Gay/Lesbian Couples Get Married At City Hall Before March 29! Read My Gay Marriage Resolution! Plus "Why You Should Register Democratic!"

By Arlo Hale Smith

GAY MARRIAGES NOW!

Mayor Newsom has ordered the SF County Clerk to perform Gay Weddings! Gay/Lesbian Couples: Go to City Hall and Get Marriage licenses NOW - before a Court hearing to Stop them Set for March 29!

Go to the Marriage License Bureau

San Francisco County Clerk City Hall, Suite 168 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place San Francisco, CA 94102-4678 Phone: (415) 554-4950

8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

The County Clerk's Website is at

http://www.sfgov.org/site/countyclerk_index.asp

It tells you all the fees and information you need.

NOTE: California law NO LONGER REQUIRES BLOOD TESTS! Just go to the county clerk's office with a witness and picture id! [If you were previously married, you will need to know the date of your divorce, annulment or death of your former spouse]. The fee will be about $150 [for the license and ceremony.

Gay/Lesbian Couples: You should get married NOW! The next court hearing by fundamentalists seeking to halt Gay marriages is set for March 29!

[Attempts by the right-wing to halt gay marriages in court have - so far - failed! Both Judges Ronald Quidachy and James Warren denied temporary restraining orders to stop San Francisco from issuing Gay marriage licenses.]

Here is my resolution supporting Gay Marriage which was adopted by the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee at its February 25, 2004 meeting with no dissenting votes!

RESOLUTION SUPPORTING GAY MARRIAGES

Whereas, existing statutes - which permit heterosexual couples to marry, but deny such rights to same-sex couples - represent a form of apartheid, discriminating against gay and lesbians;

Whereas, Mayor Gavin Newsom, has challenged existing statutes by ordering City officials to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples;

Whereas, Assemblymember Mark Leno has introduced legislation to legalize same-sex marriages in California;

RESOLVED, that the San Francisco Democratic County Central Committee:

1. Commends Mayor Newsom for challenging discrimination and ordering City officials to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples;

2. Urges the City and City Attorney to vigorously defend Mayor Newsom's actions in this matter through the Court system;

3. Endorses and supports the legislation introduced by Assemblymember Mark Leno to legalize same-sex marriages in California;

4. Urges all Democratic state legislators and the California Democratic Party to support legalization of same-sex marriages in California.

Sponsored By: Arlo Hale Smith, Jeff Sheehy, Debra Walker, Dan Kalb, Tom Hsieh, Holli Their, Jane Morrison

There are more than 1,000 federal protections and responsibilities denied to gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender families because they cannot legally marry in this country.

Here are just a few:

Ability to make decisions on a partner's behalf in a medical emergency.

Social Security benefits when a life partner dies.

Up to 12 weeks leave from work to care for a seriously ill partner or parent of a partner.

Parenting responsibilities of children brought into a family through birth, adoption, surrogacy or other means. ability to purchase continued health coverage for a domestic partner after the loss of a job.

Gay, lesbian and bisexual U.S. citizens are prohibited from petitioning for their same-sex partners to immigrate, forcing thousands of couples to live apart or to migrate to one of the 15 countries with more hospitable immigration laws.

Under federal tax laws, same-sex couples are taxed on employer-provided insurance benefits for domestic partners whereas married spouses receive those benefits tax-free.

All American families deserve the same protections.

Help the fight for marriage equality by signing this on line petition:

http://www.hrc.org/millionformarriage/index.shtml

The following link explains - in cartoon form - the REAL "gay agenda" and why it is important to legalize gay marriages:

http://www.workingforchange.com/comic.cfm?itemid=16461

Now I have talked about Gay Marriage, let me discuss why it is important to affliate with the Democratic Party!

Registering Democratic does NOT require you to vote for the Democratic nominees in November [though we hope you do!]. What it DOES do is to give you the right to vote on GOVERNANCE of the Democratic Party.

The Democratic Party is debating and deciding its course on key issues of the day, such as the War in Iraq and Gay Marriages. If you are not registered Democratic, you have no say in these debates.

Let me describe more concretely WHY it is important to register "Democratic" and participate in governance of the Democratic Party:

One Democratic Club asked me: "What would you tell a new voter who was thinking about registering in the Green Party?"

MY ANSWER:

I would tell that person that switching parties is a waste, because non-Democrats CANNOT participate in setting party policy through votes in primary elections. E.g., the way to best promote gay marriage, for example, is to vote in Demcratic primaries for candidates and central committee members who support it.

The reality is this: Despite the MANY problems which exist with the Democratic Party and its legislators, ALL past legislative accomplishments - such as the domestic partners legislation Governor Davis signed - have come ONLY through obtaining DEMOCRATIC support for legislative change, not by third party challenges.

I make this observation with decades of political experience: In the 1970's, passage of laws prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation were a legislative goal which seemed out of reach, and no one even dared talk about legalizing gay marriages. Due to pressure within and through the Democratic Party, non-discrimination and domestic partner rights are THE LAW in California. And Assemblyman Leno has many co-sponsors for his bill to legalize gay marriages. These changes have been wrought THROUGH the Democratic Pary, not by challenges outside of it!