MCC Action Alert & Resource Kit for US-Based Activists
Ufm...@aol.com
For U.S.-Based Activists
Prepared By Metropolitan Community Churches
___________________________________________
in...@MCCchurch.org . <A HREF="www.MCCchurch.org">www.MCCchurch.org</A>
A Message From Rev. Troy Perry
MCC Founder & Moderator
Dear Friend:
During the month of June, the U.S. Supreme Court will decide a case which
could impact the rights of every gay man and lesbian in the United States.
The case, Lawrence and Garner v. Texas, will decide whether or not to uphold
Texas’ “Homosexual Conduct Law,” outlawing sex between couples of the same
gender. Metropolitan Community Churches, along with many GLBT organizations,
have joined an amicus brief filed with the Supreme Court in this case.
A positive ruling in this case (i.e., overturning the Texas sodomy law) has
the potential to strike down the anti-sodomy laws in the 13 states in which
they still exist. Such a ruling would forever remove laws that have been used for
many years to harass, intimidate, and oppress the GLBT communities.
According to Lambda Legal:
"Ever since the infamous 1986 Bowers v. Hardwick case, when the Supreme Court
ruled against a gay couple in Georgia, bigoted courts and legislators have
used the excuse of the court's decision to take children away from same-sex
couples, to deny equal access to jobs, housing, public accommodations and more.
The Court's message of inequality helped justify continuing anti-gay
discrimination in the military and the infamous "Defense of Marriage Act." Its ruling
against us ravaged the right to privacy as enshrined in the Constitution, and in
so doing, endangered other privacy rights, such as the right to abortion."
This historic ruling will come down during June -- most likely on a Monday in
June.
Across the U.S., GLBT people are already planning public rallies and
demonstrations. I encourage you to consider organizing such a rally in your community.
As my friend and longtime lesbian activist Robin Tyler said this week:
"The idea of holding a protest or a celebration in response to the Court's
decision is important," said Tyler, "because whatever the decision, our
community needs to be mobilized. If the Court goes against us, the need for protest
is obvious. But even if we get a favorable decision, we need to be in the
streets -- because good court decisions can remain dead letters if there isn't
community mobilization to force their implementation. Case in point: the
historic 1954 Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka, Kansas case. Brown said schools
were supposed to desegregate, yet nothing happened until the Civil Rights
movement began heating up almost a full decade later."
Our MCC headquarters staff members have prepared several ideas and
recommendations to help you plan a public rally in your community.
I encourage you to lead the way in your community by organizing one of these
public actions.
Yours,
Rev. Troy D. Perry
MCC Founder and Moderator
RESOURCE KIT
11 Action Ideas
1. Familiarize yourself with the background of this court case with the
helpful information prepared by Lambda Legal. You will find this information
on-line at <A HREF="http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/splash.html">http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/splash.html</A>
2. Decide now how you will organize your rally. For example, in many cities
where there are great communications systems in place, people are passing the
word that they will gather on the evening of the Monday the decision is
announced. In other cities, rallies will be held on the Tuesday evening after the
Monday announcement -- to give time to get the word out.
3. Select a location and a time now -- and begin to promote this info.
4. Contact other GLBT groups and social justice groups in your area. Ask them
to join you and to take part in the rally.
5. Contact speakers for your rally now. These might be leaders of local GLBT
groups, representatives of the ACLU or People for the America Way, other
enlightened religious leaders, GLBT activists, or political leaders in your area.
6. Send an announcement by e-mail or fax to all the press in your area -- TV
stations, talk radio stations, newspapers, etc. Briefly explain the purpose of
the rally, the location, the time, etc.
7. Send information on your rally (city, location and time) to Theresa
Jefferson at Lambda Legal at <A HREF="mailto:TJeff...@lambdalegal.org">TJeff...@lambdalegal.org</A> and to Andy Thayer at
CABNsto...@aol.com. They will post your event on the Internet and help to
distribute your information.
8. If you need message points to use at your rally, or in speaking with the
press, visit:
<A HREF="http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/documents/record?record=1264">: Lawrence Decision Message Points</A>
9. Download a free flyer that you can customize and use to promote your
event from
<A HREF="http://www.lambdalegal.org/cgi-bin/iowa/documents/record?record=1266">: Lawrence Decision: Celebrate or Speak Out!</A>
10. Visit the following website for more information on the Supreme Court
Case and ideas for organizing a rally in your area: <A HREF="http://www.cabn.org/DefendOurRights/">Chicago Anti-Bashing Network
- Defend Our Rights! Campaign Pledge to Protest or Celebrate the Supreme
Court's Decision</A>
11. Post the information on your website, in your newsletter and distribute
to your e-mail lists and LISTSERVS.
(END)
For Additional Information, Contact:
Jim Birkitt, MCC Communications Director
(310) 360-8640, Ext. 226
or
Roman Cardenas, Associate Communications Director
(310) 360-8640, Ext. 228
8704 Santa Monica Boulevard, Second Floor
West Hollywood, CA 90069
Tel. (310) 360-8640, Ext. 226
E-Mail: in...@MCCchurch.org
Website: <A HREF="www.MCCchurch.org">www.MCCchurch.org</A>
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Ezekiel Krahlin
<<
A positive ruling in this case (i.e., overturning the
Texas sodomy law) has the potential to strike down the
anti-sodomy laws in the 13 states in which they still
exist. Such a ruling would forever remove laws that
have been used for many years to harass, intimidate,
and oppress the GLBT communities.
>>
Let us hope! However, I see another dangerous
possibility:
When the domestic partners concept took off, everyone
figured that would then give some sort of legitimacy to
legal and respected queer "marriage". However, I
predicted that homophobic legislators would change such
a law (if enacted), to EXCLUDE same-sex partnering,
while keeping intact all other domestic
partnerships...that is: to benefit only heterosexuals.
And that is EXACTLY the latest strategy by our enemies.
I'm too lazy/busy to track down my original post in
this matter...but it's there on Usenet, for anyone to
find. Your search may be simplified by doing so form my
web page:
www.gay-bible.org/usenet/index_usenet.htm
Using the same logic on analyzing the opposition's
mind, I conclude that states will simply DROP any
anti-sodomy law, and insert a NEW one, that plainly
states "two members of the same gender are forbidden to
have sexual relations, as it violates Western
Democracies long history of stable,
heterosexual-bonding family groups, which are the
foundation of all successful cultures."
Just as new editions of Christian bibles are replacing
or adding the word "homosexual"...to eliminate any
counter attacks by gay folk, who rightfully claim that
there really ISN'T any passage in scripture that
condemns loving, sexual relations by same-sex partners.
It's a simple, clean, effective strategy that has
worked just fine before, and will continue to work just
fine...unless the tide turns against our enemies BEFORE
they can get away with further decimation of our queer
spirit.
Walk brightly! (And armed.)
---
Homosexual reference in a Zits comic:
Gay friendly or not? You decide!
www.gay-bible.org/index.html#zits
--
This is message #5304.