Posts Tagged ‘Constitutional Amendment’

Love Wins Big at the Ballot Box

No Comments | Share On Facebook| Love Wins Big at the Ballot Box Share/Save/Bookmark Nov 07, 2012

Pinch me! I, like many of you, still can’t believe that this moment has finally arrived.

Yesterday, voters in Maine and Maryland affirmed marriage equality at the ballot box. Minnesota became the first state in the country to reject writing discrimination into its state constitution. And, while the ballots are still being counted, marriage equality appears headed for passage in Washington State. These outcomes may influence the U.S. Supreme Court when it considers the constitutionality of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act. After working for more than a decade for LGBTQ equality, I’m ecstatic to say that the United States has reached the tipping point. We are poised to take our place among the other nations of the world who stand on the side of love.

But wait–there’s more! Wisconsin voters elected Tammy Baldwin–the first openly-LGBTQ American, and a woman of profound integrity–to the U.S. Senate, offering new hope and a shining example of success to young people who are hoping that it will get better, who will know they can achieve anything. Electoral outcomes in New Hampshire and Iowa mean marriage equality is most likely safe in those states, and the composition of Colorado’s legislature could mean new possibilities for relationship recognition for same-gender couples. Iowa Supreme Court Justice David Wiggins has retained his seat after anti-gay forces tried to oust him for joining in a unanimous 2009 decision for marriage equality.

Of course, whether we are Republicans and Democrats, all of us understand that when it comes to advancing equality for LGBTQ people in our nation, there was simply no contest between President Obama and Governor Romney. Hopefully, with President Obama’s leadership, we will never again have a sitting president who does not support full equality for LGBTQ people in our country.

Friends, Election 2012 is our moment. Love wins big!

Of course, our victories go much further than just LGBTQ equality. Voters in my home state of Maryland became the first in the nation to ever vote on a DREAM Act measure at the ballot, signaling resounding approval for providing in-state tuition to undocumented residents. Minnesota voters rejected a regressive voter ID amendment. And voters in two states–Colorado and Washington–said yes to decriminalizing marijuana. In an ideal world, this could indicate a shift in our national conversation about drug laws that disproportionately affect poor communities of color.

As these victories set in, however, we remember that this is really about people, and our love for one another. “Gratitude” is the number one word I am hearing emerge from the mouths of those who had so much invested in outcomes yesterday.

So today, let us all offer our gratitude to one another for our collective work to bend the arc of the world towards greater love and justice.

In faith,

Dan Furmansky
Former Campaign Manager
Standing on the Side of Love

The message above went out on Wednesday, November 7, 2012 to Standing on the Side of Love supporters. You can sign-up for these emails here.

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Speaking Out for LGBT Families in North Carolina

No Comments | Share On Facebook| Speaking Out for LGBT Families in North Carolina Share/Save/Bookmark Apr 05, 2012

The Coalition to Protect All North Carolina Families just released a new video to motivate fair-minded, compassionate and reasonable NC citizens to take specific action to help defeat the discriminatory, anti-gay, and anti-family Amendment One. The amendment will be on the May ballot and, if passed, would ban marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships between same-gender couples.

and encourage others to do so by following instructions on this page:
http://uufrprotectsncfamilies.blogspot.com/p/epledge.html
2) Donate to get our message out: https://protectallncfamilies.ngpvanhost.com/crmapi/contribute
3) Sign up for easy “get out the vote” (GOTV) reminder calls to those who pledged to vote against between April 19 and May 5th: http://www.protectncfamilies.org/volunteer
For those in the Raleigh area, we have free food at our “happening” phone banks from 6-9pm:
http://uufrprotectsncfamilies.blogspot.com/p/phone-bank.html
THANKS in advance for protecting the rights of NC”s unmarried couples and their children!
_______________
About this Video: This video was written and directed by Tracy Hollister, Leader of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh’s Task Force to Protect All Families, which is a member of the Coalition to Protect All NC Families. It was filmed at UUFR on March 24th, 2012 with the video assistance of Eric Preston, Art Lieberman and Karl Ulrich, who did the editing.

If you live in North Carolina, here’s what you can do to make a difference:

1) Take the pledge to vote agains Amendment One and encourage others to do so by following these instructions.

2) Donate to help get the message out.

3) Sign up for easy “get out the vote” (GOTV) reminder calls to those who pledged to vote against Amendement One.

This video was written and directed by Tracy Hollister, leader of the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Raleigh’s Task Force to Protect All Families, which is a member of the Coalition to Protect All NC Families. It was filmed at UUFR with assistance from Eric Preston, Art Lieberman and Karl Ulrich. Tracy has a phenomenal commitment to the work for justice for LGBT families in North Carolina. She even resigned from her job in order to dedicate herself to working full-time against the amendment. Bravo, Tracy!

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North Carolina Needs Our Help

No Comments | Share On Facebook| North Carolina Needs Our Help Share/Save/Bookmark Sep 06, 2011

Dan Furmansky

Dan Furmansky is the Campaign Manager of the Standing on the Side of Love Campaign.

The message below went out to Standing on the Side of Love supporters on Tuesday, September 6, 2011. You can sign-up for these emails here.

“When UUs from across the country gathered in Charlotte in June 2010 for our annual General Assembly, we came knowing North Carolina faces a crucial moral struggle. As people of faith, we joined in solidarity with those North Carolinians who stand on the side of love and continue this nation’s long battle for civil rights, justice, and equality, We have seen first-hand that the discrimination enshrined in North Carolina’s proposed constitutional amendment not only fails to recognize the will of a great number of residents, but attempts to deny the basic humanity of the entire LGBT community.” -UUA Pres. Rev. Peter Morales

Labor Day weekend is over. Schools are back in session. And white pants are now in the back of the closet. LGBT people, however, should not be. In North Carolina, this September is bringing more than just shorter days. Anti-LGBT bigotry is, disturbingly, on the political agenda. Republican leaders of the NC House and Senate are pushing for a mean-spirited, divisive amendment to the state constitution that would ban marital rights for same-gender couples in the state.

The institutionalization of anti-gay bigotry must be stopped. Can you join a national phone bank hosted by Equality North Carolina to lend your hand? Sign up here:

http://equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35020/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=1003

While same-gender marriage is already prohibited in North Carolina’s laws, one of the proposed amendments would also imperil rights granted by private businesses, and place civil unions and domestic partnerships permanently out of reach. If this amendment passes the legislature, it will place same-gender-loving people and their families up for a popularity vote, and cause very real psychological harm, especially to young people grappling with their sexual orientation.

When we convened in Charlotte this past June for our General Assembly, we knew a discussion of the amendment was coming down the pike. That’s why we partnered with Equality North Carolina to hold a massive, interfaith rally in a public park opposing the proposed amendment, where we collected hundreds of signatures to elected officials and business leaders urging their opposition to anti-LGBT bigotry.

Now, it’s down to the wire, and Equality North Carolina really needs our help. The legislature will convene Sept. 12th for a special session to consider proposed constitutional amendments, including whether to send the anti-LGBT amendment to the voters on next year’s ballot.

Whether you are in California, Tennessee, North Dakota or Alabama, you can make a difference.

Equality North Carolina is hosting virtual phone banks that people across the country can plug into. Click here to sign up for a shift.

http://equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35020/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=1003

Phone banking will occur from Noon to 9 p.m. EST every day leading up to the vote. All you need is access to a computer and a cell phone. If you sign up for a shift, you will talk to North Carolina voters about the importance of contacting their legislators and urging them to oppose the anti-LGBT amendment.

Last week, House Majority Leader Paul “Skip” Stam said the amendment would protect “the children of the next generation” and suggested that the legalization of same-sex marriage would ultimately lead to polygamy. He also likened same-sex marriage to incest. If this amendment reaches voters, this sort of rhetoric will be just the tip of the iceberg.

It’s time for politicians and anti-LGBT organizations to stop using the ballot measures to rob LGBT people of our dignity, and to tell us that the provisions of equality in our constitutions applies to everyone but us and our families. As we say at the Standing on the Side of Love campaign…homophobia, not homosexuality, is the sin.

Please donate a few hours of your time to encouraging North Carolina voters to take a stand against the bigotry and shaming.

Three-fifths of both houses of the legislature must approve the amendment, which is an incredibly high bar to reach. With your help we can defeat this amendment!

Click here to learn more about phone banking against discrimination:

http://equalityfederation.salsalabs.com/o/35020/p/salsa/event/common/public/?event_KEY=1003

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Tell Bank of America: Please Condemn Anti-LGBT Bigotry

6 Comments | Share On Facebook| Tell Bank of America: Please Condemn Anti-LGBT Bigotry Share/Save/Bookmark Jun 28, 2011

Rev. James C. (Jay) Leach

Rev. James C. (Jay) Leach is a minister at Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte

The message below went out to Standing on the Side of Love supporters on Tuesday, June 28, 2011. You can sign-up for these emails here.

Last Friday, thousands of Unitarian Universalists gathered for an inspiring “Faith Community Rally Against Homophobia & Transphobia” in my hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina. With debate about an anti-LGBT constitutional amendment all but guaranteed in an upcoming special session of our legislature, the Standing on the Side of Love campaign partnered with local faith leaders, Equality North Carolina, the Human Rights Campaign and others to raise our voices against this bigoted proposal.

Our rally was widely covered in the press and we successfully gathered hundreds of signatures to business leaders and legislators expressing our opposition.

Many of you recently signed on to our petition calling on leaders of North Carolina-based corporations to oppose this effort to write discrimination into our state’s constitution. With more than 2,000 of you taking action, these businesses, including Bank of America, are starting to hear us, but they have NOT yet come out to oppose this discriminatory legislation.

Because I live here, I can tell you: Bank of America holds tremendous power in North Carolina and could influence other businesses to join them in calling on our state legislature to reject this proposed anti-LGBT amendment. While the bank is progressive in offering same-sex partner benefits, they need to understand that offering this benefit without also opposing this legislation leaves their LGBT employees vulnerable and creates an environment that is bad for business.

I am asking for your immediate help. We need to persuade Bank of America to oppose this legislation in the state where they are headquartered. Will you join us in letting Bank of America know that institutionalized discrimination is unjust, bad for business and bad for our community? There’s an easy action you can take that has the potential to make a big difference.

Please take a moment and make a quick phone call to Bank of America spokesperson Scott Silvestri.

Scott Silvestri, Spokesperson, Bank of America: 1-980-388-9921

Please let Mr. Silvestri know that we are asking Bank of America CEO Brian Moynihan and other bank executives to encourage state lawmakers to reject this anti-LGBT amendment. Please leave a message if you are unable to speak to anyone.

Here is a script you can use:

“Hello, my name is ________. (If you are a customer at Bank of America please say that.) I am calling to urge CEO Brian Moynihan and others at the bank to oppose the effort to add an anti-gay amendment to the North Carolina state constitution. Please ask Mr. Moynihan and others to publicly denounce the amendment because it is bad for Bank of America’s customers, bad for Bank of America’s employees and bad for business. Thank You.”

After you make the call, please share how it went on our Facebook wall or by responding to this email:

Standing on the Side of Love Facebook Page:

http://www.facebook.com/SideofLove

The thrilling victory in New York last week shows us what can happen when we join together. Now we need your help in my state. Please, join this important effort to head off anti-LGBT bigotry. Standing together on the side of love, we really can make a difference!

In faith,

Rev. James C. (Jay) Leach, Minister

Unitarian Universalist Church of Charlotte

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Adam Gerhardstein: We Are All Minnesota

1 Comment | Share On Facebook| Adam Gerhardstein: We Are All Minnesota Share/Save/Bookmark May 17, 2011

Post by Adam Gerhardstein

Post by Adam Gerhardstein


Yesterday I put on my yellow Standing on the Side of Love t-shirt for the first time in a long while (Minnesota winters are not too conducive to t-shirts). I went to the Minnesota state capitol building and rallied against the proposed constitutional amendment that would define marriage as a purely heterosexual privilege. I have only been to a few rallies since I moved to Minnesota from Washington, D.C., but I have noticed that they are very different here.

Here are three things I’ve noticed.

First, silos are for grains, not for causes. Each cause here seems to make room for another. An immigration rally I went to last fall began with a Native American drum circle and dance (Minnesota has a large Native population). There was something incredibly humbling and spiritually invigorating about beginning our action for modern day immigration reform by being reminded of the longest American struggle for justice. I began that witness by asking myself, “who am I?” And, “who was pushed aside to make room for me?”

AdamG

Yesterday, our marriage equality crowd shared the capitol rotunda with the Minnesota African American Lobby Day. We were up on the balcony of the rotunda crowded around the house chamber door and the Lobby Day was just below us on the rotunda floor. The Lobby Day had an amazing program with speakers, prayer, and song. When the Lobby Day folks would erupt in cheers, I’d see many in our crowd let out a yelp as well. Also, many of the people attending the Lobby Day grabbed marriage equality stickers on the way in. The participants in the two events did not begrudge sharing the capitol. They were curious about their newfound neighbors and willing to add a little noise or a little visibility in the spirit of lending a hand.

Second, changing the world is a family affair. In four years in D.C., I cannot remember seeing many children tagging along with their parents on lobby days, rallies, or events. Only at the very large events that brought in busloads from across the country would children be found milling around the National Mall. But at your everyday local rally, children were largely missing. Yesterday at the Capitol, families abounded. There were babies strapped to chests and backs, children crawling around on the floor, and children holding signs.

I was most moved by a father who came to the rally without his family but grabbed a large family photo off the mantel before coming to the rally. It showed himself, his partner, and their three sons on a ski-trip. Those gay parents and their kids were the reason I was standing there as a straight ally. The love I saw in that photo reminded me of the love that pops out of a photo of the same size that sits on my mantel, a wedding photo of my wife and I kneeling in a canoe and lovingly gazing into each other’s eyes. A family’s love is sacred and when I looked at that man’s family photo I saw the divine. I’d like the Minnesota State Constitution to reflect that love, not reject that love.
AdamG2

Finally, Minnesota is not a state; it is a community. I have a confession. I have gone to many rallies. At those rallies I have led chants and joined in chants. But I have never really liked chanting. But at the rally yesterday I heard a chant I have never heard before and I really liked it. The crowd simply started chanting, “we are Minnesota, we are Minnesota, we are Minnesota.” The chant did not rhyme, count, or spell. But it reminded me, and anyone who could hear, that Minnesota is a diverse community, and that in this state, no one is any more Minnesotan than anyone else.

We all have to survive the winters and we all have something to say about the state fair. We all want someone to cuddle up with during those winters and we all deserve the right to propose to our love over a bucket of Sweet Martha’s cookies at the top of the ferris wheel. We are all Minnesota.

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