Supreme Court's Decision. Please take some time to do it NOW and ask all your friends and family to do the same.
Yours affectionatley,
-Nakhone Keodar
---------------------
Our opponents are up two to one!
Iowa legislators are receiving thousands of e-mails from people who want to repeal the Supreme Court’s decision. Many people who support marriage equality have contacted their legislators, but we need many, many more.
Here are a few ways you can continue to show your support:
(1) Call House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy at (515) 281-7497 and email him here: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://eqfed.org%2Fcampaign%2FMcCarthy
Ask him not to push for a constitutional amendment repealing the Court's unanimous decision. Thank him for his previous support and ask him to stand again against discrimination.
Senate Majority Leader Mike Gronstal made an emotional appeal to his fellow legislators last night. We encourage his fellow legislators to follow his lead.
Check it out here: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://oneiowa.org%2Fweb%2FnewsEvents%2F2009%2F04%2Furgent-tuesday-actions%2F
2) E-mail or call your legislator. Email here: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://eqfed.org%2Fcampaign%2Fleg_marriage.
Then find your legislators here: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://www.legis.state.ia.us%2FFindLeg%2F
Call the Senate switchboard at (515) 281-3371 to connect with your State Senator and the House switchboard at (515) 281-3221 to connect with your State Representative.
(3) E-mail Governor Culver at http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://eqfed.org%2Fcampaign%2FGov_Culver
Then call him at 515-281-5211.
(4) Go to http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://oneiowa.org and contribute to our ongoing effort to uphold the ruling. www.http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http://oneiowa.org/web/common/donate/
-------- Original Message --------
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Iowa Supreme Court Rules in Favor of Marriage Equality
3 April 2009
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The
arc of the moral universe bent closer towards justice today after
Iowa’s Supreme Court unanimously ruled in favor of marriage equality.
California Faith for Equality applauds this decision, making Iowa the
third state (and the first Midwestern state) to take such a courageous
position. For a brief moment last year, California was the third state
to grant marriage equality. We continue to pray that the California
Supreme Court will once again do the right thing and grant all
Californians the right to marry.
If
you are in Southern California and would like to attend the celebration
rally, here is the information: Friday, April 3, 2009, from 7-11
pm, Pocket Park for rally and Casita de Campo for victory party (both
in Silverlake), Intersection of Sunset Blvd., Edgecliff Dr. and
Griffith Park Blvd.
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Civilization
can only revive when there shall come into being in a number of
individuals a new tone of mind, independent of the prevalent one among
the crowds, and in opposition to it -- a tone of mind which will
gradually win influence over the collective one, and in the end
determine its character. Only an ethical movement can rescue us from
barbarism, and the ethical comes into existence only in individuals.
--Albert Schweitzer
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California
Faith for Equality educates, supports and mobilizes California's
communities of faith to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender equality in California and to safeguard religious freedom.
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-------- Original Message --------
Just got off conference call with the Meet in the Middle organizers. There were over 40 people statewide on
the call. Here is the
priority. Have push people to go to the web site and
register to attend and/or to donate.
There is a huge outpouring of support for the Fresno Meet in the Middle
event. Cleve Jones calls this THE
statewide post decision event.
http://meetinthemiddle4equality.com/trip_planner/index.html
OCEC is working on organizing buses, vans and cars. There is a place on the registration
site to register if you need or have transportation.
OCEC needs to be organizing a caravan of cars, vans and buses.
Anyone who has a van they are willing to take to Fresno the Saturday after
the Supreme Court decision comes in, please contact me at lindamay@cox.net. Anyone willing to drive a car please do
the same. Cost sharing will make
the trip easy and fun. Anyone know
any church or other buses that can be donated? If we can raise about $2,000 we can hire
a bus from Orange
County. Any individual or businesses want to
sponsor the Orange County Equality Coalition bus? Signage on the side of the bus is
available.
We need to send out an email blast right away to have people go to the
website and register. Who will send
that out? Laura?
OCEC must have a presence
there!
-------- Original Message --------
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Orange County Equality Coalition
because equality feels good
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OCEC has invited you to the event 'Orange County Board of Supervisors Meeting' on Orange County Equality Coalition!
The Chairman of the OC Board of Supervisors, right-wing conservative
John Moorlach is going to attempt to cancel contracts that total over
$300,000 with Planned Parenthood that were funded by tobacco
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Time: March 10, 2009 all day
Location: BOARD HEARING ROOM, FIRST FLOOR
Organized By: Danielle Nava, Planned Parenthood Federation of America
Event Description:
Health education funding at risk!
WE NEED YOUR PRESENCE AND PHONE CALLS!
Next Tuesday, John Moorlach, Orange County Supervisor District 2, will
bring an agenda item to the Board of Supervisors meeting that could
drastically inhibit our ability to serve the community. He plans to
single out Planned Parenthood by withholding more than $290,000 in
health education funding. Services provided through the Health
Education Program empower teens and young adults throughout our
community to make informed, healthy, and responsible decisions about
their health, and ultimately to reduce the incidence of unintended
pregnancies, STIs, and tobacco use in Orange County. Any attempt by the
supervisors to change the contract represents a breach of contract and
an abuse of power on their behalf. At a time when people are losing
their jobs and their medical coverage, Supervisor Moorlach wants to
take hundreds of thousands of dollars away from primary health care
resources.
We need you to take action to protect family planning and health education services in your community.
Please call or e-mail your County Supervisor to let them know you
support Planned Parenthood and the health education services we provide
under the Tobacco Settlement Funds (TSR) and immunization contracts.
We will be at that meeting and encourage all of you to attend as well.
Meeting Location and Date
9:30 a.m. MARCH 10
BOARD HEARING ROOM, FIRST FLOOR
333 W. Santa Ana Blvd., 10 Civic Center Plaza
Santa Ana, California
Contact Your
County Supervisor
District 1
Janet Nguyen
janet.nguyen@ocgov.com
714.834.3110
Cities in district: East Garden Grove, Santa Ana, Westminster
District 2
John Moorlach
district2@ocgov.com
714.834.3220
Cities in district: Costa Mesa, Cypress, Fountain Valley, West Garden
Grove, Huntington Beach, La Palma, Los Alamitos, Newport Beach, Seal
Beach, Stanton
District 3
Bill Campbell
bill.campbell@ocgov.com
714.834.3330
Cities in district: Anaheim Hills, Brea, Irvine, Orange, Tustin, Villa Park, Yorba Linda
District 4
Chris Norby
chris.norby@ocgov.com
714.834.3440
Cities in district: West Anaheim, Buena Park, Fullerton, La Habra, Placentia
District 5
Patricia C. Bates
(Board Chair)
patbates@ocgov.com
714.834.3550
Cities in district: Aliso Viejo, Dana Point, Laguna Beach, Laguna
Hills, Laguna Niguel, Laguna Woods, Lake Forest, Mission Viejo, Rancho
Santa Margarita, San Clemente, San Juan Capistrano
|
See more details and RSVP on Orange County Equality Coalition:
http://ocequality.ning.com/events/event/show?id=2911519%3AEvent%3A1286&xgi=bSyDkq6
About Orange County Equality Coalition
OCEC is a coalition of progressive individuals and groups in Orange County, CA, united by our belief in equality for all.
|
112 members
126 photos
| 15 events
|
|
To control which emails you receive on Orange County Equality Coalition, click here |
|
--
You gotta give them hope.
-- Harvey Milk
-------- Original Message --------
Hi All,
Important
events beginning tomorrow.
Harvey
ECCO
Vice-chair
PFLAG Board
Member
Section 1:
Events
Friday, Feb 27, 1:00
- 5:00 p.m., Orange, Chapman
University School of Law, One University Drive, Orange, 92866, Kennedy Hall,
Room 237 , (714)
628-2500
"Judicial Activism: Same Sex Marriage and
the Aftermath of Proposition 8"
Professor Katherine Darmer, an intrepid defender of
marriage equality will be on a panel with opponents of marriage equality,
including a BYU professor, beginning at 3:30pm. She will surely create the fireworks to
make this exciting to behold.
Nexus:
Chapman's Journal of Law and Policy presents this, its 2009
Symposium:
NO CHARGE FOR
STUDENTS, FACULTY & VISITORS
RSVP to nexuslawjournal@gmail.com to pre-register for the
Symposium
Hors d'oeuvres and
drinks served between panels, with reception to follow
DETAILS: http://www.chapman.edu/law/students/nexus/2009_Symposium.asp
PANEL 1: 1:00-2:30 p.m. Judicial Activism: Are Courts Entering
Into the Political Policymaking Arena?
Judicial activism is
defined "as a philosophy of judicial decision-making whereby judges allow their
personal views about public policy, among other factors, to guide their
decisions." Defenders of judicial activism argue that judges have a duty to
protect minority groups and right error in law through their decisions. Critics
of judicial activism argue that it usurps the power of the elected branches of
government, thereby damaging the rule of law and democracy itself. [Of
course, my own definition of an “Activist” judge is one who is the last resort
against tyranny and fascism.-hl]
Moderated by Hugh
Hewitt, Professor of Law, Chapman University School of Law, and the host of a
nationally syndicated radio show.
INTERMISSION:
2:30-3:30 p.m.
Please join us in the
Kennedy Hall law school lobby for hors d'oeuvres and
drinks.
PANEL 2: 3:30-5:00 p.m.: Same-Sex Marriage and
the Aftermath of California's Proposition
8
This panel, which
includes our own Professor Katherine Darmer, Professor of Law, Chapman U. School
of Law, will discuss the key issues that have arisen as a result of the series
of events leading to the CA Supreme Court hearings on the petitions challenging
Prop 8. Specifically, panelists will consider the legal issues surrounding
Proposition 8 and whether the California Supreme Court has engaged in judicial
activism.
The panel includes our
own Professor Katherine Darmer, Professor of Law, Chapman University School of
Law.
Saturday, Feb 28,
5:00 p.m., Irvine, Meeting of the
Orange County Equality Coalition, Irvine United Congregational
Church,
4915 Alton
Pkwy, 92614,
This month, we have
an amazing guest speaker, David Codell, who was a member of
the team that wrote the brief to the California Supreme Court resulting in the
May 15, 2008 ruling that denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry is
unconstitutional.
7pm (SAME LOCATION) Free screening of "The
Times of Harvey Milk," sponsored
by Local high school gay-straight alliances, OCEC (Orange
County Equality Coalition) and Irvine United
Congregational Church (IUCC)
Harvey Milk , Member
of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, and San Francisco Mayor George
Moscone were assassinated by Supervisor Dan White on November 27, 1978. Milk's
life leading up to his election, his successful efforts to politically represent
San Francisco's
gay community, and the city's reaction to the assassinations are documented with
extensive news film and personal recollections.
Discussion
and refreshments will follow the film.
ALL
ARE WELCOME!
Wed, March 4, 5:30pm –
7pm,
Costa
Mesa,: “Eve of
Justice,” the evening before the CA Supreme Court hearings on the validity of
Prop 8 @ Fairview Community
Church, 2525 Fairview Road, 92626
Sponsored
by the Orange County Equality Coalition (OCEC) and California Faith for Equality, Co-sponsors Laguna Beach Democratic Club, ECCO (Elections
Committee of the County of Orange) and HRC
OC
Organizations
around the state are holding an "Eve of Justice rally the evening before the Ca
Supreme Court will be holding their televised hearings on the validity of Prop
8.
There will be
re-commitment ceremonies for some of the 18,000 same-sex couples whose legally
married status is on the line, and a candlelight vigil and rally for equal
marriage rights in hope and praise of justice and liberty. There will also be a
program of remarks by leading religious and legal figures in support of same-sex
marriage rights, alternating with musical performances and the stories of real
people affected by the passage of Proposition 8, told by the people
themselves.
Please join
us for what promises to be a powerful and moving event!
For further
information, please contact the OCEC at ocequality@gmail.com
or Jonipher at jonipher@cafaithforequality.org.
For more information and
additional vigil locations go to www.eveofjustice.com
or www.marriageequality.org
Thur, March 5, 9am – 12pm, CA Supreme Court
Hearing (San
Francisco)
Television
and Online Webcast
To increase public
access to the court session, the Supreme Court has designated the California Channel
, a public affairs cable
network, to provide a live TV broadcast of the session.
Section 2:
News
>>>The cancelled musical,“Rent,” to be put
on at CDM High School has been uncancelled after a groundswell of support for the play and the
homophobia that its cancellation implied.
Who cancelled it is now in dispute.
Presumably, the school principal did not expect the extreme community
support for the play that occurred.
There’s hope, yet, for Newport
Beach!!!
>>> MUST
SEE: Openly gay Dustin Lance Black [Ctrl click to
view] won the Best Original Screenplay Oscar
and made the most amazing
acceptance speech. It will put you in tears, as it did him (and
me).
>>> Don't
Divorce Us, a new video by the Courage Campaign, and a petition to the Supreme
Court: http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/divorce
Section 3: To Dos and
Links to Related Organizations
tell-three.org
Tell 3 campaign: That is, tell three people in your life
about what marriage of same-sex couples means to you. Choose someone who might not be
completely supportive. Tell Three is about engaging the people whom we need to
educate about the freedom to marry.
Get three people to join the Tell 3
campaign and talk to three people in their own lives about what marriage of
same-sex couples means to them. This action could not be more important
to gaining a groundswell of support for marriage equality.
GetToKnowUsFirst.org
This is a terrific organization that
has produced 30-second public interest TV announcements. They need your support: See the videos at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhpdcqNB3SY
www.ALLorNotAtAll.org
ALLorNotAtAll launches
the "I Do!" Campaign.
Our goal is to proactively educate the
public about same-sex civil marriage, but we'll be tackling a number of
different issues from a number of different angles. For example, while we are going to be
correcting the false and misleading perceptions perpetuated from the Yes on 8
folks, we believe it also critical to explain the real
issues.
Using a combination of "real" folks and
recognizable celebrities, we are producing a series of Public Service
Announcements tackling some of the main inequities that currently exist.
>From hospital visitation rights to survivor benefits to health insurance
coverage, we are going to educate California and the rest of the country about
why it is so critical to extend marriage rights to every citizen, regardless of
their sexuality.
ALLorNotAtAll.org exists to make
sure that the constitutional rights of every citizen are protected equally by
making civil marriage legal for everyone, regardless of sexual orientation. We
will do this through education and outreach and our primary tool will be the
truth.
Either we all stand together or we
succeed not at all.
Section 4: Useful Info
(repeated from
previous newsletter)
Why Isn’t Domestic
Partnership (or Civil Union) Good
Enough?
The New Jersey State Commission on
Civil Unions was formed by the state legislature when it adopted the civil union
law in 2006. It issued a report
based on 18 months of public meetings and the written or oral testimony of over
150 witnesses about the appropriateness of maintaining a separate civil status
for same-sex couples. The Commission concluded that New Jersey should offer
full marriage rights to same-sex couples.
(A commission studying civil unions in
Vermont reached similar conclusions in April
2008.)
FULL REPORT:
http://www.nj.gov/lps/dcr/downloads/CURC-Final-Report-.pdf
MAJOR DIFFERENCES Between Domestic
Partnership or Civil Union and
MARRIAGE
taken from the NJ State Commission
on Civil Unions report:
1) Why
civil unions and domestic partnerships fail within the granting state, for
example:
a)
SECOND-CLASS STATUS: The New Jersey Commission concluded
that a separate legal structure can never be truly equal. It found that the
state's use of a separate status to confer marriage-like benefits reinforced the
"second-class status" of gays and lesbians, sending the message "that it is
permissible to discriminate against them."
b)
NOT UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD:
Civil unions fail
to capture the intangible benefits of marriage, which is a status that is
"universally understood" and has a "powerful meaning." Civil unions, in
contrast, are frequently misunderstood and undermined, the Commission
found. For example, Witnesses
described situations "in which they were forced to explain their civil union
status, what a civil union is, and how it is designed to be equivalent to
marriage. These conversations include the indignities of having to explain the
legal nature of their relationship, often in times of
crisis.
c)
FORMS: Government, employer, or health
care forms do not address or appropriately deal with the status of being in a
civil union.
d)
CHILDREN: Children are worse off for their
parents being consigned to civil union status, rather than afforded the status
of marriage. Health experts
testified about the psychological harm that second-class systems can place on
children being raised in same-sex families, especially those children who are
themselves gay, lesbian, or transgender.
2) No
federal benefits under DOMA, for example:
a)
TAXES: Couples must file separate federal
tax returns
b)
IMMIGRATION: A civil union with a non-citizen
does not affect the latter's immigration status
c)
SOCIAL SECURITY benefits to the surviving spouse,
which are typically huge, are not provided
d)
INVALID IN ANOTHER
STATE: Most states
have passed statutes or constitutional amendments prohibiting the recognition by
the state of same-sex marriage, even if validly celebrated elsewhere, so, for
example, hospital visitation rights to an injured spouse in case of an
automobile accident in another state would not necessarily be
granted.
Other federal
benefits
As of Dec 31, 2003, research of the
USGAO identified a total of 1,138 federal statutory provisions classified to the
U. S. Code in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving
benefits, rights, and privileges.
CATEGORY 1—SOCIAL SECURITY AND
RELATED PROGRAMS, HOUSING, AND FOOD STAMPS
In many of these programs,
recognition of the marital relationship is integral to the design of the
program. For example, the law establishing the Old Age, Survivors, and
Disability Insurance program (Social Security)
CATEGORY 2—VETERANS'
BENEFITS
Include pensions, indemnity
compensation for service-connected deaths, medical care, nursing home care,
right to burial in veterans' cemeteries, educational assistance, and housing.
Husbands or wives of veterans have many rights and privileges by virtue of the
marital relationship.
CATEGORY 3—TAXATION
The distinction between married and
unmarried status is pervasive in federal tax law; this is one of the largest
categories, with 179 provisions.
CATEGORY 4—FEDERAL CIVILIAN AND MILITARY SERVICE
BENEFITS
Typically these laws address the
various health, leave, retirement, survivor, and insurance benefits provided by
the United
States to those in federal service and their
families.
CATEGORY 5—EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND RELATED
LAWS
The rights of employees under
employer-sponsored employee benefit plans that provide for continuation of
employer-sponsored health benefits after events like the death or divorce of the
employee;
CATEGORY 6—IMMIGRATION, NATURALIZATION, AND
ALIENS
Laws governing which non-citizens
may enter and remain in the United States, be deported,
etc.
CATEGORY 7—INDIANS
Right of a surviving spouse who is
neither an Indian nor a member of the deceased spouse's tribe to elect a life
estate in property that he or she is occupying at the time of the death of the
other spouse.
CATEGORY 8—TRADE, COMMERCE, AND INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY
It permits spouses to file jointly
for bankruptcy protection.
CATEGORY 9—FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND CONFLICT OF
INTEREST
Employees or officers of the federal
government confer rights to their spouses.
CATEGORY 10—CRIMES AND FAMILY
VIOLENCE
Spouses as victims of
crimes
CATEGORY 11—LOANS, GUARANTEES, AND
PAYMENTS IN AGRICULTURE
Spouse's income and amount of
benefits depends on marital status
CATEGORY 12—FEDERAL NATURAL
RESOURCES AND RELATED LAWS
National battlefields, monuments,
seashores, or parks that are donated or sold to the gov’t. A person who donates one of these to the
government can continue to live on the property until death, at which time that
right passes on to the “married” spouse.
An unmarried spouse gets tossed off.
CATEGORY
13—MISCELLANEOUS
e.g., VFW have as one of their
purposes to assist the widows and children of servicemen. The 1,138 laws do not include every
individual law in the U. S. Code in which marital status figures. However, the GAO believes that the
probability is high that it has identified those programs in the Code in which
marital status is a factor.
----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Hunt
To: cbhunt@gmail.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 24, 2009 12:04 PM
Subject: Fwd: Say "I do" support equal rights to marry
OH DEAR - my DATE was wrong - the city council meeting is NEXT WEEK - not today!!!
So Sorry,
chris
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Chris Hunt <chrisnlynn@cox.net>
Date: Tue, Feb 24, 2009 at 10:19 AM
Subject: Fwd: Say "I do" support equal rights to marry
To: cbhunt@gmail.com
If you aren't busy at 5:00 pm not today next Tuesday here is your big change to stand up to bigotry (again)!!
Hugs,
Chris
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Barbara McMurray <mcmurray@me.com>
Date: Mon, Feb
23, 2009 at 9:32 PM
Subject: Say "I do" support equal rights to marry
To:
recipients <Undisclosed>
The City of Laguna Beach supported "No on Prop 8," and is now being taken
to task for it by a vociferous few. Tomorrow night (Tuesday) these bigoted
individuals are going to show their faces prior to the City Council meeting to
try to shame our leaders for the City's logical stance on this measure. If you
care to take an hour ot two out of your evening to come down and take a stand
for equal marriage for all, please do. The link below from Audrey Prosser will
fill in the details.
Let's say no, again, to bullying tactics and narrow-mindedness.
Thank you.
Barbara
Begin forwarded message:
Date: February 23, 2009 4:53:23 PM PST
Here
comes the bigots. We need to get the word out and get all of our friends
there to greet them. It looks like they will be outside City Hall at
5:00 PM. The City Council meeting starts at 6:00 PM. At the
beginning of the CC meeting, anyone can speak. They usually allow 3 minutes
per person. We need to thank and support the CC for joining the lawsuit to
overthrow Prop 8. It was a unanimous vote. I am sure all of you
can think of reasons that you support the City Council’s action to join in the
fight to overthrow Prop 8 so be prepared to tell them.
Bring
your signs to greet the protestors.
On Jan 24, I attended a
“summit” conference of about 400 seething people representing 141 organizations
in California, to discuss based on what we all learned from the failed NoOnProp8
campaign what we can now do restore marriage equality in California and
throughout the U.S. See Section 5,
below, for my greatly summarized findings.
The conclusion is that fear of marriage equality for
same-sex couples is fundamentally based on homophobia (duh!). The way to counter this is for everyone
to get to know gays and lesbians, their families and their families’ needs. So, going forward, there will be great
efforts for all LGBT persons and their allies to inform as many people as
possible within their families and among friends, co-workers and neighbors. See Section 3 on what you can
do.
Section 4
Summarizes major differences between Marriage and Domestic
Partnership.
Harvey
ECCO
Vice-chair
PFLAG Board
Member
Section 1:
Events
Monday, Feb 16 Noon Sacramento: Love and Marriage
Rally
Pre-rally begins at noon, Program from
1pm – 3pm California State Capitol,
Sacramento, CA 95814
Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender
Californians and their allies will descend on the State Capitol in Sacramento for a rally and
lobby day. Special guests at the
Love and Marriage Rally include Gloria Allred, Margaret Cho, Julia
Louis-Dreyfuss, Sen. Mark Leno, Wanda Sykes, George Takei, and many
more!
Tuesday, Feb 17
8:00am Sacramento: Marriage Lobby Day 2009 California State Capitol
Join activists from
across the state for a legislative lobby day at the California State Capitol.
Urge legislators to support SR 7 (Leno) and HR 5 (Ammiano), companion
resolutions that would put the Legislature on record as opposing Proposition 8
as an invalid revision to the State Constitution. Let them know that you or
someone you know is one of thousands of LGBT Californians who deserve their
support and equal treatment under the law.
If
you’re unable to attend the lobby day (or even if you’ll be there!) act now and
send your legislators a message to support marriage equality and sign onto SR7
or HR5 as a co-author.
The event is free
and open to all. Each participant will receive a lobbying training, advocacy
materials, and be assigned to an experienced group leader. See below.
Event Schedule and Activities on
Tuesday
Meet
us at 8am Crest Theater, 1013 K
Street.
On the K Street Mall
(pedestrian only, closed to traffic) at 10th Street, just a block from the State
Capitol.
8:00am Registration (Crest
Theatre) Open until 2
p.m.
9:00am Lobbying Training
(Crest Theatre)
11:30am Lunch (On your
own)
12:15pm Rally (Capitol Building West Steps)
1:00pm Lobby visits start,
activity stations (Various Locations)
1:15pm Additional Lobbying
Training (Crest Theatre)
4:00pm Informal debrief (Crest
Theatre)
Special
Instructions:
Once you register, we
will make the appointment for your afternoon lobby visit. During the morning
training you will be divided into teams. To the extent possible, we will give
the legislative offices the names of each person in the team coming to their
office ahead of time.
For the visit with
your representative, please come in business attire, which means slacks and a
nice shirt, or equivalent. Also,
please check the weather ahead of time.
Activities:
One of the goals of
Overturn 8 Lobby Day is to reflect the diverse faces and stories of Californians
who support marriage for LGBT couples. Take action at many of the activity
stations in the afternoon:
Letter
Writing: Write a personal
message to your legislator or hometown paper. Talk about how the passage of Prop
8 made you and your family feel -- or what marriage means to you. Writing
materials plus talking points will be available. You do the writing -- we'll
make sure your letters get delivered.
Activate Your Personal
Network: Call, email, text,
twitter—do whatever it takes to urge your friends back home to contact their
legislator's local district office about the importance of marriage equality!
We’ll provide WiFi, laptops and power outlets.
Speak Your
Piece: Record a one minute
video message to the Assembly and Senate Judiciary Committees. We will compile
the clips to deliver to the Senate and Judiciary committees when the resolutions
are heard a week or two after Lobby Day.
Remember Me When
You’re Voting: Get your picture
taken (alone or in group) holding a message for your legislators. A great way to
thank legislators or remind them that this issue is about our lives, our
equality!
Visibility
Action: Grab signs or create
your own and wave them in a group at the Capitol to show your support for the
freedom to marry. Materials will be provided.
Blogging: We’ll have laptops
and WiFi for anyone who wants to blog about the day!
Hospitality
Bar: Grab a soda or coffee
at the snack bar with an experienced Lobby Day attendee. Share your experiences
and get insider tips about your legislator’s stance on marriage and other issues
that came up during your meeting. Feedback about your visit and your day is
really important!
Lodging and other
details:
http://www.eqca.org/site/pp.asp?c=kuLRJ9MRKrH&b=4943147
Section 2:
News
The CA state Supreme Court will hear
oral arguments on March 5, and will then make a decision within 90 days on the
validity of Prop 8 and 18,000 same-sex marriages.
Don't Divorce Us, a
new video by the Courage Campaign, and a petition to the Supreme
Court:
http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/s/divorce
Section 3: To
Dos
tell-three.org
Tell 3 campaign: That is, tell three people in your life
about what marriage of same-sex couples means to you. Choose someone who might not be
completely supportive. Tell Three is about engaging the people whom we need to
educate about the freedom to marry.
Get three people to join the Tell 3
campaign and talk to three people in their own lives about what marriage of
same-sex couples means to them. This action could not be more important
to gaining a groundswell of support for marriage equality.
GetToKnowUsFirst.org
This is a terrific organization that
has produced 30-second public interest TV announcements. They need your support: See the videos at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhpdcqNB3SY
Section 4: Useful
Info
Why Isn’t Domestic
Partnership (or Civil Union) Good
Enough?
The New Jersey State Commission on
Civil Unions was formed by the state legislature when it adopted the civil union
law in 2006. It issued a report
based on 18 months of public meetings and the written or oral testimony of over
150 witnesses about the appropriateness of maintaining a separate civil status
for same-sex couples. The Commission concluded that New Jersey should offer
full marriage rights to same-sex couples.
(A commission studying civil unions in
Vermont reached similar conclusions in April
2008.)
MAJOR DIFFERENCES Between Domestic
Partnership or Civil Union and
MARRIAGE
1) Why
civil unions and domestic partnerships fail within the granting state, for
example:
a)
SECOND-CLASS STATUS: The New Jersey Commission concluded
that a separate legal structure can never be truly equal. It found that the
state's use of a separate status to confer marriage-like benefits reinforced the
"second-class status" of gays and lesbians, sending the message "that it is
permissible to discriminate against them."
b)
NOT UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD:
Civil unions fail
to capture the intangible benefits of marriage, which is a status that is
"universally understood" and has a "powerful meaning." Civil unions, in
contrast, are frequently misunderstood and undermined, the Commission
found. For example, Witnesses
described situations "in which they were forced to explain their civil union
status, what a civil union is, and how it is designed to be equivalent to
marriage. These conversations include the indignities of having to explain the
legal nature of their relationship, often in times of
crisis.
c)
FORMS: Government, employer, or health
care forms do not address or appropriately deal with the status of being in a
civil union.
d)
CHILDREN: Children are worse off for their
parents being consigned to civil union status, rather than afforded the status
of marriage. Health experts
testified about the psychological harm that second-class systems can place on
children being raised in same-sex families, especially those children who are
themselves gay, lesbian, or transgender.
2) No
federal benefits under DOMA, for example:
a)
TAXES: Couples must file separate federal
tax returns
b)
IMMIGRATION: A civil union with a non-citizen
does not affect the latter's immigration status
c)
SOCIAL SECURITY benefits to the surviving spouse,
which are typically huge, are not provided
d)
INVALID IN ANOTHER
STATE: Most states
have passed statutes or constitutional amendments prohibiting the recognition by
the state of same-sex marriage, even if validly celebrated elsewhere, so, for
example, hospital visitation rights to an injured spouse in case of an
automobile accident in another state would not necessarily be
granted.
Other federal
benefits
As of Dec 31, 2003, research of the
USGAO identified a total of 1,138 federal statutory provisions classified to the
U. S. Code in which marital status is a factor in determining or receiving
benefits, rights, and privileges.
CATEGORY 1—SOCIAL SECURITY AND
RELATED PROGRAMS, HOUSING, AND FOOD STAMPS
In many of these programs,
recognition of the marital relationship is integral to the design of the
program. For example, the law establishing the Old Age, Survivors, and
Disability Insurance program (Social Security)
CATEGORY 2—VETERANS'
BENEFITS
Include pensions, indemnity
compensation for service-connected deaths, medical care, nursing home care,
right to burial in veterans' cemeteries, educational assistance, and housing.
Husbands or wives of veterans have many rights and privileges by virtue of the
marital relationship.
CATEGORY 3—TAXATION
The distinction between married and
unmarried status is pervasive in federal tax law; this is one of the largest
categories, with 179 provisions.
CATEGORY 4—FEDERAL CIVILIAN AND MILITARY SERVICE
BENEFITS
Typically these laws address the
various health, leave, retirement, survivor, and insurance benefits provided by
the United
States to those in federal service and their
families.
CATEGORY 5—EMPLOYMENT BENEFITS AND RELATED
LAWS
The rights of employees under
employer-sponsored employee benefit plans that provide for continuation of
employer-sponsored health benefits after events like the death or divorce of the
employee;
CATEGORY 6—IMMIGRATION, NATURALIZATION, AND
ALIENS
Laws governing which non-citizens
may enter and remain in the United States, be deported,
etc.
CATEGORY 7—INDIANS
Right of a surviving spouse who is
neither an Indian nor a member of the deceased spouse's tribe to elect a life
estate in property that he or she is occupying at the time of the death of the
other spouse.
CATEGORY 8—TRADE, COMMERCE, AND INTELLECTUAL
PROPERTY
It permits spouses to file jointly
for bankruptcy protection.
CATEGORY 9—FINANCIAL DISCLOSURE AND CONFLICT OF
INTEREST
Employees or officers of the federal
government confer rights to their spouses.
CATEGORY 10—CRIMES AND FAMILY
VIOLENCE
Spouses as victims of
crimes
CATEGORY 11—LOANS, GUARANTEES, AND
PAYMENTS IN AGRICULTURE
Spouse's income and amount of
benefits depends on marital status
CATEGORY 12—FEDERAL NATURAL
RESOURCES AND RELATED LAWS
National battlefields, monuments,
seashores, or parks that are donated or sold to the gov’t. A person who donates one of these to the
government can continue to live on the property until death, at which time that
right passes on to the “married” spouse.
An unmarried spouse gets tossed off.
CATEGORY
13—MISCELLANEOUS
e.g., VFW have as one of their
purposes to assist the widows and children of servicemen. The 1,138 laws do not include every
individual law in the U. S. Code in which marital status figures. However, the GAO believes that the
probability is high that it has identified those programs in the Code in which
marital status is a factor.
Section 5: Summary of
Findings from Equality Summit Conf.
Proposition 8
Post-Election Calif,
Voter Survey by
David Binder Research,
Conducted November 6th - 16th, 2008 Sample: 800
voters living in California who voted in the Nov 2008 election plus an
additional oversample of 266 Asian, Latino, and African American
voters.
Demographics
•
Political
ideology was the most important factor in vote for Prop 8. 22% of liberals voted yes on 8, compared
to 51% of moderates and 82% of conservatives.
•
Religion
was next most-important factor: voters who worship regularly were
strongly more likely to support Prop 8 by a 70% to 30%, while those who worship
less often voted 38% to 62% against Prop 8.
•
Blacks
and Latinos who worship less than once a week opposed Prop
8.
What most influenced voters? Discussions with friends,
families and coworkers:
29%
This
pool of voters opposed Proposition 8.
•
Among the yes on 8 TV
ads, the message that stood out was that Prop 8 will cause the teaching of same
sex marriage in schools.
•
The ads with Feinstein
and Sam and Julia Thoron were statistically more likely to cause a no vote than
were other ads. Samuel L. Jackson’s
History ad was also convincing.
The Obvious ones: The more
education, the more NOs; The higher attendance at church, the more Yeses; The
more conservative, the more Yeses; The more Republican, the more Yeses; 86% of
McCain voters voted Yes, while 30% of Obama voters voted yes; 5% of LGBT voters
voted Yes!
Of Yes
voters: 48% know LGBT persons; 60% don’t (think they) know LGBT
persons
--
You gotta give them hope.
-- Harvey Milk
Hello All,
Please follow this link to OCECs submission to a youtube contest
dealing with the theme "marriage matters". You'll recognize some
familiar faces :)
Please be sure to rate it - the more ratings we have the better our chances of winning! So watch, rate, repost it and repeat!!
From: elizabethaversa@hotmail.com
Subject: ***FREEDOM TO MARRY DAY - DATE CHANGED!!!
Date: Fri, 30 Jan 2009 13:41:37 -0800
THE DATE HAS CHANGED TO FEBRUARY 13th!!!
****FEB 13 - MARRIAGE COUNTER ACTIONS****
On
National Freedom to Marry Day, Thursday, February 12, 2009, at local
marriage counters in cities all over the country, same-sex couples will
request marriage licenses at their local County Clerk's Offices to
raise awareness of the harms and impact that the inability to marry
causes on their families. This national event is hosted yearly by
Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) and this year they have asked Join the
Impact for our help to make this their largest Marriage Counter Action
yet
OCEC will be at the Old County Courthouse
211 West Santa Ana Blvd,
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Starting at 12pm – 4:30pm
Will
have same-sex couples go in to the Courthouse to apply for a marriage
license, as we are denied, we will stand in solidarity and protest.
Please bring signs that show support for our cause. Good examples are
“It’s everyone’s right to get married” “Show love, Get Married” “A
Civil Union isn’t Good Enough” “Equal Love, Equal Rights”
For more information or questions please contact:
Elizabeth Aversa
OCEC Activism Chair
elizabethaversa@hotmail.com
FEB 12 - MARRIAGE COUNTER ACTIONS
On
National Freedom to Marry Day, Thursday, February 12, 2009, at local
marriage counters in cities all over the country, same-sex couples will
request marriage licenses at their local County Clerk's Offices to
raise awareness of the harms and impact that the inability to marry
causes on their families. This national event is hosted yearly by
Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) and this year they have asked Join the
Impact for our help to make this their largest Marriage Counter Action
yet
OCEC will be at the Old County Courthouse
211 West Santa Ana Blvd,
Santa Ana, CA 92701
Starting at 12pm – 4:30pm
Will
have same-sex couples go in to the Courthouse to apply for a marriage
license, as we are denied, we will stand in solidarity and protest.
Please bring signs that show support for our cause. Good examples are
“It’s everyone’s right to get married” “Show love, Get Married” “A
Civil Union isn’t Good Enough” “Equal Love, Equal Rights”
Obama Signature Drive Extended to Feb 14th
We are still counting signatures from the Open Letter Signature Drive.
We know that we're CLOSE to 1 Million, but weather issues stopped 10
huge cities from having their events on the 10th of January. We want to
ensure that EVERYONE's voice and signature is counted. Because of this,
we are extending our signature drive to February 14th and will get the
signatures to Obama the minute Congress goes into session! Currently,
we have so many signature sheets, that the stack is over 5 feet
high!!!! Talk about a visual IMPACT!
If
you have not signed the open letter to Obama, you can print one on your
own and have family and friends sign it. Please go to www.jointheimpact.wetpaint.com to print the signature sheets.
On Tuesday January 27th
Elizabeth Aversa (Activism Chair) will be on the Fullerton College
campus from 1pm – 4pm collecting signatures. If you would like to help
please email Elizabethaversa@hotmail.com
EQUALITY ON CAMPUS DAY! January 27th
NATIONWIDE STUDENT RALLY/FUNDRAISER
FOR MARRIAGE EQUALITY
Equality
on campus Day is an event for high school and college students across
the country to raise awareness for LGBT rights, particularly marriage
equality. Students will wear the same shirt to school on January 27th
to raise visibility. Sometime during the day, each school will have
their participating students meet for a group picture. Group pictures
will then be submitted to school yearbooks and newsletters. Please go
to www.studentsforequality.com
For more information on any of the above events or to become apart of the Activism committee please contact:
Elizabeth Aversa
OCEC Activism Chair
elizabethaversa@hotmail.com
IMPORTANT
PARKING INFORMATION for Sunday, Jan 18, PEACEFUL rally at Saddleback Church: To
enable us to park legally, the Sheriff Department, which has been wonderfully
cooperative and supportive, will cover the no-parking signs making it legal to
park on:
>>> El Toro
Rd, Both sides from Portola Pkwy, West
for a half-mile to Normandale
Dr. [El Toro Rd is the next
intersection traveling South from the
church.]
>>> El Toro
Rd, South side, from Portola Pkwy, East
to Marguerite (in front of the apartments).
Avoid parking in the shopping center across Portola
from the church. If you get the
shopkeepers upset, your vehicle is liable to get towed. Let’s be good
neighbors.
BRING:
Water, hat, sunscreen, signs (if you have). If not, don’t worry.
__________________________________________________________________________________
Late-Breaking Meeting of high
interest:
Saturday, Jan. 17, 1pm,
Irvine, Orange County Equality Coalition (OCEC)
Irvine United Congregational
Church, 4915 Alton
Parkway, Irvine, CA 92604 / www.iucc.org
Guest speaker: STEVE YOUNG: "A
Mormon's Observations on Prop 8"
More
details, below under EVENTS. For further information: ocequality@gmail.com,
714-225-4656
This is to confirm that
the important protest at Saddleback Church, previously announced for Sunday,
Jan 18, will take place as
scheduled—details below the horizontal line.
However, it is not to focus on President-Elect Obama’s
selection of Pastor Rick Warren to perform the Inaugural Invocation; it is
rather to protest Rick Warren’s public statement that he thinks same-sex
marriage is equivalent to incest, pederasty and polygamy, his strong support for
Prop 8, and his other anti-gay activity.
The timing is to achieve maximum exposure before his
trip to D.C. It is to pressure Rick
Warren to retract his horribly demeaning statements about same-sex
relationships, and to teach him and his congregation that same-sex relationships
are the equal of opposite-sex relationships in their value to the individuals
involved, to family life, to raising children, and to society, and must be
accorded equal rights according to our Federal and State
Constitutions.
Although Obama announced that “out” Episcopal Bishop
Gene Robinson will be delivering the kick-off invocation on Sunday, 1/18, at the
Lincoln Memorial, that is a considerably more secondary role compared to the
swearing-in ceremony that Rick Warren will participate in, and the meaning it
conveys by someone who is opposed to equal rights for gays and
lesbians.
There is a cleansing campaign going on
now where online videos of Rick’s offensive remarks and materials are being
deleted and edited. Fortunately,
the link immediately below contains some of that.
THIS IS THE LINK THAT HAS IT
ALL: To
raise your ire, following is a link to an amazing video of Rick Warren’s own
statements that contradict each other, and other hardly-believeable activities,
presented in lively reportage by Rachel Maddow.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?aq=f&emb=0&eurl=http%3A%2F%2Fvideo.google.com%2Fvideosearch%3Fq%3DRick+Warren%2Bpedophiles&v=Fa3rJJWjcHE
UNFORTUNATELY, the following
link to the complete interview of Rick Warren that appeared on “Beliefnet”
(sections were extracted for Rachel’s video) during which he said that same-sex
marriage is equivalent to incest, etc., HAS BEEN REMOVED. I had watched it several times. When asked if he supported domestic
partnership or civil unions, he even dismissed those terms with a wave of his
hand.
http://www.beliefnet.com/Video/Beliefnet-Interviews/Rick-Warren/Rick-Warren-
ANOTHER DELETION: The same
interview available on YouTube has just been edited. The end of the interview,
which contained Rick’s offensive statements about same-sex relationships has
been deleted. The part remaining is where he says he "loves"
gays.
I hope
someone has retained a copy of this interview.
MORE CLEANSING: Below is a webpage from the Saddleback Church website that was removed after the
uproar over Rick’s selection. How
more explicitly anti-gay can one be?
See you
Sunday!
Harvey
Liss
ECCO
Vice-chair
PFLAG
Board Member
EVENTS
_____________________________________________________________________
Please
come to our first meeting of the New Year!
Saturday,
Jan. 17, 1pm, Irvine, Orange County Equality Coalition
(OCEC)
Irvine United Congregational
Church, 4915 Alton
Parkway, Irvine, CA 92604 / www.iucc.org For further information: ocequality@gmail.com,
714-225-4656
Guest speaker: STEVE YOUNG: "A
Mormon's Observations on Prop 8"
Steve is a progressive Mormon
who twice ran for Democratic Congressmember for the 48th District
(O.C.)
Steve will talk about the
inside perspective of the Mormon Church and the push to pass prop 8. He will also speak personally as a Mormon
who opposed the passage of Prop 8, and what that meant to him and his campaign.
Please join us to hear this unique
perspective about the battle to defeat Prop 8.
BRING A FRIEND...OR
TWO!
_____________________________________________________________________
Sunday, January
18, - Lake Forest,
Saddleback
Church, 1 Saddleback
Parkway
The
following three rallies at Saddleback Church are organized by three different
organizations. [A fourth rally organized by Soulforce and
Atticus
Circle that required a pre-action briefing and
ordering of t-shirts has been postponed ‘till the spring.] A fifth group from Northern California arriving by bus is also
expected.
10:30am: PEACEFUL PROTEST in front of Saddleback Church before Rick Warren appears at the inaugural in
Washington, DC.
This protest will remind the world who Rick Warren is and that 48% of us
do not agree with the destruction of California’s Constitution to deny fundamental
rights to a minority. Lies that
flowed like a river of acid from Rick Warren’s lips comparing our families to
pedophiles and incest were reckless and we shall never forget. These lies were told by Rick Warren, a
man that claims to be a Christian while carrying out the work of a devil. Wrapping oneself in the cloth to defame
our family is not acceptable.
We will let the world know that we are FIRST-CLASS
CITZENS with a second-class government. Like all good citizens we provide for our
families, donate our time and resources to our families, friends and neighbors,
often strangers that need a helping hand, serve in the military and are
law-abiding, productive members of society. Rick Warren cannot stop love from
happening. To quote Dr. King, “The truth shall set us
free.”
If you are
lesbian or gay, bring appropriate homemade signs to self-identify, and let the world know that we are
productive citizens from all walks of life, such as Child Care Providers,
Doctors, Lawyers, Peace Officers, Pastors, etc. Bring your well-adjusted children and
other family members. [Maybe, you
should leave your dogs and cats home, lest the congregants and the media get the
wrong idea.]
If you are
a “straight” ally, bring a sign that
so-identifies yourself as a supporter of same-sex relationships (for lesbians
and gays) and of marriage equality.
For more
information call 949-683-2715.
11am – 2pm: PEACEFUL
PROTEST
at Anti-Gay Pastor Rick Warren's Church!
Let
anti-gay Pastor Rick Warren see us before he goes to D.C. for the
inauguration!
Organized
by: ALLorNotAtAll.org
Evangelical Pastor Rick Warren
has been invited by President-Elect Obama to deliver the invocation at the
Presidential Inauguration. Rick Warren is one of the most unabashed anti-gay
religious leaders in the country. He has compared same-sex couples that
wanted to get married to child molesters and polygamists, and he has a
congregation of over 20,000 people who listen to his message. He is quoted as saying that "there is no
reason to change the universal, historical definition of marriage to appease 2
percent of our population."
We are going to hold a
peaceful protest outside his church the Sunday before he delivers the invocation
in D.C. to let him know that we are not some radical, crazy fringe group that is
merely looking to be appeased! It
is time for us to go stand outside his homophobic bubble and show him the harm
that he is causing. Show him that he cannot use religion and the Bible as a
weapon. Show him that we are not
child molesters and we don't believe in incest. Show him that we are also kind, decent
humans who deserve the same treatment in the eyes of the law as every member of
his congregation!
This isn't going to be an
angry protest where we scream at an empty church in the middle of the week. This
is a peaceful event where we will stand there and make all the congregants see
that we are completely worthy of equality and respect!
Just to be clear, this is not
a protest against all Evangelicals at all. This is a protest in front of one
man's congregation to let him know that his views and his pulpit are causing
great harm to his fellow humans.
______________________________________________________--
Suggestion to
reduce the Nielsen Ratings during Warren’s invocation
Turn on – Tune out – Drop Warren
TURN ON THE INAUGURATION and CHANGE THE CHANNEL ON
WARREN
(turn the TV off during the time he is scheduled to
speak and/or listen to the radio for a few minutes to hear when he is
done)
TURN ON WHEN WARREN IS DONE.
Since the 1920s the Nielsen Ratings have evolved into
being the television industry standard to determine viewer preferences and
consumer likes and dislikes. It a
powerful tool, which ultimately decides what and who we see on television. We don’t know who the Nielsen viewers
are, but everyone’s opinion matters to programmers. Other viewers are also tracked in
various ways. Together we can reach them and protest this
outrage.
This is about their bottom line. Get the message out
– make it go viral.
Email it, Twitter it, text it, Facebook it, network
it – radiate psychic thought waves.
