Bill London posed the questions regarding the Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment, <font face="Arial" size="2">"What does this mean to our gay neighbors?"<br> <br> Sadly, it means not a damn thing. The City of Moscow and our leaders have provided NO RIGHTS or protections to Gays and Lesbians in our community. The University of Idaho, a state run institution, even provides protection against discrimination against Gays and Lesbians--But not the Moscow City Council.<br> <br> If the Moscow City Leaders were real leaders in human equality and anti-discrimination, it would have at minimum the same protections the State of Idaho provides toward sexual orientation.<br> <br> If the City of Moscow wanted to make a difference in the lives of Gays and Lesbians in our community they would do at minimum four things;<br> <br> 1) Make discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation illegal in the city limits of Moscow.<br> <br> 2) Provide benefits to same sex partne!
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</font><font face="Arial" size="2">as married couples</font><font face="Arial" size="2"> and their dependents that work for the city .<br> <br> 3) Promote private businesses that provide benefits to same sex couples. <br> <br> 4) Provide factual information about Gays and Lesbians to reduce ignorance, discrimination and violence against them.<br> <br> But sadly, our City Council does not care about our "gay neighbors", the proof being that they have not done anything for them, except ask for their votes in November and provide lip service about how they REALLY do care and they have a Gay friend named Bob that they hang out with on Tuesday.<br> <br> _DJA<br> </font><br><b><i>Bill London <london@moscow.com></i></b> wrote:<blockquote class="replbq" style="border-left: 2px solid rgb(16, 16, 255); margin-left: 5px; padding-left: 5px;"> <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <meta content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1528" name="GEN!
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<style></style> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">The Idaho Legislature has now decided that we will be able to vote to add an anti-gay marriage provision to the state constitution. What does this mean to our gay neighbors? Please read Rebecca Rod's essay from the Friday Daily News.</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">BL</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">-------------------------------- </font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2">Daily News, Friday, February 17, 2006</font></div> <div><font face="Arial" size="2"></font> </div> <div> <table class="globalNav" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="600"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top" width="100%"> <table class="globalNav" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="480"> <tbody>!
<tr> <td> <table class="globalNav" valign="TOP" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="480"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="left" valign="top"> <table class="globalNav" valign="TOP" align="left" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="425"> <tbody> <tr> <td bgcolor="#ffffff" valign="top" width="425"><font face="Times New Roman,Times"> </font><h2><font face="Times New Roman,Times">COLUMN: To have and to hold: Rites and rights of gay marriage</font></h2><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><br> </font><address><font face="Times New Roman,Times">Rebecca Rod</font></address><font face="Times New Roman,Times"><br>In the midst of this year’s Hallmark hubbub of hearts and flowers and other symbols of love and commitment for sal!
e, I
found myself reflecting back on Valentine’s Day of February 2004. </font><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">My partner, Theresa, and I spent most of that weekend glued to the TV, watching reports of breaking news showing some 2,000 gay and lesbian couples making history by getting legally married in San Francisco. We saw pairs of men and men, and women and women lined on the grand granite stairs of City Hall, their numbers spilling onto the open plaza and stretching down the walkways for blocks. Old and young, dressed up and dressed down, holding hands, holding the hands of their children, their friends and families, all ages, colors, sizes, and shapes – all looking so naturally “normal” like anyone and everyone, that even some protesters in the crowd seemed taken aback enough to stop and have to remind themselves now, who were they protesting against, and for what? </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">One man with a protest sign who was in!
terviewed
said he’d actually changed his mind once he’d gotten down there and seen all these regular happy people who just wanted to get married. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">Then the camera showed us inside City Hall where the marriages were taking place. Mayor Gavin Newsom’s first act was to marry two 80-something-year-old women who’d been “together” already for more than 50 years – and not far off, another city official was “tying the knot” for a male couple decked out in twin tuxedos, pronouncing them “spouses for life” – with everyone beaming and crying at the same time. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">Meanwhile, Theresa and I were beaming and crying right along with them from our couch in front of the TV, bearing witness with the rest of the world to these historic marriages. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">Of course, now we know the rest of the story, don’t we? Those few thousand people (more than 4!
,000
marriages were registered in San Francisco from February to March) and other gay and lesbian couples who got married during that same time in cities west and east, had their marriages revoked or voided within about six months. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">Then, in desperate efforts to guard against future bouts of marital terrorism, individual states began crafting constitutional amendments to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, by God. In fact, a group of worried Idaho legislators (worried about votes in an election year) have brought this amendment idea up yet again in our Statehouse. The amendment passed both the House and Senate and will be placed on the ballot to be voted on in November. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">Why does extending this right to marry pose such a threat to some people? As humans, we celebrate so many of the most meaningful times of our lives in the presence of our loved ones!
. Family
and friends gather around us for these special “rites” – namings, baptisms, confirmations, graduations, and yes, marriages. We are held up and blessed, congratulated, kissed, and wished well with plenty of hugs and tears all around – as well it should be. During these times, the love of our family, friends, and community is not only most evident, but most wanted and needed to help guide us through life’s passages from one landmark to the next. We not only gain meaning and direction for our lives from these events, but the outpouring of love and support we receive gives our lives a certain shape and quality. And what quality is of more importance in the life of a human being than his or her capacity to give and receive love? Why anyone would want to intentionally deny his or her son or daughter, relatives, friends, or e </font></div><div> <font face="Times New Roman,Times"> </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">ven strange!
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legal human right to live a full life of open, supported commitment to a loved one is beyond my understanding. Talk about a basic “Right to Life” issue! </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">Well, I have faith that our day will come. Love is gaining ground in cities and states and countries here and there every day. Like water wins over rock with a steady trickle over time, or sometimes in the fury of a flash flood, love will find its way. Weak and self-serving constitutional amendments will not block the power of love. And history will be made again. </font></div><div><font face="Times New Roman,Times">* Rebecca Rod has lived in Moscow for more than 20 years, the past 14 of them with her life partner, Theresa. She has a master’s degree in library science but has been self-employed as an artist/potter for more than 10 years. Last fall she was hired as a program advisor for the University of Idaho Women’s Center.
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