MERI – RI Future

October 16, 2012October 16, 2012

MERI to Frank Schubert, NOM: Bring It

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Sometimes, you just know you’re gonna get hit.

A recent New York Times story confirmed what we’ve been predicting for months: The chief strategist and leader of the national anti-equality effort has his sights fixed on Rhode Island in 2013.

“Frank Schubert, a former corporate public relations executive, ran the $40 million, come-from-behind push for Proposition 8 in California in 2008. He went on to mount successful campaigns to defeat same-sex marriage in Maine and North Carolina. Now, with marriage initiatives on the ballot in Maryland, Minnesota, Washington State and Maine, Mr. Schubert is the chief strategist in all four at once…

Mr. Schubert already has his eye on the next year or two, when he sees marriage battles brewing in Rhode Island, New Jersey and several other states.”

Frank Schubert is well-known for running some of the most divisive, misleading and hurtful campaigns this country has ever seen. And now he’s coming to our state to spend untold amounts of money pushing the anti-gay agenda of the so-called National Organization for Marriage.

So today, we’re asking equality supporters to donate just $6.00 to make Rhode Island the sixth New England state to win marriage equality. We’re not a big money organization, and maybe we never will be, but with your help we can beat back Frank Schubert’s anti-gay rhetoric.

We don’t run from bullies in Rhode Island, we stand our ground and dig in. If Frank Schubert wants to pick a fight in our backyard, MERI says “bring it.”

May 3, 2012May 3, 2012

Foes of Marriage Equality Fear God, Communists

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It’s both sad and bizarre the logic used by the religious right to argue against marriage equality. Even more sad and bizarre, of course, is that Rhode island legislators aren’t brave enough to flout the ridiculous arguments proffered by the opposition and grant same sex couples the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts.

Consider why Rev. Jay Stirnemann of the Christ Temple United Pentecostal Church in Tiverton doesn’t think gay couples should have the same rights as everyone else:

This might be what Senate President Teresa Paiva-Weed and Rep. Doc Corvese, both Democrats who have fought against marriage equality, believe but it doesn’t seem to hold water with me. So I asked Rev. Stirnemann, if god created marriage, why animals don’t wed. Here’s what he told me:

Miraculously, his was not the most outlandish reason offered at a State House hearing last night on why legislators should reject marriage equality. That distinction goes to Chris Young, who said gay marriage is a secret plot by communists in the United States to end procreation. He even offered a picture that he said showed Russian troops training inside the United States to prove his point.

Of course, most sane people know this isn’t true. Even probably most legislators realize this too. The reason they won’t support marriage equality is not because they fear the wrath of god or communists, but rather they fear the wrath of voters who fear the wrath of god or communists.

It’s almost equally sad and bizarre that anyone who can get elected to the General Assembly doesn’t realize that this very vocal minority in no way, shape or form is at all indicative of Rhode Island in general. And even if they were, I certainly wouldn’t want my legislative legacy to include standing with Chris Young and Rev. Jay Stirnemann.

Rhode Island politicians should instead stand for reason and equal protection under the law and pass same sex marriage.

February 27, 2012February 27, 2012

MERI testifies at Board of Elections Hearings about Voter ID

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Rhode Island’s controversial new voter identification law goes into effect with this year’s election, and MERI has been actively working to make the process less challenging to our community, particularly transgendered individuals who could face unnecessary hinderances and potential disenfranchisement.

This afternoon, MERI appeared in front of the Rhode Island Board of Elections and presented testimony voicing concern that the new voter ID law has the potential to put at risk the voting rights for the 2,000 to 10,000 transgender Rhode Islanders. We raised similar concerns at a hearing with the Secretary of State’s office last December.

Our testimony today focused on the proposed rules and regulations in the voter ID law as they stand and discussed their potential to place these individuals in an unwelcoming or hostile environment—an environment that is incongruous with the ideals of fairness and democracy that are supposed to define the voting process.

For example, while an individual’s identification could list one gender, that individual may be in the process of transitioning or may not wholly identify with their documented gender. Furthermore, the individual’s identification could list a name not traditionally associated with their gender at the time of voting. Such identification discrepancy could prompt a poll worker to initiate an awkward or embarrassing conversation that could bring the individual unnecessary and uncomfortable attention. Transgender individuals may be discouraged from even going to the polls for fear of being outed publicly.

But the dangers of the voter ID law on transgender people reach even beyond the possibility of discomfort or disenfranchisement to include the threat or act of physical violence. As many of us know, transgender people face extraordinarily levels of both verbal and physical violence in their everyday lives. The chance of public outing at polling places makes these sites especially susceptible to anti-transgender violence, and the mere possibility of such violence could demotivate transgender citizens from voting at all.

Although everyone should be able to vote at their local polling place free from fear and intimidation, the General Counsel for the Board of Elections wanted to make sure we knew we could vote by mail. Members of the Board of Election appreciated our testimony and want to work with us moving forward to ensure the poll workers are properly trained. We’ll keep you updated on our progress.

Also, thanks to one of our Spring Fellowship students, Simon, for all of his hard work on this issue!

February 15, 2012February 15, 2012

Marriage equality back on State House agenda

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Same sex couples in Rhode Islanders will have another opportunity at equal protection under the law as Rep. Art Handy, D-Cranston, will again introduce a bill in the General Assembly that would afford the same marriage rights as their heterosexual counterparts enjoy.

“Every year we move forward,” Handy said, who has introduced a similar bill in the previous nine legislative sessions. Sen. Rhoda Perry, D-Prov., will introduce the bill in the Senate.

Last year, Rhode Island passed a law that allowed gay couples to enter into civil unions. But civil unions, especially Rhode Island’s version, is not tantamount to marriage.

“Separating straight and gay couples into different institutions just isn’t legal,” said Ray Sullivan, of Marriage Equality Rhode Island. “Until same sex couples can marry, Rhode Island has not achieved justice under the law.”

Aside from the fact that “separate but equal” has already been deemed unconstitutional, Rhode Island’s civil union law has a provision that allows religious institutions, such as Catholic hospitals, to be exempt from some of the law’s provisions, meaning a Catholic hospital could deny a family member access to their spouse during an emergency situation or a religious school could deny health care benefits to an employee’s same sex spouse.

There is another bill that will be introduced that would repeal this part of the state’s civil union law, known as the Corvese amendment because Rep. Doc Corvese, D-Prov. and an ardent opponent of gay rights, managed to sneak the provision into the bill at the eleventh hour last session.

Because of the Corvese Amendment, Sullivan said. “Rhode Island has far and away the most discriminatory language of any marriage or civil union bill in the country.”

Last session, the same sex marriage bill did not get a straight up or down vote, even with the speaker of the House, Gordon Fox, being openly gay. He told me after last session that not supporting gay marriage was one of the most difficult decisions of his political career.

Senate President Teresa Paiva Weed does not support equal marriage rights for same sex couples. She told me last year that she thinks Rhode Islanders are more comfortable with civil unions than gay marriage. A poll last year indicated that Rhode Island actually supports gay marriage 50 percent to 41 percent.

Some legislators have said they worry about electoral repercussions from Catholics, but in Massachusetts “every legislator who supported marriage equality and ran for reelection was reelected,” according to Sullivan.

The marriage equality proposal was first reported by Dan McGowan of GoLocalProv.

January 20, 2012January 20, 2012

Principles are Worth More than Political Awards

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You may have heard about our recent letter to General Treasurer Gina Raimondo requesting that she return an award from The Manhattan Institute, an extremist right wing group that promotes offensive, ignorant and hurtful positions towards the LGBTQI community, women, minorities, and our environment.

Marriage Equality Rhode Island was among a group of organizations that respectfully asked Treasurer Raimondo to return the award and condemn the hateful positions promoted by the Manhattan Institute. Instead of returning the award, she defended her association with the New York think tank by saying: “Accepting an award from any organization is never an across-the-board endorsement of its leanings.” But that just misses our point.

Organizations like the Manhattan Institute use awards programs for many purposes, including raising money and validating their positions on a range issues to a broader, mainstream audience. A cursory review of the Manhattan Institute’s website will, in fact, lead one to a number of articles and position papers that advance an anti-gay agenda and misogynistic agenda.

As LGBTQ people we know the power in who you will or won’t stand next to you. We know that standing for equality and fairness means refusing to stand next to ignorance and hatred. Raimondo’s close association with this organization could be interpreted by many as implicit acceptance of all their positions, not just those related to public pensions. We have advised the treasurer that those who aspire to political leadership are judged by the company they keep. Principles are worth far more than political accolades.