Marriage Equality: Press Releases from National Stonewall, Sacramento Stonewall, Barney Frank

by: BlueBeaumontBoyz

Sat May 17, 2008 at 13:57:59 PM PDT

I received Press Releases from National Stonewall Democrats, the Sacramento Stonewall Democratic Club, and U.S. Representative Barney Frank regarding the decision by the Republican-dominated California Supreme Court overturning the ban on Marriage Equality in the State.

National Stonewall Democrats, co-founded by U.S. Representative Frank (D-MA), is the National voice of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Democrats. The Desert Stonewall Democratic Club is the official local Democratic Club for LGBT Democrats, sanctioned by both the National Stonewall Democrats as well as the Riverside County Democratic Central Committee. Zander, Vice-President Roger Tansey, Treasurer Bob Silverman, and Secretary James Reynolds are amongst the leaders of the local club.

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BlueBeaumontBoyz :: Marriage Equality: Press Releases from National Stonewall, Sacramento Stonewall, Barney Frank

Sacramento Stonewall Press Release concerning the historic decision by the California Supreme Court is as follows:

Sacramento Stonewall joins in the celebration of today's historic verdict. The Supreme Court of California has decided in favor of equality. Legal marriage is now the law of this state! In just 30 days, gay and lesbian couples will be able to apply for marriage licenses.
Bennett, President of Sacramento Stonewall said, "Full and equal recognition of our relationships means that we have crossed a final barrier toward full and equal citizenship, at least in California. This day has been years in the making. But we know we can't celebrate for long."
Bennett went on to describe the efforts of a small, vocal minority that has been organizing all Spring to deny us this basic human right. According to Bennett, they spent some $2 million dollars to put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot to limit marriage.
Bennett said, "Today we celebrate. Today we savor the full and equal recognition of our relationships, our families... and all the responsibilities that come with it. But tomorrow we organize. Our equality did not come easily. We will not let it go."

The official press release from the National Stonewall Democrats focuses on the freedom for all of California's couples to marry regardless the sex of the partner.

National Stonewall Democrats is the only national organization of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Democrats, incorporating more than 90 local chapters across the Nation. National Stonewall Democrats is committed to working through the Democratic Party to advance the rights of all people regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity:

Legal Recognition of Marriage in CA
(Thursday, May 15, 2008)
Washington, DC - Today, the National Stonewall Democrats expressed the organization's support for a ruling today by the California Supreme Court which recognized the freedom of all California couples to marry.
"Stonewall Democrats welcomes the ruling of the California Supreme Court to legally recognize the freedom to marry. California voters have twice supported this position through their elected officials," said Jon Hoadley, Executive Director. "In 2005 and 2007, Democratic control ensured that marriage legislation was successfully approved and passed to the Governor's desk. Thanks to the tireless work of Stonewall Democrats chapters and other advocates across the state, the California Democrats strongly support the freedom of all California couples to marry. We must now turn our attention to protecting this landmark victory."
In a ruling today, the California Supreme Court recognized that all California couples, including same-sex couples, are entitled to the legal recognition of marriage.
"Throughout California, Stonewall Democrats have strategically worked to build support for pro-equality positions among Democratic candidates, party officials and elected leaders," said Laurie McBride (Sacramento, CA), Co-Chair of the Board of Directors of National Stonewall Democrats. "This ruling reflects the values of our Party and the will of California voters as already expressed twice by the state legislature. Democrats are working to support this court ruling and to defeat any proposed anti-marriage initiative."
The efforts of Stonewall Democrats chapters across California ensured that the California Democratic Party first voiced its support for legislation recognizing the freedom to marry in 2005, with the party permanently ratified that position in its platform earlier this year. Their work created a political climate which included more pro-equality legislators, stronger advocates and diverse partnership opportunities for the crucial work of statewide groups.
In 2005 and 2007, the California legislature successfully passed the "Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act" which would have recognized the freedom of all California couples to enter into civil marriage. Stonewall Democrats throughout California worked through their chapters to build support for the legislation among local Democratic bodies and the state party. Their efforts supported the work of partners like Equality California who successfully built a majority of support for the legislation in both the California Assembly and Senate. Although the "Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act" was twice vetoed by the Republican Governor, chapters of the Stonewall Democrats continued to build Democratic support for the freedom of all Californians to marry.

On Thursday, May 15, 2008, Frank issued his own Press Release regarding the decision of California to join his home state of Massachusetts in formally and legally allowing Marriage Equality:

News release from Barney Frank
_______________________________________________________
Congressman, 4th District, Massachusetts
2252 Rayburn Building · Washington, D.C. 20515 · (202) 225-5931
Thursday, May 15, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Steven Adamske 202-225-7141
Joe Racalto 202-225-5931
FRANK APPLAUDS CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT RULING ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE
I want to offer to my friends in California both congratulations and reassurance: I congratulate California's Supreme Court for recognizing that all of California's citizens are entitled to basic civil rights; and I can assure the people of the state that the result of this decision will be to improve the quality of life of tens of thousands of Californians who will now be able legally to express their love for each other, while having no negative effect whatsoever on the overwhelming majority of Californians who will choose not to marry someone of the same sex.
As in California, Massachusetts' experience with same sex marriage began with a 4-3 decision of our highest court. There was initially some controversy. Subsequently, after reality banished the concerns that many had expressed about the impact of this decision, our State Legislature voted by more than 3-1 to ratify the decision, and today, most people find it hard to remember that there was ever any serious fear about it.

Tags: Sandy Eldridge, George Zander, PSD, DSD, Desert Stonewall Democrats, Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, Palm Springs Democratic Club, Equality California, Victory Fund, Rick Hutcheson, Ginny Foat, Steve Pougnet, 80th AD, Rancho Mirage, Palm Desert, Inland Empire, Imperial County, Riverside County, Brawley, El Centro, Indio, Coachella, Desert Hot Springs, Cathedral City, Bonnie Garcia, Rep. Tammy Baldwin, U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin, Rep. Barney Frank, Barney Frank, U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, Palm Springs, Coachella Valley, California, Greg Pettis, CA 80th Assembly District, Election 2008, (All Tags)

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Marriage Equality: Press Releases from National Stonewall, Sacramento Stonewall, Barney Frank | 1 comments

Pettis for 80th AD: Only Candidate to Consistently and Openly Support Marriage Equality (0.00 / 0)

U.S. Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), the only openly-lesbian Congressmember, has not to date, according to her website, issued a press release re Marriage Equality, however, she does address the issue extensively on her website:

Marriage Equality
I believe in full marriage equality for gays and lesbians. Our constitutional system - the checks and balances between the three co-equal branches of government - was created to ensure the protection of minority rights, and throughout history many groups of individuals have sought such protections from their government. Today, people who want the protections of marriage laws for their same sex partnerships are petitioning their government. The Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) seeks to amend the United States Constitution to declare that marriage in the United States shall consist only of a legal union of a man and a woman, and that "neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman." I am strongly opposed to this Amendment, which I believe is both harmful and divisive.
The U.S. Constitution has rarely been amended. Since the Bill of Rights was adopted, we have amended our Constitution only 17 times, all but once (Prohibition) to expand the rights and freedoms of citizens. The constitution should be a document that expands rights, opportunities and aspirations
The proposed amendment would also undermine our federalist tradition of deferring to the states to regulate marriage. The Federal Marriage Amendment would prevent cities and states from enacting any protections for same-sex couples. It would limit the ability of states to confer protections such as hospital visitation rights, health insurance or broader civil union or domestic partnership protections on unmarried couples. Most Americans support protecting families, yet this amendment would threaten civil unions and domestic partnerships.
I want to see the day when gay and lesbian families are protected through the same laws and with the same obligations, responsibilities and rights as straight Americans.

Greg Pettis, Cathedral City Councilmember and Candidate for the 80th Assembly District, is the only Democratic Candidate to publically and consistently support Marriage Equality and to indicate publically and consistently that he would vote 'yea' on Marriage Equality bills if elected to the California State Assembly. In fact, at the rally to commemorate the Thursday California Supreme Court decision, Pettis was the only Candidate for the 80th AD to attend. Pettis spoke extensively to the crowd estimated by The Desert Sun to number 200 regarding the meaning of the decision, noting that although it was important to the large numbers of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgenders living in the West Valley, it was perhaps even more important to the LGBT communities in the East Valley and Imperial Valley. As members of the LGBT communities in the East and Imperial Valleys go to the local county offices to register for Marriage Equality, their visibility will have an amazing effect on those communities, their families, and local government.

Pettis noted that he initially helped to craft legislation regarding domestic partnership in the County of Riverside. In addition, Pettis was responsible for crafting legislation in Cathdral City as Councilmember and Mayor Pro-Tem that required all businesses and organizations doing business with the city to have domestic partnership for their employees. He was however thankful that the decision on Thursday by the California Supreme Court has effectively nulified the need for all of his legislative achievements in the area.

On Thursday, Palm Springs City Councilmember Ginny Foat introduced Pettis as 'the ONLY Democratic Candidate for the 80th Assembly District' to a tremendous round of applause by all accounts. The fact that Pettis was the only candidate present for the rally served only to accentuate the fact that Rick Gonzales, Richard Gutierrez, Victor Manuel Perez, and Gary Jeandron are not friends to the LGBT community and are not friendly to Marriage Equality. Gonzales and Gutierrez have publically and consistently opposed Marriage Equality, both stating at Democratic Club Candidates' Forums that each would vote 'nay' on Marriage Equalilty if serving in the State Assembly. Perez has equivocated, and has refused to commit to voting either 'yea' or 'nay' on the issue. Similar equivocation on a woman's right to choose and freedom of choice cost Perez a co-endorsement by the California National Organization of Women, according to Democratic Club leadership sources. Jeandron is a Republican, and nuff said about his stand on LGBT issues.

In response to Pettis' openness and consistency on LGBT issues, he has been endorsed by Frank, Baldwin, Equality California (EQCA), the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the Desert Stonewall Democratic Club, the Inland Stonewall Democratic Club, the San Diego Democratic Club, openly-gay Palm Springs Mayor Steve Pougnet, openly-lesbian Palm Springs Councilmember Foat, openly-gay Palm Springs Councilmember Rick Hutcheson, openly-gay Candidate for the Palm Springs Unified School District Greg Rodriquez, openly-gay Desert Hot Springs Councilmember Karl Baker, openly-gay Cathedral City Councilmember and Candidate for Cathedral City Mayor Paul Marchand, Desert Stonewall Democratic Club Steering Committeemembers Roger Tansey, Bob Silverman, James Reynolds, Donald W. Grimm, Ph.D., Bob Mahlowitz, Richard Oberhaus, Robert Lee Thomas, and Lynn Worley, openly-gay Desert Stonewall Democratic Club activists Bill Cain-Gonzales, openly-lesbian Palm Springs Democratic Club Co-Chair Sandy Eldridge, openly-gay Palm Springs Democratic Club Co-Chair David Pye, openly-gay Palm Springs Democratic Club Secretary Peter East, and openly-gay Palm Springs Democratic Club activist Bond Shands.

Pettis has also received the endorsements of every member of the California State Assembly Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus, including State Senator Christine Kehoe, State Senator Sheila Kuehl, State Senator Carole Migden, State Assemblyman John Laird, Caucus Chair, and State Assemblyman Mark Leno, primary sponsor of State Assembly Marriage Equality measures that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger twice vetoed.

According to the Pettis for 80th Assembly District campaign, Pettis has always been supportive of LGBT issues and Marriage Equality and, as Cathedral City Councilmember, Cathedral City Mayor Pro-Tem, and Candidate for the 80th AD, has always been consistent on LGBT issues in an inland county not usually known for progressive stances on many issues at all. That takes courage, commitment and character.

BlueBeaumontBoyz Bringing Blue to the Coachella Valley and the San Gorgonio Pass Regions of Southern California

by: BlueBeaumontBoyz @ Sat May 17, 2008 at 21:01:40 PM UTC