Date: Fri, 8 Jan 1999 09:21:59 -0500 (EST) From: A Jay Eddy Subject: Dom.Partnership Consortium Calls for Support-Circulate (fwd) Circulate Widely January 7, 1999 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Log Cabin Community Relations & Outreach Director P.O. Box 1281, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33302 (954) LCR-1995 LOG CABIN FEARS BACKLASH IN VIEW OF ALLEGED MOUNTING RESISTANCE FROM EVANGELICAL-FUNDAMENTALISTS DEMONIZING DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIPS Ft. Lauderdale, FL. In October of '98, the Florida Gold Coast members and friends of the Broward Log Cabin Club approved a resolution to support and co-sponsor the efforts of a consortium of socially responsible human rights organizations who wish to pursue and validate equality of benefits for domestic partners in the County. A community-wide outreach effort is now underway to alert the grass roots asking for letters of support and personal participation at the upcoming January 20th Broward County readings. Log Cabin recognizes that discrimination against non-heterosexual women and men is wide spread and quite visible when dealing with such matters as hospital visitation, surrogate care, bereavement consideration, and survivorship rights. "This is a matter of concern for South Florida's large senior population coupled to a generation of people living with the HIV virus, breast, ovarian and prostrate cancer" noted Jack Majeske, LCR Broward President. Any move to validate same-sex rights is an integral part of "the gay agenda which will destroy family life in America," alleges Janet Folger. Folger is a conservative activist from the National Evangelical-Fundamentalist Center for Reclaiming America for Christ. She and Dr. D. James Kennedy are noted for their "reparative-therapy treatments," an outreach effort to cure gays of their homosexuals. The American Psychiatric Association has professionally challenged the long-term effectiveness of the program and expressed its concern over the possible damage such experimental treatments cause. Regardless of the APA fear, Knox Ministry advocates believe that non-heterosexuals are leading a demonic lifestyle yet such sinfulness is curable through Biblical faith and communion with "born-again Christians." Basically, they claim the alleged "gay agenda" tears at the fabric of their religious orthodoxy, and by extending such benefits to gay women and men it morally bankrupts society. "Nothing could more effectively corrupt the essence of the 'Golden Rule' than distorting reality through discrimination cloaked by skewed facts and half-hearted truths. This unacceptable intolerance is not in the best interest of the country because we demonize and enable open and subliminal hostility. As a taxpaying citizen and a diligent American each of us, regardless of any perceived sexual orientation, is entitled to EQUITABLE TREATMENT AND ACCESS under the Constitution," noted Andy Eddy, the Community Relations and Outreach Director for the Log Cabin Club. "It's time, and long over due, for all parties to sit side-by-side at the table of compromise and inclusion," he continued. For further information on the Broward County Domestic Partnership Ordinance contact anyone of the following: PAC-PAC (954) 782-1095 or 564-0575, GUARD (954) 570-5719, NWPC Gwen Cherry Chapter (954) 587-2827 and/or Log Cabin Progressive Republicans (954) LCR-1995. The success of the project and the consortium is now up to each and every member and friend of the community who believes in fair and equitable treatment for all under the law and in our maturing society. FAX Commissioners Lieberman, Gunzbburger, Jacobs, Abramowitz, Cowan, Parish and Rodstron at (954) 357-7295 today. ------------------- Forwarded Message ------------------- Date: Tue, 5 Jan 1999 08:17:02 EST To: ajayeddy@bc.seflin.org FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE From: The Political Advocacy Coalition (954) 782-1095 or 564- 0575: The Lesbian and Gay Political Committee (PAC-PAC), Gays United to Attack Repression and Discrimination (GUARD 954-570- 5791), The Log Cabin Club (954) LCR-1995, and The National Women's Political Caucus-Gwen Cherry Chapter (954) 587-2827. GROUP URGENTLY CALLS FOR COMMUNITY DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP SUPPORT Ft. Lauderdale, FL. On January 12, 1999 at 10:00 am, the Broward County Commission will vote to hold a public hearing on or about February 9, 1999 for the passage of a domestic partnership ordinance in Broward County. The purpose of this law is to extend certain rights and benefits, which are presently available only to married couples, to couples composed of two individuals who are in a committed relationship and who share their lives as members of each other's immediate family. This legislation will provide some basic rights and obligations for those citizens of Broward County whose committed family relationships do not fit under the traditional legal categories of blood, marriage or adoption. As proposed, the ordinance would provide: 1. A domestic partnership registry to establish the domestic partnership, including provisions for termination of the domestic partnersip. 2. Basic obligations of domestic partners to provide for the food and shelter, in the event that the partner is unable to provide for him/herself. 3. Hospital and jail visitation for domestic partners, and their dependents. 4. Status as a designated health care surrogate and designated preneed guardian in the event of the incapacity of a domestic partner. 5. Notification of the domestic partner in any event which mandates notification of immediate family. 6. The county, it agencies, boards, or contractors while performing services or providing goods for or on behalf of the county, will be required to provide benefits to the domestic partner of an employee equal to those provided to persons married to, or a dependent of, a county, board, agency, or contractor employee. 7. All county contractors that provide benefits and allow employees to have unpaid family leave, sick leave, or bereavement leave for spouses or other family members shall allow domestic partners the same benefits and leave on the same terms and condiditon. WHAT YOU CAN DO: Contact the county commissioners and tell them you are a registered voter in Broward County and that you support the Domestic Partnership ordinance. Commissioner Ilene Lieberman, Chair . . . . .(954) 357-7001 email: ilieberman@co.broward.fl.us (If you email Comm. Lieberman, request that your email be forwarded to all commissioners) Commissioner Kristin D. Jacobs . . . . . . . .(954) 357-7002 Commissioner Norman Abramowitz . . . . . . . .(954) 357-7003 Commissioner Scott I. Cowan . . . . . . . . . (954) 357-7004 Commissioner Lori N. Parrish . . . . . . . . .(954) 357-7005 Commissioner Suzanne Gunzburger, Vice Chair . (954) 357-7006 Commissioner John Rodstrom, Jr. . . . . . . . (954) 357-7007 MAIM Commission FAX number . . . . . . . . . (954) 357-7295 Mailing address: Broward County Governmental Center 115 S. Andrews Avenue Suite 421 Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301 For more information, please contact PAC-PAC at 954-782-1095 or 954-564-0575; GUARD at 954-570-5791; Log Cabin at 954-LCR-1995; Gwen Cherry Chapter at 954-587-2827. --------------------------------------------------------------- End of Message 4-A BLCCF E-BB ---------------------------------------------------------------