March 16, 2004

 

PLEASE READ, FORWARD, AND TAKE ACTION

Thismessage explains how your legislators voted during last week's ConstitutionalConvention and outlines how you can help defend equal marriage rights betweennow and March 29th.

Unfortunately,our supporters in the legislature were unable to deal a fatal blow to aconstitutional amendment defining marriage as the union of one man and onewoman. The Constitutional Convention will reconvene on March 29th, at whichtime legislators will consider for final passage the Travaglini-Finneranamendment.

Somehave called this amendment a compromise. We see it differently. The Travaglini-Finneran amendment would undermine the Supreme Judicial Court'sruling on marriage equality and replace it with a two-tiered system forfamilies in Massachusetts,with some committed couples entitled to marriage and others relegated to civilunions.

We stillhave a strong chance of defeating any "Defense of Marriage" constitutionalamendment. Your voice is more important now than ever!

 

Lastweek's votes were confusing -- legislators on both sides of the issue voted inways that appear counterintuitive. The key vote was the last vote of the day --the vote to advance to Travaglini-Finneran amendmentto the next round of consideration. A vote against advancing the amendment wasa clear vote in favor of equality.

 

URGENTACTION TODAY -- CONTACT YOUR REPRESENTATIVE AND SENATOR

Yourrepresentative, Peter V. Kocot, voted to defeat thediscriminatory Defense of Marriage amendment. Please call him at617-722-2575 (or write) to thank him for his amazing leadership. If you feelcomfortable doing so, let Representative Kocot knowthat you will actively support his reelection to the legislature this fall.

YourSenator, StanleyC. Rosenberg, voted to defeat the discriminatory Defense of Marriageamendment. Please call him at 722-1532 (or write) to thank him for hisamazing leadership. If you feel comfortable doing so,let Senator Rosenberg know that you will actively support his reelection to thelegislature this fall.

 

URGENTACTION NOW THROUGH THIS WEEKEND

 

Join usthis Thursday for an organizing meet-up. We're putting together meet-ups in Boston, Worcester, and Springfield, and in or around New Bedford, Salem, and Newburyport. Details for each meet-up will beposted on our website as soon as they're available, with a final announcementto follow by e-mail when all sites are confirmed. We're shooting for a 6:30 PMstart time in each location, so block out your evening to get the latestcampaign news and find out how to help in your part of the state.

 

Thisweekend, help us make history with a major statewide field effort in targetedlegislative districts. We will be talking to potential voters at high-trafficareas in key swing districts, trying to enlist supporters in our campaign. Thiswork is critical! Plan to join us this weekend -- to have fun and to make areal difference. We will send an e-mail update and post details on our websitelater this week. Please try to commit at least half-a-day on either Saturday orSunday for this effort.

 

Write aletter to the editor. Please commit to write at least one letter to the editorthis week. Writing a letter to the editor is a quick and easy way to leteveryone know about your support for equality and about your legislators' voteson the issue. Because many local papers are published weekly, deadlines tosubmit letters for next week's papers are fast approaching.

Contactfriends, family members and other acquaintances -- as many people as you canthink of who live in Massachusetts.There has never been a more critical time! Ask them to contact theirlegislators. To receive an e-mail message designed for forwarding, click here.

 

Together,we can win!

 

Thanksagain,

Your MassEquality.org Update Team