From: kane@buast7.bu.edu (Hot Young Star)
Newsgroups: talk.politics.misc,ca.politics,ba.politics
Subject: Re: What to do about Colorado
Date: 5 Nov 92 19:01:05 GMT
Followup-To: talk.politics.misc
Organization: Astronomy Department, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA
Originator: kane@buast7.bu.edu

From soc.motss, one of the many synopses about Colorado passing a
referendum banning consitutionally any antidiscrimination law protecting
gay men, lesbians, or bisexual individuals:
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From: kenj@kambo.esd.sgi.com (Ken ``Blackfur'' Jones)
Newsgroups: soc.motss,soc.bi
Date: 4 Nov 92 22:49:45 GMT

michael@resonex.com (Michael Bryan) writes:

>As I sit here at work this morning, I'm trying to sort through my
>feelings about the travesty in Colorado.

I'm particularly depressed about Colorado passing Measure 2.  Mike
will vouch that it put quite a damper on an otherwise pleasant
evening.

I take _some_ comfort in that it looks clearly unconstitutional.
Time to hit the courts.

(Justification, the 14th Amendment, Section 1:

    1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States,
       and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the
       United States and of the States wherein they reside.  No State
       shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the
       privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor
       shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or
       property without due process of law, nor deny to any person
       within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

Measure 2 denies gay, lesbian, and bisexual people equal protection
of the laws.  You could also make a strong case that the measure
abridges GLB people's privlileges and deprives them of their
liberty.  Disclaimer: as you can tell, I'm not a lawyer.)

>One possibility is to work for protection at the *National* level.

Strongly seconded.  Now that we have a Democratic president(-elect)
and a Democratic-control Senate and House, we finally have a chance
to pass federal anti-discriminiation laws.  Last session, even with
no chance of it being serious discussed (thanks to the assured veto
from Bush), the federal "gay rights" bill had well over 100
co-sponsors.  Time now for them to follow through.  As soon as I can
locate appropriate addresses and phone and fax numbers, I'm going to
be innundating my two new Democratic, female senators, my new
Democratic, female US Representative (Anna Eshoo took over the seat
vacated by Tom Campbell in a district that usually elects moderate
Republicans), and my new Democratic President.

This is an issue that we need to fight hard.  Already, plans are
underway to introduce similar measures in other states.  We need to
kill this as quickly and as cleanly as we can to avoid spending most
of our resources on defensive battles rather than pushing for better
anti-discrimination protection. 

BTW, I'd like to point out that the Colorado measure specifically
lists bisexuality.  I want to emphasize that to anyone out there who
happens to question inclusion of bisexuals in gay and lesbian space.
I find it interesting that some gay and lesbian groups can be so
intransigent on bisexuality inclusion whereas the bigots are more
than willing to paint us with the same brush.  If the bigots can be
so inclusive, why can't the gay and lesbian communities?  This is no
time for division in our ranks.

- Ken
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Brian
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kane@{buast7,astro}.bu.edu (Hot Young Star) Astronomy Dept, Boston University,
Boston, MA 02215. True personal salvation is achieved by absolute faith in
ones true self.
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