Date: Sat, 19 Apr 1997 06:56:14 -1000
From: lambda@aloha.net (Martin Rice)
Subject: CLIMBING OUT OF THE BLUE FUNK

Aloha kakahiaka kakou.

Many, many, many Mahalos to all of you for the support that you've shown,
especially over the last few days.  I'll do my personal best to respond to
all of the kind and encouraging words and sentiments that have been
expressed in the next few days.  To those of you who had some questions, I
will also respond in the near future.

WE MOVE ON.

We've lost a major battle, not the war.  Looking back, it is the first major
loss in a long time.  The solid core of activists on O`ahu have pulled off
some major and impressive victories that we can't loose sight of.  There are
more victories down the road.

Six months ago, looking down that same road, we knew that the 1997
Legislative session was going our toughest battle between then and the
Supreme Court ruling on the appeal of Baehr v. Miike.  It was also known
that if the House caved-in, we would have major problems.  Well, the House
caved-in.  We wanted them to hold their hardline.

But most importantly, it should be known, that it was the Rev. Pat
Robertson's own "700 Club" attorney, Jay Sekulow, pleading with the House
negotiators to accept the most comprehensive civil rights package yet
considered in this country in exchange for the constitutional amendment that
triggered the collapse.  Imagine that!  I don't know how other people read
it, but to me that is an indication of the incredible work that has gone on
in Honolulu.

What was our side's response?  We don't want the right's package.  Why?
Because marriage is still within our grasp.  Last year at this time we were
*hoping* for a rights package.

I have been reluctant to form a personal opinion of the events of the last
week until talking to a few of the key players, and I think that will be
accomplished in the next day or two.

Last week a man in Oregon asked me to delineate the "good guys" and the "bad
guys" in the Legislature in Honolulu.  That is an impossible task until this
matter is resolved.  As I pointed out to him, if Terrance Tom's stubborn
insistance that medical benefits be excluded from the package, and the
Supreme Court looks back and decides that "reciprocal beneficiaries" does
not equal marriage because of that fact, does that make Tom a "bad guy?"
This whole scenario needs to play out, because we need to view it in
hindsight as a continuum; series of events leading to other series of
events.  Then we'll know the "good guys" from the "bad guys."  In my book,
if we win the right to marry, then *all* of the actions that led to that
right were positive, no matter how they may be viewed individually at that time.


THIS STUPID BOYCOTT THING.

I received a very anxious phone call from a friend, Barbara, asking about a
post on the net calling for a boycott of Hawai`i by our community.  

She and her partner Janie were very concerned, as they operate a TGLB B&B on
Kaua`i's North Shore.  As Barbara pointed out, "We cater to our community,
we consider this a resource for them, a place where they can come and feel
totally comfortable.  We could run a more lucrative business catering to the
straight community, but prefer to deal with our own kind.  We have payments
to make."

I empathize with Janie & Barbara, and all of the other LBTG members of our
community who own and run businesses here.  It's not easy.  Fred & I also
own and operate a business that is partially dependant upon tourism.  And
guess what folks, it is that business that affords me the time and
opportunity to keep all of you updated on what goes on here in the marriage
issue.  I can guarantee you that I couldn't have done the same posting if I
were employed by someone else.

Enough said?


FUTURE POSTS OF THE ARTICLES FROM THE ADVERTISER, ETC.

Fred & I are going to Honolulu in a few hours to attend the "Family Rights
Weekend" picnic with Kathy & Sara from Salt Lake City, Carolyn, Mike &
Michael and others.  Will send a personal post on that tomorrow.  Will
catch-up Sunday or thereabouts.  Thursday, it's off to the "really Big
Island" (North America) for few days with family, for business, some fun,
etc.  Will be back at the end of the month.  That lapse in posting will
*not* be a result of another blue funk.

~~pau~~

  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
  "If you can't deliver the pie in the sky you
  promised, you'd better redefine the pie."
                           --Paul A. Samuelson
                     ~~~~~
                Fred and Martin
                   24 years,
             yet strangers before
                    the law
  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~