Upcoming Events

The Pride Picnic and Parade

These will be early this year. The picnic is Saturday, July 8, and we usually have our table there and sometimes help with the food service. The parade is Sunday, July 8. We typically meet at the State Street/Mifflin corner about one hour before parade time. The parade usually goes down State Street. The pride website is up ( www.madisonpride.org ) and will have more information (e.g. time of start, parade route etc.) a bit later. Please watch our web site, www.pflag-madison.org for more information.

Fair Wisconsin sends the following message

In Dane County, we are pushing our campaign to stop the ban on civil unions and marriage. You can join us every Saturday in June. Sign up or e-mail Pabitra at about future canvasses.

Many other volunteer opportunities are available. Visit http://eqfed.org/aw/event-calendar.tcl for details.
Every canvass begins with a training--we will help you learn how to talk with the voters you meet, and then will pair you with a partner to work with throughout the day.

Face-to-face conversations are the most effective means of informing voters about the ban. Whether you are an experienced canvasser or a newcomer, you will come to value your time at the door.

Please join us during this important time in Wisconsin history.

FARMERS MARKET

Sitters are needed for this very fun activity. Please email or call Kay to sign up. (kahegges@yahoo.com or 221-1956). Sitters usually take 2 hour shifts on market Saturdays starting April 22 and going into the first weekend in November. Our focus all summer will be to discuss the constitutional amendment banning civil unions and marriage. Sitters will need to be knowledgeable about the amendment and actively talk about it to all of those who stop at the table. See the Fair Wisconsin web site for all the information you need or talk to Kay, Jo, Sharon, Mary or Diane.

Note that after the 5/20 Market Kay will be out of town until July 8, and Karen Baker will be doing the scheduling while she is gone.

NOMINATIONS SOUGHT FOR OUTREACH AWARDS

OutReach is seeking nominations for its 2006 Annual Awards. The awards will be presented at the 14th Annual OutReach Awards Banquet on Friday night, July 7th at Monona Terrace. Awards will be presented to the Volunteer of the Year (OutReach Volunteer Only), Ally of the year, Business/Organization of the Year, Man/Woman of the Year, while nominations will also be taken for Lifetime Achievement Award and Special Recognition Award. For more information go to www.outreachinc.com and click on "Nomination Form" or call (608) 255-8582 or email. Nominations will be accepted through May 28th.

Other Publications

From the Human Rights Campaign Weekly Message

(This week's message reminds us that there is also a Federal Marriage Amendment in the works):
As the Federal Marriage Amendment fight continues to heat up, we are doing everything we can to raise awareness in the press. In a New York Times article this week, we drew attention to the amendment's clash with America's priorities. Check out the story here (this will be a summary only, you will need to pay to see the full article).

With many states facing their own constitutional amendment fights, it's important to make every strong argument against discrimination we can. One very powerful argument centers on the consequences of inequality on a business's bottom line. An Associated Press article this week called attention to the effects these amendments have on a state's ability to recruit and retain creative and diverse employees.

An E-Mail from Elizabeth Brown (PFLAG National)

Subject: Federal Marriage Amendment and In-district Meetings!!
Date: Tue, 9 May 2006 12:01:03 -0400
From: "Elizabeth Brown" <EBrown@pflag.org>
To: <pflagall@yahoogroups.com>

Hello from national! As some of you may know I am the person at the national office who works on marriage equality issues. During the week of June 5th, 2006 the senate will vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment. (It is actually a vote of cloture which is a vote to end debate and vote on the issue, but never-the-less it is a very, very significant vote) The coalition of groups working on lobbying senators is looking to PFLAG to put grassroots pressure on senators to oppose the Federal Marriage Amendment and I need help from you.

I am looking for PFLAGers in any state to take the lead on planning an in-district meeting with their senators (or their staffers) to discuss the Federal Marriage Amendment before the June 5th vote. The week that we are looking at planning the most visits on is the week of May 29th to June 2nd. It is so important that we meet with these senators in-district before the June 5th vote that I would like to work with you, or someone you suggest to me, to plan visits. I have a kit with all the info you need to schedule the visit from sample fax and phone scheduling scripts to the specific contact info for the district offices in these states. All I need is someone to take the lead in scheduling a visit with the district office in your state and a group of 3 to 5 PFLAGers to attend the visit. I will help with any aspect of the visit that you need help with whether it be follow-up calling with the district scheduler to conducting a conference call training with the PFLAGers attending the visit. I will also provide you with sample press alerts and press releases.

Please let me know ASAP if you are willing to take the lead in your state on this or if you have the name and contact info of someone you think might be able to do it. I would love to be able to call our coalition partners and the press and let them know that PFLAGers across the country have let their senators know, in person, that all they want for Mother’s day is a “NO” vote on the Federal Marriage Amendment. Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have.

My email is ebrown@pflag.org and my phone is 202-467-8180 ext. 211.

Thank you in advance for your help on this!!!
Elizabeth

P.S.—This is so important that I would set up the appointments for you all, but district offices don’t want to hear from some random person in Washington…they only want to hear from constituents.

Elizabeth Hampton Brown
Field and Policy Coordinator
Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
1726 M St., NW Suite 400
Washington, DC 20036

From the book, Why Marriage Matters, by Evan Wolfson

Sharon has been reading this book, and recommends the following quotes and excerpts:

"Those who deny freedom to others deserve it not for themselves; and under a just God cannot long retain it".
Abraham Lincoln

"A prime part of the history of our Constitution . . . is the story of the extension of Constitutional rights and protections to people once ignored or excluded".
U. S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg (1996)

Page 27
"No wonder we're hearing so much about gay people and marriage. America is again in a civil rights movement - and while courts and legislatures grapple with how and when to end discrimination more and more people, gay and non-gay, are reexamining where they stand and are speaking out. The country is moving closer to ending marriage discrimination - much like Canada, Europe, South Africa, and other leading US allies - and Americans are now fully engaged in an important discussion of how the denial of marriage harms families while helping no one".