Subject: Action Alert
From: [email-masked]
Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 17:03:56 -0400

Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays

****  ACTION ALERT  ****
***PLEASE DISTRIBUTE WIDELY ***

Congressional Hearings on the "Defense of Marriage Act" are scheduled for
Wednesday, May 15.  
The hearings will be held in the Constitution Subcommittee of the House
Judiciary Committee.  The panel of witnesses has not yet been determined.

The bill, H.R. 3396, was just introduced to Congress Wednesday, May 8, 1996
by Representative Bob Barr (R - GA) and Steve Largent (R-OK).  The Act would,
for the first time, create a federal definition of marriage.  According to
this federal definition, marriage would only include heterosexual couples and
so the Federal government would not recognize legally married same gender
couples.  

Currently, civil same-gender marriage is not permitted anywhere in the United
States.  This Federal legislation, like the more than 30 anti-marriage
measures introduced at the state level, is in anticipation of an upcoming
Hawaii court decision that could legalize same-gender marriage in that state.
  That decision, however, will probably not be decided for two years.

Representative Barr's action follows a year in which the extremist Right that
has moved the issue of same-gender marriage to the top of its anti-gay
agenda.  

Constitution Subcommittee members include:

Republicans   
Charles Canady, Chair (FL)  202-225-1252
Henry Hyde (IL)   202-225-4561
Bob Inglis (SC)  202-225-6030
Michael Flanagan (IL)  202-225-4061
F. James Sensenbrenner, Jr. (WI)  202-225-5101
Martin Hoke (OH)  202-225-5871
Lamar Smith (TX)  202-225-4236
Bob Goodlatte (VA)  202-225-5431

Democrats
Barney Frank (MA)  202-225-5931
Patricia Schroeder (CO)  202-225-4431
Melvin Watt (NC)  202-225-1510
Jose Serrano (NY)  202-225-4361
John Conyers, Jr. (MI)  202-225-5161

ACTION:

1.  Contact your Representative and demand that they vote against HR 3396.   

U.S. Capitol Switchboard:  202-224-3121
Letter to a Representative:
 The Honorable (full name)
 United State House of Representatives
 Washington, DC 20515
 Dear Congressman or Congresswoman (last name)

2.  Call PFLAG's national office at 202-638-4200 for a copy of our press
release to distribute locally.  You can modify it for your community, or
refer calls to PFLAG's national office.

Talking points:

*  Marriage is a basic human right.  The decision of whom to marry is a
deeply personal one that should not be interfered with the  federal
government.

*  HR 3396 sends a message to the American public that it is OK to
discriminate against gay and lesbian people. 

*  HR 3396 is unnecessary and divisive.  Gay and lesbian people can not get
married in any state in the country.  The bill is nothing more than an
election year strategy to scapegoat gay and lesbian Americans.

*  Public discussion on same-gender marriage should continue in every state
without interference from the Federal government.  Instead, HR 3396 pits
states against the Federal government.

Sample letter:

Dear Representative,
     
I am writing to urge you to strongly oppose H.R. 3396, the so-called "Defense
of Marriage Act," introduced by Representatives Bob Barr(R-GA) and Steve
Largent(R-OK).  This legislation is nothing more than a coordinated election
year strategy by religious political extremists to score political points on
the backs of gay men and lesbians.
     
Same sex marriage is not legal anywhere in the United States.  A court case
in the state of Hawaii is currently looking at the issue, but a final
decision is not expected for about 2 years.   This kind of premature
legislation is nothing more than an attempt to divide the country by beating
up on gay men and lesbians.  Congress should be attending to the business of
the country, not attacking American citizens.
     
Marriage is a basic human right.  The decision of whom to marry is a deeply
personal one that should not be interfered with by the federal government.
 Despite the rhetoric of the religious political extremists, one can honor
the relationship between a man and woman without attacking lesbian and gay
people or their relationships.
     
I again urge you to oppose this unnecessary and divisive legislation.  I look
forward to hearing your views on this matter.
     
Sincerely,