The President speaking to congress

Originally Published on Join the Impact

Last night President Obama addressed the nation about an issue that is important to all Americans. Regardless of any other defining trait or political agenda, our mutual humanity unites us under one common umbrella; we will all at one point in our lives require medical attention. Anyone who has experienced a serious or debilitating medical condition understands that our current system is overwhelmingly flawed.  Even those of us who have had only minor medical problems understand all to well how quickly medical bills can overwhelm us even if we have insurance. Our country is blessed with some of the best medical minds in the world, and yet access is rationed based on economic and social status. Modern societies should care for the weakest among them. The United State’s is fully capable of fulfilling its fundamental promise in the Declaration of Independence:

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.

Elemental in the pursuit of happiness in our modern society must be access to health care services. Like so many progressive citizens I am dismayed that the debate about one of the most important institutions in our nation was hijacked by a few unstable individuals. It is vitally important that the President knows he has the support of the progressive community as he continues this important debate.   There are currently 5 bills making their way through congress (3 in the house, 2 in the Senate) and we must monitor all of them to make sure the town criers do not intimidate our elected officials from producing a quality and fair bill.

Join the Impact’s mission is to continue the conversation about LGBT citizens and our desire to be treated equally under the law in all 50 states in all matters of civil law. Health care reform fits within that mission. It is vital that the progressive LGBT community insists our families are included in the final legislation. We stand in solidarity with our brothers and sisters who do not have basic hospital visitation rights when the person they spend a lifetime with becomes ill. We understand that people die alone in hospitals while separated from their families because of their sexual orientation. We hope that as we stand with the President today on his goal for a health care bill (and his original goal for a public option), that he understands that health care reform is not just about insurance or about money, but about families who in times of crisis should not be separated from each other under any circumstance. When “family” is defined in the health care legislation the LGBT community must be included. Furthermore, Domestic partners and same sex married couples must be able to share health benefits without the current federal income tax burden on their families. Heterosexual families are not taxed on their shared benefits.

We can not forget our transgender friends and family whose needs are almost always left on the cutting room floor. It is all too common for transgender citizens to be denied health care simply because of who they are. Hospitals refuse their admittance, doctors refuse their care, and health insurance policies explicitly deny so-called “transgender care”. We request a strong public option that does not discriminate based on sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression.  A public option is particularly important for our transgender community members because they are fired without recourse and regularly denied work altogether.  Most health insurance policies are provided by employers so if citizens can not find work they need a public option.

We understand the political significance of the health care reform bill.  Conservatives will stop at nothing to smear progressive attempts to reform.  We would like to request that as you construct your spin job you leave our families out of it. It will be easy for you to scare people by presenting our families and our issues. You are well practiced. There have already been attempts to scare people away from health care reform because of our inclusion in some drafts. Instead of creating even more fear about our community it would serve us all if you instead debated the structural content of the bills on a broader honest landscape. And if the conservatives remain steadfast in bullying the LGBT community, I hope the progressive community embraces our humanity and refuses not buckle under the pressure.  No human should be left behind in what could be the most monumental health care reform bill of this century.  The time for outlandish lies from the right is over — the time for swift action from progressives is now.

There is a schism in California between Equality California and the popular will of the people which is supported by the Courage Campaign. Equality California put out a big press release yesterday claiming the challenge to proposition 8 would not be until 2012. They claimed it would take that long to persuade 3% of California voters that equality is a good thing. Prop 8 only passed by a 2.5% margin in 2008. They also do not think they can raise enough money to make a go of it in 2010. Equality California was responsible for the highly criticized campaign that lost in 2008.

Enter Courage Campaign, an allied progressive grass roots campaign managed by Rick Jacobs. Their hundreds of thousands of supporters are pushing for a challenge to prop 8 in 2010. They are raising hundreds of thousands of dollars not only for California, but also for the fight in Maine to protect that state from a pending constitutional amendment supported by the same foes that sponsored prop 8. (In Maine support the No on 1 Campaign.) They polled their supporters several months ago and over 80% of the people were ready to roll for 2010.

Voter turn out is better during Presidential election years. The last prop 8 campaign cost each side approximately $40 Million, so fund raising is an issue. However, the GOP never misses an opportunity to turn gay bashing into votes as we can see in Iowa’s governor race right now. As progressives do we want to put California’s electoral votes on the line by placing a proposition on the ballot that is sure to motivate the teabaggers to turn out in droves? Is it fair to make people wait almost 4 years to restore their rights? Do we really want the same team that lost in 2008 to make any more important decisions on behalf of the LGBT community?

Or is Equality California right, the timing is just way off and we should just wait. After all same sex couples in California do enjoy a very strong domestic partnership program. A federal lawsuit challenging proposition 8 is working its way through the courts that could overturn the ban and open the door for all same sex couples to marry in all 50 states. $40 Million could go a long way in states that have no formal legal protection for same sex couples, such as the 30 other states that have constitutional amendments banning same sex marriage equality.

I’m afraid I have more questions than answers, but that seems to the common theme in the LGBT community right now. With so much at stake, no one wants to make a bad decision. But frankly, what do we have to lose that we haven’t already?

originally published on Current.com

The Secretary of State continues to verify signatures during the referendum 71 qualification process. There is a lot of chatter on blogs and newspapers about whether referendum 71 will qualify, and several people are beginning to jump to the false conclusion that because the data is showing an increasing number of invalid signatures that this fight is nearly over. At this early stage it is not only mathematically inaccurate to draw conclusions based on daily counts, it is politically dangerous.

We should be more focused on telling our story and continuing the conversation about why LGBT families desperately need legal protection.  We need to invite those we know to approve referendum 71 to preserve domestic partnerships.  If we lull ourselves into complacency by believing we are out of the water now we could be caught with our pants down if referendum 71 pulls out ahead at the end of the signature count. It is simply too close to call.

The Secretary of State doubled the shifts so two numbers will come out daily until the predicted completion date of August 17. I expect that twice a day there will be  significant conversation generated about those numbers. Horse races are fun to watch and talk about, but again a year from now the horse race won’t matter.  What will matter is whether the domestic partnership law was preserved and whether our story continues to be told as we move forward.

I also want to address a second conversation trend that is gaining momentum. Some people are beginning to turn their frustration towards the Washington voter with this question: “How could so many people sign this petition in the first place?” When we compare the potential number of signatures with the actual number of voters in Washington State we learn that at least 96% of Washington voters chose to support equality by not signing the petition.  Millions of people did not reach out to sponsors of referendum 71 to help them. This is a significant point that should be celebrated.  We do live in a progressive state so LGBT residents should remain hopeful.

The Approve Referendum 71 campaign is running full steam ahead with preparations for an election this fall.  No one is taking anything for granted. Each side has three observers watching the count to make sure that the count is fair and accurate. Volunteers began to reach out to voters on Wednesday through phone banks. We need lots of volunteers to help out so please sign up if you have not already. You should also consider a donation to help fund the phone banks. They are not cheap so every donation is welcome large and small.

While you are out and about this weekend hanging out with friends and family, remember to tell them to approve referendum 71 to preserve domestic partnerships, and have a conversation with them about why legal recognition is so important. If you have been affected by the domestic partnership law I would love to hear your story in the comments section below.

Wisconsin started registering domestic partnerships yesterday. Wisconsin passed a constitutional amendment defining marriage as between a man and a woman, so domestic partnerships are the closest to marriage same-sex couples can expect to get until the ban is overturned by the voters, or more likely the Federal Supreme Court.  Domestic partnerships were the consolation prize for gays and lesbians in states that have over zealous right wing activists who will jump at the opportunity to prevent gays and lesbians from having full marriage equality.  It was the “sanctity of marriage” argument that won them 30 state constitutional amendments banning same sex marriage.  Some in the gay community thought domestic partnerships were a safe alternative with the philosophy, “if it is the word that bothers them, let’s call it something else.”

It is not the word “marriage” that bothers them, it is gay people that bother them.  They would prefer our families to be completely isolated from society — completely separate.  They do not want to share ANYTHING with us. In Wisconsin the fundamentalists immediately filed suit against the state, claiming domestic partnerships are “close enough to marriage” to violate the constitutional amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman. Ultimately the court will decide whether domestic partnerships are marriage or not.  The court will determine if the thousands of families that register prior to the decision will get to keep their domestic partnerships or whether they will be invalidated.  If they lose at court, the fundamentalists will likely go back to the voters to change the amendment to prevent domestic partnerships. They won’t rest until all references to us in the law are gone, until we can’t visit our partners in the hospital, until we can’t leave our property to the people we choose, until we are illegal just for being who we are so they can lock us up.

They won’t rest and they will find every opportunity to attack us.  This morning I received an e-mail that AAA (American Automobile Association) finally recognizes same sex relationships for their family plans.  I thought it was AAA that sent the message because I’m a member, so I was feeling pretty good about it.  I was planning to call them at lunch to add my partner.  But no, it was from the American “Family” Association:

The American Automobile Association (AAA) has begun offering “Family Memberships” to homosexual couples, recognizing the homosexual couple as being “married,” according to a homosexual activist organization in Florida.

Thirty states have overwhelmingly voted to define marriage as being between one man and one woman. Yet AAA is treating homosexual couples as if they are married.

The homosexual couples need only state that they are married to receive the family benefit. In the eyes of AAA two homosexuals living together constitute “marriage” and make a “family.” All they have to do to get the “family membership” benefits is to say “we are gay and married.”

They called on their followers to whine about this as much as possible.  They hope to reverse AAA South’s decision to include all families in their policy, even though AAA is a private club with private memberships. But I’m not surprised, the AFA would prefer to jail us.

If we allow extremists like the AFA and others to take away rights from one group of people, they will ultimately go after everyone’s rights.  They would like to rule this country with a theocratic hand similar to the Taliban.  They will lie, cheat, and do anything possible to get their way.  Fair minded Americans, hear my warning now.  Stop these people.  You must help us protect ourselves so we can protect each other from their heavy handed extremist point of view.

Yes,  business by business, state by state, our civil rights movement moves on as we defend ourselves. In Washington approve referndum 71 to preserve domestic partnerships. In Maine vote no on No. 1 to protect marriage equality. In Iowa elect fair minded representatives and do not change your constitution.  In California, overturn proposition 8 and return to marriage equality.  In Washington DC join us for the National Equality March October 10 – 11, because we will only achieve fully equality by winning at the Federal level.

I am hopeful when I think about our neighbors to the north in Canada.  They enjoy marriage equality at the federal level and have for several years. The debate is largely over for them. Their religious foes have moved on, because as we can all see the sky has not fallen.  The end of the world is not here.  Heterosexual marriages are not suffering.  Children are still children and they are happy to be happy. Our foes realize this, but they will continue to lie and scapegoat, and cheat and attack because this is their way.  This is their last stand. Once they lose Federally they will lose for good, because our country will know that their lies are evil and hate filled. We will learn our lesson.  We will learn like we have so many times before when civil rights are denied from one group of people.  We will learn like when we ended slavery. We will learn like when women became voters. We will learn like when we ended segregation. We will learn like when we elected our first black president.  We will learn that no one group is more superior to another, and the government — the people have no right to create artifical separations. Yes we will learn.  We will grow, and we shall overcome.

The Secretary of State announced today that they have a raw count of 137, 689 signatures on the R-71 petition. 120,557 valid signatures are needed to qualify referendum 71 for the ballot.  Historically 18% of signatures are invalid for various reasons.  The cushion for R-71 is 14.2 %, so we are still in the too close to call range. Because the margin is so close, the Secretary of State’s office will conduct a line by line review of the petition and will compare every signature against the voting record.  If a signature does not match the voting record it will be disqualified. If there are duplicate signatures the duplicates will be removed.

Meanwhile confusion about referendum 71 remains rampant as is evident in comments like these on the Seattle PI’s article about the petition. We must begin our campaign now as if Referendum 71 will qualify for the ballot.  We have nothing to lose by educating voters now that we must vote to Approve Referendum 71 to preserve domestic partnerships .  News articles and other local media outlets have not been adequately explaining how referendum 71 will function, so it is our responsibility as concerned citizens to educate our friends, neighbors, and strangers.  Use every resource you have.  Change your signature line in your e-mail account, change your voice mail, download an image to use on social networking sites like twitter and facebook from WAFST, print off a sign and put it in your window at work or home, write a song and sing it on the corner and raise some money for the campaign…. I think you get the idea.