From: PHFtoMarry@aol.com Date: Wed, 8 May 1996 10:25:55 -0400 Subject: *M*: PA Anit-Marriage Legislation 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 PHFtoMarry@aol.com http://www.libertynet.org/~pftmc/ Western Pennsylvania Freedom to Marry Coaltion:(412) 362-4685 c/o 507 Gettysburg St Pittsburgh, PA 15206, corwin+@cmu.edu http://www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/user/scotts/ftp/wpaf2mc/ The Central Pennsylvania Freedom to Marry Coaltion can be contacted through KAR124@psu.edu ****************************************************************************** * To subscribe to MARRIAGE, send mail to: majordomo@abacus.oxy.edu * * In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: subscribe marriage * * To unsubscribe to MARRIAGE, send mail to: majordomo@abacus.oxy.edu * * In the mail message, enter ONLY the words: unsubscribe marriage * * Words in the Subject: line are NOT processed! * ******************************************************************************