Subject: STOP DOMA!
From: [email-masked]
Date: Thu, 30 May 1996 18:38:36 -0400

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PRESS RELEASE
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
2320 17th St. NW; Washington, DC 20009
Contact:  Tracey Conaty (202) 332-6483 ext. 3303 [email-masked]       or
Kerry Lobel (202) 332-6483 ext. 3307
[email-masked]
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 SAME GENDER MARRIAGE BAN BILL PASSES HOUSE COMMITTEE

NGLTF LAUNCHES 
TELEGRAM ACTION AGAINST THE BILL

Washington, D.C., May 30, 1996....The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
(NGLTF) encourages all fair-minded Americans to contact Congress and the
President right away and urge them to oppose the Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA).  In response to today's vote by the House Judiciary Subcommittee on
the Constitution in favor of the bill, the Task Force announced the launching
of a Western Union hotline that will allow people across the country to send
telegrams to their elected officials in Congress and the President urging
them to stop DOMA.

 NGLTF charged Senator Dole, Rep. Gingrich and Right-wing factions within the
Republican Party with stirring up and feeding anti-gay sentiment for
political gain and vowed to pull out all the stops to undermine their
efforts.  "DOMA manipulates and exploits people's fears and ignorance about
gay people and gay families - pure and simple," stated NGLTF executive
director Melinda Paras.  "The legacy of the Republican-led 104th Congress is
sure to be one of divisiveness and intolerance.  The gay, lesbian, bisexual
and transgender communities will not be silent as Right-wing extremists and
their congressional supporters seek to attack and undermine millions of
American families, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
families," added Paras.  "We will not stand by and be used as scapegoats in
this election year."

  Responding to President Clinton's stated intention to sign DOMA should it
pass Congress, Paras said "We deplore the President's opposition to same-sex
marriage and we have told him so.  At the same time, the gay and lesbian
electorate is too sophisticated to take the bait of the Right.  We will
continue to pressure the President to oppose DOMA."  In a letter to the
President last week, Paras complained to Clinton that by endorsing DOMA he
had "given support and momentum to the efforts and agenda" of Right-wing
extremists.

 The Republican leadership has clearly put DOMA on the fast track.  The
legislation was introduced less than a month ago, was heard in committee one
week after its introduction, and is likely to be voted on the House floor in
the near future.  "NGLTF  is mobilizing people throughout the country to
derail this fast moving train.  We are encouraging people to lobby and send
telegrams to their Senators, Representatives and the President urging them to
stop this bill," stated Tracey Conaty, NGLTF Field Organizer.  "It's time to
crank up the volume," added Conaty.

 The Task Force urges fair-minded people throughout the nation to participate
in this telegram action.  Individuals may send a telegram to their
Representative, their Senators, and the President by calling 1-800-651-1482
for a total cost of $9.95.  

The telegram to the President follows:

Dear Mr. President:

Please reconsider your decision to sign the so-called Defense of Marriage Act
(DOMA), which Congress is now considering. 

This legislation was introduced only recently in Congress, at the request of
right-wing political extremists who had already been fighting this battle in
the states.  Now the House and Senate Republican leadership seem to have this
bill on a fast track. 

Gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender family issues, such as marriage,
adoption and custody are here to stay because they speak to the aspirations
of same-gender couples, just as they do for all committed couples.  Most
importantly, however, they reflect the real circumstances of lesbian and gay
family lives.

Passage of DOMA will not change that fact and the right-wing extremists know
that.  As you have noted, this legislation is not just about same-gender
marriage.  It is clearly just one piece of a larger agenda to attack and
undermine millions of American families, including gay, lesbian, bisexual and
transgender families, who do not meet the narrow definition of family put
forth by a small group of political extremists.

Discrimination is wrong.  Whatever your views on marriage, I urge you to
stand up for the principles of  tolerance, compassion and fairness - - just
as you have on other occasions - - by vetoing this legislation if it is
adopted by Congress.  Your leadership on this issue can stop the campaign by
right-wing extremists to divide the American people.

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