Subject: SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN AMENDMENT 2
From: [email-masked]
Date: Mon, 20 May 1996 12:22:47 -0400

PRESS RELEASE

Contact: Tracey Conaty 202-332-6483, ext 3303 800-757-6476 pager

Kerry Lobel 202-332-6483, ext 3307 [email-masked]

SUPREME COURT STRIKES DOWN AMENDMENT 2: "PROFOUND VICTORY FOR PRINCIPLES
OF DEMOCRACY"

STATEMENT FROM THE NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE

Washington, D.C., May 20, 1996...

Today the Supreme Court ruled against Colorado's Amendment 2.  The
decision was 6 to 3, with Justices Kennedy, Ginsberg, Souter, Breyer,
O'Connor, and Stevens ruling against Amendment 2, and Justices Rehnquist,
Scalia, and Thomas dissenting.  The measure would have
amended the Colorado state constitution to overturn existing protections
against discrimination based on sexual orientation and prohibit the
passage of any such protection in the future. It was passed by majority
vote in 1992.  The following statement is attributable to Melinda Paras,
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force (NGLTF) executive director. NGLTF is
the nation's oldest gay and lesbian civil rights organization.

The Supreme Court decision today on Colorado's Amendment 2 is a profound
victory for all who believe in basic equal rights and the fundamental
principle that all Americans deserve to live free from discrimination. 
It would have created special barriers to basic equal rights.  It would
have blocked the open and free participation in our democratic process
for gays, lesbians and bisexuals.

We commend those justices who defended basic civil rights and stood up
to the anti-democratic agenda of religious political extremists.  This
case was not just about gay, lesbian and bisexual people.  At stake are
the very principles of democracy:  justice, freedom, personal liberty,
and the right to be different and still live free from the tyranny of
the majority.  We are reminded of the words of Justice Blackmun, who in
his 1986 dissent to the loathsome Hardwick v. Bowers case that upheld
discriminatory sodomy laws, said, "The freedom to differ as to things
that do not matter much is a mere shadow of freedom.  The real test of
its substance is the freedom to differ as to the things that touch the
heart of the existing order."

Thank you Supreme Court justices for protecting our constitutional
freedoms. This is a joyous day for gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender Americans.  The time is drawing closer when we do not have
to live as second-class citizens anymore.  When we can live free from
violence, persecution, discrimination and intolerance.  When the
mistruths of religious political extremists are exposed as lies.  When
the horrible rhetoric that we seek "special rights" or that we threaten
"traditional family values" is replaced with the truth that we demand
the same basic equal rights that all Americans enjoy, including the
ability to work free from discrimination and nurture our own families.

This ruling should be the stake through the heart of the divisive,
unconstitutional and extremist anti-gay ballot measure campaigns of the
Radical Right.  Last year we defeated a similar measure in Maine.  In
1994, despite a Republican sweep in the elections, voters rejected
anti-gay measures in Oregon and Idaho.  In 1992, Oregon defeated yet
another measure. In fact, Amendment 2 was the only state anti-gay ballot
measure to be passed, even though it never went into effect.  Now it too
has been struck.

Let this be a message to the sponsors of these bills:  The American
people do not support your campaigns of intolerance and bigotry.  They
do not support discrimination against gays, lesbians and bisexuals. 
They do not want you tying up their courts in costly, prolonged legal
battles. They do not want you to come to their communities to destroy
and divide.  Let this message be heard in every state where voters are
considering anti-gay ballot measures in 1996 - on election day this year
strike down your anti-gay ballot measures just as the Supreme Court has
struck down Amendment 2.

Unfortunately, our victory today may be short-lived.  Despite this
ruling, the Radical Right will not stop.  They are already evolving
their measures to make them more difficult to challenge in court,  such
as the failed attempt in Maine last year that simply "omitted" gay
people and others from the list of those protected against
discrimination.  They are launching other attacks, including
anti-education measures that censor the teaching of diversity in public
schools, or "parents rights" rhetoric that really tear apart families
and communities instead of building stronger ones.  Religious political
extremists will not stop until they have advanced their broader,
anti-democratic, repressive agenda.  An agenda that rolls back civil
rights for people of color; scapegoats gays, immigrants and others for
our country's social and economic problems; and denies women
constitutionally protected reproductive freedom.

That's why we call on all gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people
to remain vigilant.  We call on all our families, friends, and
neighbors, as well as all Americans of conscience to stand with us as we
struggle for basic equal rights. The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
launched its "Undo 2: The Supreme Response" campaign last October during
hearings on the case.  At that time scores of people in more than 35
cities held vigils and rallies to speak up for justice. Today, a similar
number of communities were poised for this announcement - and
fortunately they are celebrating, not protesting.  We must now channel
that action into long-term social change.

Today, NGLTF announces a 4-point "Supreme Response" call-to-action plan
in the wake of this ruling.  We anticipate a backlash from the radical
right to this ruling, and must be prepared.

Our Supreme Response campaign will:

(1) Organize events to celebrate the ruling within the next 48 hours.
 More than 40 cities are already slated to protest.  We urge people to
join in these actions and make their voices heard.

(2) Call on elected officials in the U.S. Congress and in state and
local governments to support comprehensive protections against
discrimination based on sexual orientation.  We ask them to sign our
"Justice for All" resolution and immediately introduce civil rights laws
in the next legislative session.  We will work with our grassroots
lobbying and NGLTF Cooperating organizations to mobilize a critical mass
of support for local and state anti-discrimination measures.  We call on
President Clinton to lead the charge for federal anti-discrimination
protections.  President Clinton and other elected officials must do what
the Supreme Court justices would not:  ensure basic civil rights for
gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans.

(3) Gather activists from every state at our Creating Change
Conference this November.  We'll strategize on how to mobilize our
communities and our allies to fight for basic equal rights, respond to
the backlash, including fighting state ballot measures and other radical
right attacks. Creating Change is the largest conference of gay,
lesbian, bisexual and transgender activists in the country.

(4) Launch through our NGLTF web page a "Supreme Response" electronic
network to inform and mobilize activists nationwide.  Log onto our web
page at http://www.ngltf.org to get plugged into actions and
information.

This is a momentous day for our movement and for all those who believe
in personal liberty, justice and freedom.  We are making progress toward
ending intolerance and educating America about who we really are.  At
the same time we know our battle is not over.  We must remain on guard
and defend against what surely will be a backlash.  With today's ruling,
we are one important step closer to attaining our dream of a more
compassionate and fair society.

The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is a progressive organization
that has supported grassroots organizing and pioneered in national
advocacy since 1973. Since its inception, NGLTF has been at the
forefront of virtually every major initiative for lesbian and gay
rights.  In all its efforts, NGLTF helps to strengthen the gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender movement at the state level while connecting
these activities to a national vision for change.

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