| . |
| . |
| . |
www.ambiente.us JULY| JULIO 2010
Governor Lingle Vetoes Civil Union Bill in Hawaii
"Rejecting the Will of the Legislature and Turning Her Back on Committed
Same-Sex Couples"
Statement from Evan Wolfson, Executive Director of Freedom to Marry, the leading
campaign to win marriage equality nationwide, on Governor Lingle's decision to veto
the civil union bill in Hawaii:
"In the 1990s, Hawaii began the ongoing international movement toward ending gay
couples' exclusion from marriage and was the first U.S. state to create a legal status to
provide some state-level recognition and protections for same-sex couples. In the
historic Baehr case, the Hawaii Supreme Court acknowledged a constitutional
mandate to treat same-sex couples equally. Governor Lingle's decision to veto the civil
union bill is deeply disappointing and unnecessarily delays Hawaii's journey toward
fairness and equality. Governor Lingle has rejected the will of the state legislature and
the advice of countless business and faith leaders and turned her back on the
committed couples and Hawaii kin who have expressed their support for this measure.
Freedom to Marry urges the Hawaii state legislature to overrule Governor Lingle's veto
and take an important step toward fairness and equal protection for same-sex couples
in Hawaii."
Governor Lingle Vetoes Civil Union Bill in Hawaii
"Rejecting the Will of the Legislature and Turning Her Back on Committed
Same-Sex Couples"
Statement from Evan Wolfson, Executive Director of Freedom to Marry, the leading
campaign to win marriage equality nationwide, on Governor Lingle's decision to veto
the civil union bill in Hawaii:
"In the 1990s, Hawaii began the ongoing international movement toward ending gay
couples' exclusion from marriage and was the first U.S. state to create a legal status to
provide some state-level recognition and protections for same-sex couples. In the
historic Baehr case, the Hawaii Supreme Court acknowledged a constitutional
mandate to treat same-sex couples equally. Governor Lingle's decision to veto the civil
union bill is deeply disappointing and unnecessarily delays Hawaii's journey toward
fairness and equality. Governor Lingle has rejected the will of the state legislature and
the advice of countless business and faith leaders and turned her back on the
committed couples and Hawaii kin who have expressed their support for this measure.
Freedom to Marry urges the Hawaii state legislature to overrule Governor Lingle's veto
and take an important step toward fairness and equal protection for same-sex couples
in Hawaii."
LGBT/Latino/Hispanic Civil Rights unitycoalition.org |
| . AMBIENTE ONLINE STORE |
Fresh-Squeezed Paradise MIAMI RIVER INN miamiriverinn.com |
FLOWERS|ART ESSENTIALS flowerbardesign.com |
UC|CU MEMBER DISCOUNT CARD |
WORDS & IMAGES MATTER. Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation glaad.org |
SHOP AT THE DOT MDGLCC Members offer some great discounts & specials. |
Freedom to Marry is the leading campaign
working to win marriage nationwide. We
partner with organizations and supporters
across the country to end the exclusion of
same-sex couples from the responsibilities,
protections, and commitment of marriage.
www.freedomtomarry.org
Chad Griffin of The American
Foundation for Equal Rights
“Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle has aligned
herself with another Governor, George
Wallace, who also believed discrimination can
and should be perpetrated under the law. Our
Constitution guarantees equal protection
under the law to every American, and our
courts exist to protect those rights when they
are violated. The Perry v.Schwarzenegger trial
is a step toward affirming those rights.”
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not
reproduce without citing this source
working to win marriage nationwide. We
partner with organizations and supporters
across the country to end the exclusion of
same-sex couples from the responsibilities,
protections, and commitment of marriage.
www.freedomtomarry.org
Chad Griffin of The American
Foundation for Equal Rights
“Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle has aligned
herself with another Governor, George
Wallace, who also believed discrimination can
and should be perpetrated under the law. Our
Constitution guarantees equal protection
under the law to every American, and our
courts exist to protect those rights when they
are violated. The Perry v.Schwarzenegger trial
is a step toward affirming those rights.”
Copyright © AMBIENTE MAGAZINE. Do not
reproduce without citing this source
Hawaii governor who vetoed civil unions compares
them to incest
Linda Lingle, the Hawaii governor who vetoed a civil unions bill last week, has
compared them to condoning incest.
The bill had passed both houses and would have given both straight and gay couples
the right to have their partnerships recognised with all the rights of marriage.
However, Ms Lingle blocked it, saying she thought the move was "essentially same-sex
marriage by another name" and added that the decision was "so important it should be
decided by the people".
Speaking last Thursday morning on Rick Hamada's radio show, she was apparently
unaware that first cousins are permitted to marry in the state.
She said: "For those people who want to make this into a civil rights issue, and of
course those in favour of the bill, they see it as a civil rights issue. And I understand
them drawing that conclusion.
"But people on the other side would point out, well, we don’t allow other people to marry
even — it’s not a civil right for them. First cousins couldn’t marry, or a brother and a
sister and that sort of thing.
"So there are restrictions, not to put it in the exact same category. But the bottom line is, it
really can’t be a civil right if we are restricting it in other cases, and it’s been found to be
legal in those other cases, that the restrictions [are constitutional]."
them to incest
Linda Lingle, the Hawaii governor who vetoed a civil unions bill last week, has
compared them to condoning incest.
The bill had passed both houses and would have given both straight and gay couples
the right to have their partnerships recognised with all the rights of marriage.
However, Ms Lingle blocked it, saying she thought the move was "essentially same-sex
marriage by another name" and added that the decision was "so important it should be
decided by the people".
Speaking last Thursday morning on Rick Hamada's radio show, she was apparently
unaware that first cousins are permitted to marry in the state.
She said: "For those people who want to make this into a civil rights issue, and of
course those in favour of the bill, they see it as a civil rights issue. And I understand
them drawing that conclusion.
"But people on the other side would point out, well, we don’t allow other people to marry
even — it’s not a civil right for them. First cousins couldn’t marry, or a brother and a
sister and that sort of thing.
"So there are restrictions, not to put it in the exact same category. But the bottom line is, it
really can’t be a civil right if we are restricting it in other cases, and it’s been found to be
legal in those other cases, that the restrictions [are constitutional]."
According to the Honolulu Civil
Beat, one caller questioned
why Ms Lingle was apparently
unaware of her own state's
laws on marriage and the
Health Department confirms
that first cousins may marry.
Lambda Legal and the
American Civil Liberties Union
of Hawaii have said they will
sue the state over the veto and
have readied a lawsuit.
Laurie Temple, staff attorney
for the ACLU, said: "We're
obviously disappointed that
Governor Lingle has, once
again, used her power to deny
the people of Hawaii their civil
rights.
"Luckily for the people of
Hawaii, however, our
constitution prevents
discrimination based on
sexual orientation. If the
governor won't honour her oath
to uphold the constitution, the
courts will."
Beat, one caller questioned
why Ms Lingle was apparently
unaware of her own state's
laws on marriage and the
Health Department confirms
that first cousins may marry.
Lambda Legal and the
American Civil Liberties Union
of Hawaii have said they will
sue the state over the veto and
have readied a lawsuit.
Laurie Temple, staff attorney
for the ACLU, said: "We're
obviously disappointed that
Governor Lingle has, once
again, used her power to deny
the people of Hawaii their civil
rights.
"Luckily for the people of
Hawaii, however, our
constitution prevents
discrimination based on
sexual orientation. If the
governor won't honour her oath
to uphold the constitution, the
courts will."
Governadora do Hawaii veta lei de uniões civis
A Governadora considera que a lei é demasiado parecida com o casamento e que a
questão deve ser colocada directamente aos eleitores.
A Governadora Linda Lingle vetou a lei que iria dar aos casais do mesmo sexo todos
os direitos dos casais heterossexuais. Segundo ela a questão é demasiado polémica
para poder ser decidida apenas pelo poder legislativo.
Mas o movimento LGBT tem outra opinião, Jo-Ann Adams líder da secção LGBT do
Partido Democrata do Hawaii, emitiu um comunicado em que refere que a lei de uniões
civis foi aprovada directamente por ambas as Câmaras do Hawaii por margens
sólidas, e que a questão além de apoio claro dos legisladores tem tido resultados
positivos consistentes em sondagens realizadas por profissionais. Jo-Ann também
manifestou que ficou muito desapontada pelo facto da Governadora ter "ignorado a
vontade do povo e vetado a lei".
Do outro lado temos pessoas como Larry Silva, o bispo Católico do Honolulu que fez
pressão política no site oficial da diocese para que a lei não foi aprovada incluindo um
pedido para que fossem enviadas cartas para a governadora a exigir o veto.
Neste momento há nos EUA cinco estados mais o District of Columbia que realizam
casamentos civis para gays e lésbicas. O Hawaii juntar-se-ia a New Jersey nos que
têm uniões civis para casais do mesmo sexo mas sem o estatuto de casamento. Há
ainda três estados, Rhode Island, New York, e Maryland que reconhecem os
casamentos entre pessoas do mesmo sexo realizados em outros locais.
Portugal reconhece o direito ao casamento civil para casais do mesmo sexo desde
Junho de 2010.
A Governadora considera que a lei é demasiado parecida com o casamento e que a
questão deve ser colocada directamente aos eleitores.
A Governadora Linda Lingle vetou a lei que iria dar aos casais do mesmo sexo todos
os direitos dos casais heterossexuais. Segundo ela a questão é demasiado polémica
para poder ser decidida apenas pelo poder legislativo.
Mas o movimento LGBT tem outra opinião, Jo-Ann Adams líder da secção LGBT do
Partido Democrata do Hawaii, emitiu um comunicado em que refere que a lei de uniões
civis foi aprovada directamente por ambas as Câmaras do Hawaii por margens
sólidas, e que a questão além de apoio claro dos legisladores tem tido resultados
positivos consistentes em sondagens realizadas por profissionais. Jo-Ann também
manifestou que ficou muito desapontada pelo facto da Governadora ter "ignorado a
vontade do povo e vetado a lei".
Do outro lado temos pessoas como Larry Silva, o bispo Católico do Honolulu que fez
pressão política no site oficial da diocese para que a lei não foi aprovada incluindo um
pedido para que fossem enviadas cartas para a governadora a exigir o veto.
Neste momento há nos EUA cinco estados mais o District of Columbia que realizam
casamentos civis para gays e lésbicas. O Hawaii juntar-se-ia a New Jersey nos que
têm uniões civis para casais do mesmo sexo mas sem o estatuto de casamento. Há
ainda três estados, Rhode Island, New York, e Maryland que reconhecem os
casamentos entre pessoas do mesmo sexo realizados em outros locais.
Portugal reconhece o direito ao casamento civil para casais do mesmo sexo desde
Junho de 2010.
| . |