State Green Party Press Release

Maine Green Party Leaders Support New Paltz, NY Mayor for Marrying Same Sex Couples in His Town.

MAINE GREEN INDEPENDENT PARTY
http://www.mainegreens.org

March 1, 2004

CONTACT:
John Eder 871-0317
Stephen Spring 879-4040

Maine Green party leaders support of 26-year-old Green Party Mayor of New Paltz, New York in his marrying of same sex couples in his town.
Green party leaders react to the Green Mayor's marrying of same sex couples last Friday.
The Green party calls for an end to marriage discrimination in this country.

Last Friday Jason West, the 26-year old Green Party Mayor of a college town 75 miles north of New York City, became one of country's only two mayors so far to marry same-sex couples. 500 couples are on the waiting list to be married by the mayor.

In response to the actions of his fellow Green office holder State Representative John Eder said, "Go Jason! I'm so proud of you. This is a civil rights issue, plain and simple, and we fully support him in his actions. He and all of the brave couples asking him to recognize their commitment in the eyes of their community inspire us. Next year I will put in a bill to abolish the DOMA law in this state."

Stephen Spring, a gay Portland School Committee member who is the founder of the Maine Lavender Green Caucus, said: "This party has a long-standing unequivocal commitment to Gay marriage and full gay rights. I have no doubt that If the greens had control of all branches of government in this state gay marriage would be legal. My partner of ten years and I could enjoy the 1000+ benefits associated with marriage."

The National Lavender Green Caucus is the Green Party's advocacy group on gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, intersex, and queer (GLBTIQ) issues.

The United States Green Party platform says "The Green party supports the rights of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in housing, jobs, civil marriage and benefits, child custody and in all areas of life, the right to be treated equally with all other people".

The first Green party, The New Zealand Green party took gay rights as its debut issue in 1972. The Green party is an international Party with 90 member countries around the world. John Eder is the only Green state legislator in the nation and the Maine Green Party was the first in the U.S.

Lavender Greens http://www.lavendergreens.org