5 anti-gay bills in SC legislature & a personal account of the House vote

[Kipepeo]

I found these 2 SC equality organizations, with info. on the anti-gay legislation and links to contact SC legislators:

The Alliance for Full Acceptance:
http://www.affa-sc.org/index.html

SC Equality Coalition:
http://www.scequality.org/

In addition, I thought I'd include this letter my friend sent me, from the mailing list of the SC Equality Coalition, because it includes some really moving stuff about the SC Representatives we can be proud of for standing up for equality even in the face of death threats in one instance:

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BITTERSWEET NEWS FROM THE STATEHOUSE
an email from Nekki Shutt distributed through the SCEC Alert list on 3/17/04

Dear Friends,

I spent most of the day at the State House today watching the debate on H4657, the Bill that would prohibit same-sex marriage, civil unions, and benefits from government entities. All told, it took about 1.5 hours. It was a bittersweet day. The sweet was that our friends really stood up. The bitter was that we lost in the end. I took notes so that I could give you the highlights:

-Rep. Gilda Cobb-Hunter: She took the floor to oppose the bill even though she had already received a DEATH THREAT for supporting a debate on the bill. She likened the bill to discrimination in Nazi Germany saying. . . they came for the Jews, and I was silent because I'm not Jewish; they came for the Catholics, and I was silent because I'm not Catholic; when they came for me there was no one left to speak up. She quoted Pres. Bush as being for civil unions and urged SC Republicans to follow suit. She undercut the Biblical arguments. She was M-A-G-N-I-F-I-C-A-N-T.

-Rep. Kennedy took the floor next to oppose the Bill. He said he has members of his family who are gay and he knows that all of the other House members do too. He added that he even questioned the sexuality of some of his fellow House members (to lots of laughter from the floor). How then, he challenged, could they pass this Bill discriminating against us? "Are you trying to show how macho you are?" he questioned.

-Rep. Jennings got up next and moved to divide the bill into two parts. One to include only the prohibition on gay marriage. The other, the prohibition on civil unions and benefits. The object was that it would be easier to defeat the second one. Rep. John Graham Altman tried to move to table this Motion, but the Speaker ruled that he would not accept a Motion to Table at that point. A vote on Jennings' motion lost 86 to 23. The Representatives that voted for it (and, thus, for us) were Reps. Allan, Brabham, Brown, Clyburn, Cobb, Freeman, Marvin, Hines, Hines, Jennings, Lloyd, Mack, Miller, Woody-Law, Neal, Nielson, Parks, Rutherford, Scott, J.E. Smith, T.N. Smith, Weeks, and Whipper.

-Rep. Rutherford was next. I HAVE SAVED THE BEST FOR LAST. Rep. Rutherford, bless his heart, fearlessly offered an amendment to the Bill which would provide same-sex civil unions. Rep. Altman immediately moved to table the proposed amendment. Altman's motion carried. Next. Rep. Rutherford spoke out against the Bill. He was I-N-C-R-E-D-I-B-L-E! I felt like I was watching Atticus Finch in "To Kill a Mockingbird." He was articulate and fiery. He called the members of the House who planned to vote for the Bill, "bigots." He said that as a legislator that he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he voted for the Bill because it was "bashing" folks. He likened it to interracial misogamy laws. I had tears in my eyes by the time he finished.

Finally, the speaker called for a vote. The Bill passed 103 to 7. Only Reps. Breeland, Cobb-Hunter, Kennedy, Lloyd, Mack, Rutherford, and J.E. Smith voted against it. More people opposed the Bill by abstaining from the vote. I don't have a complete list yet, but I know they included Reps. Clyburn, Jennings, and Neal at least.

When I left the gallery to find our SCEC lobbyist, I found Rep. Gloria Haskins instead. She had been the primary sponsor of H4657. I extended my hand, she took it, and I explained that I was a lawyer in town and a gay woman. She smiled sweetly at me all the while holding my hand and telling me that this was not personal, that it was public policy, and that she was protecting the taxpayers' money. Through clenched teeth, I told her that I was a taxpayer and that so was my partner of 19 years. She replied that she had lots of gay friends and that they understood that she was not trying to harm them with this Bill. At this point, I was shaking with rage and hurt and I was holding back tears. I tried to explain how legislative discrimination is so harmful. Clearly, she didn't get it. I found out later that she is a Bob Jones graduate, what a surprise!

As I turned from Rep. Haskins, I ran into Rep. Cobb-Hunter. At that point, I couldn't hold in my tears any more and they started pouring down my face. Not knowing me from Adam, she grabbed my hand and said "my poor baby, what is wrong, what has happened." I tried to say "thank you" to her for defending us so bravely, but the words wouldn't come out. All I could do was shake and cry. Fortunately, our lobbyist, Laddie Howard, was standing nearby and he introduced me. At that point, Rep. Cobb-Hunter gathered me in her arms and whispered in my ear that "this too shall pass." She and Rep. Neal were both comforting.

One more thing, which I think is indicative of the House mentality. Our dear, strong, smart lobbyist, Laddie, has been the target of some vicious gay baiting since he took SC Equality Coalition on as a client. Rep. Altman refers to him at the House as "the Head Homo" even though he knows that Laddie is the married father of two small children. Laddie told me repeatedly how he didn't give a nickel what they called him, but we all know how hurtful gaybaiting is. I think it just goes to show you the kind of evil people we are dealing with, though.

OK, sorry to blabber on, but this is important. WHAT CAN YOU DO? Well, a couple of things:

1) Write/email or call each of the Representatives who voted for us. Their email addresses are at the bottom of this letter.

2) Email or call the members of the SC Senate Judiciary Comm. who are
scheduled to hear the next anti-gay bill next week. Tell them that you oppose S0996 and S0387.

3) Join SCEC. It costs only $15 a year to join SCEC. Go to
www.SCEquality.org now and sign up on line.

4) Join your local GLBT organization (AFFA, Affirm Youth, the Guild, GLPM, LGLA, PFLAG, Rainbow Alliance, PALSS, AID Upstate) and volunteer to help. You can find their contact information at www.SCEquality.org

5) Send whatever money you can afford to SCEC to support the lobbying effort: P.O. Box 544, Columbia, SC 29202. We are hopeful that we can stop the bills in the SC Senate if we can sustain the lobbying effort.