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| Wisconsin Green Party Joins April 17th Civil Marriage Equality Coalition March for Equal Rights. |
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April 15, 2004 Wisconsin Green Party Contacts: Wisconsin Greens Hold Spring Gathering at the Civic Center, Join April 17th Civil Marriage Equality Coalition March for Equal Rights; Greens rally to protest Marriage Protection Amendment to state constitution. The Wisconsin Green Party (WGP) will be holding its Spring Gathering at the Madison Civic Center this coming weekend, April 16th to 18th. The WGP holds 3 state organizational membership meetings each year: Spring Gathering, Summer Gathering, and Fall Gathering. During this Gathering, the party will be choosing delegates to the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States, to be held in Milwaukee, June 23 to 28th. Other business to be conducted: proposed constitutional changes, committee reports, identity caucus meetings, and workshops. The Wisconsin Green Party has 4 identity caucuses, each designed to empower and advance the interests of the group represented: Women, Diversity, Youth, and Lavender. The Lavender Caucus represents Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Greens. The Civil Marriage Equality Coalition is a new organization recently formed in Dane County to fight the amendment to our state constitution banning gay marriage. The Four Lakes Green Party of Dane County (the local affiliate of the Wisconsin Green Party) is among the member organizations. The coalition has called for a march on Saturday, April 17 beginning at UW’s Library Mall at 12:30pm. The march’s route down State Street takes it past the Madison Civic Center, where Wisconsin Greens will join the march to the Capitol and participate in the rally on the steps to our statehouse. Coincidently, the march was organized at the same time as the scheduled meeting of the Lavender Caucus, as well as an allies’ workshop, where WGP members would have an opportunity to discuss ways to support the mission of the Lavender caucus. “I can’t think of any better way to support the mission of the Lavender Caucus than for us to join in this effort to speak up for justice and equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and all people,” said Jill Bussiere, Wisconsin Green Party Co-Spokesperson. “This is a wonderful opportunity for us to take action on an extremely important issue – one whose time has finally come.” “There has been a long history of discrimination against gay and lesbian people in the United States,” said Dennis Bergren, Chair of the Lavender Caucus. “This Marriage Amendment is one of the severest anti-gay measures in the country and would erase the progress of the last half century of struggle. It is divisive and mean spirited and another attempt to demonize LGBT citizens and deny them equal rights. It is especially sad to see Wisconsin, who 20 years ago took the lead in adding sexual orientation to its non-discrimination laws, now dramatically turning backwards and trying to codify discrimination in the constitution. This amendment is a threat to every minority which the constitution was designed to protect. I look forward to the day when "with liberty and justice for all" is not just a mouthing of words but a reality in this country." Ben Manski, member of the Four Lakes Green Party and Co-Chair of the Green Party of the United States, will be a speaker at the rally, which will reach the capitol at 1:15 PM. The Wisconsin Green Party stands on the four pillars of Ecological Wisdom, Social Justice, Grassroots Democracy, and Nonviolence. For more information:
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