GREEN PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES
www.GP.org
Wednesday, June 7, 2006
Contacts:
Scott McLarty, Media Coordinator, 202-518-5624, mclarty@greens.org
Starlene Rankin, Media Coordinator, 916-995-3805, starlene@greens.org
Tim Casebolt, Secretary of the Lavender Green Caucus, 619-236-8045, timc@sdgreens.org
Lavender Green candidates blast Federal Marriage Amendment, call for renewed support for same-sex marriage rights
WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Lavender Green candidates unanimously condemned the proposed 'Federal Marriage Amendment' banning same-sex marriage, and called for the passage of same-sex marriage rights.
The Lavender Green Caucus <http://www.lavendergreens.org>
represents the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer membership of the Green Party of the United States.
"If passed this would be the first time an amendment to the constitution would institute discrimination against a class of people, instead of liberation," said Forrest Hill, candidate for California Secretary of State <http://www.voteforrest.org>.
"Using hate to motivate citizens to vote against their economic interests is a crime that is all too common in our two party system"
Green candidates noted that the Green Party's platform declares unequivocal support for equal rights regardless of sexual orientation, including same-sex marriage rights <http://www.gp.org/platform/2004/socjustice.html#999077>.
"President Bush's endorsement of the Marriage Amendment is a ploy to whip up emotion among his staunchest far-right supporters, to ensure Republican victories in November. But Republicans are also intimidating Democrats like party chair Howard Dean into compromise and retreat on same-sex marriage rights," said Dan Rodriguez Schlorff, candidate for Illinois State Treasurer <http://www.schlorff.com>.
The proposed amendment is slated for a vote this week by the U.S. Senate.
"The Bush White House, with Republican support and the complicity of many Democrats, is on a crusade against democracy and human rights -- from warrantless spying on Americans to torture and extrajudicial detention of prisoners to repeal of women's reproductive rights to the Marriage Amendment," said said Marakay Rogers, Green candidate for Governor of Pennsylvania (also endorsed by the Reform Party of Pennsylvania) <http://www.geocities.com/mjr91/RogersforAG.html>.
"It's not enough just to defeat the amendment. We need to elect candidates -- Green candidates -- who will support, introduce, and vote for legalization of same-sex marriage," added Alison Duncan, Green candidate for Lt. Governor of New York <http://www.alisonduncan.org>.
Other Lavender Green elected officeholders and candidates are listed below. For a list of featured candidates with statements about their campaigns, visit <http://www.lavendergreens.org/lavender_greens_028.htm>.
Owen Broadhurst, candidate for State Representative, 3rd
Hampden, Massachusetts
http://www.owenbroadhurst.org
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Matt Keefauver, member of City Council, Cortez, Colorado
http://www.cortezjournal.com/...
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Jay Pond, candidate for U.S. House of Representatives, 5th District, Minnesota
http://www.jaypond.com
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Grace Ross, candidate for Governor of Massachusetts
http://www.graceandwendy.org
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David Minton Silva, candidate for California Assembly, 34th District
http://home.comcast.net/~greensurfer2/greensurfer2.html
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Stephen Spring, incumbent candidate for School Committee, District 2, Portland, Maine
http://springcares.blogspot.com
MORE INFORMATION
Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp.org
1711 18th Street NW
Washington, DC 20009.
202-319-7191, 866-41GREEN
Fax 202-319-7193