Aloha,
Thank you to those who promptly took action in response to my recent diary asking people to urge Gov. Linda Lingle to sign Hawai`i's civil unions bill. More e-mails, faxes, and calls are needed.
This story has been front-page news throughout the state the past several days. There's widespread realization that the Aloha State is on the verge of a historic achievement.
Please follow me below for:
a link to e-mail the Governor;
links to and excerpts from recent news articles and blog posts on this subject; and
links to websites for some great organizations working on this issue.
Link to e-mail the Governor:
https://cs.ehawaii.gov/...
Recent news articles and blog posts:
Lawmakers hailing civil unions vote
Sen. Roz Baker, whose district includes West and South Maui, said she wasn't surprised the House took up the civil-unions bill in the waning moments of the session.
"They did a good job. I'm proud of them," she said. "Equal rights under the law is what we're supposed to be all about."
Central Maui Sen. Shan Tsutsui agreed.
"It's important that - whether heterosexual or homosexual - that people be treated equally under all state laws," he said. "I think this measure provides that."
Hawaii civil unions bill sparks deluge of messages to governor
Garret Hashimoto, of the Hawai'i Christian Coalition, said opponents are "in shock" following the 31-20 House vote Thursday, but are optimistic the governor will veto the bill.
"It's time for action," he said. "Definitely, everybody's flooding the governor's office."
Bentz, of Equality Hawai'i, said supporters of civil unions are also mobilizing.
"The next step ... is getting the word out from our members to the governor," he said.
Democrats expect battle after civil unions' passage
The Hawaii Christian Coalition has sent out e-mails asking members "to flood the governor's office with requests to veto the bill."
Democrats look at the thousands of demonstrators that anti-civil-union groups have had at the state Capitol, and they know a battle looms.
"For conservatives, it gives them a reason to participate," former Democratic Rep. Annelle Amaral said. "I was watching the vote in the House and for conservatives, it was a visceral reaction. It will build a fire in conservatives."
We could use some civil discourse on civil unions
Civil unions speak to financial and legal matters, making it easier for non-traditional partners to be good citizens, without standing in the way of those who love the sinners continuing to hate the sin, if that how they stand on this sort of thing.
If you would not lynch someone for being gay, then you have already accepted that you are not in judgment of someone for being gay, so why make such a big deal of not letting someone share his medical benefits with someone who shares his rent? This might be a good place to point out that the civil unions bill is gender- neutral and applies equally to male-female partners who are not married.
With House Passage, Hawaii's Civil Unions Are Now Just a Governor's Signature Away
Now the bill heads to the desk of Gov. Linda Lingle — whose term must end after eight years — who hasn't indicated publicly whether she'll sign it.
Five Reasons Gov. Linda Lingle Should Sign Hawaii's Civil Unions Law
This one's for the children. And the majority of people who support civil unions.
As numerous activists (including those with Equality Hawaii) have made perfectly clear these past few weeks (if not years), this civil unions legislation only serves to bolster Hawaii's LGBT families. "Equality feels really good," said activist Suzanne King, whose legal same-sex marriage in Massachusetts would be recognized as a civil union in Hawaii, if Gov. Lingle signs the bill. "It allows us to strengthen our family." Why? Because it means that her relationship with her partner/wife will be seen as legitimate by the state, and by society. And that's a sentiment that's particularly important for the children of LGBT parents. Meanwhile, it also bears repeating that nationwide, majorities of people support civil unions legislation, across all party lines. In fact, this past February, ABC noted that support for civil unions was at an all-time high, with nearly 66 percent of the country supporting them. In other words, this isn't a risky political move for Gov. Lingle. It's one that puts her in lockstep with two-thirds of the country.
Organizations working on this issue:
ACLU of Hawai`i
Japanese American Citizens League, Honolulu Chapter
Citizens for Equal Rights
UNITE HERE! Local 5 Hawai`i
One final note:
I'm going to remind Gov. Lingle that the civil unions bill (HB444) passed with bipartisan support, thanks to the courageous yes votes of Republican Reps. Barbara Marumoto and Cynthia Thielen.
Mahalo!