There is a movement in Pennsylvania.....

[keltic63]

Originally Posted by Zerbie

So Steve, how did it go?????

I haven't gone yet. The appt is at 4pm Eastern. I've been looking over my information, making notes, and trying to do this between classes or when the students are working on something.

I'll report in later.

[Daniel]

Originally Posted by keltic63

I haven't gone yet. The appt is at 4pm Eastern. I've been looking over my information, making notes, and trying to do this between classes or when the students are working on something.

I'll report in later.

Got get'em tiger!

Eye Contact. Great handhake. Say in his personal space if possible. Make him feeeeel the Soulforce Love......

[keltic63]

headed out now for the appt. send good vibes!

[tpdncr4christ]

[Vanessa White]

How did it go, keltic?

[keltic63]

Wow. Thanks Austin.


OK, here's what happened. My meeting was with my State Representative (PA House of Representatives) where there is a bill to add orientation and gender identity/expression to an already existing law to prevent discrimination. After the niceties, I told her that I was there to ask for her support on this bill. Her immediate response was that she does indeed support it, and when it comes to the vote, she will be voting in favor. That part of the conversation was very nearly done at that point. I did continue though, to talk about how the government can set the mood as far as respect, and we discussed how such a law can't prevent idiots from continuing to act as such.

Less than 10 minutes, and the reason for my visit is over. So I move on to the next issue: the "Marriage Protection Amendment" that is in our State Senate. at this point, as a representative, she does not even need to discuss the bill, as it is in the senate. This conversation was promising, and discouraging at the same time. It was promising because she assured me that it is so difficult to amend the constitution that she felt the MPA would not pass. Hooray! that's a good thing. She was also honest and politely stated that she didn't believe she could support marriage rights for lgbt people. I appreciated her candor, and we continued the conversation. I told her of my desire to care for my partner and his desire to care for me. I explained how it is in society's interest for people to pair up and care for each other. I even talked about nature/nurture and the complex elements that work together to create gay and lesbian people, that it is not a choice, and seeing as how we just "are" what is the appropriate action a loving couple should take. We discussed the religious ceremony vs. the civil contract. I really believe we had a good conversation, and I hope that I left her with some things to think about.

I had also planned to visit my State Senator, one of the sponsors of the MPA. It was too late. I had spent too much time at my representative's office. I will be calling the senator tomorrow. I spoke to them a month ago, and they were to call me back with a time to speak to the senator. I think it's time to become the squeaking wheel.

[Vanessa White]

I am in awe.

Thank you for that hard work today, it sounds like it must have been draining, but even with her expression of her opinion about equal marriage, at least she was respectful to hear you out. And, it is encouraging about the difficulty there is in amending the constitution, which could work in our favor. I did send off an email to my Rep. and he never responded; whereas my Senator responded the same day.

I really do admire you; I hope to be as confident and focused when it is my turn...

[Zerbie]

:smas hy:

Yaaaaaaay Steve!!!!!!

What an excellent experience - you did a fantastic job!!!!! YAYYYY!!!!!!!!

Thank you SO much for going in person and really a face to the matter for your representative. I am glad you gave her constituent support. It is sad that these matters are made hard for politicians (I wrote a thank you note to the mayor of a neighboring city who cast the deciding vote to add LGBT to the anti-discrimination ordinance, and she wrote back a very sweet reply thanking me for the kind words. She may have likely gotten some negative responses after that vote.) Point being, I think it is very important that these folk hear from those who are impacted by these legislations, and feel supported when they do the right thing.

Enough yakking. Steve, you did an AMAZING job!!
:flow er2:

[Daniel]

Thank you for all that you did today. You made a difference. And you may have even changed someone's mind. And that's a big deal.

Proud of you buddy!

[tdogg]

Way to go. Awesome! Thanks for standing up for all of us. You are making history.

[tpdncr4christ]

You actually talked to them? That's cool. I figured you would have just been sitting on a bench for several hours before asked to come back another day. That's awesome! Really really fantastic.

[keltic63]

Oh, I forgot to tell you that as I was leaving, she said to me "Beautiful Blue Eyes!"

[Vanessa White]

WHAT?!?!?!? That is a heck of a detail to leave out!!!! She noticed, that means she was making some eye contact, and maybe more likely YOU were making some impact!

AWESOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Zerbie]

Originally Posted by keltic63

Oh, I forgot to tell you that as I was leaving, she said to me "Beautiful Blue Eyes!"

Oh that's wonderful!!!!


'K ya'll I have this new idea: whenever we need to lobby a female legislator, SEND STEVE!!

RRRRrrrrrrrrrr!

[BenL]

It's really worth the effort to visit these lawmakers. Here in Massachusetts, the last time there was a vote about whether to repeal gay marriage (granted by the state supreme court) by moving a constitutional amendment to the electorate, it was the personal stories of gays and families/friends/allies of gays that tipped the balance.

The let-the-people-vote-to-limit-people's-rights organization thought they had the constitutional convention in their pockets. They banged drums and flooded the airwaves with sugar-coated vitriol, all in the name of family and the sanctity of marriage. The pro-gay marriage lobby mobilized hundreds in the LGBT community to talk to their representatives face-to-face about who they were and what their families looked like. And they changed enough minds to stop the consitutional amendment. One newly elected representative who thought he was in favor of "letting the people vote" decided after hearing enough true-life stories that he could not in good conscience vote to take away from gay people the right to marry.

It really does work. Steve, that rep you visited was polite and it sounds like she listened to you. She may have told you she couldn't support gay marriage, but if enough of her gay constituents talk to her about why she should support them, she may change her mind. And you planted the seed. BRAVO!

[keltic63]

I wrote about my visit with a little more clarity and detail on my blog. you just need to click on "terrestrial ball" below if you'd like to read about it.

I have yet to make contact with my State Senator, Richard Kasunic, who is one of the sponsors of the PA Marriage Protection Amendment. While I am encouraged by what my Rep has said, I still believe that I need to have a conversation with my Senator, and that this is a battle that needs to be waged. If these senators introduced this amendment, knowing that it will go no where, yet will garner them support in upcoming elections, then it is time to expose that action. our lives are not open for their exploitation.

[ladyinred]

Keltic, good luck, buddy...

[keltic63]

I posted on the "youranswermatters" site again yesterday: http://youranswermatters.com/2008/02...man-and-woman/

warning: click only if you can handle reading anti-gay propaganda

[Vanessa White]

Again, you inspired me, I just posted there as well.....

[Zerbie]

Wayull. . . heheh!

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