Archive for November, 2008
Why Benefits Should Not be Tied to Relationships
Just two weeks after Florida voters locked marriage discrimination into their state constitution, the Florida [so-called] Family Association is already trying to strip rights from all domestic partners. Numerous Florida localities offer DP benefits. In Tampa, the seat of FFA’s target county, DP benefits have been available to both different-sex and same-sex partners of employees since 2004.
That this was predictable makes it none the less ugly. It validates the time and effort AtMP members spent fighting Amendment 2. And it is another reminder that, if the goal is getting people what they really need, then a strategy for universal health coverage or employee-plus-one benefits would be more effective than a marriage- or relationship-recognition strategy.
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health care
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Nov 24th, 2008 by Nicky
Litigation Options
Reporters are asking if AtMP will file an amicus brief with the CA supreme court – the short answer is ‘no.’ The reason is that we don’t have lawyers on staff nor money to hire legal consultants. But if we did, we would seriously consider the suggestions of AtMP member Joe D. He says CA could fulfill its constitutional requirement for Equal Protection by merging marriage and civil union and calling them “civil union.”
Our colleagues at the Nonprofit & Foundation Advocacy Blog have important advice about how nonprofits can litigate to change public policy. Read the rest of this entry »
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advocacy
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Nov 22nd, 2008 by Nicky
How do we end marriage discrimination?
What’s the best way to respond to marriage discrimination? Are you ready to divorce in protest? How could a test case get to the U.S. Supreme Court? Should government recognition of relationships drop the word marriage? People everywhere are bursting with ideas. This is an opportunity to capture ideas, bounce them around, improve them and create an action community. Read the rest of this entry »
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advocacy, get gov't out of marriage
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Nov 21st, 2008 by Nicky
Pain and Protest for Prop 8
Outrage over California’s Proposition 8 is sparking new interest in the decade-long grassroots movement to boycott marriage. AtMP’s mailbox is full of creative ideas and personal pleas from around the country:
- Jeff and his wife are thinking of getting divorced in protest.
- Joe has drafted a litigation proposal aiming for CA to stop licensing any marriages and offer all couples civil unions instead.
- Debanuj sees bitter irony in the absence of outrage over marriage discrimination ballots in Arkansas, Arizona and Florida, or over other votes that strip even more fundamental rights from people whether gay or not, married or not.
- Catherine says “As a gay Californian, it feels so good to have the support of so many of our straight neighbors.”
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advocacy
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Nov 20th, 2008 by Nicky
