Subject: Kauai RB Action Draws Media - A Grassroots Event Helping our Nation
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 8 Jul 1997 11:54:22 -0400 (EDT)

Aloha Folks,

The following is a report from Martin Rice on Kauai and the successful event
local Kauauians conducted yesterday to help some Gay men and women achieve a
few more civil rights under the new Reciprical Beneficiaries status.

The governor has told the public on the weekend he would actually sign the
measure today - the last day possible.  It begins legal function
retroactively to July first, but he wanted Department of Health to have extra
time to prepare to process the applications.

Now we have to begin the Gay blessing of all the U.S. Mail boxes (our
official Gay marriage receptacles) all over the island.  Don't forget to
bless yours - get the holy water, incense, etc. and then tell your fundie
friends that WE ARE EVERYWHERE!!

do good - have fun today - increase your rights, but prepare for legal
marriage in Hawaii anyway.

Bill Woods, MPH
Hawaii Gay Marriage Project
GLEA Foundation

________________

From Martin Rice:

Aloha ahi ahi kakou.

Several things to be updated:

On Kaua`i this afternoon, with the long-distance assistance of Bill Woods on
O`ahu, we had our group registration and "Mailbox Blessing" in Lihu`e.  A
big mahalo-->MAHALO-->to all those who participated.

The GARDEN ISLAND and HONOLULU STAR-BULLETIN sent reporters to cover the
story, and The KAUA`I TIMES sent their photographer.  The reporters will
file their stories, and I'll broadcast whatever gets into print.
Additionally, radio station KHNR in Honolulu conducted a telephone interview
and will broadcast segments of that conversations tomorrow morning on O`ahu.

Tomorrow is the deadline for the Governor to sign HB 118, *but* even without
his signature, the bill will become law as the veto deadline passed June
23rd.

Tomorrow is also the day that certificates for the new Reciprocal
Beneficiary Law start being processed.

Tomorrow will also have a live broadcast on the FOX affiliate (Channel 2 on
Kaua`i and O`ahu) at 7:10am HST at the Department of Health with Bill Woods.

HOWEVER, of major import, was news broadcast this evening on the FOX
affiliate in Honolulu that the Hawai`i Constitution Convention ballot
question was taken to Federal Court and a ruling by Judge Ezra is expected
by week's end.  

This catches many people, myself included, off-guard, who had no idea that
the Hawai`i Supreme Court's decision on the Constitutional Convention had
been challenged.  If Judge Ezra rules in favor of the plaintiffs, then the
whole question of same-gender marriage, along with many other hot-button
issues, would be put before the Convention, so that despite whatever gains
that have been made, and whatever outcome is decided at the polls in 1998,
the marriage questions could all be up in the air again.  I will keep you
posted of developements as they happen.  Honesttogod--does it ever end?

~~pau~~

Bill Woods, MPH
Hawaii Gay Marriage Project
GLEA Foundation

A tax-deductible non-profit community service organizations dedicated to
promoting freedom, equality and justice for Gays and Lesbians by focusing on
systemic discriminatory practices.

GLEA Foundation
P.O. Box 37083
Honolulu, Hawaii  96837