Date: Wed, 4 Oct 1995 06:30:59 -0800 From: jessea@uclink2.berkeley.edu (Jessea NR Greenman) Subject: Amendment 2, the Supremes, and **you** [We send this out since Amendment 2 to the Colorado State Constitution includes a ban on school district policies which are LGBT inclusive. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in the case October 10, 1995. Full text of Amendment 2 appears in the message below]. ************** *Amendment 2* ************** On November 3, 1992,, the electorate of the state of Colorado voted 53%-47% in favor of passing anti-LGBT legislation, Amendment 2. The sweeping initiative gutted any chance of equal rights under the constitution for LGBT people and thus encouraged hating and hurting LGBT people. Since the campaign for the initiative began, Colorado has experienced a rise in homophobic hate violence. The amendment also overturned "home rule" in such cities as Denver, Boulder, Vail, Telluride, and Crested Butte - all of which had adopted citywide ordinances protecting LGB (and T?) people from discrimination. While the queer community and several action groups were successful in getting an appeal and a motion to set aside was granted by the Colorado State Court, the state's attorney general appealed, and the matter was referred to the Supreme Court. Oral arguments will be heard on Tuesday, October 10. The entire session may last an hour or two, during which each side will be able to present its arguments and ask the judges to review the previous case history. Jean Debovsky will be arguing for repealing Amendment 2, while Tim Tymkovich will be advocating adoption of the initiative as voted in by the constituents. Equality Colorado is asking communities nationwide to organize rallies, vigils or actions on the eve of the hearing to remind people what Amendment 2 is all about, since a good number have already forgotten. { N.B. The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project urges you to write letters to the editor of your major area newspapers, which influence public opinion. Further, we urge you to write opinion pieces and submit them to these newspapers for possible publication as op-ed pieces. Letters and opinion pieces are among the most-read areas of any newspaper.} If the Supreme Court overturns the previous decision, it will set a precedent which bodes ill for the future of protections and legislated human rights for any minority groups. Those who want more information about Amendment 2, the Supreme Court oral arguments, and their call to action, can contact Equality Colorado at . ACTUAL FULL TEXT OF AMENDMENT 2: "Neither the State of Colorado, through any of its branches or departments, nor any of its agencies, political subdivisions, municipalities OR SCHOOL DISTRICTS [capitalization added] , shall enact, adopt, or enforce any statute, regulation, ordinance or policy whereby homosexual, lesbian, or bisexual orientation, conduct, practices or relationships shall constitute or otherwise be the basis of or entitle any person or class of persons to have or claim any minority status, quota preferences, protected status, or claim of discrimination." --- Although one cannot directly lobby the Justices, we can influence them indirectly by getting letters and opinion pieces in the major "mainstream" newspapers. Also, the following information is from the NGLTF's October Activist Alert: ************************************************* NATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TASK FORCE ACTIVIST ALERT SEPTEMBER 1995 2320 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 (202) 332-6483 FAX (202) 332-0207 TTY (202) 332-6219 EMAIL ngltf@ngltf.org ************************************************* UNDO 2: A DAY OF ACTION MONDAY, OCTOBER 9 On October 10th, the US Supreme Court will hear the Colorado Amendment 2 case, Romer v. Evans. The ruling, expected in the spring, will have significant implications not only for Coloradans, but for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people throughout the country. In 1992, Coloradans for Family Values successfully introduced and passed Amendment 2, which overturns existing protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and prohibits such protections in the future. Fortunately, Amendment 2 was challenged in the Colorado courts and ruled unconstitutional. Romer v Evans is an appeal to the Colorado court's decision. Responding to the call for action from a statewide coalition of Colorado groups--including Equality Colorado and Ground Zero--NGLTF and activists across the country have organized UNDO 2 - A DAY OF ACTION. In at least 27 locations throughout the country, activists will come together to undo 2. From a singout and candlelight vigil in Tucson Arizona Supreme Court to a demo in front of the federal building in downtown Las Vegas, this day of action will let the Supreme Court and the nation know that the gay, lesbian, bi, and transgender community nationwide is unified and organized and will be vigilant in ensuring that Amendment 2 and all similar measures are ultimately defeated. This day of action will also serve as the foundation for a unified national response on the day the decision is handed down. Action: Attend the UNDO 2 event in your area. On the following page you will find a list of participants that were confirmed as the Activist Alert went to press. Call the NGLTF Undo 2 Hotline (202) 332-6483 ext 3310 (or contact us at ngltf@ngltf.org) if: >> you don't see your community listed--many other communities are in the process of organizing an action for November 9. >> you want to organize an October 9th action in your community order the UNDO 2 Action Kit and educate your community about one of the most important Supreme Court cases in our movement's history Action Kits are $2 >> you are interested in becoming part of our UNDO 2 Action Network organize your community to respond on the day the decision is handed down. Alaska Laura Burleson (907) 479-7348 Arizona Phoenix Dianne Post (602) 258-7985 Tucson Tucson Lesbian & Gay Alliance Kenny Jacobs (520) 751-4652 California San Diego Russel David Roybal rdr@asmail-sdsu.edu San Francisco GLAAD-SFBA (415) 861-2244 Colorado Equality Colorado (303) 839-5540 Colorado Springs Ground Zero (719) 635-6086 Florida Tampa Bay Human Rights Task Force Nadine Smith (813) 443-6016 hrtffl@aol.com Georgia Atlanta Antonia (404) 584-9224 Idaho Coeur d'Alene People Like Us (208) 667-4523 garyb@ieway.com Illinois Chicago Illinois Federation for Human Rights (312) 477-7173 Kentucky Louisville Fairness Campaign (502) 893-0788 Louisiana Louisiana Electorate of Gays & Lesbians (504) 525-7117 Massachusetts Cambridge Brad Hoylman (617) 576-9188 Michigan Detroit Triangle Foundation (313) 537-3323 Missouri Kansas City Human Rights Project (816) 753-1672 St. Louis Privacy Rights Education Project (314) 862-4900 New York New York City Project Reach (212) 966-4227 North Carolina NC Pride Pac (919) 829-0343 Ohio Cincinnati Stonewall Cincinnati (513) 541-8778 Oregon Portland Leslie Griep (503) 280-0733 Eugene Citizens Against Discrimination PFLAG Eugene-Springfield Alan Brown (503) 688-1601 alanb@efn.org Pennsylvania Philadelphia Philadelphia Lesbian and Gay Task Force (215) 772-2000 Rhode Island Young Queers in RI RI Alliance for Lesbian & Gay Civil Rights (401) 521-GAYS Texas Austin Lesbian & Gay Rights Lobby of Texas (512) 474-5475 Dallas Dallas Gay & Lesbian Alliance (214) 528-4233 (ask for Michael Osborne) Virginia Richmond Virginians for Justice (804) 643-4816 Washington D.C. Jarmila Dokladalova (202) 667-0693 For information about actions in Las Vegas, NV; and San Antonio, TX call the Undo 2 Action Hotline. *+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+*+ YOU MAY RE-POST OR PRINT, WITH ATTRIBUTION Jessea Greenman The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project*; ph/fax: 510-601-8883, 586 62nd St. Oakland, CA 94609-1245 Gopher to "gopher.outright.com" Organizing Manual: http://www.youth.org/loco/PERSONProject/ (under construction) http://www.pride.net/pridenet/groups/person Resources: http://emanate.com/glwa/proj21 (courtesy "Gay & Lesbian Web Alliance") Action Alerts and Organizing Manual: http://www1.usa1.com/~furball/glb/person.html/ (courtesy Children's Animated Television) The P.E.R.S.O.N. Project is *always* looking for volunteer organizers. Please cc us (for our files) on all correspondence you send or receive regarding one of our action alerts. Thanks! *P.E.R.S.O.N. (copyrighted) stands for Public Education Regarding Sexual Orientation Nationally.