Court Rebuffs 8 Legislators
Judge Kevin Chang denied the request of 8 legislators to intervene in the court case Baehr v. Miike (scheduled for circuit court hearing
of compelling state interests on August 1). The 8 legislators will appeal Judge Chang's ruling to the Hawaii Supreme Court. This is essentially
a replay of the Mormon motions filed last year, by much the same legal team but with new plaintiffs. Added to the opposing side is Jay
Seculo, attorney with Randall Terry and ACLJ (Pat Robertson's legal think tank),
and tons of cameras. The RRR is filming the proceedings for national fundraising efforts.
Crossover date in the legislature finally came and went. The House and the Senate remain opposed, one pushing domestic partnership and
one pushing a constitutional amendment to ban same-gender marriage. The next cross-over hurdle is about 5 weeks away. The RRR is turning
up the heat on the legislature, by broadcasting on Honolulu's top radio stations; their
advertisements call on legislators to pass the constitutional amendment to ban same-gender marriage. HERMP volunteers are countering
with constituent pressure. It's the Goliath RRR versus the David hermp; we have logic, common sense and charity on our side, they have fear, prejudice
and discrimination on theirs. To say the least, it's an interesting contest.
Please ignore whatever Tom Coleman says about the legislature in Hawaii; he has never consulted h.e.r.m.p or Dan Foley on anything at anytime.
h.e.r.m.p supports domestic partnerships as a (limited) good thing in themselves and has so testified repeatedly; our strategy may result
in getting both DP and marriage---but we will never trade marriage for DP.
Tom Ramsey
Co-Coordinator
Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage
Project
P.S.
Web sites for HERMP information:
http://www.xq.com/hermp/
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/usa/hawaii/marriage.updates/
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/orgs/hermp/
http://www.tnight.com/hermp/
For the official report of the Commission on Sexual Orientation and
the Law:
http://www.hawaii.gov/lrb/solcvr.html
For legal documents related to Baehr v. Lewin (now Baehr v. Miike):
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/legal/
which has a link to marriage and Baehr v. Lewin
For national as well as Hawaii information:
http://nether.net/~rod/html/sub/marriage.html
http://www.well.com/user/davadam/hermp.html
The Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project, HERMP, is the sole support of the work of Dan Foley on Baehr v. Lewin (Foley is the attorney who makes
all court appearances on behalf of the plaintiff couples). Please be generous in support of HERMP; Hawaii is a small state, and the tiny gay and lesbian
community here is very active in advocacy work which HERMP cannot address.
Donations to HERMP are fully tax-deductible, and should be made out to
GLCC-HERMP
1521 Alexander Street, #503
Honolulu, HI 96822.
The HERMP branch in Kona, on the Big Island, has produced a T-shirt for sale. One can send a check for $17.50 to HERMP, P.O.Box 902, Captain
Cook, HI 96704, together with a note about being sent a T-shirt (S, M, L, XL,
XXL). It is also available in a tank top. The design is multi-color on white. A large triangle points down, with the letters h.e.r.m.p above
the triangle, some male-male, female-female symbols in the border of the triangle and some palm trees. To place an email order for T-shirts, or
to obtain more information, please email skippero@aol.com. An image of
the T-shirt is available via the WEB on
http://www.qrd.org/QRD/www/usa/maine/hawaii-tee.html
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