Date: Mon, 24 Oct 1994 21:07:16 -0500 (CDT)
From: Kevyn D Jacobs <kevyn@ksu.ksu.edu>
Subject: Equality Kansas Prepares for a Hostile 1995 Legislature



EQUALITY KANSAS PREPARES 
FOR A HOSTILE 1995 LEGISLATURE
 
By Doug Glaze
 
        As you probably know, the upcoming state-wide elections for the 
Kansas House don't look good for Lesbian and Gay Kansans.
 
	The 1994 Kansas House was composed of 66 Republicans and 59 
Democrats, which represented a rough balance between the two major 
political parties. This situation favored Lesbian and Gay Kansans. 
Anti-Gay proposals from radical conservatives in the House, like the 
Cornfield Resolution, were hard-pressed to find majority support. This 
enabled groups like Equality Kansas to organize effectively against it.  
 
        The elimination of this balance as a result of a shift towards 
the Republican Party would spell trouble for us. Unfortunately, recent 
polls have predicted just that. 
 
	Predictions regarding this year's elections for the 1995 Kansas 
House have consistently shown a shift towards the Republican Party. Some 
organizations and activists have predicted the Republican majority in the 
House could reach as high as 80 seats.
 
        
	What makes this such particularly bad news for us is that radical 
conservatives continue to press for anti-Gay proposals from within the 
Republican party. Worse, radical conservatives have also begun to 
organize within the Democratic party. Several radically anti-Gay 
candidates for the legislature are running as Democrats. 
 
	This means that even if the Republican majority is not as large 
as some predict, radical conservatives will most likely be able to form a 
powerful bipartisan faction with the Kansas House. Some respected 
political activists and organizations have pricted that radical 
conservatives could double or even triple their numbers in the 1995 
Kansas House.  A recent press release issued by the conservative Kansans 
for Life even went so far as to boast that they would elect the next 
Speaker of the House.
 
        
	Clearly, the indications are that we will be facing more anti-Gay 
legislative proposals in the 1995 legislature. Radical conservatives in 
the legislature will be striving to turn a strong electoral showing in 
November into an active program of discrimination against Lesbian and 
Gay Kansans. 
        
	Returning radical legislators will no longer be impeded by their 
freshman status and will likely prove to be more subtle in their attacks 
upon us. We look to an increased interest on the part of radical 
legislators to use concerns over AIDS to discriminate against Lesbian and 
Gay Kansans. Such efforts give anti-Gay radicals in the legislature the 
opportunity to shield their prejudices and bigotries behind the guise of 
public service and thus will be more difficult to organize against. 
        
        
	We have our work cut out for us. If you have not already done so, 
register to vote. Become informed on the candidates and their stands on 
issues of concern for Lesbian and Gay Kansans. Commit yourself to 
informing your family and friends about the candidate and the issues. 

VOTE.
 
        Voting alone, however, is not enough. We must organize on a 
state-wide level to effectively advocate for Lesbian and Gay concerns and 
to protect ourselves from discriminatory proposals in the 1995 Kansas 
Legislature.  
 
	Equality Kansas is a state-wide association of citizens, 
businesses, and community organizations who seek to insure the protection 
of equal rights under the Constitution for all people, regardless of 
their sexual orientation. Equality Kansas has recently re-committed itself 
to monitoring the Kansas legislature and will work to  provide a voice for 
Lesbian and Gay Kansans in the democratic process.  
 
	This can only be achieved with your active participation and 
support. Memberships are available for all persons, regardless of income. 
Please, write to Equality Kansas at P.O. Box 116, Topeka, KS 66601 for 
more information. You may also contact me, Doug Glaze, at 913-354-7922 
or via email at <glazedou@acc.wuacc.edu>.  	
 
**********
 
Doug Glaze is the Chair of Equality Kansas for the 1995 legislative session.

===========================================================================    
=       Doug Glaze         = Political Coordinator =     State Chair      =
= <glazedou@acc.wuacc.edu> =    PROJECT EQUAL      =   EQUALITY KANSAS    =
=     Topeka, Kansas       =  Washburn University  = Legislative Advocacy =
===========================================================================