Marriage Equality Rhode Island

No Sideways at the Sidebar in November or December

2009-11-12T20:41:17-05:00

We will NOT be holding our monthly Sideways at the Sidebar event in November or December.

Check back in January for further information.

Lots of fun in the works here at MERI ~ visit often to find out the latest.

Published in: Events

Rep. Ferri Responds to the Governor’s Veto: It’s Personal

2009-11-12T17:23:26-05:00

Dear Governor Carcieri:

I write on behalf of the thousands of LGBT Rhode Islanders who you continue to persecute by governing according to your personal and religious beliefs. Your veto of Senate Bill 0195 and House Bill 5294, which sought to instill a modicum of dignity for all Rhode Islanders at a time of extreme hardship for anyone – the death of a loved one – can only be described as an act of cruelty. The ability to provide for the final wishes of a departed partner is a matter of civil rights, and it is unfortunate you have allowed your religious beliefs to once again cloud your judgment.

I remind you as governor you represent all the people of Rhode Island – not just those who subscribe to the views of the Catholic Church. Your consistent demonizing of the LGBT community will truly be a blemish on your tenure as governor. I think it is also time to remind you of a simple concept the Founding Fathers believed in – the separation of church and state. There have been many in the history of our country and state with deep religious commitment who understood their beliefs should not interfere with the rights of fellow citizens. Rhode Islanders would be far better served if you spent your last year in office governing with this simple, but essential, concept in mind.

To suggest, as you do in your veto message, that a “one year…relationship is not sufficient to establish a serious, lasting bond” between two persons over “traditional” family members is preposterous. It is not your role to judge the significance of relationships or commitments between two individuals. Believing you have a voice in this matter speaks volumes to the level of arrogance you bring to this debate. Certainly, it is beyond the scope of your authority to call into question the level of love, compassion and dedication between two people, regardless of the length of time they have been in a relationship with one another.

The suggestion that your veto is in some way tied to the ongoing discussion of marriage equality is especially disturbing. This bill has no affect whatsoever on the definition of marriage. Instead, it seeks to extend some measure of relief in an incredibly emotional time. Was the pain and suffering endured by Mark S. Goldberg as he attempted to secure the release of the remains of his partner of 17 years any less cruel because they were of the same sex? To suggest all Rhode Islanders should not have the same rights is nothing less than bigotry.

In short, no one elected you to serve as the state’s moral compass. Just as George Wallace stood before the doors of the University of Alabama, you find yourself on the wrong side of history. Your decision yesterday to deny some Rhode Islanders the same rights and dignities as their friends and neighbors is shameful and history will judge you harshly.

Sincerely,

Representative Frank G. Ferri
District 22, Warwick

Published in: News

Gov. Carcieri Vetoes Funeral Planning Bill

2009-11-11T05:24:46-05:00

R.I. governor vetoes ‘domestic partners’ burial bill
4:05 PM Tue, Nov 10, 2009
Katherine Gregg

PROVIDENCE, R.I.—An opponent of same-sex marriage, Governor Carcieri has vetoed bill that would have added “domestic partners’‘ to the list of people authorized by law to make funeral arrangements for each other.

Read the article and comment.

Published in: News

Garden State Equality Calls for Marriage Equality Vote in New Jersey

2009-11-09T20:23:39-05:00

Following Tuesday’s narrow rejection of same-sex marriage in Maine, the latest front in the battle over gay rights has moved to New Jersey. The Democrat-controlled legislature in New Jersey, which currently recognizes same-sex couples in civil unions, is under pressure to pass a bill that would authorize gay marriage before Jon Corzine ends his term in mid-January. Corzine, who was unseated in Tuesday’s election, said he would sign such a bill. Read entire article…

Published in:

CATHOLIC CALL TO END GAY MARRIAGE PING-PONG

2009-11-09T19:16:55-05:00

Gay-marriage Ping-Pong
ProJo Letter to the Editor
November 9, 2009

Now that Maine has joined California in voting down legalized marriage for homosexual persons, I wish to state my concerns and pledge my prayers for those children, men and women affected. No matter where one stands with regard to this issue the ping-ponging of persons’ lives by signing into law and then voting out same-sex marriage is unconscionable. It is not a “good thing.”

Read entire letter and comment.

Published in:

Six Tests for Equality and Fairness

2009-11-02T17:54:29-05:00

(via The New York Times)

Political battles this fall in six different parts of the country could have a profound impact on whether the United States will extend the promise of equal rights to those who are not allowed to marry simply because they are the same sex as their partner.

Three jurisdictions — New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia — seem tantalizingly close to securing legislative approval for measures ending the hurtful and unjustifiable exclusion of same-sex couples from civil marriage. But in Maine, Washington State and Kalamazoo, Mich., voters are being asked on Tuesday to strip away vital rights and protections.

The dominant Election Day battleground is Maine. Last fall, forces of the religious right backed a successful ballot measure that overruled California’s top court by banning same-sex marriage. Now those forces are trying for another mean-spirited victory with Maine’s Question 1, which, if approved, would block the legalization of same-sex marriage passed by the State Legislature and signed by Gov. John Baldacci in May. With the outcome likely to be close, a heavy turnout by voters committed to tolerance and justice is crucial.

Washington State has yet to approve same-sex marriage. But it took a positive step last May when Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill that granted gay and lesbian couples the state-provided benefits that married heterosexual couples have, like the right to use sick leave to care for a partner. Voters should affirm this progress by voting yes on Referendum 71.

A third initiative, in Kalamazoo, has the potential to overturn a measure unanimously approved by the City Commission barring discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, employment and public accommodations. Fair-minded voters should respond by voting yes to uphold the antidiscrimination law.

Following the election, attention will shift to New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, which stand a realistic chance of joining the jurisdictions where same-sex marriages are allowed.

The New York situation is particularly frustrating. Gov. David Paterson strongly supports granting same-sex couples the freedom to marry, and the State Assembly has twice passed a bill to do so. But the overdue measure has been in limbo because the Democrats who control the State Senate’s calendar keep dawdling over scheduling a recorded vote on the floor.

We do not have a precise head count. But we suspect that once the bill got to the floor, a majority of the Senate’s 62 members would recognize that same-sex marriage is a fundamental civil right. Continuing to delay a vote shows disrespect for New York citizens injured by the status quo. The time for a vote is right now.

In New Jersey, support has been building for a measure allowing same-sex marriages. Legislators should pass it during the upcoming lame-duck session. Gov. Jon Corzine has said he would sign the law.

In the District of Columbia, the City Council seems ready to approve a local law legalizing same-sex marriage in the shadow of the Capitol dome. That might prompt a Congressional attempt to tamper with home rule. But the fact that Congress has let stand a recent D.C. law recognizing same-sex marriages legally performed elsewhere gives hope that such meddling can be avoided.

Published in:

Catie Curtis at Local 121 - November 11, 8pm

2009-10-28T20:45:07-05:00

Event Details

Date: November 11, 2009

Location: Local 121, 121 Washington Street, Providence, RI 02903

Price: $25 per person

Join MERI supporters for a fabulous night of song with

nationally acclaimed singer-songwriter

CATIE CURTIS

On: Wednesday, November 11th, 8pm
At: Local 121, 121 Washington Street in Providence

Tickets are only $25 each and can be purchased at the door.

Questions? Please call (401) 941-2727 during business hours.

Thanks for your support of marriage equality!

Published in: Events

In Battle Over Gay Marriage, Timing May Be Key

2009-10-26T20:38:03-05:00

(via The New York Times)

In a San Francisco courtroom two weeks ago, a prominent lawyer opposed to same-sex marriage made a concession that could mark a turning point in the legal wars over the purpose and meaning of marriage.

The lawyer, Charles J. Cooper, has studied the matter deeply, and his erudite briefs are steeped in history. He cannot have been blindsided by the question Judge Vaughn R. Walker asked him: What would be the harm of permitting gay men and lesbians to marry?

“Your honor, my answer is: I don’t know,” Mr. Cooper said. “I don’t know.”

A couple of hours later, Judge Walker denied Mr. Cooper’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit seeking to establish a constitutional right to same-sex marriage. The concession and the ruling that followed it have transformed a federal lawsuit that had been viewed with suspicion by many gay rights advocates into something with the scent of promise.

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86 Year Old Vet on Marriage Equality: “What do you think I fought for in Omaha Beach?“

2009-10-21T19:15:01-05:00

This is an amazing video of an 86 year old WWII veteran speaking in Maine about his support for marriage equality. Truly moving and inspiring.

(via BoingBoing)

Published in: Culture

RAVENS PLAYER ‘INTERESTED IN MAKING A DIFFERENCE’

2009-10-03T14:06:19-05:00

(via washingtonblade.com)

For Baltimore Ravens linebacker Brendon Ayanbadejo, growing up in liberal Santa Cruz, Calif., made it easy for him to speak out years later in support of same-sex marriage.

“It’s a liberal town, and when you grow up there you might have a gay or lesbian teacher or a classmate who is openly gay,” he said. “It’s not a big deal there, and I grew up with it around me all the time, so I never thought it was a big deal.”

So when Ayanbadejo saw same-sex marriage become “a hot topic,” he decided to make his opinion known, penning a column for the Huffington Post earlier this year.

Ayanbadejo, who is in his second season with the Ravens, previously played for the Chicago Bears and Miami Dolphins. He’s been selected for the NFL’s Pro Bowl three times.

Ayanbadejo opined in the Huffington Post that “we will look back in 10, 20, 30 years and be amazed that gays and lesbians did not have the same rights as everyone else.”

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