Subject: *M*: PA Anit-Marriage Legislation
From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 8 May 1996 10:25:55 -0400

Pennsylvania anti-marriage legislation

On April 10th 1996 two Pennsylvania House Representatives circulated separate
memos announcing their intentions to preemptively ban recognition of
marriages performed legally in other states between persons of the same sex.
 Representative Allen Egolf (R-86th) Perry County, and Representative Steven
R. Maitland (R-91) Adams County, both outlined preliminary drafts of bills
that would both ban recognition of same-sex marriages as well as create an
explicit prohibition of same-sex marriages in Pennsylvania. A final version
of these bills, which now has thirty-seven cosponsors, has been introduced by
Representative Egolf in the Pennsylvania House as HB2604.

The Pennsylvania ACLU, The League of Gay and Lesbian Voters, Lambda Legal
Defense and Education Fund and the Pennsylvania Freedom to Marry Coalitions
are working together to defeat this senseless attack on equal civil marriage
rights for all people regardless of sex. Your assistance in mobilizing
support is invaluable.  State Representatives and Senators must hear
opposition to this legislation from their constituents. By far the most
effective way to be heard by  State Representatives and Senators  is through
a hand written letter but a typed letter is fine and phone calls and form
letters or post cards can also be effective. In an effort to facilitate
focused discussion with legislators the Human Rights Campaign has prepared
the following talking points:

Marriage, a Basic Human Right

In Considering same-sex marriage, it's important to recognize the general,
pervasive discrimination gay men and lesbians face in society. Not only can
we not marry each other anywhere in this county, we can be fired from our
jobs simply for being gay or lesbian. No federal law protects people on the
basis of sexual orientation.

However the vast majority of Americans think this kind of discrimination is
wrong: 74 percent of voters oppose job discrimination against gay people.

Nearly one-third of voters support same-sex marriage. However, 45 percent say
they have not formed clear opinions on the issue. Keep this in mind, then as
the debate about same-sex marriage percolates through communities across the
country.

Marriage is a basic human right and a matter of personal choice, which the
government should not hinder. Adults should be free to choose the person with
whom they want to spend their life. Everyone should have an equal opportunity
to share in the rights and responsibilities of marriage

Denying people the basic human right of marriage can be extremely harmful to
families. Rights that married couples take for granted are denied gay people
- such as the ability to visit a spouse in the hospital. If your spouse were
injured in an accident or critically ill, how would you feel if you were
denied the right to visit him or her? But because gay people's committed
relationships are not recognized by laws, hospitals and other institutions
sometimes do this.

89 percent of voters polled by Human Rights Campaign said they believe
hospital visitation rights are an important benefit of marriage. 70 percent
believe that gay and lesbian couples should have this benefit.

Likewise, if one partner in a marriage is seriously ill and incapacitated,
the other spouse is allowed to make decisions regarding the care of their
children. This basic right is denied to gay and lesbian couples with children
because their partnerships are not recognized by law.

88 percent of Americans believe guardianship rights are an important benefit
of marriage, 67 percent believe it is appropriate for gay couples to have
this right.

Less than thirty years ago, people of different races were denied the basic
human right to marry one another. The same language used by opponents of
same-sex marriages today was used to oppose interracial marriages.

For years gay men and lesbians have been criticized for their supposed
inability to establish and maintain long-term, committed relationships. Now
the same people who helped perpetuate that stereotype would deny us the right
- and responsibility - to form legally binding commitments to each other..
______________________________________________________________________________
_____

 An effective letter would  present any one of these arguments (or an
argument of your own) as a way for your legislator to vote against
anti-marriage legislation. Try to keep your letter short and focused  on just
one or two of the many issues involved. Use the letter to tell about how this
legislation would affect you personally. While idealy we might like to see
legislation granting recognition of same-sex marriages, right now we must
concentrate on eroding support for anti-marriage legislation rather than the
process of  broad education and social change that will inevitably result in
equal marriage rights for all.

If your not sure of your State Senator or Representative please call your
county board of elections as listed below,  the League of Gay and Lesbian
Voters at 412-421-4470 or Pride of Philadelphia Election Committe at
215-625-9477.
Adams County: 717-334-6781/ Allegheny:412-350-4500 / Armstrong: 412-543-2500
/ Beaver: 412-728-5700 / Bedford 814-623-4807 / Berks: 610-478-6100 / Blair:
814-695-5541 / Bradford: 717-265-1727 / Bucks: 215-348-6000 / Butler:
412-285-4731 / Cambria: 814-472-1607 / Cameron: 814-486-2315 / Carbon:
717-325-3611 / Centre: 814-355-6703 / Chester: 610-334-6410 / Clarion:
814-226-4000 / Clearfield: 814-765-2641 / Clinton: 717-893-4000 / Columbia;
717-389-5600 / Crawford: 814-333-7306 / Cumberland: 717-240-6385 / Dauphin:
717-255-2793 / Delaware: 610-891-4670 / Elk: 814-776-1161 / Erie:
814-451-6000 / Fayette: 412-430-1265 / Forest: 814-755-3537 / Franklin:
717-261-3886 / Fulton: 717-485-3691 / Greene: 412-852-5210 / Huntingdon:
814-643-3091 / Indiana: 412-465-3800 / Jeferson: 814-849-1653 / Juniata:
717-436-8991 / Lackawanna: 717-963-6737 / Lancaster: 717-299-8293 / Lawrence:
412-656-2181 / Lebanon: 717-274-2801 / Lehigh 610-820-3051 / Luzerne:
717-825-9343 / Lycoming: 717-327-2200 / McKean: 814-887-5571 / Mercer:
412-662-3800 / Mifflin: 717-248-6733 / Monroe: 717-420-3468 / Montgomery:
610-278-3280 / Montour: 717-271-3000 / Northampton 610-559-3000 /
Northumberland: 717-988-4100 / Perry: 717-582-2131 / Philadelphia:
215-686-1505 / Pike: 717-296-7744 / Potter: 814-274-8290 / Schuylkill:
717-837-4207 / Somerset: 814-445-2114 / Sullivan: 717-946-5201 / Susquehanna:
no county government / Tioga: 717-724-1906 / Union: 717-524-8600 / Venango:
814-432-9500 / Warren: 814-723-7550 / Washington: 412-228-6700 / Wayne:
717-253-5970 / Westmoreland: 412-830-3000 / Wyoming: 717-836-3200 / York:
717-771-9313

If you are able to contribute either time or money to this cause please
contact the Pennsylvania Freedom to Marry Coalition nearest you.

Philadelphia Freedom to Marry Coalition: 215-893-9458 201 S. Camac Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107 [email-masked]

                                            http://www.libertynet.org/~pftmc/

Western Pennsylvania Freedom to Marry Coaltion:(412) 362-4685  c/o 507
Gettysburg St Pittsburgh, PA 15206, [email-masked]

                        http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/scotts/ftp/wpaf2mc/

The Central Pennsylvania Freedom to Marry Coaltion can be contacted through
[email-masked]

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