The legislation passed in the Appropriations Committee 18 - 8.  Four Democrats voted yes.  Two Republicans voted no.  So now the legislation moves toward a vote by the full Senate. 

Yes, that means more telephone calls. 

The "yes" votes (pro-Amendment) in SW PA are:

John Pippy (R)

Barry Stout (D)  - Yikes!

Mary Jo White (R)

Regola (R)

The "no" votes (anti-Amendment) is SW PA are:

Gerald Lavelle (D)

Sean Logan (D)

So here is what you need to do.  If you live in Lavelle (most of Beaver County) or Logan (Monroeville and some of the Mon Valley) country, please call them to say thanks and ask them to continue to oppose the legislation. 

The big thing for me is Barry Stout -- a Democrat -- voting in favor of legislation that would constrict the civil rights of my community.  Your job is to think of at least one person you know that lives in his district and pick up the phone to call THAT PERSON to make a call to Senator Stout telling them they do not appreciate his vote on this issue and that not everyone in Washington, Greene or Beaver counties are bigots. 

Does your sister live in Mon City?  Is your cousin from West Finley Township?  I know there are gay people in Waynesburg.  This is the time.  Call 'em up.  Ask them who is taking care of their health care, their jobs and their taxes while Senator Stout protects them from gay marriage? 

Stout's telephone numbers:  (724) 225-5400    and   (717) 787-1463

And kudos to reader ctb for calling out John Pippy on the issue.  Is it deplorable that his staff would treat you with such disrespect just because your opinions differs from him.  He still works for you (and by default, so do they).  Good for you for not backing down.  Sending the letters is perfect.  You deserve to be treated with respect and courtesy when you call someone elected to represent you.  Good for you.

So get on the phone.  Here's a handy map for Senate contact information.  Lots and lots of gay people come rolling into town from these areas.  Hey, isn't Patrick Arena from Little Washington?  Someone call him.  Get some names from him.   Isn't Eda Bagel from Little Washington? 

I know some women from Beaver County read this blog.  We need your help! 

UPDATE:  I made a call this morning to Fontana's office in Harrisburg.  They are getting a ton of calls, going both directions.  Similar reports from Costa's Harrisburg office.  Keep it up.  Sneak out for a cigarette break, even if you don't smoke, to make the call. I also heard that the rally is noisy.  All good news.  Keep it up.  You are doing great

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Rejoice, fair homo and homo allies, for there is something very important you can do right from the comfort of your own cell phone.

Call your Senator.  Tell the nice staff person who answer the phone that you are opposed to attempts to amend the constitution of Pennsylvania to prevent gay marriage aka SB 1250.  That's all you really need to say, along with your name and address (so they know you are really a constituent).

If you want to say more, do so.  Ask how the Senator stands on this issue (if you don't know).  Thank the Senator for a pro-homo stance.  Tell them why you are opposed to the amendment. Talk about your family.  Mention the issues that are important to you -- health care?  employment?  economic development?  taxes?  whatever!

For my impassioned take on things, visit my Blog for Equality post.

The important thing is that you are reaching for your cell phone right now, scribbling down the number and heading for whatever quiet nook is necessary for you to make the call. 

Why now?  Why Monday?  Because the bill is going to be voted out of Appropriations and possibly to the full Senate for a vote.  This week.  So waiting until it is more convenient for your individual life is not an option. 

This isn't a situation where you -- especially if you are a gay person or love a gay person -- have the luxury of letting someone else do the heavy lifting.  A contingent of Pittsburghers gave up a day to staff the rally for us.  The telephone calls, well that's our part of the homosexual agenda.  Step lively, people. Or, rather, dial lively! 

You know that this amendment is smoke screen designed to keep us from organizing around important civil rights legislation sitting in committee.  You know that this is about using gay marriage as an issue for the election -- rile 'em up to vote for McCain. 

And you know that is all complete bullshit. The worst thing that could happen to our heterosexual married friends, family members and neighbors if Ledcat and I were to marry?  The wedding registry.  We have expensive tastes.

Why are you still reading this?  Oh, you need telephone numbers.  Here's the entire fleet of Southwestern PA Senators.  If you don't know who represents you, click here to find out. 

Jay Costa   Hburg  (717) 787-7683   Pittsburgh   (412) 241-6690
Sean Logan   Hburg (717) 787-5580    Pittsburgh  (412) 664-5200
Wayne Fontana Hburg (717) 787-5300   Pittsburgh (412) 344-2551
John Pippy  Hburg (717) 787-5839   Pittsburgh  (412) 262-2260
Jim Ferlo Hburg (717) 787-6123    Pittsburgh  (412) 621-3006
Jane Orie Hburg (717) 787-6538   Pittsburgh (412) 630-9466 j
J. Barry Stout  Hburg (717) 787-1463   Pittsburgh (724) 225-5400 b
Gerald Lavelle Hburg (717) 787-3076   Pittsburgh   (724) 654-1444
Mary Jo White Hburg (717) 787-9684   Pittsburgh  (814) 432-4345
Donald C.White Hburg (717) 787-8724   Pittsburgh  (724) 357-0151
Robert D. Robbins Hburg (717) 787-1322   Pittsburgh (724) 588-1323
Bob Regola Hburg (717) 787-6063    Pittsburgh   (724) 600-7002
Richard Kasunic Hburg (717) 787-7175   Pittsburgh (724) 626-1611

Now stop reading and start calling.  It is practically painless. 

Seriously, are you dialing? 

Wow, lots to catch up on ...

Monday, May 5, 2008 is the Rally in Harrisburg.  Rally?  The Rally Against the "Protection of Marriage" Amendment.  Ledcat and I had hoped to attend, but fate (and work) conspired against us. Are you planning to attend?  I'm hoping for an eyewitness account.

Last week, there was a "highly charged" hearing in Harrisburg.  The PG has the coverage

Scott Hollander, executive director of KidsVoice, said his board members are divided on the gay marriage issue but unanimous in opposing the language banning "the functional equivalent of marriage." Under that language, children placed with unmarried foster parents could be denied health insurance through domestic-partner benefit programs and could face hurdles if those foster families want to adopt them, he said.

"They could lose many of the benefits they currently enjoy," said Mr. Hollander, whose group serves abused and neglected children in Pittsburgh.

It continues to amaze me that the folks opposed to the amendment have a long list of concrete ways this legislation will have a negative impact on families whereas the other side just has a claim that it will protect families with nothing to back it up.  How is it we are still having this discussion?

Here are the letters of recent vintage:

M.W. Sage of Swissvale puts it succinctly:

Regarding the bill to protect heterosexual marriage ("Backers, Foes of Gay Marriage Collide at Capitol," April 30): There are many greater issues needing attention. Couples know when a relationship is working and when it isn't. They can seek help if they want it.

The same is so for gay relationships.

The nation and the world have more pressing issues to be addressed. Let the Legislature busy itself with those.

Well put.

Meanwhile, a series of letters in the Tribune Review finally address this issue.

First up is Sharon Capretto of Mt. Washington.  She is a member of the Cult to Protect Marriage (something like that) and thinks that the will of the people is not embedded in our legislative system.  She must not vote.  Or at least, she doesn't trust most of the people who do vote:

This proposed amendment would give our federal Defense of Marriage Act constitutional protection to ensure that a judge or the Legislature could not redefine marriage in our state without the will of the people. Twenty-seven states have seen fit to pass similar amendments. Pennsylvanians would like the same consideration.

In response, Amesh Adalja of Butler (hey, that's cool -- Metcalfe Country)is embarrassed by the Republicans embracing this issue at the expense of real concerns.

Inserting religious proscriptions into the state Constitution utilizes precious legislative time that could be directed toward lowering taxes, scaling back the size of state government, privatizing the state liquor stores and many other worthy Republican causes.

Then, Kris Sanders of Squirrel Hill (really?) chimes in:

Such moral reasoning recognizes that marriage is inherently based upon the complementarity between a man and a woman. They are clearly designed to come together in a way that leads to the generation of new life. It is the fundamental building block of any society.

I'm not sure it is scientifically accurate to claim that two men or two women cannot complement each other, unless you reduce human beings to the sum of the reproductive organs.  I'd say the 20,000+ children in the Pennsylvania foster care system are proof positive of that reductive assumption being utter bullshit.  By the way, how many kids do you foster, Kris? 

Now, I'm not an expert on the Founding Fathers, but I did study a little political theory.  My understanding of Jefferson and Madison is that society is built upon the individual in relationship to the institution.  They had a clear concept of individual freedoms and liberties, not family based liberties. Women and children weren't even enumerated in the Constitution, considered the property or wards of the male head of household.  Is that where Kris wants to go?  It was only through societal progress and a recognition of the civil rights of women (and children) that the modern family has evolved (and women are allowed to read newspapers). 

The family is not the building block of society, Kris.  Your partner/spouse and your children have rights and responsibilities that are separate and distinct from your own.  Coming together to build a family sometimes strengthens society and sometimes does not.  But you should be more precise if you plan to throw around scientific terms like "complementarity." 

Have you written your letter to the Post-Gazette, the Tribune-Review or the Pittsburgh City Paper?  People do pay attention.  Even legislators.