Date: Thu, 13 Jan 2000 16:10:48 -0800 From: Jean Richter Subject: 1/13/2000 P.E.R.S.O.N. Project news 1. VA: Last call for True Spirit Conference panelists 2. New regional resources from People for the American Way ============================================================= Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 08:44:52 -0800 From: John Lindner (by way of Steve Basile ) Subject: Final Call for Panelists at TSC 2000 Steve, This might be of interest to some on PFA. It was posted to TGS-PFLAG tonight. John ==== From: mailto:tgwarrior@execpc.com Date: Tue, 11 Jan 2000 18:07:39 EST Subject: Final Call for Panelists at TSC 2000 True Spirit Conference (TSC) 2000 is fast approaching (February 18 - 20, 2000 at the Hilton Alexandria Mark Center, Alexandria, Virginia). For those of you not familiar with this conference, TSC is one of the most eclectic conferences that welcomes all gender variant people on the F2M spectrum, and specifically includes our significant others, friends, families, and allies as essential parts of our trans-family/community. TSC incorporates a wide variety of workshops, keynote speeches, informal caucuses, socializing, a vendor area (with lots of literature and information), art show, entertainment and dancing, author readings, and the opportunity to make new friends and gain new information. TSC hopes to offer programming to best meet the needs and desires of the conference attendees. In the effort to do so, we want *you* to help represent the many different faces and identities within the FTM/butch/transman/TG/SOFFA community(ies). The goal of TSC is to provide a forum wherein people who know they have specific similarities can unite, and those who believe they have different backgrounds and identities can share and compare their experiences and build bridges of respect, friendship, and common purpose. Workshops fall into the following broad categories: * Health and Wellness * Identities * Masculinities * Relationships * SOFFA * Legal/Political * Sexuality * Youth * Spirituality * Professional TSC is a conference for the people, by the people, of the people. In order to offer programming and events throughout the conference that will meet YOUR needs, we need YOU to contribute your time, energy and thoughts. Please provide feedback on and consider being a panelist for the workshops listed at www.execpc.com/~dmmunson/tsc2k/programming.htm. Please remember that this list is a work in progress and *all* programming listed on the website has not been 100% confirmed. Please email me [mailto:tgwarrior@execpc.com ] ASAP if you are interested in participating in TSC2000: Creating a Vision for the Next Century. (Please email me no later than 1/15/2000 !! ) Michael Munson (tgwarrior@execpc.com) Programming Chair True Spirit Conference 2000 [PLEASE distribute widely. Post to any trans/trans-friendly lists you are on!] ================================================================================== From: webmaster@pfaw.org Subject: Powerful New Resource for State and Local Action Date: Wed, 12 Jan 2000 17:46:09 -0500 (EST) ====================================================================== ACTIVIST NETWORK -- People For the American Way Alert Date: January 12, 2000 -- Circulate Until: January 30, 2000 PFAW Launches Activist Network State Pages: Powerful New Tool For Local Activists Unveiled On PFAW Website http://www.pfaw.org/activist/ ______________________________________________________________________ IN THIS ALERT (1) A Note From the National Field Director, Mary Jean Collins (2) Visit the Activist Network State Pages Today! (3) 2000 State Legislative Sessions - What's In Store? (4) About Us / Subscription Information (5) Please Support Our Efforts ______________________________________________________________________ (1) A NOTE FROM THE NATIONAL FIELD DIRECTOR To: National Activists From: Mary Jean Collins, National Field Director Since beginning our Activist Network service a year and a half ago, we've been joined by thousands of citizen activists who have been angered by the Radical Right and who want to fight back against intolerance and extremism. Many of you joined us in the fight against impeachment. Some of you are long-time members of People For the American Way. But for anyone who has been sickened, outraged, or just concerned by the constant stream of attacks on our American values, the year 2000 will be a crucial year to stand up and fight. People For the American Way will not let you fight alone. We have stepped up our efforts to reach out to activists through the mail, the phones, and email. In fact, we are proud to announce a brand new program that allows activists to gather information directly from our website, and to take action. On January 1, 2000, we unveiled the Activist Network State Pages on the PFAW Website. We think these pages represent a dramatic step in helping people participate more fully in the democratic process. The new pages will allow local activists across the country to view PFAW Action Alerts and letters to legislators, track legislation, contact elected officials, monitor the Radical Right, and find progressive allies at the state and local levels. With just a few clicks of the mouse, visitors can monitor bills pending in their home states and respond to our alerts by contacting state legislators or local officials, or by joining a local group in an action. I hope that all activists will take advantage of this new tool to make their voices heard loudly in state capitols and communities across the country. Being able to act quickly is the difference between winning and losing on the issues we care about. ______________________________________________________________________ (2) VISIT THE ACTIVIST NETWORK STATE PAGES TODAY! Make your voice heard by visiting the State Pages today. The Activist Network State Pages can be found on the PFAW Website at: http://www.pfaw.org/activist/ To visit the State Page for your region, please click on the appropriate link below: NORTHEAST - http://www.pfaw.org/activist/northeast/ Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont SOUTH - http://www.pfaw.org/activist/south/ Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia MIDWEST - http://www.pfaw.org/activist/midwest/ Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, Wisconsin WEST - http://www.pfaw.org/activist/west/ Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon, Utah, Washington, Wyoming We will be updating every state continuously during the 2000 sessions, so please bookmark your state's page and come back often! ______________________________________________________________________ (3) 2000 STATE LEGISLATIVE SESSIONS - WHAT'S IN STORE? 2000 will be a critical year to defend the values our country was founded upon: pluralism, individuality, and freedom of thought, expression, and religion. Nowhere will the battles around these issues be more closely contested than in state legislatures. State legislatures do not garner the same media attention that Congress does, so it is often harder to know what is going on in your state capitol. Sessions are often short, and legislation moves quickly. This makes it all the more important for us to alert you directly when the right wing is trying to pass unpopular laws while no one is looking. That's why we need your help! WHAT'S ON THE RADICAL RIGHT'S AGENDA FOR 2000? Below is a partial list of the most active types of legislation we will be monitoring through the State Pages: 1. PRIVATIZING (AND PROFITIZING) PUBLIC EDUCATION: Legislation proposing schemes like vouchers and tuition tax credits has already been introduced in a number of states. Aside from violating church-state separation, most of these proposals would allow profit to be made from our children's education. 2. ANTI-GAY DISCRIMINATION: There are a variety of proposals, good and bad, in this area. On the side of fairness and equality are non-discrimination (ENDA) laws, Hate Crimes laws, domestic partnership and even gay marriage bills. But conservatives are hard at work trying to roll back the clock with legislation and high-profile ballot initiatives in states like California and Oregon that would deny these benefits. 3. RESTRICTING ACCESS TO INFORMATION - CENSORING THE INTERNET: Legislation that would censor the Internet by mandating 'filtering' software at public libraries is expected to be introduced in almost every state legislature. Filtering software can be a good solution to the risks of Internet access by unsupervised children, but violating the First Amendment rights of adults who may have no other access is unfair and unconstitutional. 4. WEAKENING CHURCH-STATE SEPARATION: A number of bills will be offered to post the Ten Commandments in public schools, courthouses, and elsewhere. Bringing back captive audience prayer in schools is also on the agenda. 5. ATTACKING REPRODUCTIVE FREEDOM: Conservatives have been making much political hay in recent years through their attempts to outlaw late-term or so-called 'partial-birth' abortions. Their goal, however, is to make all abortions illegal, and to repeal Roe v. Wade. Please help us defeat these and other right-wing proposals by playing an active role in our campaign to preserve liberty. Stay informed by visiting the Activist Network State Pages frequently - add it to your bookmarks or favorites. Contact your state legislators and other elected officials on issues of concern to you. Ensure that the progressive voice is not silenced! THANK YOU FOR TAKING ACTION!! ______________________________________________________________________ (4) ABOUT PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY / SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION People For the American Way organizes and mobilizes Americans to fight for fairness, justice, civil rights and the freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. PFAW monitors the Radical Right at the local, state and national levels, lobbies for progressive legislation, and helps build communities of activists. To join our email Activist Network, please go to: http://www.pfaw.org/activist/ To remove yourself from the Activist Network, please go to: http://www.pfaw.org/activist/unsubscribe.shtml ** Please type in your address as it appears in the 'TO' field ** You can also reply to this message, INCLUDING THE FULL TEXT OF THIS MESSAGE, to webmaster@pfaw.org with the subject "unadopt" ______________________________________________________________________ (5) PLEASE SUPPORT OUR EFFORTS -- JOIN PEOPLE FOR THE AMERICAN WAY People For the American Way depends on the support of individuals like you. Join us today and know that you are helping to keep alive the true American spirit: tolerance, free speech, protection for minorities, equal opportunity, and freedom for all religious faiths without government intrusion. To become a member of People For the American Way, please call 1-800-326-7329 or go to: https://secure.pfaw.org/join/ Donations to People For the American Way are not tax-deductible. ====================================================================== People For the American Way 2000 M Street, NW | Suite 400 | Washington, DC 20036 http://www.pfaw.org | pfaw@pfaw.org 1-800-326-PFAW | 202/467-4999 ______________________________________________________________________ endalert 000112.statepages1.ca09 ______________________________________________________________________ ============================================================================== Jean Richter -- richter@eecs.berkeley.edu The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project (Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally) These messages are archived by state on our information-loaded free web site: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/