Urgent Action Alert: Take A Stand In Porterville(UPDATE)
| By jessica - Jul 21st, 2009 at 1:07 am PDT |
| Also listed in: Visalia Equality Team - Courage Crusaders |
TAKE A STAND TOMORROW, July 21st
Where: Porterville City Hall 291 North Main Street, Porterville CA 93257
When: Oral Communications start at 7 pm sharp
We Need ALL of Your Support!!!!!!
All of our work locally and Cam Hamilton is still laughing in our faces!! As Mayor he led the call for Porterville City Council to endorse Prop 8 and now as a council member (he was recently replaced as Mayor by Pete McCracken) he is calling on the Council to endorse a resolution in opposition to SB 54, which would recognize out of state same-sex marriages performed before Nov. 5th 2009. He and Brian Ward have alienated us enough!! Help us fill up this City Council Meeting with fresh faces. If you cannot make it you can write a letter and send it to me and we will read them in front of the city council. Please, we need all the support we can get.
Jamie Garza Tulare County Chapter Leader MEUSA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please come and show support!! A city council cannot continue to t! ake stances on such issues without having to answer for them or without consequences. This issue affects everyone, we cannot continue to let discrimination prevail. Together we can and we will make a difference. Unite my warriors and gather in Porterville tomorrow night!
Brooke
www.gayvisalia.com &
Tulare Co. Equality Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cam Hamilton is at it again
Item 15 on the Agenda is a proposed resolution against SB 54 (Leno) co sponsored by Equality California.
Agenda and Item 15 info are in attached files.
http://www.ci.porterville.ca.us/ page 124-127
Where: Porterville City Hall 291 North Main Street, Porterville CA 93257
When: Oral Communications start at 7 pm sharp
We Need ALL of Your Support!!!!!!
Brock Porterville LGBTQ
559-302-8107 for more info
jessica mahoney tulare co equality team-team coordinator porterville
559-535-5003
*UPDATE TO MEETING! GO TULARE CO EQUALITY TEAM!
"Councilmen waver on new gay marriage bill
Comments 4 | Recommended1
Controversy surrounding Senate Bill 54 packed council chambers
July 22, 2009 - 10:11 AM
BY JENNA CHANDLER
THE PORTERVILLE RECORDER
Porterville city councilman rehashed a contentious issue Tuesday night -- gay marriage.
At their regular city council meeting, former mayor Cameron Hamilton proposed that they show adamant opposition to a bill circulating among state senators. The bill, No. 54, proposes that same-sex couples married outside the state and before the passage of Proposition 8, are warranted the equal recognition as married spouses in California.
This time the vote was not unanimous. By a sliver, they allowed Hamilton to draft a resolution to approve, or disapprove, at a future meeting.
“This is an emotional issue,” Brian Ward, who voted in favor, said.
On Sept. 2, 2008, the council formerly engaged with a state issue by adopting, in complete agreement, a resolution supporting Proposition 8. The ballot measure, which was passed by California voters in November, codifies that marriage in California is only between a man and a woman.
“The will of the people was taken care of when [Proposition] 8 was passed,” Hamilton said.
Since then, supporters of gay marriage and their opponents have consumed oral communications time at nearly every council meeting, tossing around opinions and dividing portions of the community.
Senator Mark Leno (D-Sacramento) drafted Bill 54 earlier this year. It also emphasizes that same-sex couples married outside the state and after the November election, have the “same rights, protections, and benefits” and are subject to “the same responsibilities” and “obligations” as spouses under California law, “with the sole exception of the designation of “marriage.”
“At this point I would not be in favor of a council-wide supported resolution,” Felipe Martinez, who voted in opposition, said.
He noted that while he had his personal beliefs, he needed to go with the will of his constituents.
Pedro Martinez, who abstained, cautioned that following Hamilton’s lead could take the council in an unfavorable activist direction.
“I’m not looking at pushing this through at this point in time,” he said.
He also said he preferred urging residents to let their senator know their opinions.
A senator typically receives opposition or support from a city council only when legislation directly affects the city, according to Leno’s Press Secretary Ali Bay.
Mayor Pete McCracken, who voted in opposition, smothered a short, but fervent, verbal scrap between Pedro Martinez and Hamilton.
“Councilmen, we’re not the Seoul Korea government,” he said.
Residents from across the county took advantage of the public hearing, filling most of the council chamber seats.
Four spoke out against the bill, while 12 declared their support.
All types of people passionately offered up their opinions, from a religious leaders to parents to doctors.
Opponents called the bill a “sleazy” and “underhanded” attempt to overturn Proposition 8.
Proponents said it was a secular step towards equal rights.
The earliest the bill will be voted on is mid-August, according to Bay.
-- Contact Jenna Chandler at 784-5000, Ext. 1050, or jchandler@portervillerecorder.com.
FROM MOLLY MCKAY
"Team -
I hope you will join me in sending out a statewide shout of support and thanks to Jamie Garza, Tulare County Chapter Leader of Marriage Equality USA and her chapter members who are doing INCREDIBLE defense work in Tulare county. Last night, they successfully defeated an attempt to pass a city council resolution opposing Senator Leno's bill which clarifies that out of state marriages performed prior to Nov 5, 2008 are valid and recognized.
By being a tenacious stand for marriage equality and putting forth their local faces, stories and vocal support at city council meeting after city council meeting - they have successfully raised doubts in the minds of their local electeds about their opposition to marriage equality - and those doubts were in today's local newspaper.
I really want to acknowledge our incredible community leaders thoughout the Central Valley - Jamie and her wife - and so many others - who are out there on the front lines, in places where many aren't out for fear for their personal safety - doing the heavy lifting and being incredibly courageous and strong - Thank you Jamie - you are an inspiration to us all !!
Let's all send good vibes to Whitney Weddell and her team in Bakersfield who are hosting the final stop on the Get Engaged Tour tomorrow night. Together, united, we are unstoppable! ! Offense/Defense = forward motion towards our goal."
"Dear Jamie,
On behalf of our senior management team at NCLR, I wanted to send you a personal thank you for your great work in standing up for the Leno bill in Tulare County. That is an important bill, and we are so grateful for your leadership in dissuading the Porterville City Council from opposing it. As someone who was born and raised in Texas, I have some inkling of what you are up against, and I have the utmost admiration for your courage.
If there is anything we can do to support you, please do not hesitate to let us know.
With admiration and respect,
Shannon Minter
Legal Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights
415-595-2125"
"I just wanted to congratulate and thank you for working so hard! I hope you get some rest before the next vote!
(I'm the new Santa Barbara chapter leader and member of our local Coalition - the Strategic Alliance for Marriage Equality).
Anna Sorensen
Graduate Student, Department of Sociology
UC Santa Barbara"
Where: Porterville City Hall 291 North Main Street, Porterville CA 93257
When: Oral Communications start at 7 pm sharp
We Need ALL of Your Support!!!!!!
All of our work locally and Cam Hamilton is still laughing in our faces!! As Mayor he led the call for Porterville City Council to endorse Prop 8 and now as a council member (he was recently replaced as Mayor by Pete McCracken) he is calling on the Council to endorse a resolution in opposition to SB 54, which would recognize out of state same-sex marriages performed before Nov. 5th 2009. He and Brian Ward have alienated us enough!! Help us fill up this City Council Meeting with fresh faces. If you cannot make it you can write a letter and send it to me and we will read them in front of the city council. Please, we need all the support we can get.
Jamie Garza Tulare County Chapter Leader MEUSA
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Please come and show support!! A city council cannot continue to t! ake stances on such issues without having to answer for them or without consequences. This issue affects everyone, we cannot continue to let discrimination prevail. Together we can and we will make a difference. Unite my warriors and gather in Porterville tomorrow night!
Brooke
www.gayvisalia.com &
Tulare Co. Equality Team
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Cam Hamilton is at it again
Item 15 on the Agenda is a proposed resolution against SB 54 (Leno) co sponsored by Equality California.
Agenda and Item 15 info are in attached files.
http://www.ci.porterville.ca.us/ page 124-127
Where: Porterville City Hall 291 North Main Street, Porterville CA 93257
When: Oral Communications start at 7 pm sharp
We Need ALL of Your Support!!!!!!
Brock Porterville LGBTQ
559-302-8107 for more info
jessica mahoney tulare co equality team-team coordinator porterville
559-535-5003
*UPDATE TO MEETING! GO TULARE CO EQUALITY TEAM!
"Councilmen waver on new gay marriage bill
Comments 4 | Recommended1
Controversy surrounding Senate Bill 54 packed council chambers
July 22, 2009 - 10:11 AM
BY JENNA CHANDLER
THE PORTERVILLE RECORDER
Porterville city councilman rehashed a contentious issue Tuesday night -- gay marriage.
At their regular city council meeting, former mayor Cameron Hamilton proposed that they show adamant opposition to a bill circulating among state senators. The bill, No. 54, proposes that same-sex couples married outside the state and before the passage of Proposition 8, are warranted the equal recognition as married spouses in California.
This time the vote was not unanimous. By a sliver, they allowed Hamilton to draft a resolution to approve, or disapprove, at a future meeting.
“This is an emotional issue,” Brian Ward, who voted in favor, said.
On Sept. 2, 2008, the council formerly engaged with a state issue by adopting, in complete agreement, a resolution supporting Proposition 8. The ballot measure, which was passed by California voters in November, codifies that marriage in California is only between a man and a woman.
“The will of the people was taken care of when [Proposition] 8 was passed,” Hamilton said.
Since then, supporters of gay marriage and their opponents have consumed oral communications time at nearly every council meeting, tossing around opinions and dividing portions of the community.
Senator Mark Leno (D-Sacramento) drafted Bill 54 earlier this year. It also emphasizes that same-sex couples married outside the state and after the November election, have the “same rights, protections, and benefits” and are subject to “the same responsibilities” and “obligations” as spouses under California law, “with the sole exception of the designation of “marriage.”
“At this point I would not be in favor of a council-wide supported resolution,” Felipe Martinez, who voted in opposition, said.
He noted that while he had his personal beliefs, he needed to go with the will of his constituents.
Pedro Martinez, who abstained, cautioned that following Hamilton’s lead could take the council in an unfavorable activist direction.
“I’m not looking at pushing this through at this point in time,” he said.
He also said he preferred urging residents to let their senator know their opinions.
A senator typically receives opposition or support from a city council only when legislation directly affects the city, according to Leno’s Press Secretary Ali Bay.
Mayor Pete McCracken, who voted in opposition, smothered a short, but fervent, verbal scrap between Pedro Martinez and Hamilton.
“Councilmen, we’re not the Seoul Korea government,” he said.
Residents from across the county took advantage of the public hearing, filling most of the council chamber seats.
Four spoke out against the bill, while 12 declared their support.
All types of people passionately offered up their opinions, from a religious leaders to parents to doctors.
Opponents called the bill a “sleazy” and “underhanded” attempt to overturn Proposition 8.
Proponents said it was a secular step towards equal rights.
The earliest the bill will be voted on is mid-August, according to Bay.
-- Contact Jenna Chandler at 784-5000, Ext. 1050, or jchandler@portervillerecorder.com.
FROM MOLLY MCKAY
"Team -
I hope you will join me in sending out a statewide shout of support and thanks to Jamie Garza, Tulare County Chapter Leader of Marriage Equality USA and her chapter members who are doing INCREDIBLE defense work in Tulare county. Last night, they successfully defeated an attempt to pass a city council resolution opposing Senator Leno's bill which clarifies that out of state marriages performed prior to Nov 5, 2008 are valid and recognized.
By being a tenacious stand for marriage equality and putting forth their local faces, stories and vocal support at city council meeting after city council meeting - they have successfully raised doubts in the minds of their local electeds about their opposition to marriage equality - and those doubts were in today's local newspaper.
I really want to acknowledge our incredible community leaders thoughout the Central Valley - Jamie and her wife - and so many others - who are out there on the front lines, in places where many aren't out for fear for their personal safety - doing the heavy lifting and being incredibly courageous and strong - Thank you Jamie - you are an inspiration to us all !!
Let's all send good vibes to Whitney Weddell and her team in Bakersfield who are hosting the final stop on the Get Engaged Tour tomorrow night. Together, united, we are unstoppable! ! Offense/Defense = forward motion towards our goal."
"Dear Jamie,
On behalf of our senior management team at NCLR, I wanted to send you a personal thank you for your great work in standing up for the Leno bill in Tulare County. That is an important bill, and we are so grateful for your leadership in dissuading the Porterville City Council from opposing it. As someone who was born and raised in Texas, I have some inkling of what you are up against, and I have the utmost admiration for your courage.
If there is anything we can do to support you, please do not hesitate to let us know.
With admiration and respect,
Shannon Minter
Legal Director
National Center for Lesbian Rights
415-595-2125"
"I just wanted to congratulate and thank you for working so hard! I hope you get some rest before the next vote!
(I'm the new Santa Barbara chapter leader and member of our local Coalition - the Strategic Alliance for Marriage Equality).
Anna Sorensen
Graduate Student, Department of Sociology
UC Santa Barbara"
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