referendum 71
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Tuesday, October 27th, 2009
Stephen Colbert returned to air last night after a week off with a particularly funny and diverse episode, tackling everything from George Will’s sartorial hypocrisy to gay rights. The latter segment focused on recent legislation passed in the state of Washington called “Everything But Marriage” which expanded the state’s domestic partnership law to offer same-sex couples the same rights as straight married people.
This legislation was met with deep dismay by Protect Marriage Washington, an anti-gay marriage group which collected signatures to get a referendum on the ballot to overturn the law, but refuses to produce the list of those who signed the petition to prove its validity to detractors. Enter Stephen Colbert. The host used rhetoric usually reserved to discuss the rights of homosexuals to turn the whole debate on its head and expose the inherent hilarity:
“I don’t believe it is a choice, I believe you’re born thinking gays don’t have the right to get married or even be joined in union. And folks, the gays have no right to out those people.”
Full Story from the Huffington Post: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/27/colbert-eviscerates-gay-m_n_335076.html
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in colbert report, Gay Marriage, r71, referendum 71, stephen colbert, washington state | No Responses »
Monday, October 26th, 2009
Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) rights in Washington state are facing a crucial vote. Voters are choosing whether to approve or reject SB 5688–a domestic partnership expansion bill passed earlier this year by the state legislature and signed into law by the governor in May.
The law would grant the rights of civil marriage in Washington state–like sharing health benefits and death benefits, and hospital visitation rights–to same-sex couples and heterosexual partners where at least one of the two people is over the age of 62, without calling it “marriage.” Everyone registered to vote in Washington state should vote to approve Referendum 71 and protect the rights of LGBT couples and seniors.
This “Everything but Marriage” law–as it is referred to by its supporters–is the culmination of a strategy of working toward marriage equality by first creating the domestic partnership category for same-sex couples, and then adding more and more rights until domestic partners have the same state-granted rights as married couples do, just without the name.
Full Story from SocialistWorker.org: http://socialistworker.org/2009/10/26/fight-for-referendum-71
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in domestic partnerships, Gay Marriage, r71, referendum 71, wa, washington state | No Responses »
Thursday, October 22nd, 2009
I rarely use the word homophobic. I like to save it for those times when there is not a better adjective. In Protect Marriage Washington’s case, homophobic is the best adjective to describe their latest e-mail to supporters urging them to reject referendum 71. The letter was written by Senator Val Stevens. She wrote:
Could this be the final battle? Are the homosexuals finally going to take control of our culture and push their depraved lifestyle on our children and families?
Senator Stevens clearly does not understand the bill. We are simply trying to protect our families and children in times of crisis, like having the ability to take unpaid leave from work to care for a loved one without being fired. I’m not quite sure how that affects her family.
Full Story from Seattle PI: http://blog.seattlepi.com/stepforward/archives/182740.asp?source=mypi
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in Gay Marriage, homophobia, r71, referendum 71, wahsington state | No Responses »
Wednesday, October 21st, 2009
The Supreme Court on Tuesday ordered Washington state not to release names and addresses of people who signed a petition to hold a referendum on a new law granting same-sex couples domestic partnership rights. The ban will be in place until the high court decides on whether to hear an appeal from conservatives who are pushing for the referendum.
Conservative groups led by Protect Marriage Washington want to repeal a law, Senate Bill 5688, that grants more rights to state-registered domestic partners similar to those enjoyed by married couples. They have successfully petitioned for a referendum, called Referendum 71, on whether to approve or reject the legislation adopted this year.
The group has said the law “will demolish the state’s historical understanding and definition of marriage as that of uniting a man and a woman for life.”
Full Story from AHN: http://www.allheadlinenews.com/articles/7016755770
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in Gay Marriage, hold, referendum 71, signatures, us supreme court | No Responses »
Tuesday, October 20th, 2009
With voters beginning to decide the fate of Referendum 71, a member of the nation’s highest court on Monday entered the legal fight on whether those who helped put the controversial measure on the ballot will keep their identities secret.
U.S. Associate Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy reimposed a federal ban on releasing the names of petition signers lifted last week by a 9th Circuit Court federal appeals panel.
Sponsors of Referendum 71, who want the names kept secret, asked Kennedy last week to intervene. State lawyers filed a 39-page response Monday arguing there was no basis to overturn the appeals court decision.
Full Story from Herald.net: http://www.heraldnet.com/article/20091020/NEWS01/710209876&news01ad=1
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in Gay Marriage, hold, kennedy, r71, referendum 71, release, signatures, us supreme court justice | No Responses »
Monday, October 19th, 2009
With all the attention that Beyond Chron has given to Maine’s Question 1, we would be remiss not to mention that Washington State has a similar ballot fight November 3rd. The difference is that in Washington the battle is over domestic partnerships (not gay marriage), which makes a victory there less historically significant. I also felt from the start that Referendum 71 was a more winnable cause, because a number of swing voters who are uncomfortable with granting marriage rights to gay couples strongly support civil unions.
But you wouldn’t know this based on how the right in Washington has waged their campaign. Opponents of Referendum 71 say their fight is about “protecting marriage” – and view Washington’s domestic partner law as an assault on their theocratic agenda. Meanwhile, their allies in Maine claim to have nothing against gay couples having all of the same rights and benefits – but their problem is with re-defining the term “marriage.” How they’re waging the campaign in Washington exposes this as a bald faced lie.
In Maine, the state legislature and Governor passed a marriage equality law – and the right has used the “People’s Veto” process to collect signatures and put it on the ballot. In Washington, the legislature and Governor passed Senate Bill 5688 to create a domestic partnership law similar to what we currently have in California – and the right has used the “referendum” process to collect signatures and put it on the ballot.
Full Story from Beyond Chron: http://www.beyondchron.org/news/index.php?itemid=7459#more
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in domestic partnerships, Gay Marriage, r71, referendum 71, washington state | No Responses »
Sunday, October 18th, 2009
That’s the latest last evening from Gary Randall, leader of the Faith & Freedom Network who also is a leader in the Protect Marriage Washington campaign.
The gay rights opponents want the U.S. Supreme Court to step in after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Thursday ordered the Washington Secretary of State Sam Reed to release the signatures and names of Referendum 71 signers.
A Seattle man who supports the domestic-partnership rights of R-71 wants to publish the names on a website, whosigned.com. The R-71 campaign says it does not condone that action, and Reed’s office has said the same; but state elections officials contend the signatures petitions are public records and have been treated as such for several years.
Full Story from The Olympian: http://www.theolympian.com/politicsblog/story/1005609.html
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in Gay Marriage, petitions, r71, referendum 71, signatures, us supreme court, wa, washington state | No Responses »
Saturday, October 17th, 2009
In response to a question posed by The Advocate magazine, the White House has thrown its support behind two of the three major gay-rights ballot initiatives voters will face on November 3 – Maine’s up-or-down vote on upholding same-sex marriage, and Washington state’s up-or-down vote on domestic partnerships.
But there was no mention of Kalamazoo’s anti-discrimination ordinance right here in Michigan.
Unlike the Maine and Washington state measures, Kalamazoo’s isn’t about partner rights and benefits, but rather outlawing discrimination in employment, housing and public accommodations on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
Full Story from the Michigan Messenger: http://michiganmessenger.com/28242/white-house-issues-statement-on-maine-washington-state-gay-rights-measures-but-not-kalamazoo
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in Gay Marriage, maine, question 1, referendum 71, washington, white house statement | No Responses »
Friday, October 16th, 2009
Protect Marriage Washington, which collected the signatures to get Referendum 71 on the November ballot, said it will appeal Thursday’s federal appeals-court ruling that cleared the way for public release of the names of those who signed petitions for the measure.
“That particular group of judges saw the law one way; we’ll take it to the next group of judges that may have the opportunity to see it the correct way,” said Stephen Pidgeon, attorney for the conservative religious organization.
Referendum 71 will ask voters to approve or reject the Legislature’s latest expansion of the state’s domestic-partnership law, which grants marriage-like benefits to gay and some senior couples.
Full Story from the Seattle Times: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2010072420_webref7115m.html
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in federal appeals court, petitions, r71, referendum 71, release, signatures, washington | No Responses »
Thursday, October 15th, 2009
With no real plan, a scattered base and well-heeled opponents, two political activists many people have never heard of are scoring unexpected victories in a campaign to roll back domestic-partnership benefits for gay couples in Washington state.
Facing resistance even from within their own ranks, they’ve landed wins in state and federal courts, and were triumphant where it mattered most: a contentious signature count in the Secretary of State’s Office that ultimately credited them with enough valid signatures to get Referendum 71 onto the Nov. 3 ballot.
Larry Stickney, campaign manager for Protect Marriage Washington, and Gary Randall, his philosophical soul mate, see the tightly contested battle as one not about pension rights and sick leave but as their last chance to protect traditional marriage in Washington.
Full Story from TDN.com: http://www.tdn.com/articles/2009/10/14/breaking_news/doc4ad64297bb3c0812231942.txt
Planning to marry your partner? Click here for gay marriage resources in Washington State.
To subscribe to this blog, use the rss feed on the right, or use the form at right to join our email list. You can also email us at info@purpleunions.com. Or find us on Facebook – just search for Gay Marriage Watch (you’ll see our b/w wedding pic overlooking the Ferry Building and Bay Bridge in SF). We’re also tweeting daily at http://www.twitter.com/gaymarriagewatc.
Posted in divorce, gary randall, larry stickney, r71, referendum 71, unpaid taxes, washington | No Responses »
