Subject: HAWAII, JAN. 16
From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 16 Jan 96 10:16:21 HST

HONOLULU STORIES

	Almost daily, major stories and/or editorials occur in the
Honolulu daily papers concerning same gender marriage.  A large
pro and con spread occuped the "Focus" section of the Sunday paper,
Jan. 15, with substantial excerpts from the majority report of the Commission
on Sexual Orientation and the Law.  

	Earlier, a former head of the Republican Party fully endorsed
Democratic Governor Cayetano's domestic partnership ideas (give everyone
---heterosexual and homosexual couples--- DP's, and leave the word marriage
to the private use of churches).  This is a genuine conversion story;
privately, he said that President Bush's Secretary of Defense---Dick Cheney
---played a role in the conversion.   His (and Cheney's) bottom line:
there are much more important issues on which to take stands.

	As yet, there has been no word from the current head of the
Republican party.  The head of the Democratic party has so far declined
to comment publicly on Cayetano's proposal.

	Both daily papers have been running stories on a new grass-roots
organization to "stop gambling, legalized prostitution and same sex marriage."
The group is quoted as having 1000 members; it will stage a big rally at
the Capitol on Saturday, Jan. 20.  This group is has hired Linda Rosehill,
Democratic Party committeewoman and head of the Clinton re-election campaign
to lobby for them.   Many gays and lesbians are wondering if the national
Clinton campaign has a clue as to what Rosehill is doing.  Make no mistake
about it---her presence at the head of the campaign will greatly damage
volunteer activism.  As in so much of politics, Rosehill will become more
controversial than same gender marriage itself.  

						Tom Ramsey
						Co-Coordinator
						Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage
						Project

P.S.  The Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project, HERMP, is the sole support
of the work of Dan Foley on Baehr v. Lewin (Foley is the attorney who makes
all court appearances on behalf of the plaintiff couples).  Please be generous
in support of HERMP; Hawaii is a small state, and the tiny gay and lesbian
community here is very active in advocacy work which HERMP cannot address.
Donations to HERMP are fully tax-deductible, and should be made out to
GLCC-HERMP, 1521 Alexander Street, Honolulu, HI 96822.
 
      The HERMP branch in Kona, on the Big Island, has produced a T-shirt
for sale.  One can send a check for $17.50 to HERMP, P.O.Box 902, Captain
Cook, HI 96704, together with a note about being sent a T-shirt (S, M, L,
XL, XXL).  It is also available in a tank top.  The design is multi-color
on white.  A large triangle points down, with the letters h.e.r.m.p above
the triangle, some male-male, female-female symbols in the border of the
triangle and some palm trees.  To place an email order for T-shirts, or
to obtain more information, please email [email-masked]   Thank you!