Please share this information with your friends, family and group members
Senate Bill 1250, the so-called “Marriage Protection Amendment,” would write discrimination against gays and lesbians into the Pennsylvania constitution by denying them marriage rights, civil unions or other equivalents to marriage. The language of the proposed bill could even take away existing rights from unmarried straight couples.
This bill has passed the Judiciary Committee by a 10–4 vote and soon will be passed to the Appropriations Committee. Now is the time to end discrimination against GLBT families and stop SB 1250 in its tracks. Join the fight for equal status, under the law, for unmarried families and say no to SB 1250. Make your voice heard Sunday, April 27, 2008 at the Rally to Defeat Senate Bill 1250.
Held at the Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster
538 West Chestnut Street, Lancaster
Sunday, April 27, 2008 from 2–4pm
• Hear guest speakers from Lancaster County and around the State
• Send a Red Card to your elected officials asking them to vote no on SB 1250
• Sign the petition to stop SB 1250 from moving forward
• Join the Marriage Equality Team, taking our cause directly to the Senate in Harrisburg
• Meet with local community leaders
• Learn how to set up meetings with elected officials and let them know why it’s important to vote no on SB 1250
• Join political action groups to elect officials who will oppose SB 1250
Red Card Campaign
The main focus of this event is to ask our elected officials to VOTE NO on SB 1250. Red postcards with the slogan “Equal Rights Include Marriage,” and a letter to elected officials on the back, will be available for you to sign at the rally. Postcards will be collected and delivered by the Marriage Equality Team directly to the Senate in Harrisburg.
If you would like more information on the rally, would like to volunteer or would like to be included on the speaker’s list, please visit www.rainbowrosecommunity.org or contact us at info@rainbowrosecommunity.org.
Rally sponsored by
Rainbow Rose Community – www.rainbowrosecommunity.org
Lancaster Pride 2008 – www.lancasterpride2008.org
Rainbow EqUUality Advocates – http://www.harrisburguu.org/Lay-Led/freedom2marry.asp
Central PA League of Humane Voters – www.lohvpa.org
Interweave, Unitarian Universalist Church of Lancaster – www.icanfixphotos.com/interweave/interweave.html
Vision of Hope Metropolitan Community Church – www.visionofhopemcc.org
Showing posts with label Marriage Equality. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Marriage Equality. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Monday, March 10, 2008
Why We Oppose the Marriage Protection Amendment
Marriage Equality
Marriage is a commitment. It is about creating a family. It is also about rights and responsibilities. Marriage is about sharing, love, trust and compromise. Two adults who make this personal decision to form a life-long commitment should not be denied the right to marry the person they want to marry just because they are gay or lesbian.
Gay and lesbian Pennsylvanians are our neighbors, co-workers, and friends. They pay taxes and serve our communities. They raise children and volunteer with civic organizations. They simply desire the same rights, responsibilities and protections as all other Pennsylvanians.
Denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry will adversely impact their legal rights in pension, health insurance, hospital visitations, and inheritance that heterosexual couples enjoy.
Today we look back with disbelief that there was a time in American when we did not allow marriage between Catholics and Protestants or between blacks and whites. Unfortunately our laws continue to deny the right to marry to adults who are gay or lesbian. We should not support this kind of discrimination.
People are not being asked to change their religious beliefs and nobody is trying to force any clergy person to perform same-sex weddings. There are many things about modern society that some religious organizations do not endorse. Yet, as a society we are governed by laws and not by religious beliefs.
Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment
Same-sex couples are already denied the right to marry in Pennsylvania. This amendment is unnecessary, unwise and divisive.
With all of the problems that the Pennsylvania Senate should be addressing, it is disturbing that some of the members would spend time and resources to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to make an unnecessary pronouncement about marriage.
The proposed amendment could take away existing legal protections for committed long-term couples and their children, as well as limit other types of relationship recognition. It would also prohibit civil unions.
According to recent polling data, Pennsylvanians statewide support civil unions for lesbian and gay couples by a margin of support of 65% to 27%, or more than two to one. (November 2007, Susquehanna Polling and Research)
Marriage is a commitment. It is about creating a family. It is also about rights and responsibilities. Marriage is about sharing, love, trust and compromise. Two adults who make this personal decision to form a life-long commitment should not be denied the right to marry the person they want to marry just because they are gay or lesbian.
Gay and lesbian Pennsylvanians are our neighbors, co-workers, and friends. They pay taxes and serve our communities. They raise children and volunteer with civic organizations. They simply desire the same rights, responsibilities and protections as all other Pennsylvanians.
Denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry will adversely impact their legal rights in pension, health insurance, hospital visitations, and inheritance that heterosexual couples enjoy.
Today we look back with disbelief that there was a time in American when we did not allow marriage between Catholics and Protestants or between blacks and whites. Unfortunately our laws continue to deny the right to marry to adults who are gay or lesbian. We should not support this kind of discrimination.
People are not being asked to change their religious beliefs and nobody is trying to force any clergy person to perform same-sex weddings. There are many things about modern society that some religious organizations do not endorse. Yet, as a society we are governed by laws and not by religious beliefs.
Pennsylvania Marriage Protection Amendment
Same-sex couples are already denied the right to marry in Pennsylvania. This amendment is unnecessary, unwise and divisive.
With all of the problems that the Pennsylvania Senate should be addressing, it is disturbing that some of the members would spend time and resources to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution to make an unnecessary pronouncement about marriage.
The proposed amendment could take away existing legal protections for committed long-term couples and their children, as well as limit other types of relationship recognition. It would also prohibit civil unions.
According to recent polling data, Pennsylvanians statewide support civil unions for lesbian and gay couples by a margin of support of 65% to 27%, or more than two to one. (November 2007, Susquehanna Polling and Research)
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