 |
| 等 级：资深长老 |
| 经 验 值：5855 |
| 魅 力 值：3513 |
| 龙 币：12359 |
| 积 分：7806.2 |
| 注册日期：2002-04-15 |
| |
|
|
|
8 月８日阅读，每日周刊
Backing Same-Sex Marriage
August 8, 2003, 12:00 AM EDT
The Long Island Coalition for Same-Sex Marriage debuted last night, promising to educate the public, lobby lawmakers and hold mass marriage ceremonies in the face of recent remarks made by President George W. Bush and the Vatican opposing gay marriage.
Incensed with Bush's stated desire that marriage should be a union only between a man and a woman, and a 12-page Vatican document that denounced gay marriage as immoral, David Kilmnick mobilized what he said was Long Island's first mass effort to fight for laws permitting same-sex marriage.
"We thought that instead of waiting for someone else to do it, let's stand up and organize a community that was so outraged about what happened," said Kilmnick, executive director of Long Island Gay and Lesbian Youth.
Kilmnick unveiled the coalition's ambitious plan during a town hall meeting at the group's youth center in Bay Shore where a crowd of about 50 people gathered to discuss statements Bush made in a news conference last week and a Vatican document released July 31 urging politicians, laity and non-Catholics to oppose the recent tide of same-sex legislation in North America and Europe.
The coalition's main goal is to educate both the gay and heterosexual communities about marital rights while distinguishing between religious and civil marriages.
One man at last night's meeting acknowledged that it would be a difficult battle. Frank Stubits, 31, of Lindenhurst, said, "People need to be educated and understand it's a human issue. People have been against homosexuality for years. I envision it to be extremely difficult to win people over."
A letter-writing campaign is set to begin next week. Attendees signed up yesterday to help organize public forums, rallies and fund-raising events to meet a goal some coalition members are optimistic they will realize in their lifetimes.
"Before I turn 40 I expect to see the right to marry and I expect to be married," said Kilmnick, who is 36 and in a committed relationship.
Organizers are counting on recent gains in gay rights, including an act passed by the State Legislature last December designed to crack down on discrimination against gays, to motivate advocates of same-sex marriage. Marriage, they said, will give gay partners the right to visit each other in hospitals in family-only situations, share Social Security benefits and about 1,700 other rights available to heterosexual couples.
"We're talking about human rights and civil rights and who I sleep with" is no one's business, said Barry Jones, a coalition member and co-founder of the Gay and Lesbian Foundation of Long Island. "Everyone just thinks marriage is about having kids. I don't need to reproduce."
The coalition has already received a letter of support from Rep. Tim Bishop (D-Southampton), who said he would oppose any attempt to pass a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages.
"So few people are engaged in the political process ... believe me, Long Island legislators react and take notice when they get 10, 20 letters on a particular issue," said Alan Van Capelle, executive director of the Empire State Pride Agenda, the largest gay and lesbian organization in the country. "This is a historic conversation that's beginning in this country about civil rights and it's very important and very local."
|
|
--
long arm of coincidence here~
 |
|
|
2003-08-08 22:42:02
