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- Subject: RESOURCE: CO Amendment Info -- Citizens Project Newsletter (2 of 2)
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- Date: 5 Jan 1993 02:10:15 GMT
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- ================================================================
- => From: era@ncar.ucar.edu (Ed Arnold)
- => Subject: Colorado Springs Extremists (part 2 of 2)
- => Date: Mon, 4 Jan 93 16:55:57 MST
-
- *----------------------------------------------------------------------*
- | The following is the second of two parts of the ASCII version of |
- | the Citizens Project Newsletter for Dec. 92. |
- | |
- | The Citizens Project is a Colorado Springs, CO - based group of |
- | volunteers who seek to prevent extremists from eliminating our |
- | fundamental freedoms. Amendment 2 is the extremists' most obvious |
- | success to date. |
- | |
- | Slight reorganization of the articles was necessary in order to |
- | convert this text from a newsletter multi-font format to an |
- | electronic 80-column one. No alteration of wording was done. The |
- | bumper sticker 'Celebrate Diversity' was omitted. |
- | |
- | Please contact me if you have any comments |
- | or want any information, |
- | |
- | Ken Farmer |
- | Internet: kfarmer@oldcolo.com |
- | Voice: 719-685-9899 |
- *----------------------------------------------------------------------*
-
-
-
- NEW AT THE LIBRARY...
- =======================================================================
-
- In the wake of the recent controversy over the possible
- addition of Madonna's book Sex to the collection of the Pikes Peak
- Library District, Citizens Project interviewed Bernie Margolis,
- Library District Director, regarding the role of the library in our
- changing, and increasingly divided, community. Following are
- excerpts from that interview:
-
- On Madonna: "[W]e did with Madonna what we would do with any book.
- The only thing that may have been different about our treatment of
- Madonna was the time frame with which we did it. [The] normal time
- frame would have meant that the Madonna book probably wouldn't have
- been looked at for several more weeks, and [we would] have
- continued answering the phone day and night and spending enormous
- amounts of staff resource just answering the phone...not serving
- the public, not in a sense of what our real job is...[W]e needed to
- set Madonna aside in the sense of expediting what would have been
- the normal process anyway of scrutinizing it."
-
- On Calls Received Regarding Madonna: "We've had hundreds and
- hundreds and hundreds of calls...and they were calling with
- different perspectives...people making it real clear how they felt
- about the issue, and as we explained that we had a process
- underway, some people were more appreciative of that than others...
- [T]he phone calls indicated the sense of greater urgency in
- terms of people wanting us to conclude our process...I took enough
- of the calls that I don't think those calls were organized. Now
- the only sense that I have is that several of the Christian radio
- station did tell people to call, so if that's organized and
- structured then yes, I think some of it was...but as soon as that
- happened we also were getting calls from people who thought we
- should have it so it didn't seem to me anyway to be any structure,
- any plot to that process."
-
- On Selection Process and Criteria: "We have 12 pages of criteria
- that guide [the 24 professional librarians] in terms of deciding
- what's in and what isn't...[I]f we had our choice and unlimited
- resources... we would buy at least one copy of all books
- [published] ...the decision process wouldn't be a decision one at
- all; there would be no exercise of scrutiny or discretion or taste
- or appropriateness or personal prejudice or community prejudice or
- anything else.
- It would be real easy, but the millions of dollars that would
- require just aren't available, so what we do is make choices, we
- call it selection, other people may call it all sorts of other
- things, censorship, book burning, you can imagine and conjure up
- all those words that people may apply to someone, not them, making
- a choice and a judgment for them and we do that and ... that's our
- public charge."
-
- On Controversial Material: "A news reporter asked me...after the
- Madonna press conference...what book could you defend? I said I
- could defend The Satanic Bible, I could defend Mein Kampf, I could
- defend a book by William Shockly who thinks blacks are inferior, I
- could defend a... kids book about a child who lives in a gay
- family... Our criteria doesn't say that we shy away from
- controversy, our criteria doesn't say that because something is
- controversial it shouldn't be in the library, our criteria doesn't
- say that this is the philosophy, modern America, Colorado Springs
- 1992, that has to fit in this box to be in the library.
- What our criteria say is controversial ideas are welcome,
- differing views are welcome, different perspectives are welcome.
- The caveat that it imposes on us, and not on the individual book,
- but on the collection, is that we do that with some sense of
- balance, so that it doesn't appear to anyone that we are promoting
- William Shockly's ideas or that we're promoting fascism or Nazism
- or any other kind of atrocity or that we're promoting anything that
- might be good or bad. I mean that we don't want in the same breath
- to appear to be promoting Adolph Hitler, nor do we want to appear
- to be promoting James Dobson.
- What we want is the whole, is as broad a brush perspective of
- what ideas exist in our world, so people can understand them...
- What one person may see as dangerous, another person may see as the
- antidote to those same things, an ability to be educated and
- informed in response... If you go through the list of books that
- indeed have been challenged, you see that many of them do reflect
- philosophies, attitudes that are pretty controversial that are
- unacceptable to a lot of people. Well, that's not in the criteria
- at all.
- We don't propose to have a popular vote or referendum on books
- in terms of whether they're added or not... Some libraries, by
- their Board decisions and sometimes by pressure, have gone to
- public review processes...[like] a referendum, and I think what
- happens is that you tend to sieve out all those things that smell
- of controversy. You then have a collection that's pretty dull and
- may serve the needs of some people, but it certainly doesn't get
- the kind of depth of inspiration or motivation that a good well
- rounded collection that has controversy should provide."
-
- On Balance in the Collection:
- "[W]e have people on our staff who participate in Focus on the
- Family...just as we have people who belong to the American Civil
- Liberties Union or who knows what other kinds of groups--we're all
- over the map.
- We're trained as professional librarians to do a job, separate
- from those prejudices and values that we bring to that job, so while
- I may dislike intensely a certain political perspective about issues,
- that doesn't mean that I impose that personal perspective on the
- task at hand when I decide whether this book is appropriate to the
- collection or isn't. But that sensitivity in terms of my values
- helps me also be in touch with issues of balance, because I may
- have a strong interest or knowledge in terms of the
- collection...let's pick on Focus on the Family as a case, that I
- would be as attuned to knowing that there are views contrary to
- James Dobson's that need to be reflected in this collection by
- virtue of maybe a more intimate knowledge of what his views are."
-
- In Summary:
- "What's tolerable and acceptable varies, and we know that, but we
- try to be evenhanded in offending everyone."
-
-
- THE NITTY GRITTY
- =======================================================================
-
- The elections are over, and now we can all relax--right? Of
- course not! Changes in our community are happening every day, and
- we need to be a part of them. Much of the work of defining our
- community values happens at levels that are not very visible,
- through the various boards, commissions and task forces that exist
- at the city, county, and state levels. We must be participating on
- all these levels if we are to have an effective voice in protecting
- community diversity and civil liberties.
-
- The religious right is well aware of the opportunities for
- influence on these boards, and their members are active in
- volunteering. Openings on various boards and commissions are
- announced on local Christian radio stations. The Colorado Springs
- Human Relations Commission already has representatives from Focus
- on the Family and from Every Home For Christ. Kevin Tebedo,
- director of Colorado for Family Values, participates on a committee
- evaluating health education in School District 11. These
- individuals are welcome to contribute to the community we share,
- but we feel it is vital that Citizens Project participants, and
- others with a civil liberties orientation, also be present to
- balance their perspectives.
-
- Citizens Project has been sending letters to select
- participants with notifications of openings in local boards and
- commissions of interest. We match openings with participants based
- upon information you have provided to us about your residence
- location, your interests and background, and your willingness to
- volunteer.
-
- To make this system work, we need information from you. This
- newsletter, if it was mailed to you, includes an "Information and
- Phone Tree Form". If you would like to be notified of openings,
- please fill out this form and return it to us. This form combines
- two previous forms; please fill this new form out, as it will
- provide us with updated information.
-
- Some current openings of note:
-
- * The County Board of Health has a vacancy for a medical
- doctor. This board is involved with general policy making to
- guide the Department of Health and Environment.
-
- * The Department of Social Services' Consumer Review Board has
- openings for a private citizen, a consumer/parent, and
- a representative from a client/child advocate group.
-
- Call our office (719-685-9899) for more information on the above
- opportunities. If you hear of openings we should know about,
- please call us with the information (or send it) so we can pass it
- on to interested persons.
-
-
- 12 STEPS TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE
- =======================================================================
-
- One question we are often asked at Citizens Project is: "What
- can I do?" Most people are asking how they can get more involved
- with Citizens Project. However, Citizens Project is limited in the
- activities we are undertaking at any one time. Nonetheless, in
- addition to volunteering with Citizens Project, a number of
- activities can help make an impact. Here is our handy-dandy, quick
- and easy 12-step program to making a difference in our community:
-
- 1. Display your bumper sticker. Let our community know that
- there are people who value diversity and dislike the intolerance of
- extremist groups.
-
- 2. Sign up for the Citizens Project "Get Involved" seminar
- scheduled for February 20. Details are on page five; the signup
- sheet is in this newsletter. Cost is $10 per person cheap.
-
- 3. Return the Citizens Project Information Sheet. When
- something is happening in your school district or political
- district, or when we have volunteer opportunities, we need to be
- able to contact you (see our story on page 6). If we don't have
- sufficient information, you may get bypassed when we send out
- special mailings or make calls. If your newsletter was mailed to
- you so that it included an Information Sheet, please take a minute
- now to complete that Information Sheet and return it to Citizens
- Project, Box 2085, Colorado Springs, CO 80901. Thanks.
-
- 4. Talk to your friends. The religious right groups and their
- sympathizers are making gains in Colorado Springs not because they
- represent the majority view (see page 3), but because they are
- becoming organized and active. If you and I and your friends and
- my friends don't get together and speak up, we are acquiescing to
- these "squeaky wheels". So go ahead and network with your friends;
- call us if you need a few extra copies of Freedom Watch to pass
- out.
-
- 5. Invite someone from Citizens Project to speak with your
- local group or coffee club. Citizens Project has been active and
- growing for the last eight months, and we have become better
- speakers over that time. So, for a good time at your next meeting,
- call Citizens Project--we guarantee we aren't boring.
-
- 6. Call Governor Romer to: 1) express your feelings about
- Amendment 2 and encourage him to continue his opposition to it, and
- 2) express support for him in the upcoming recall drive. You can
- reach the Governor's office at 1-800-332-1716. You can also call
- Mayor Webb in Denver to express your support for the legal action
- Denver is taking against Amendment 2; call (303) 640-2721.
- Colorado For Family Values is pushing its people to call the
- governor, and reports are such calls are running strongly in favor
- of Amendment 2. That apathy on our part is what got Amendment 2
- passed!
-
- 7. Write Channel 11 to support them for reporting the
- aftermath of Amendment 2's passage. They have reported the story
- consistently, and they have been the only local TV station to do so
- adequately. We know that print and TV media (particularly Ch. 11)
- covering the post-election Amendment 2 story have received numerous
- calls demanding that they quit talking about Amendment 2 because
- "the people have spoken" and then accusing individual media people
- of being gay or lesbian.
- We need to balance out this outpouring of hate, and thank the
- more responsible media for not backing down in the face of this
- pressure. You can write the news director of KKTV Channel 11 at
- 3100 North Nevada, Colorado Springs, CO 80907, call KKTV at
- 634-2844, or fax them at 634-3741.
-
- 8. Learn about the religious right. The "Notable Quotes" we
- included in this newsletter (on pages 8 and 9) illuminate key
- Christian right beliefs and policies, but you should also take the
- time to read their own publications.
- Focus on the Family has their open-to-the-public bookstore at
- the old United Bank building (corner of Kiowa and Cascade). While
- most of Focus' material concerns family problems and counseling,
- books in the current events section illustrate their slant on
- political issues. Cost for these materials at the bookstore is
- whatever you care to donate (although suggested donation amounts
- are shown on each item).
- To keep on top of the religious right's political agenda for
- Colorado and learn about community and political opportunities in
- Colorado Springs, tune your radio to Christian station KGFT (100.7
- FM) each Thursday at 1PM and each Saturday at 9AM to hear Rocky
- Mountain Family Council's half-hour program "You Can Make A
- Difference".
-
- 9. Read your newspaper, and then write a letter to your local
- newspaper. While editorials in the local Gazette-Telegraph have
- not received any recent awards for endorsing tolerance and
- encouraging diversity, yet the G-T deserves the opportunity to
- publish letters from the other side. Who knows, the editorial
- staff might even come to see the error of their ways.
- You can write them at Letters To The Editor,
- Gazette-Telegraph, Box 1779, Colorado Springs, CO 80901; fax your
- letter to 719-636-0202; send via modem at 719-636-0127; or call them
- at 719-473-1919 to have your opinion recorded (and maybe published)
- in the Tell It To The GT section.
- For broader coverage of state-wide issues (particularly
- Amendment 2), you should consider subscribing to the Denver Post,
- which has home delivery in this area.
-
- 10. Get involved with your local school. Find out about
- school committees you can join and then volunteer for a committee.
- Don't be surprised if members of the far right are already on your
- committee. Most often, you don't have to be a parent or have
- children in school to be a part of these committees. In addition,
- you should join your Citizens Project school group (see our story
- on schools on page 4).
- 11. Join your local political party. That's standard advice,
- but good advice. Most people are politically inactive, but local
- political parties know a lot about what is happening in our
- community, and they have an impact on much of it. Don't worry that
- the elections just ended. A whole lot more is happening day by day
- (see our "Nitty Gritty" story on page 6).
- To join, call the Republican Party at 719-578-0022, or the
- Democratic Party at 719-473-8713. When you call, be sure to find out
- the name and address of your precinct captain, and then go and talk
- with this person. He or she is your first step to making your
- political party work for you.
-
- 12. Pay attention to elections coming up. Elections already?
- Four Colorado Springs city council seats are up for election in
- April, and school board elections will be this coming November.
- Will the religious right run candidates? You bet! Will they
- identify themselves as religious right candidates? Not if they
- were listening to the speakers at their own Community Impact
- Seminar last November (see our story on page 3).
- These candidates will be the new wave of "stealth candidates"
- in the Pikes Peak area, and you will have to take the time to
- question them closely to find out what they believe and why on the
- relevant issues. Citizens Project will provide more information on
- these elections as it becomes available.
-
- If you successfully work your way through all the above twelve
- steps and have energy for more, call Citizens Project at 719-685-9899.
- We will help you find more to do!
-
-
- NOTABLE QUOTES
- =======================================================================
-
-
- ON GOVERNMENT: "Government and true Christianity are inseparable!
- Government cannot rule fairly without morality. There can be no
- morality (right or wrong) without the Bible--man's only reliable
- book on right and wrong. Christians can properly apply Bible
- principles to government, because they are the ones reading the
- Bible and trusting its teachings to be true." From How To Elect
- Christians To Public Office, by Citizens For Excellence In
- Education (CEE) president Robert Simonds (undated).
-
- "[T]his [the United States] was really a Christian nation and, as
- far as its founders were concerned, to try separating Christianity
- from government is virtually impossible and would result in
- unthinkable damage to the nation and its people. Much of the
- damage we see around us must be attributed to this separation."
- >From Focus on the Family's Community Impact Curriculum: A Biblical
- Case For Social Involvement (undated), p. 20, used in the November
- 9 Community Impact Seminar at Pulpit Rock Church in Colorado
- Springs.
-
- "[W]hen we look at our country's founding, we find that this whole
- system was designed to work only on a Christian foundation.
- Without a Christian foundation it will not continue to work, but
- will gradually wind down and cease to function." From Focus '
- Community Impact Curriculum, p. 23.
-
- "The Constitution was designed to perpetuate a Christian order."
- Community Impact Curriculum, p. 18, quoting Robert Flood.
-
-
- ON EDUCATION: "We have been teaching multiculturalism instead of
- Americanism, for ten years now, and indoctrinating our children
- with values clarification and 'self-esteem.' Multiculturalism
- emphasizes diversity among races rather than our commonalities
- ('created equally') and thus breeds prejudice. Self-esteem
- teaches children they are the best and they deserve the best, and
- values clarification encourages them to create their own standards
- of right and wrong, thus allowing them to justify stealing... Any
- common-sense person of average intelligence can see this
- hate-filled teaching will produce a fractured, warring society
- which will eventually self-destruct." From the June 1992 CEE
- President's Report.
-
- "73% of people without a high school diploma said religion can
- answer most of today's problems. That number drops to 61% for high
- school grads, and only 49% of college grads think religion can
- answer most of today's problems. The education system appears to
- hammer religious convictions out of students." From Focus on the
- Family's Community Impact Curriculum: A Biblical Case For Social
- Involvement (undated), p. 13.
-
- "Jefferson County public school officials are adopting rhetoric
- that avoids terminology such as 'evangelical Christians' or
- 'conservative right' in favor of 'lunatics,' 'fanatics,' and the
- 'fringe element'." From the November 1992 Denver Christian News,
- p. 19.
-
- "Many years ago Christian pioneers who settled the American West
- had to fight savage Indians. Missionaries were sent to the Indians
- to civilize and Christianize them. Today the reverse is true:
- missionaries of these former cultures are being sent via the public
- school to heathenize 'our' children." From the Fall 1992 Eagle
- Forum, published by the Eagle Education Fund of Colorado.
-
-
- ON AMENDMENT 2: "I submit to you today, to every one of you, this
- issue with Amendment 2 is not about homosexuality. And it's really
- even not about sex. It's about authority. It's about whose
- authority takes precedence in the society in which we live. Is it
- the authority of man,..or is it the authority of God? ..Now the
- authority of man would dictate that homosexuality is perfectly
- okay, that there's nothing wrong with it. The authority of God
- says no, that there is plenty wrong with homosexuality. .. And so
- I say to you today that Amendment 2 is about authority; it's about
- whose authority gets to make the decision." Kevin Tebedo, Director
- of Colorado For Family Values, speaking at the First Congregational
- Church in Colorado Springs (August 23, 1992).
-
-
- ON TOLERANCE: "Tolerance enslaves." Statement by a speaker at the
- Focus on the Family/Rocky Mountain Family Council Community Impact
- Seminar, November 9, 1992, at Pulpit Rock Church.
-
- "Colorado Springs has been inaccurately portrayed by some as
- intolerant or hostile to diversity. Our city is made up of
- individuals from diverse backgrounds and many points of view...
- There's room for everyone in Colorado Springs." Statement by
- Colorado Springs Chamber of Commerce President John Fowler, as
- reported in The Colorado Springs Business Journal, Dec. 1, 1992,
- p. 25.
-
-
- MISCELLANEOUS: "Current expressions of human dignity, morality and
- social order are possible only because of our Christian heritage."
- >From Community Impact Curriculum, p. 25.
-
- "Christians are not just another special interest group; we are an
- 'everyone's best interest group'." From Community Impact
- Curriculum, p. 49.
-
-
-
- BUMPER STICKER
- =======================================================================
-
- Included with this newsletter is a "Celebrate Diversity"
- bumper sticker that you can proudly display on the bumper or rear
- window of your vehicle, in your home or business window, or on your
- bulletin board.
-
- These bumper stickers have two objectives. First, they show
- our support for the incredible diversity of citizens here in the
- Pikes Peak region, and especially for the gay and lesbian citizens
- who have been under vitriolic attack by Colorado For Family Values
- and their like-minded supporters. And second, these bumper
- stickers remind our community that the religious right is not the
- only group of consequence in this area.
-
- We urge you to display your "Celebrate Diversity" bumper
- sticker, and look for others in our local communities who also
- support diversity over narrow-minded intolerance and bigotry.
-
- If you want more bumper stickers (for your second car, for
- example, or for a friend), please call the Citizens Project office
- at 719-685-9899.
-
-
- THANK YOU!
- =======================================================================
-
- We at Citizens Project would like to say "Thank You!" for your
- generous contributions of time and money. With your help, we will
- continue to spotlight the increasing far right influence here in
- the Pikes Peak area. We will also explore, publicize, and debate
- the viewpoints of the religious right as they attempt to make over
- local communities in their image.
-
- We expect this work will continue for quite some time in our
- Pikes Peak region.
-
-
-
- CP GENERAL MEETING
- =======================================================================
-
- You asked for it, you got it! The first-ever Citizens Project
- General Meeting will be held January 24, 1993 at 7 PM at Patty
- Jewett Clubhouse (just east of the corner of Prospect & Espanola,
- at 900 E. Espanola). All Citizens Project participants are
- invited.
-
- Although the meeting will not start until 7PM, you are invited
- to come early to meet other Citizen Project people. We will have
- complimentary food available starting at 6PM, and the clubhouse bar
- will be open.
-
- This is the first of what is anticipated to be regular (perhaps
- quarterly) Citizen Project General Meetings. These "General
- Meetings" are different than the monthly "Introductory Meetings"
- that we have for people who have just signed up for Citizens
- Project.
-
- This general meeting will be an opportunity to meet other
- Citizen Project people, to hear what is happening in the Pikes Peak
- area and in Citizens Project, and to weigh in with your opinion on
- what actions Citizens Project should be taking.
-
- We will look forward to seeing you January 24th. Please mark
- your calendars with that date.
-
-
-
- CP CALENDAR
- =======================================================================
-
- Introductory Meeting------January 7
- (for new participants)
- General Meeting-----------January 24
- (see above for details)
- Introductory Meeting------February 9
- (for new participants)
- "Get Involved" Seminar-February 20
- (see page 5 for details)
- "Imposing Morality" Seminar-Feb. 21
- (see page 7 for details)
-
-
- SCHOOL VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
- =======================================================================
-
- Citizens Project receives numerous calls from parents, teachers
- and students regarding apparent or possible violations of church /
- state separation in our schools. We need to improve our ability to
- respond to these reports.
-
- We are restructuring the schools committee to better meet this
- need. We would like to have at least one parent, teacher or student
- volunteer for each school in the Pikes Peak area. A committee will
- exist for each school district, discussing and responding to issues
- within that district. Each volunteer will be involved with his or
- her chosen school and will be in a position to help us understand
- and respond to incidents as they occur. Citizens Project will
- provide training on school policies and church/state law.
-
- If we wish to have public schools that serve all of the public,
- we need to stay involved. To volunteer, call Citizens Project at
- 719-685-9899.
-
-
-
- CITIZENS PROJECT'S "GET INVOLVED" SEMINAR
- =======================================================================
-
- Citizens Project is pleased to announce an information-packed
- "Get Involved" seminar. This seminar will take place Saturday
- February 20, 1993 at the First Congregational Church (corner of
- North Tejon and St. Vrain) from 9AM to 4:30PM.
-
- Dynamic speakers will provide nuts-and-bolts information about
- how to get involved in the politics of our community.
-
- We will talk about local political parties, city government
- (Colorado Springs city council elections are in April), our state
- legislature, school boards and school-related involvement
- opportunities, volunteer opportunities on boards and commissions,
- and opportunities to act on your own or within your own group or
- organization.
-
- Speakers include Daphne Greenwood (District 17 state
- representative), Mary Ellen McNally (former city council member),
- Chuck Green (Denver Post writer), and others.
-
- The seminar will start at 9AM. We will have a morning break
- with refreshments. Lunch will be on your own. Cost is $10 in
- advance; $12 at the door if space is available.
-
- Please register using the sign-up sheet included with this
- newsletter. Come to learn and meet other interested citizens.
-
- Call Citizens Project at 719-685-9899 if you have questions. We
- will provide a more complete listing of seminar speakers in our
- next Freedom Watch newsletter.
-
-
-
- SEMINAR ON IMPOSED MORALITY SCHEDULED
- =======================================================================
-
- A seminar will be held February 21, 1993 from 2-4 PM on
- "Imposed Morality: Where Will It Lead?" A panel of four will speak
- on censorship, Amendment 2, the effect of religious groups in
- politics, and separation of church and state.
-
- This seminar will be held in Gaylord Hall, in the Worner
- Student Center (corner of Cascade and Cache la Poudre) at Colorado
- College.
-
- Co-sponsors of this seminar include Hadassah, Colorado College,
- Citizens Project, and ACLU.
-
-
-
- INAUGURAL BALL
- =======================================================================
-
- The Democratic Women of El Paso County are hosting an inaugural
- ball January 20, 1993, 7PM to 1AM, at the Patty Jewett Clubhouse
- (900 East Espanola).
-
- An invitation to this ball is extended to citizens from all
- parties and affiliations willing to work together for the future.
-
- Cost is $10 per person, and reservations are necessary. Call
- 596-2027 or 597-2104 for reservations or more information.
-
-
-
- YOUR ANNOUNCEMENTS
- =======================================================================
-
- If you want the announcement of your upcoming event listed in the
- next Citizens Project newsletter, send the information to Citizens
- Project with a request. Our next newsletter will be out in
- February.
-
-
- DISCRIMINATION?
- =======================================================================
-
- The last clause of Amendment 2 says gays and lesbians can make
- "no claim of discrimination". What does that mean?
- Everyone agrees that this language bars lesbians and gays from
- protection if, because they are gay, they are fired from their jobs
- or kicked out of their rental homes.
- Will Perkins described protection from these types of
- discrimination as a "special right", and in a Dec. 11
- Gazette-Telegraph article said: "I don't have a special right to
- keep my job as a heterosexual. Why should they if they are
- homosexual?"
- In Colorado Springs and in most of Colorado, Will Perkins is
- correct. There is no protection from those types of discrimination
- for either heterosexuals or gays or lesbians.
- However, the fallacy in Will's reasoning is that heterosexuals
- simply do not encounter much, if any, discrimination in these areas
- due to their heterosexuality. However, lesbians and gays suffer
- significantly higher levels of discrimination in those areas. Due
- to Amendment 2, such discrimination cannot ever be remedied by law.
- This is, in a sense, "equal rights", but the result is very
- unequal justice and an unequal right to petition for redress of
- grievances.
- In the cities of Boulder, Denver, and Aspen, Will Perkins is
- not correct. Each of those cities had by ordinance extended
- discrimination protection to all people on the basis of sexual
- orientation. Amendment 2 now withdraws that protection from gays
- and lesbians. But note that Amendment 2 does not alter these
- ordinances as to protection from heterosexual discrimination.
- Thus, in those cities, the result of Amendment 2 has been to grant
- heterosexuals "special rights" against discrimination by virtue of
- these pre-existing city ordinances.
- Consequently, for those three cities, the Amendment 2 argument
- was not one of "special rights", but one of "equal rights", which
- lesbians and gays now no longer have.
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- HAPPY HOLIDAYS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR!
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- CITIZENS PROJECT
- Box 2085
- Colorado Springs, CO 80901
- (719) 685-9899
- Amy Divine and Doug Triggs
- Coordinators
- Printed on Recycled Paper
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- | |
- | |
- | Citizens Project Information and Phone Tree Form |
- | |
- | Following are a number of questions that will help us build |
- | Citizens Project. In order for Citizens Project to maximize our |
- | effectiveness, we must build a broad-based coalition of interested |
- | citizens. Knowing more about you, and the role you play in the |
- | community, will help us know how we may be able to call upon you to |
- | help us build this coalition. And, knowing your particular areas of |
- | concern will allow us to notify you with information regarding |
- | particular issues or actions (such as board openings), when we may |
- | not be able to notify the entire mailing list. |
- | We realize that we are requesting personal information. If you |
- | are not comfortable answering any of the questions, then just leave |
- | them blank. All information will be confidential, and again, is |
- | solely for internal use in strengthening our efforts. |
- | This form combines past information and phone tree forms. If |
- | you have not filled these in, or have filled out only one, please |
- | fill in the additional information. |
- | Thank you for your participation! |
- | |
- | Name_________________________________________________________________|
- | Address____________________________________________________________|
- | Phone Number(s)____________________________________________________|
- | Occupation___________________________________________________________|
- | Name of Company / School_____________________________________________|
- | Political Party______________________________________________________|
- | School District where you reside___________________________________|
- | Political Districts where you reside (State Senate, State Rep, Cnty|
- | Commission)_______________________________________________________|
- | Schools your children attend_________________________________________|
- | Primary Concerns (ex. religion in schools, gay/lesbian issues, pagan |
- | issue, religion in politics, etc.)__________________________________|
- | Organizational Affiliations (ex. Chamber of Commerce, PP Ed Ass., NOW|
- | EPOC, etc.)_________________________________________________________|
- | Church / Synagogue you attend________________________________________|
- | Fax Number___________________________________________________________|
- | Will you participate in a phone tree?_____________If yes: |
- | ___I am willing to make seven phone calls |
- | ___I am not willing to make calls but would like to be called. |
- | Skills you wish to volunteer_________________________________________|
- | Other comments or ways you can help__________________________________|
- | _____________________________________________________________________|
- | |
- | |
- | Please email to Ken Farmer at kfarmer@oldcolo.com |
- | |
- | |
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- | |
- | |
- | CITIZENS PROJECT "GET INVOLVED" SEMINAR |
- | |
- | Yes, I am (or we are) planning to attend the February 20 Citizens|
- | Project "Get Involved" Seminar. Enclosed is payment of $10 per |
- | person for registration (make check payable to "Citizens Project"). |
- | I understand this entitles me to the all-day seminar, the written |
- | materials, refreshments at the morning break, the chance to meet a |
- | lot of nice people, and a generous "thanks" from Citizens Project for|
- | attending. |
- | Number of people who are signing up for this seminar:__________ |
- | Please put your name(s) and address at the bottom of this page. |
- | |
- | |
- | CONTRIBUTIONS ARE ALWAYS WELCOME! |
- | |
- | You bet--newsletters, postage, and long-distance phone calls |
- | all cost money, and we can always use your help. We welcome your |
- | donation and will use it to promote constitutional rights and |
- | diversity in the Pikes Peak area. |
- | Enclosed please find my donation of: ___$20;___$35;___;$50___;$100; |
- | $____other |
- | Please put your name and address at the bottom of this page. |
- | Please make your check payable to Citizens Project. Because we |
- | lobby to protect civil liberties, contributions are not tax |
- | deductible. Thanks! |
- | |
- | |
- | HOW COULD I HAVE WAITED SO LONG? |
- | |
- | I'm not currently on the Citizens Project mailing list, but I |
- | would like to be. I have provided my name and address below. I |
- | understand that if I have any questions I am welcome to call Citizens|
- | Project at 685-9899. |
- | |
- |======================================================================|
- | |
- | I am providing my name and address below in response to the above |
- | items (check which ones apply):____The "Get Involved" Seminar; |
- | ____A contribution; _____To get on the mailing list. If you are |
- | signing up for the "Get Involved" Seminar, please include the $10 |
- | per person fee. |
- | |
- | Name:___________________________________________________ |
- | Address:________________________________________________ |
- | Phone(s):______________(day); _________________(evening) |
- | |
- | Comments or suggestions:________________________________ |
- | ________________________________________________________ |
- | ________________________________________________________ |
- | |
- | |
- | |
- | |
- | |
- | Please send checks to: Citizens Project, |
- | Box 2085, |
- | Colorado Springs, CO 80901 |
- | |
- | Alternatively, if you only wish to get on the mailing list: |
- | please send email to Ken Farmer at kfarmer@oldcolo.com |
- | |
- | |
- | |
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-
- --------
- Ed Arnold * NCAR * POB 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 * 303-497-1253(voice)
- 303-497-{1298,1137}(fax) * internet: era@ncar.ucar.edu * bitnet: era@ncario
- compuserve: internet:era@ncar.ucar.edu
-