3/04/08: Besides the initiative to overturn HB2007, the Domestic Partnership bill, yesterday another initiative was filed to overturn SB2, the anti-discrimination bill.
Here’s what I just received from Basic Rights Oregon:
Chief petitioners on the initiative to repeal Oregon’s anti-discrimination law include State Senator Gary George (R-Newberg) and Rep. Kim Thatcher (R-Keizer). The second initiative was filed late Monday.
Basic Rights Oregon executive director Jeana Frazzini said today she was not surprised to learn that anti-gay interests have filed initiatives to repeal Oregon’s domestic partnership law and anti-discrimination law. The domestic partnership repeal initiative was filed late Friday by State Senator Fred Girod (R-Stayton) and State Rep. Sal Esquivel (R-Medford). Chief petitioners on the initiative to repeal Oregon’s anti-discrimination law include State Senator Gary George (R-Newberg) and Rep. Kim Thatcher h(R-Keizer). The second initiative was filed late Monday.
“Our opponents have said all along that they would file again,” Frazzini said. “While I’m not surprised that initiatives to repeal the laws have been filed, I’m shocked that this effort has been spearheaded by legislators whose duty is to protect Oregonians.”
The legislators reportedly agreed to lend their names to the anti-gay measures at the request of Marilyn Shannon, a leader of last year’s failed effort against the laws.
One measure would repeal the state’s domestic partnership law, which gives committed couples the legal recognition necessary to care for one another, especially in a crisis. The other would overturn legislation making discrimination in housing, employment and public accommodations against the law. But Frazzini said that both efforts are out of step with Oregon values.
“The truth is that Oregonians don’t want to put gay Oregonians in harm’s way by taking these laws off the books,” Frazzini said. “Oregonians believe that loving couples who have made a lifelong commitment to one another should have the basic security provided by domestic partnerships. And Oregonians believe that discrimination is wrong.”
Although Frazzini said she feels confident that Oregonians would vote “No” on a repeal of either law, she said that Basic Rights Oregon is prepared for a challenging campaign to keep the measures off the ballot. “We know that this effort has the support of out-of-state interests with deep pockets,” she said.
The chief petitioners on the initiatives have until July 3 to collect nearly 83,000 signatures to put their petitions on the November 2008 ballot. Frazzini said that Basic Rights Oregon will closely monitor the signature gathering process to ensure that all elections rules are followed. The two groups who sought to force a referendum on the laws in 2007 are under investigation by the Oregon Secretary of State for violating campaign finance laws.
3/3/08:
Oh, shit.
Late Friday afternoon, state Sen. Fred Girod (R-Stayton) and state Rep. Sal Esquivel (R-Medford) filed Initiative #144 seeking to overturn HB2007, Oregon’s domestic partnership bill.
Bill Graves, of The Oregonian, wrote in today’s paper that no one had filed an initiative proposal as of Friday. He was wrong.
According to the filing here, DP opponents will need almost 83,000 signatures to get it on the November ballot.
They have until July. Will they do it? Or will it end up like this?
UPDATED: Just finished talking to Basic Rights Oregon Executive Director Jeana Frazzini. Here’s what she has to say about the filing:
I don’t expect that they will find the support to overturn this important law … Basic Rights Oregon will have to fight this with every resource we have. That means, in the next four to six weeks we will be working with our attorney, through the ballot title process, to ensure that the impact of this initiative is fully understood by voters. In the past their efforts were [to] deny access to rights. This time they are trying to take away the rights of fellow Oregonians.
- UPDATED(AGAIN): THEY DID NOT MAKE THE BALLOT AGAIN! Word from
- WTF? Jan 2 Domestic Partnerships Called Off – For Now (Updated with BRO comment) A federal
- WTF? Domestic Partner Rights Opponents Get a Fast Pass from the 9th Circuit Court What
- Court Rules In Favor Of Same Sex Couples Same-sex
- More Details On The Temporary Injunction to Domestic Partnership A small fi
My advice to the citizens of Oregon if you sign the petition make sure that the criminals in the secretary of states office does not disavow your rights to the initiative process.
Due diligence with your voting rights are needed.
Take a hour out of your day and verify your information and signature at the elections office are intact, valid and up to date.
We as Americans and decent people need to nip this abomination in the bud and force our will on the degenerates that permeate our society. Force the freaks of nature back into the closet for good.
If you do not believe that this is a threat to your life and children just take a look at the law passed in California.
http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=59033
The gay agenda is real and we need to stop it now.
My stern warning to the Secretary of sates office. If you in any way subvert the will of the people with any of your illegal activities regarding this initiative you will be subject to the highest of punishment available to the citizens. Including but not limited to tar and feathering.
To the honorable Senators with the guts to carry out the will of the people. Congratulations and a big thank you, nice job guys.
Please be vigilant and make this high on your priority list. Watch the criminals in the secretary of states office. Don’t let them screw us again with their faulty counting processes and signature disavowing activities.
Once this is done we have many much more clean up activity to do regarding our rights and quality of life.
Gentlemen if you need donations for these activities please post it in the Oregon Catalyst or Oregon Watchdog.
Friends of Meatpuppet: When you included "abomination" in your original post you are passing a religious judgement onto me, and others. You, and other intolerant, self-hating, people (such as U.S. Senator Larry Craig, Idaho) need to get a life.
Larry Craig seemed VERY tolerant of homosexuals.
Friends of Meatpuppet,
Fuck you. That is all I have to say. I am tired of trying to explain that I am a human fucking being to you people. Shut the fuck up and leave ME the fuck alone.
Fuck you.
I just love people who use that kind of language. People like you just don’t know how to have a conversation. Grow up, show some respect to the people who leave their comments. You do not have to agree with them, however, we still have freedom of speech in this Country. Or is it only if we agree with you? Think about it.
So mp gets to say whatever he/she wants, no matter how wrong, hateful, or lie-filled, as long as he/she doesn’t curse?
Pretty flimsy…
I’ll bet your parents are real proud of you!
I couldn’t have stated it any better, Praenomenal. One "additional" suggestion to Meatpuppet: Focus your negative energy towards your own family. Your religious bigotry and hatred should have no place in society.
The so called negative energy is called the truth. What part of what I said was religious? Wash the puss from your brain heathen.
Girod and Esquivel filed this because the Republicans are scare shitless that no one will turn out in November to vote for them. They can always count on haters and/or paranoia types to turn out to vote on a non-issue issue like this.
Friends of Meatpuppet – I am sure the president of Iran would donate money to this cause. You two are one of the same.
The two honorable Senators filed this bill because it is the will of the people and the gay agenda will be crushed. If Iran wants to donate to the cause who am I to turn it down. Mr. Iran has some great policies regarding law and order.
Holy shit. The first comment is a homophobic blogger. Apparently meatpuppet is either kidding or promoting hatred with some serious close mind thinking.
Where do I sign?
Seriously, I have a question. Anyone who actually supports this madness. Why? What makes you think you have any right to dictate MY rights. What part of your mind does not understand that your personal beliefs should have nothing to do with what I do or whom I love or marry? What part of freedom do you hate so much? Please, explain that to me.
Like Praenomenal, I would like to know how having the same rights as any other human being is part of a "gay agenda?" Is it wrong to want the person I love the most to make decisions for me if I can’t? Where is the harm in that? How exactly does that promote a "gay agenda?" What slippery slope does that lead us to? I’d sure like to know.
I googled Friends of Meatpuppet to read his other posts. In my opinion, he (and many others) feels he has a competitive right to challenge our very survival, which is his ultimate adgenda.
Our "gay adgenda" is for the public to recognize our human rights.
And the Initiative was drafted by two lawmakers? A first year law student could have done a much better job.
Also, the Initiative is trying to do more than repealing HB2007. It’s trying to prohibit all domestic partner benefits – which clearly violates the Oregon Constitution according to every Oregon court rulings on this topic.
I really love that none of the haters have bothered to answer my questions.
OH NO! not the gays! no! anyone but them!
I’m tired of politicians from Medford and Stayton trying to tell me how to live my life and who to be afraid of.
Friends of Meatpuppet not only praises Iran for its "law and order policies" that have been condemned by the rest of the world as a blatant example of human rights violations, but would actively accept funds directly from the government of Iran in violation of a US government executive order declaring Iran to be a terrorist state and subject to sanctions. Is FOM able to explain to the Department of Homeland Security his declaration of support of Iranian terrorism?
FOM isn’t the first to speak this way…
http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/119700330983500.xml&coll=7
http://www.blueoregon.com/2006/08/lou_beres_confe.html
http://dkosopedia.com/wiki/Republican_Sex_Scandals
http://www.philosophy-religion.org/handouts/homophobia.htm
Republicans – Your excuse for repealing the domestic partnership law is to "reflect the view of the people." Okay, at least that passes (barely) the puke test in light of Measure 36.
But what’s your excuse for repealing the anti-discrimination law? Pure meanness? Pure hatred of gay people?
Why are you Republicans care so much about other people’s private lives?
Congratulations to these Republicans for doing what the people want, while the Democrats do whatever they want instead. This includes Democrats such as Jeff Merkley ignoring Child Molester Teachers.
We Voted NO on Gay Marriage.
Gay Lawyers changing it to domestic whatever will not fool most of the people, most of the time.
My Step brother was Gay, I loved him and do not hate his friends.
Almost every state has said no to Gay Marriage. Except Mass. where they Teach 3rd graders about Gay Sex.
Keep your Sex life private, as it should be and as it is the law.
If Basic rights says Oregonians want Gay Marriage, let the Voters decide, why would this group fight this?
IF Oregonians will vote it down anyhow.
"Same-sex couples should seek marriage-like rights through another avenue, such as civil unions."
– Tim Nashif, Oregon Family Council Director and an organizer of the Measure 36 campaign, Bend Bulletin 8/20/2004
"If same-sex couples need legal protection, they should consult their legislative representatives. If they need legislation to do that, no one is going to stand in their way."
– Defense of Marriage Coalition Executive Director Mike White, Lincoln City News Guard 11/10/2004
"The Coalition’s amendment did not preclude the state of Oregon from creating civil unions, so that same-sex couples could have the same rights as married heterosexual couples."
– Defense of Marriage Coalition Spokesperson Georgene Rice, The Dalles Chronicle 9/30/2004
Straight from the horse’s mouth.
The most known secret is that 66% of the oregonian will support domestic partnership and 75% will support the non-discrimination law.
BRO is fighting to prevent Republicans from lying to the public, as they usually do.
If it’s really what the people want, they would have had a LOT MORE signatures last time around.
But hey, play right into it. These initiatives are a game that are tossed out there by politicians that need money since the Oregon GOP is in a deep financial hole.
They want to piss of their base enough to get a few bucks. Its bait. They should just call ‘em the chum initiatves.
Friends of Meatpuppet is obviously a Taliban and Al Queda sympathizer, since they all have the same views on people that god made different than themselves: kill them all! They are full of judgement and not love.
Fortunately a god of love loves them all just like everyone else, and wishes that they have the same rights as everyone else, rights that support and encourage the loving kindness and companionship two (or more) people can show each other.
Its unfortunate that the alleged believers in a ‘god of love’ feel that somehow it is an expression of love to go around trying to force everyone to be like them. Anyone who has been touched by a truly loving experience of the divine knows that trying to force everyone to be like you is, in fact, the opposite of love.
Those who have been touched by a truly loving divine presence can share that experience with our sisters and brothers who seem to mistake hate for love.
The efforts ov anti-gay christian-nazis ought not be ov THAT much concern.
What’s the point ov passing laws if a small group ov religious freaks can FORGE enough phoney signatures to have them put on a ballot. I predict their efforts at turning back human rights will fail misrably. But should they be successful, anyone who gives a damn (like me, for starters) should be prepared to fight these assholes tooth n’ nail for as long as it takes & whatever it takes!
"By any means nessesary!" – Malcolm X
Who are the "out of state" interests with "deep pockets?"
Oh my gosh, I can’t believe the comments I’m reading.
"If Basic rights says Oregonians want Gay Marriage, let the Voters decide, why would this group fight this?"
Oregonians voted for same sex marriage few years ago, but the conservative religious groups petition to stop it and sadly it worked. This is crazy. Why are people against same sex marriage? Why does a government treat the lgbt community like second citizens? Isn’t that a violation of basic human rights? How can you expect any minority groups to ever trust the government for aid and security? I don’t get it! If you want to promote family values, wouldn’t you grant that marriage right to every gay and lesbian couples that wants to build a family? Instead of promoting promiscuous relationships by opposing same sex marriage. It makes no sense to me! Or am I mistaken?
Let the people vote on what to call your alternative lifestyle. Oh, the people already did, so now you can call it marriage.
You then want to change the Marriage definition to Domestic Partnerships, which is Marriage by Another Name. Probably won’t pass the people.
If you want rights, then why don’t you pass a law giving you rights? Not marriage rights, because that is not constitutional, but equal rights.
Given the tremendous, historic beating that gay marriage took at the polls in Oregon, it was an error for the Legislature to fail to refer this idea to the voters. All the benefits available through domestic partnerships are easily available by seeing a lawyer and drafting up some minor paperwork. There are no "rights" at stake, so none can be lost.
"All the benefits available through domestic partnerships are easily available by seeing a lawyer and drafting up some minor paperwork."
Really? ALL benefits? How can paperwork make hospital give you family visitation rights when you are not a family member under the law? How do you protect confidential communications between two partners in court by your magic paperwork? Which law school did you go to?
And you’d be willing to pay the lawyers’ fees for this magic paperwork, wouldn’t you?
Do your homework first before posting any more LIES.
Why should members of the gay community have to pay a lawyer in order to receive the same rights and privileges of the hetro community? If I, or my partner, has a medical condition that requires hospitalization why do they need to pay a lawyer to obtain the right to visit me or to make life and death decisions? What if my family members stated they didn’t want my partner to visit me? What rights would he, or me, have without this protection?
I shouldn’t have to pay legal fee’s for the same rights hetro’s have "without paying" for legal services.
Who are the "out-of-state" interests with deep pockets?
Responding to— Ugh. Everybody, I guess…
There weren’t enough petition signatures. Period. The court evidence showed that 9 out of 10 errors made by the SOS were actually in favor of allowing signatures that should have been eliminated. The Alliance Defense Fund just found the FIVE disqualified signatures that where the signor said it was actually theirs, but they didn’t care to also correct the dozens of signatures that should have been disqualified.
Not enough people in Oregon gave a damn to send Domestic Partnerships to a vote.
So guess what? It’s NOT the majority’s will to deny Domestic Partnerships. PERIOD. The latest petition drive is all but a case study that proves it!
DP’s have NOTHING to do with marriage, BTW. There’s not even a ceremony for a DP- it’s just a contract that let’s people have the ability to see each other in a hospital or care for each other as a family. It does not affect you. You have no reason to be invested. It doesn’t affect your church.
The only people that have any problem with this are people that want to feel justified in being homophobic. Studies that have appeared in the Journal of Abnormal Psychology show a link between homophobia and repressed homosexual arrousal. So all you jerks that can’t deal with your own sexual secrets, need to let those of us that incenerated our closet doors live our lives. If you’re so damn interested in your sadistic persuit of denying my family the right to take care of each other in an emergency, then you’ve got obvious sick issues. You’re prolly hiding the fact that you’re all child molesters like Lou Beres or Danny Alan Howe.
Marriage equality is not a special right. Domestic partnerships are not a special right. If you think a domestic partnership is a special right, then I’ve got news for you: there’s no need to be jealous of this "special" right. You can go find the same sex partner of your dreams and get your own DP any time you want. They don’t make you present a "gay card" or anything. So you can be straight as an arrow and have just as much of a right to have a DP. Lawd knows that gay people have been getting into marriages since the dawn of marriage. Larry Craig is a good example right there. Give that sad, dumb attempt of an argument a rest.
If you think marriage equality is not constitutional, you have NOT read the constitution and you do not understand it.
Massachusetts public schools do not teach 3rd graders about ANY sex. They do have one of the lowest divorce rates, and lowest abortion rates in the Union, however.
Nobody’s sex life is required by law to be private. Anybody can show certain amounts of affection in public. We’ve got one of the highest concentrations of strip clubs in Oregon, why would anybody say that gay affection has to be more closeted than straight? We’re not fucking in the streets, hello!! To say you love somebody, but expect them to be in the closet is NOT love. It’s abuse.
World Net Daily spends half their time telling lies and the other half settling law suits about their lies.
And finally…
HERE IS MY GAY AGENDA:
I’d like to get up, and have a nice breakfast with the woman of my dreams and have a NORMAL dull boring life, where we aren’t always worried about if something happens to us, & we can’t help eachother.
DEAR LAWD!! THE WILLAMETTE RIVER IS GONNA CATCH FIRE!! The SKY will BLEED and the MOON WILL DISAPPEAR!! Dogs and cats LIVING TOGETHER!! It will be MADNESS!!!
Get over your stupid selves, will ya?
The far Right makes me proud to be an Oregonian.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=bjZ6Je4p66A