July 2. 2004 ’ jlMt Mt
nTTÎTïTFTHTînews
he Defense of Marriage Coalition sub
mitted more than 244,000 signatures
June 30 in Salem to place an initiative
on the fall ballot to amend the Oregon
Constitution to permanently deny same-
sex couples equal marriage rights.
Secretary of State Bill Bradbury' has 30 days to ver
ify the petitions. Considering only 100,800 valid sig
natures are required, it appears the coalition will like
ly succeed in placing the Defense of Marriage Act on
the ballot.
Basic Rights Oregon will launch a statewide cam
paign to defeat the measure along with a coalition of
other progressive organizations. It already has started
raising funds, rented an office and hired an experi
enced campaign leadership team.
“While it is disappointing that the measure is like
ly to be on the November ballot, we are committed to
defending the thousands of Oregonians who would be
profoundly harmed by a loss of equal marriage protec
tions and responsibilities,” said Roey Thorpe, BRO
executive director. “This campaign will be divisive
and costly to all Oregonians. We wish we did not have
to face this measure, but we are prepared.”
The campaign will be managed by Aisling Cogh-
lan, who has been a key player in numerous cam
paigns, including the successful defeat of two Bill
Sizemore measures and one Don McIntire measure.
She will be joined by general campaign strategist Liz
Kaufman, who was instrumental in successful defeats
of Measures 13 and 9, and Gwenn Baldwin,
who formed a winning communications strategy for
Measure 13.
Coghlin hopes the campaign will appeal to Orego
nians’ fundamental sense of fairness.
“The Oregon Constitution is a promise that all of
our basic rights, including equal marriage rights, are
guaranteed,” she said. “We believe Oregonians will
agree that the ballot should never be used to take con-
T
S igned , S ealed
and D elivered ?
dismayed at the number of
complaints we received about
the Defense of Marriage
Coalition’s tactics to place this
measure on the ballot,” Thorpe
said. “The numbers alone were
upsetting, but the nature of these
complaints
was
especially
disturbing."
These alleged abuses include
by Jim Radosta
requiring food bank clients to
sign the petition prior to receiv
stitutional rights away.”
ing food baskets; falsely swear
As one of the more than
ing that signatures were wit
3,000 same-sex couples already
nessed by circulators when in
married in Oregon, Mary Li and
fact they were left unattended at
Rebecca Kennedy now wonder
churches; misrepresenting the
what will become of their nearly
petition; and using coercive sig
four-month marriage.
nature collection techniques.
‘ What will wc tell our
Thorpe said these are clear vio
daughter, Ava?” Li said. “Our
lations of Oregon election laws,
marriage helps to protect our
federal laws concerning the dis
family. How do any of us who
tribution of food at “faith
are parents explain why people
based” food banks and the
don’t want us to have the pro
ethics of democracy.
tections and responsibilities of
BRO has monitored the sig
marriage T
nature
collection
process
Two days before the signa
statewide since the initiative
tures were submitted, BRO filed
was approved for circulation in
complaints in Salem detailing
May in hopes of preventing the
widespread abuses in the circu Roey Thorpe says Basic Rights Oregon measure from reaching the bal
lation of petitions for the mea is prepared to launch a campaign to
lot. The opposition has
sure. It called on the coalition to fight the anti-gay ballot measure
claimed this monitoring was an
immediately and voluntarily
attempt to undermine the
cease such activities and asked Bradbury to throw out democratic initiative process.
signatures unlawfully obtained in connection with
“While we abhor efforts to place this kind of mea
these tactics.
sure on the ballot, we respect the right of citizens to
“With an issue of this magnitude that has so much
use the initiative process,” Thorpe said, “but the fact
potential to affect people’s lives, we were very
is that without the law, there is no democracy.” jH
With an anti-gay constitutional amendment
headed for the fall ballot, BRO files complaints
over petition tactics
How to H elp
• Verify valid signa
tures: BRO will train 60 vol
unteers to team with a state
staff member to '.eview each
petition to ensure it was cor
rectly filled out and to deter
mine that it was signed by
registered
voters.
Call
503-222-6151.
• Set up the campaign
office: BRO is seeking 15
people to help July 5 with
moving into the campaign
headquarters, which also
needs office supplies. E-mail
al issa@basicrights.org.
• Join the speaker’s
bureau: People will be
trained to speak at communi
ty meetings across the state
about the ballot measure.
E-mail alissa@basicrights.org.
• Host a house party:
Gather friends and neigh
bors together to talk about
the measure and why it
needs to be defeated in
November. E-mail bill®
basicrights.org.
• Become active with
the campaign: Volunteers
can assist with data entry,
voter identification, phone
banks
and
canvassing.
E-mail info@basicrights.org.
Teri Bunker, fnp
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