Subject: HRC Demands President Clinton Oppose Same-Sex Marriage Legislation
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 17 May 1996 11:38:05 -0400

________________________________________________________

NEWS from the
Human Rights Campaign

1101 14th Street NW
Washington, DC 20005
email:  [email-masked]
WWW:    http://www.hrcusa.org
________________________________________________________

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Friday, May 17, 1996
                                
         LARGEST GAY POLITICAL ORGANIZATION DEMANDS THAT
            CLINTON OPPOSE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LEGISLATION
                                
                    Calls Measure a Desperate Ploy to Drive Wedge
                                   Between Clinton, Gay Community
                                
                                      YOUR VOICE IS NEEDED!!!
  SEND MESSAGES TODAY VIA HRC'S ONLINE ACTION CENTER
                                            http://www.hrcusa.org

WASHINGTON -- If President Clinton signs or endorses the federal
anti-gay marriage bill, it will be an unconscionable capitulation
to religious political extremists who have brought this issue
before Congress in an attempt to save Bob Dole's flagging
presidential campaign, Elizabeth Birch, executive director of the
Human Rights Campaign said today.

     "This bill, which we're calling the  Bob Dole Needs a
Scapegoat Act,' was designed to back the president into a corner 
and drive a wedge between Bill Clinton and the gay community,"
Birch said. "There is a difference between opposing same-sex
marriage and agreeing to support this bill, which is clearly one
of the most cynical, spiteful measures to come before the 104th
Congress."

     The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian and
gay political organization, had hoped the president would see
this bill for what it is -- a transparent
attempt to score political points on the backs of gay and lesbian
Americans.

     "The statement by White House press secretary Mike McCurry
earlier this week that same-sex marriage would weaken the family
was silly and completely inconsistent with the president's
previous positions regarding equal rights for gay men and
lesbians," Birch added. "A day after he made the remark, McCurry
backed away from it somewhat, saying that the president believes
the same-sex marriage bill is merely a tool to provoke hostility
toward gay Americans."

     The bill, inappropriately named the "Defense of Marriage
Act," attempts to bring the definition of marriage into the
federal arena for the first time in U.S. history. While the bill
purports to address the imminent legalization of same-sex
marriage by the state of Hawaii, the fact is that the Hawaii case
will not be resolved for at least two years.
 
     The Human Rights Campaign will fight this atrocious
legislation with the full force of its 175,000 members, Birch
said, adding, "We fully expect our supporters in the House and
Senate to stand firmly against this abhorrent gay-bashing
regardless of their personal positions on same-sex marriage."

     The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian
and gay political organization, with members throughout the
country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign
support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay
Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in
the community.
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