Subject: Fwd: Action Alert: Defense of Marriage Act
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 3 Sep 1996 18:45:39 -0400

In a message dated 96-09-03 14:18:30 EDT, NGLTF writes:

<< ******************************************************
 National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
 Action Alert
 Contact: Helen Gonzales 202-332-6483, ext. 3236
               [email-masked]      http://www.ngltf.org
 ******************************************************
 
 IMMEDIATE HELP NEEDED TO STOP SENATE BAN
 ON SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE
 
 The full Senate will consider and vote on the ill-named "Defense of Marriage
Act" (DOMA) legislation on Thursday, September 5.  
 
 ACTION NEEDED;  CONTACT YOUR SENATORS RIGHT AWAY and TELL THEM TO VOTE NO ON
DOMA.  Contact your Senators, by phone, fax or e-mail, right away and urge
your friends and colleagues to do the same.  To talk to someone in their
Washington, D.C. offices, call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202/224-3121
and ask them for the phone and fax numbers; the switchboard can also connect
you with one of the offices right away.  Ask to speak with the staff person
handling DOMA. You can also send a telegram to both your Senators by using
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's marriage hotline number,
1-800-651-1482.  (You can send telegrams urging opposition to DOMA to both
your Senators, and the President, through this Western Union hotline, for
$9.95 - the telegrams were drafted by NGLTF.)
 
 Talking Points
 Urge your Senators to vote NO on DOMA no matter what their position is on
same-gender marriage.  Tell them that this legislation is (1) unneeded  - -
since no state now allows for same gender marriage and the Hawaii case will
not be final for about another year or more - - and (2) discriminatory
against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender individuals - - since it
seeks to deny to same gender couples federal rights and responsibilities
granted to heterosexual couples.  The bill also raises constitutional
questions since it purports to give states the power to ignore the Full Faith
and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution which currently requires states,
among other things, to give legal recognition to marriages sanctioned in
other states.  
 
 Remind your Senators that domestic relations issues, such as marriage, are
usually issues dealt with by the states and that this year 36 states
introduced legislation to ban same-gender marriages.  Congress should not be
legislating on this issue.  At least 18 of the states which introduced this
legislation have defeated or withdrawn such legislation, including: Alabama,
Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.  
 
 Tell your Senators that the marriage issue is merely a substitute for
previous anti-gay initiative campaigns led by these same political extremists
who have used both vehicles to belittle and demean the lives of gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender individuals.  These political extremists clearly do
not believe in our democratic principles of respect and tolerance.  Instead
they seek to divide our country in ways which pit groups of citizens against
each other, be they immigrants, single mothers or gays and lesbians. 
 
 Two Possible Floor Amedments to DOMA
 Tell your Senators that there may be an amendment to add the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to DOMA.  ENDA would prohibit discrimination in
the workplace based on sexual orientation.  Urge your Senators to vote YES on
ENDA if that amendment is introduced during the Senate floor consideration of
DOMA.
 
 Also tell them there may also be an amendment offered by to expand current
federal jurisdiction to prosecute egregious incidents of hate violence to
include such crimes directed at gays and lesbians.
 
 It is important to tell your Senators to vote NO ON DOMA, whether or not
ENDA or other amendments are added to DOMA.  Urge them to join with their
state legislative colleagues who were courageous enough to stand up for
fairness and against intolerance and discrimination. 
 
 For further information, contact Helen Gonzales at (202) 332-6483, ext.
3236.
 
 ###
  >>

---------------------
Forwarded message:
Subj:    Action Alert: DOMA
Date:    96-09-03 14:18:30 EDT
From:    NGLTF

******************************************************
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Action Alert
Contact: Helen Gonzales 202-332-6483, ext. 3236
              [email-masked]      http://www.ngltf.org
******************************************************

IMMEDIATE HELP NEEDED TO STOP SENATE BAN
ON SAME-GENDER MARRIAGE

The full Senate will consider and vote on the ill-named "Defense of Marriage
Act" (DOMA) legislation on Thursday, September 5.  

ACTION NEEDED;  CONTACT YOUR SENATORS RIGHT AWAY and TELL THEM TO VOTE NO ON
DOMA.  Contact your Senators, by phone, fax or e-mail, right away and urge
your friends and colleagues to do the same.  To talk to someone in their
Washington, D.C. offices, call the U.S. Capitol switchboard at 202/224-3121
and ask them for the phone and fax numbers; the switchboard can also connect
you with one of the offices right away.  Ask to speak with the staff person
handling DOMA. You can also send a telegram to both your Senators by using
the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's marriage hotline number,
1-800-651-1482.  (You can send telegrams urging opposition to DOMA to both
your Senators, and the President, through this Western Union hotline, for
$9.95 - the telegrams were drafted by NGLTF.)

Talking Points
Urge your Senators to vote NO on DOMA no matter what their position is on
same-gender marriage.  Tell them that this legislation is (1) unneeded  - -
since no state now allows for same gender marriage and the Hawaii case will
not be final for about another year or more - - and (2) discriminatory
against lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender individuals - - since it
seeks to deny to same gender couples federal rights and responsibilities
granted to heterosexual couples.  The bill also raises constitutional
questions since it purports to give states the power to ignore the Full Faith
and Credit Clause of the U.S. Constitution which currently requires states,
among other things, to give legal recognition to marriages sanctioned in
other states.  

Remind your Senators that domestic relations issues, such as marriage, are
usually issues dealt with by the states and that this year 36 states
introduced legislation to ban same-gender marriages.  Congress should not be
legislating on this issue.  At least 18 of the states which introduced this
legislation have defeated or withdrawn such legislation, including: Alabama,
Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Mississippi, New Mexico, New York,
Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wyoming.  

Tell your Senators that the marriage issue is merely a substitute for
previous anti-gay initiative campaigns led by these same political extremists
who have used both vehicles to belittle and demean the lives of gay, lesbian,
bisexual, and transgender individuals.  These political extremists clearly do
not believe in our democratic principles of respect and tolerance.  Instead
they seek to divide our country in ways which pit groups of citizens against
each other, be they immigrants, single mothers or gays and lesbians. 

Two Possible Floor Amedments to DOMA
Tell your Senators that there may be an amendment to add the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) to DOMA.  ENDA would prohibit discrimination in
the workplace based on sexual orientation.  Urge your Senators to vote YES on
ENDA if that amendment is introduced during the Senate floor consideration of
DOMA.

Also tell them there may also be an amendment offered by to expand current
federal jurisdiction to prosecute egregious incidents of hate violence to
include such crimes directed at gays and lesbians.

It is important to tell your Senators to vote NO ON DOMA, whether or not ENDA
or other amendments are added to DOMA.  Urge them to join with their state
legislative colleagues who were courageous enough to stand up for fairness
and against intolerance and discrimination. 

For further information, contact Helen Gonzales at (202) 332-6483, ext. 3236.

###