Gay advocacy groups press Obama
Gay advocacy groups, disenchanted by President Obama’s inaction so far on campaign promises on their issues, are launching a campaign to get his administration to take a stand on the federal anti-gay marriage law.
The first federal lawsuit against a key section of the Defense Of Marriage Act was filed on last month by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders on behalf of eight same-sex married couples and three surviving spouses from Massachusetts. Obama’s Department of Justice until the week of June 22 to respond.
During his campaign, Obama promised to seek a repeal of the act, which allows states to not recognize gay marriages from other states. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs reiterated the president’s position last month. He opposes gay marriage, but does support civil unions and equal treatment for gays. In recent weeks, New Hampshire and Vermont have moved to join Massachusetts in legalizing gay marriage.
In the grassroots effort, organizers are asking participants to print out a “flip flop card” with the statement, “President Obama, please don’t flip flop on DOMA!” and mail it to the White House.
“President Obama, the defense of this discriminatory and archaic law will be tantamount to nothing short of a flip flop from your previously stated intentions. We’re asking you Mr. President, to take a principled stand for equality under the law and be the bold leader that we voted into office,” Paul Sousa, who leads the Boston-based Equal Rep, said in a statement.
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/05/gay-advocacy-…
Gay foes want say in DOMA challenge
(Boston, Massachusetts) Opponents of same-sex marriage are preparing to ask a federal judge to allow them to submit briefs in a challenge to the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
On Tuesday, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, the Boston-based LGBT rights group that brought the successful legal challenge leading to Massachusetts …
Tags: Amp, Boston Massachusetts, Briefs, Defense Of Marriage Act, Federal Judge, Foes, Gay Lesbian, Legal Challenge, Lesbian Advocates, Lgbt Rights, marriage, Opponents, same sex marriageGay-marriage backers target New England
Two New England states have already legalized same-sex marriage, and a Boston-based advocacy group wants to see the other four join them.
Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, known as GLAD, has launched a first-of-its-kind regional campaign aimed at winning approval for same-sex marriage in the six-state New England region by 2012.
Same-sex marriage is already legal in Connecticut and Massachusetts, a result of court decisions in cases brought by GLAD lawyers. The 2003 Massachusetts decision was the first in the nation, while the Connecticut ruling went into effect Nov. 12.
“We can make New England a marriage-equality zone by strategically combining existing legal, electoral and on-the-ground know-how to fast-track marriage in every New England state,” GLAD Executive Director Lee Swislow said.
“By 2012, we not only can have marriage equality throughout New England, we can have a road map for the rest of the country,” she said.
See Gay-marriage backers target New England
Washington Times - Washington,DC,USA
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Original source : http://gay_blog.blogspot.com/2009/01/gay-marriage-…
