Articles From Our July, 2004 Newsletter
July Program
Our July program will feature Greg Razer, currently serving as the Field
Organizer for PROMO. Greg attended the University of Missouri-Columbia from
1996-2000, graduating with a BA-History. While at Mizzou he was best known
for performing as the school’s mascot, Truman the Tiger!!
For the past two years he has been the Associate Producer of AIDS Walk,
Kansas City,
www.aidswalkkansascity.org
He worked in the Kansas City office of the Missouri Democratic Coordinated
Campaign during the 2002 election cycle as the party’s KC LGBT organizer.
Immediately before joining PROMO he was the Legislative Assistant to Jackson
County (Kansas City) Legislator, Scott Burnett.
Greg says, “"I am extremely excited about joining PROMO. I have been
privileged to work with one of Kansas City's best event planners as well as
one of the most respected political figures in our city. I look forward to
carrying that knowledge with me as I now get to work as a part of one of the
most well regarded LGBT organizations in our nation."
Most of us are acquainted with PROMO, known as Missouri's Statewide Gay,
Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Civil Rights Organization.
Come and be a part of this informative program as Greg shares about this
vital organization and the impact it is making in our state.
We will meet at the usual time and place on Sunday, July 11.
The Senate will vote on the discriminatory Federal Marriage
Amendment in early July - help us send over 250,000 letters to Senators
across the country by clicking on this link:
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/ct/mdqCsf51vBGo/
From
Our President
This past June marked several big events in the Lee household. I made it
through the first anniversary of my mother’s death, Richard celebrated a
birthday we’re not counting, Katibeth turned sixteen; our oldest, Andy,
started grad school at UMKC and moved into his first apartment, and we
participated in our second PRIDE weekend. It was enormously special this
year because we were able to celebrate it with John. Some of you may have
seen him dancing with the Late Night Theatre group on Sunday evening. It
takes a special family to watch their son dance in his sister’s pink hot
pants….what a hoot! I was hoping for a great turn-out and praying for great
weather---we were not disappointed.
The people who stopped by the PFLAG booth delighted me. Many had never heard
of us and were glad to pick up a few pamphlets. Some came by just to say
"Hi" and drop a donation in the bucket, and others lingered for a while to
share with us their stories. This year I was acutely aware of the couples
who passed by (the young and the not so young) and I wondered how they must
feel when the topic of marriage comes up. PRIDE means a sense of one’s own
proper dignity or value...self-respect. Are their relationships less
dignified or less valuable simply because they are a same-sex couple? I
shudder to think that there are those in this state that not only think so
but would like to pass a constitutional amendment saying just that. My heart
breaks for those who must face this kind of bigotry and bias every
day…BUT….we have not lost the battle. We still have our voices and the power
that comes from casting our vote. PLEASE get out and vote on Aug 3rd so
those who would seek to discriminate against our loved ones will be
silenced.
Jamie
DON'T FORGET TO VOTE AUG. 3rd
A Message from Ron Schlittler
In some Weekly Alerts over the past month you may have noticed a call for
members of the PTA to get in touch with us. We were not specific about why,
but we can now fill everyone in, and it is a remarkable story. It speaks to
the incredible character and power of PFLAG. The bottom line is that
messages of thanks to the PTA are in order. Here is what happened:
At the national office we have attempted to develop a relationship with the
National PTA for some time - and always without response from them. About
six months ago we were surprised and pleased when a call came in from the
PTA asking us to offer a workshop proposal for their national convention
coming up at the end of this month in Anaheim, CA. After submitting what we
thought would be a good first session for them, we heard back that the
workshop was rejected - a first, we learned, for a proposal that was
requested. We took it in stride and decided to rent booth space in the
exhibit hall. After we sent in the rental check for around $600, we were
notified that we would get the space at no charge. We were thrilled! All we
had to do was send in samples of the materials we would be providing, and we
sent in our standard safe schools materials. Again, we heard back first by
phone, then in writing that, "Based on our members' conversations concerning
lifestyle choices, we believe that the total message of your organization
would not be well received by our delegates." We were dumbfounded and
dismayed.
Rather than let this be the end, we took steps to rent a space in the hotel
across the street and to make plans to offer a day long "teach in" and to go
public with the story with national media. We'd notified our friends with
the California Safe Schools Coalition to fill them in and get their thoughts
and assistance. We were ready to go. Judy Shepard was going to join me in
signing an open letter to the PTA. I then put in a call to the new National
PTA CEO, Warlene Gary to let her know about our astonishment with how things
were playing out and about our plans to set up across the street. She heard
me out, explained that she was new, and something of her challenge working
with a rather conservative overall constituency. In two days I heard back
from Ms. Gary with an offer to reinstate our workshop and our exhibit table.
She understood that to relegate us to across the street was the wrong thing
to do - for lots of reasons. She is taking a risk with her constituents and
will need our support for handling this with grace and integrity.
Please send your words of thanks to the National PTA at
info@pta.org. We look forward to
continuing our work with the Orange County PFLAG chapter and the California
Safe Schools Coalition as we line up speakers to join us in the workshop and
volunteers to help staff the table!
As always, thank so much for all you are doing in your communities to make
them safer and more understanding places.
Ron Schlittler, Interim Executive Director, Natl. PFLAG
A Word About PFLAG's Scholarship Program
Amid the rejoicing over the scholarships that PFLAG recently awarded, there
have been a few sad incidents. One of our awardees was forced by his parents
to decline our award under threat of being evicted and disowned. Another
awardee was denied all recognition of his award by both his high school
award ceremony and by the school district superintendent who refused to act
on behalf of the student when he was left out of the recognition ceremonies.
Yesterday, I received news that following his award presentation by a
celebrity at the local gay pride festival this weekend, the home of a third
recipient was badly vandalized by, as he put it, "kids from school". These
dark clouds in my sunny sky are a reminder that we still have a long way to
go in achieving our mission despite the recent momentous court rulings and
legislation. It is too early for us to let down our guard.
Dr. Roy Gilbert Higginson
PFLAG's Deputy Director of Field and Policy
Tuesday, June 22, 2004
NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign
WASHINGTON - The Congressional Budget Office released an analysis this week
showing that recognizing marriages of same-sex couples would be beneficial
to the federal budget. The finding is extremely significant and shows that
the government would see a $1 billion annual increase in revenue by giving
same-sex couples the benefits for which they're already paying, said the
Human Rights Campaign.
"Congress's own analysis shows America would benefit from equal protection,"
said HRC President Cheryl Jacques. "Now it's clear that giving all American
families equal protection wouldn't harm the bottom line."
According to the report, "In some cases, recognizing same-sex marriages
would increase outlays and revenues; in other cases, it would have the
opposite effect. The Congressional Budget Office (CBO) estimates that on
net, those impacts would improve the budget's bottom line to a small extent:
by less than $1 billion in each of the next 10 years (CBO's usual estimating
period)."
The analysis was requested by Rep. Steve Chabot, R-Ohio, who chairs the
House subcommittee on the Constitution. The committee is scheduled to hold a
hearing June 24 about bans on marriage between same-sex couples.
"We will see to it that every member of Congress is aware that the only
financial burden is to same-sex couples who are prohibited from the same
rights and responsibilities as other families," added Jacques.
The analysis can be found here:
http://www.cbo.gov/showdoc.cfm?index=5559&sequence=0
PFLAG SUPPORTS REAL FAMILY VALUES