From: elf@halcyon.com (Elf Sternberg)
Subject: THE EQUAL RIGHTS NOT SPECIAL RIGHTS ACT
Date: 25 Jan 1994 07:21:51 -0800
Summary: You asked for it!
Keywords: anti-gay initiative
        The second state initiative is brought to us by the Washington 
Public Affairs Council, under the head of Doug Berman, a known patsy for 
Focus on the Family.  This guy loves his thesaurus.  His initiative is:
                                                

THE EQUAL RIGHTS NOT SPECIAL RIGHTS ACT

BALLOT TITLE:
Shall the State and its subdivisions be prohibited from granting special 
rights based on homosexuality and schools be prohibited from presenting 
homosexuality as positive behavior?

BALLOT SUMMARY:
This initiative would prohibit the State of Washington and its 
subdivision, including counties, cities, towns, and school districts, 
from enacting a policy whereby any homosexuality, bisexual, transexual, 
or transvestite preference or practice would be a basis for maintaining 
any minority rights or special rights.  This at would also prohibit any 
common school from presenting, promoting, or approving homosexuality, 
bisexuality, transsexuality, or transvestism, or such practices or 
relationships, as positive, healthy, or appropriate behavior lifestyles.

ENSURING EQUAL PROTECTION UNDER LAW

The People find that equal protection of the law, not special rights, is 
a findamental principle of constitutional government and is essential to 
the well-being and perpetuation of a free society.

The People further find that there is a legitimate and compelling state 
interest in ensuring equal protection of the law for all citizens and in 
preventing special rights based in any homosexuality, bisexual, 
transsexual, or transvestite status, preference, orientation, conduct, 
act, practice, or relationship.

The People further find that there is a legitimate and compelling state 
interest in ensuring that the rights of parents to control the education 
of their children and that the sincerely-held values and beliefs of 
citizens regarding homosexuality, bisexuality, transsexuality, or 
transvestism are not denigrated or denied by the public schools and that 
homosexuality, bisexuality, transsexuality, or transvestism are not 
presented, promoted, or approved as positive, healthy, or appropriate 
behavior.

The People further find that "the duty of all teachers" as required in 
RCW28A.405.030 "to endeavor to impress on the minds of their pupils the 
principles of morality, truth, justice, temperance, humanity, and 
patriotism," and "to teach them to avoid idleness, profanity, and 
falsehood" is an indispensable prerequisite for providing a sound 
education, maintaining a virtuous and ethical society, and guaranteeing 
the rights of all citizens.

PROHIBITING SPECIAL RIGHTS FOR HOMOSEXUALS

Neither the State of Washington, nor its political subdivisions, 
including counties, cities, towns, and school districts, shall by any 
means or instrumentality, enact or enforce a policy whereby any 
homosexual, bisexual, transexual, or transvestite status, preference, 
orientation, conduct, act, practice, or relationship shall be a basis 
for a person to maintain any special classification or privilege; 
minority status; quita preference; affirmative action right; legal 
standing; public benefit; marital, spousal, parental, familial or 
domestic privilege, advantage, entitlement, benefit, position, or 
status; claim of discrimination; or special right or protection.

A school, through any employee, volunteer, guest, or other means or 
instrumentality, shall not present, promote, or approve homosexuality, 
bisexuality, transsexuality, transvestitism, or any such conduct, act, 
practice, or relationship, as positive, healthy, or appropriate behavior 
or lifestyle.  As used in this section, "school" means any common school 
in the State of Washington.

EMERGENCY CLAUSE

This act is necessary for the immediate preservation of the public 
peace, health, morals, or safety, or the support of the state government 
and its existing public institutions, and shall take effect immediately.


--
PC Bulletin: Henceforth, sentient computers would like to be known as
"Silicon Intelligences."  "Artificial Intelligence" is a pejorative term
invented by humans based on the mistaken belief that computers are some-
how not "natural."                                     - elf@halcyon.com