From: HawaiiGay1@aol.com Date: Thu, 3 Apr 1997 14:46:16 -0500 (EST) Subject: More ideas to help Hawaii Alert Response Aloha Folks, The alert and call for action continue. Below are some copies of letters sent to the embattled senators who have been supporting equal protection, fairness, dignity (and many other things referred to in these letters) of Gays and Lesbians. There are some new ways of seeing things and hope you have some new ideas and resources to draw from to help out in the effort too. Remember, please CC copies to us at:Hawaiigay1@aol.com to help understand and guage our effectiveness. This activity does not replace many other things the Hawaii Gay Marriage Project - GLEA Foundation and other organizations and individuals are doing. do good Bill Hawaii Gay Marriage Project GLEA Foundation TO: Hawaiigay1@aol.com I sent this to the list you shared. Mark Wojcik ------- Forwarded Message Follows ------- America Supports Equal Rights for everyone, including gay and lesbian citizens of Hawai'i. It is sometimes difficult to take a stand for equality. I ask you to oppose any attempt to amend the Hawaii Constitution, a document that has shown its tolerance and dignity in the interpretation given to it by Judge Kevin Chang and the Hawaii Supreme Court. All of Hawai'i's residents deserve dignity, respect and complete equality. Thank you for supporting the dignity and equality for every citizen of Hawai'i. Please oppose any attempts to amend the state constitution. Sincerely, Prof. Mark E. Wojcik The John Marshall Law School 315 S. Plymouth Court Chicago, IL 60604 ----------------------- Headers -------------------------------- Subj: Hold Firm on Equal Rights -- Please! Date: 97-04-03 12:24:19 EST To: abc@aloha.net (Sen Avery Chumbley), natsanaga@pixi.com (Sen Matt Matsunaga), senmccartney@capitol.hawaii.gov (Sen Mike McCartney), senmetcalf@capitol.hawaii.gov (Sen Wayne Metcalf) CC: HawaiiGay1@aol.com Dear Senators: I am e-mailing you on behalf of hundreds of thousands of gay men and lesbians in the United States. It has come to our attention that there are anti-gay lobbying groups and individuals who are exerting great pressure on you to halt Hawaii's attempt to recognize ALL US citizens as equal under the law, by passing of same-gender marriage legislation. I point out the following article by Rex Wockner: > > DUTCH GAYS WILL HAVE TWO WAYS TO GET HITCHED > by Rex Wockner > > Come Jan. 1, 1998, Dutch gay, lesbian and straight couples > will be able to register their partnership and gain every right > of marriage except access to adoption. > > Then around the year 2,000, Dutch gays and lesbians likely > will be able to get married -- under the regular marriage laws. > > The registration measure passed Holland's Second Chamber of > Parliament in December with 104 of 150 possible votes. It now > must pass the First Chamber but that is only a formality. The > First Chamber only looks for procedural errors. > > The Second Chamber, meanwhile, has begun debate on gay co- > parenting in an attempt to void the adoption exclusion via a > separate piece of legislation. > > Should that measure pass also, there would be no differences > between partnerships and marriages except when it comes to > divorce. Married people have to go to divorce court whereas > partnered couples would only have to go to court if one of the > parties contested the breakup. Otherwise they would just > unregister at City Hall. > > Ordinary marriage is coming for Dutch homosexuals at the > turn of the century, gay activists say. Parliament has instructed > the government to prepare preliminary legislation by this August > and a special committee is scurrying to determine what being the > world's first gay-marriage country would mean for Holland's > international agreements and relationships. > > "The majority in Parliament is for gay marriage," said Henk > Krol, editor of Holland's largest gay publication, De Gay Krant. > "The minority in parliament says people in other European > countries and in America won't understand us. We are already such > a strange place for all the people around the world. What will be > the rights of [gay] people married in the Netherlands when they > go abroad? It will give us a lot of problems around the world. > What about foreigners coming to the Netherlands just to marry? > So, we have to investigate how people around the world will react > when we are the first to open up marriage for gay people -- > that's what the minority says, and that's what is taking place > now." > > The research is being conducted by the Justice Ministry's > Commission on Opening Legal Marriage, composed mostly of > university folks and former politicians. > > "The group is coming around to be very much in favor of > saying someone has to be first [on gay marriage] and why not > Holland?" Krol said. > > The commission will report to Vice Justice Minister > Elizabeth Schmitz, an open lesbian who, although worried about > the international consequences, is also leaning toward supporting > gay marriage. > > The Second Chamber has said it wants to begin debate on the > commission's report and the draft legislation by December of this > year. > > Subhead: Scandinavia, Hungary and Hawaii > > At present, four countries offer marriage-like gay > partnerships: Denmark (and Greenland), Iceland, Norway and > Sweden. The laws grant all rights of matrimony except access to > adoption, artificial-conception technology and church weddings. > In Iceland, though, partners can obtain joint custody of each > other's biological children. > > Hungary last year legalized common-law gay marriage after > the Constitutional Court mandated the move. All matrimonial > rights are included except, again, access to adoption. > > Denmark's law took effect Oct, 1, 1989, following a 71-47 > vote by the Folketing (parliament). Greenland, a Danish > dependency, hesitated then adopted the Danish law in 1994. > Norway's law came into effect Aug. 1, 1993, following > parliamentary votes of 58-40 (Odelsting chamber) and 18-16 > (Lagting chamber). Sweden joined the club Jan. 1, 1995, following > a vote of 171-141 with 5 abstentions and 32 absences. > > "We accept homosexual love as equivalent to heterosexual," > said Swedish Prime Minister Carl Bildt. > > Gay partnerships became legal in Iceland last June 27, gay- > pride day there. The Althing, the parliament, voted for the law > 44-1 with 1 abstention and 17 MPs missing from the chamber. > Public opposition was minimal and Icelandic President Vigdis > Finnbogadottir was guest of honor at the nation's first gay > wedding reception. > > Foreign couples may not travel to Denmark, Greenland, > Iceland, Norway or Sweden for a gay wedding. At least half of a > couple must be a citizen of the nation in question and must be > living there when the wedding occurs. > > Two thousand eighty-three homosexual couples had tied the > knot in Denmark at last count -- 1,449 male couples and 634 > female couples. Seventeen percent of the couples (357) later > divorced and 219 marriages ended when a partner died. Danish > lesbians have a higher divorce rate -- 23 percent vs. 14 percent > for gay men. (Source for figures: Danish gay newspaper Pan-Bladet) > > Despite all the action in Europe, many observers of the gay- > marriage craze are focused on Hawaii where a trial court ruled > Dec. 3 that there is no compelling reason for prohibiting gays > from marrying. > > The ruling was placed on hold while it is appealed to the > state Supreme Court -- but the Supreme Court previously has ruled > that the government cannot discriminate based on gender in the > issuance of marriage licenses without a "compelling" reason for > doing so. > > As such, gays are expected to win the appeal and same-sex > marriage should be legal in Hawaii by early 1998. The matter > cannot be appealed to the US Supreme Court since it is solely a > matter of interpretation of Hawaii's State Constitution. > > The "$64,000 Question" is whether Hawaiian gay weddings be > recognized by other US states. Congress already has passed the > Defense of Marriage Act stipulating that the rest of the country > does not have to honor Hawaiian gay marriages, but many legal > scholars say DOMA violates the US Constitution's "Full Faith > and Credit" clause under which states must respect each other's > public acts. > > Several states also have passed laws stating they will not > be recognizing queer marriages from elsewhere. Those laws also > may not pass Constitutional muster. > > (c)Rex Wockner, 1997 I am personally opposed to any constitutional amendment that would deprive any individual of civil rights, offend the Bill of Rights, or impose one religious vision of marriage on everyone. I urge you to give gay and lesbian couples the exact same legal protections currently afforded to heterosexual couples. All of Hawaii's residents should be treated with dignity, respect and 100% equality, as should all those residing in the most progressive, free nation on the face of the Earth. It would be a sad day if we are forced to establish residency and become citizens of another country just to have the same protections and rights as heterosexual couples. Many thanks and continued support for your continuing efforts to ensure the dignity and equality of ALL mankind. Sincerely, John Eastwood 630 Central Ave #26 Lexington, Kentucky 40502-6402 Subj: Equal Rights Date: 97-04-03 10:40:43 EST To: matsnaga@pixi.com, abc@aloha.net, senmccartney@capitol.hawaii.gov, senmetcalf@capitol.hawaii.gov CC: HawaiiGay1@aol.com April 2, 1997 Matt Matsunaga p-586-7100 f-586-7109 email matsnaga@pixi.com Avery Chumbley p-586-6030 f-586-6031 email abc@aloha.net Mike McCartney p-586-6910 f-586-6909 email senmccartney@capitol.hawaii.gov Wayne Metcalf p-586-6900 f-586-6869 email senmetcalf@capitol.hawaii.gov Dear Sirs: I have been following with interest the ongoing struggle in Hawaii to guarantee equal rights to all citizen of the United States with regard to marriage. I am aware of the fact that you are currently under great pressure as a legislator on this issue. I, along with countless others in this country, would like you to be aware that we are opposed to any constitutional amendment which would deprive any individual of civil rights, offend the Bill of Rights, or impose one religious vision of marriage on everyone. We urge you to give gay and lesbian couples the exact same legal protections currently afforded to heterosexual couples. All of Hawaii's residents should be treated with dignity, respect and 100% equality, as should all those residing in the most progressive, free nation on the face of the Earth. Please realize that your continuing efforts to ensure the dignity and equality of all men and women in your State and on the Mainland are greatly appreciated and crucial for the lives of many of us. Please do not stop fighting this historic battle.. Cordially, Gian Mario Besana, Ph. D. Assistant Professor of Mathematics Eastern Michigan University Ypsilanti, MI Subj: Same-sex marriage Date: 97-04-03 09:51:42 EST To: INTERNET:matsnaga@pixi.com CC: INTERNET:abc@aloha.net CC: INTERNAT:senmccartney@capitol.hawaii.gov CC: INTERNET:senmetcalf@capitol.hawaii.gov CC: HawaiiGay1 Dear Senator: I am contacting you due to the impending same-gender marriage legislation, before the Hawaii legislature. I realize that there are many anti-gay lobbying groups who are pressuring you to strike down Hawaii's attempt to recognize all US citizens as equal under the law. I believe you are well aware, this is not a marriage issue, but rather a civil rights issue. Denying gays and lesbian the right to marry is a direct attack on our civil rights. We would be denied equal protection under the law. I am not a citizen of Hawaii, but I am a lesbian and feel this impending legislation would have an impact on my life. All of Hawaii's residents and all US citizens should be treated with 100% equality. On behalf of the gay and lesbian community, I would like to thank you for your continuing support of our rights as US citizens. Sincerely, Ms. Chris Gietschier Westbury, NY USA Subject: FW: Stand Firm for Equal Rights... PLEASE! Author: "Sen. Wayne Metcalf" at Internet Date: 4/2/97 2:03 PM Dear Mr. Nelms: Thank you for your e-mail regarding the issue of same gender marriage. Please know that I support equal rights for all citizens. Again, thank you for your e-mail and taking the time to write me. With warm personal regards, Very truly yours, WAYNE METCALF Senator Subj: The copy of letter you requested that I sent to Hawaii senators. Date: 97-04-02 23:36:05 EST From: Cactimania To: HawaiiGay1 [Although this letter is addressed to Senator Matsunaga, I personally sent it to each of the four senators you asked me to: Matsunaga, Chumbley, McCartney, and Metcalf. You have my permission to duplicate my letter on-line. I edited my address and phone number from this copy because I don't wish it to be reproduced on-line.] April 2, 1997 The Honorable Senator Matsunaga: Dear Senator Matsunaga, Although I am not a resident of the beautiful state of Hawaii, I am a citizen of the greatest country on earth when it comes to the basic civil rights of all of her citizens. You know, as well as I, that the decisions made in the next week concerning the same-sex marriage issue will go down in history as being one of the most important civil rights decisions of this century when we as a people look back on this era in an historical context. Remember that during World War ll 70 percent of Americans didn't want to get involved to help the Jews. Remember that in the early 1860's, 70 percent of Americans didn't want to abolish slavery. Because 70 percent of Americans aren't ready to accept that long term gay and lesbian relationships exist is no reason to diminish them before the law. The struggle for the basic civil rights of gay and lesbian Americans is the final battle in the war for the equal and not "special" treatment of all of her citizens. Please do what is right and respect the decision of your honorable Supreme Court in regards to this issue even though it may not presently be politically popular. You hold the power in your hands to legally release the last socially enslaved segment of our society with your decision this week. Gay and lesbian Americans don't want special privileges. We don't want quotas. All we want is the freedom to love, and for our love to be accepted, if not by our fellow citizens, by the government that represents freedom and democracy throughout the world. Sincerely yours, Patrick J. Dooley-AMERICAN! Tucson, AZ Subj: Constitutional Amendment Date: 97-04-02 21:11:42 EST From: tillery@infi.net (Garland Tillery) To: senmetcalf@capitol.hawaii.gov Dear Senator Metcalf, I am a gay man who has lived with my partner for 16 years without the same rights and privileges of marriage which a convicted murderer on death row would be afforded in this country. My uncle and his partner lived together for 36 years before dying in this, their own country, which denied them the basic dignity which they rightly deserved. You have commendably recognized the inherent value of all law-abiding citizens and have acknowledged the inequity of the laws as they currently exist in regards to tax-paying, gay citizens. Every gay and lesbian person in the US who has not yet been abused by society and religion recognizes that we were born gay - not made gay. You apparently recognize this obvious truth, too. Therefore, I respectfully request that you continue your efforts to prevent passage of an ammendment which would give us legally-mandated second-class rights and privileges for the rest of our lives. It is very demeaning for me to say, but I do not know how else to state my frustration other than to again say that we deserve at least the same rights as murderers! Please do not forsake us at this pivotal point in our struggle to gain our constitutional rights of equality before the law. Do not increase our feeling of cynicism and alienation in our own country. Thank you for your support, J. Garland Tillery 1312 Graham Road Virginia Beach, VA 23454-2304 tillery@infi.net ----------------------------------------------------------------------------