Date: Thu, 7 Dec 95 18:00:47 HST
From: ramsey@math.hawaii.edu (Tom Ramsey)
Subject: HAWAII, DEC. 7

			COMMISSION RECESSES UNTIL
			    FRIDAY, DEC. 8
			   LLDEF AND HERMP

	Hawaii's Commission on Sexual Orientation met for an hour
this morning, Thursday, Dec. 7, after hearing over 100 witnesses
on Wednesday Dec. 6 and running overtime on Wednesday.  No witnesses
were heard.  A ``final'' report was distributed and the vote postponed
until Friday, to give commissioners one more chance to review the
document and all proposed changes.  This draft of the report is substantially
different from the draft circulated two weeks ago among public libraries
in the state of Hawaii.  The commission continues to recommend that the
legislature accept same-gender marriages.  The most recent draft explains
the commission's reasoning much more thoroughly.

	The Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project (HERMP) worked overtime to
get favorable testimony and comment to the commission, to emphasize public
support of the commission's courageous stand.  The tally on letters is
still incomplete, and we may have won that skirmish (we were the victor
by a good margin on Tuesday, but about 1.5 inches of FAX's arrived Wednesday
morning which have not been tallied).  The commission continues to accept
faxes (808 587 0681).  However, the in-person testimony against
same-gender marriage outnumbered the pro's by over 3 to 1 (in the past,
for legislative hearings, it's been more like 1 to 1).  The local media
widely reported the 3 to 1 opposition.

	HERMP strongly endorses LLDEF's ground-breaking work in creating
a national coalition and strategy for creating a PERMANENT, NATIONAL
victory on same-gender marriage.  WITHOUT EVAN WOLFSON AT LLDEF, THERE
WOULDN'T EVEN BE LIP-SERVICE TO MARRIAGE FROM MOST OF THE NATIONAL
ORGANIZATIONS.  HERMP, while wondering how its own rent will get paid and
the next newsletter sent out, accepts the need to SIMULTANEOUSLY prepare
the rest of the country for the coming victory in Hawaii.  It's absolutely
clear to us in Hawaii, that both jobs must be done and that resources are
desperately tight for both.

	Yes, HERMP desparately needs donations---why else would we be selling
T-shirts?  We're hoping that T-shirts will pay the rent!!!!  So, be generous
with your own resources, and let the national organizations figure out on
their own where the real life of the community is.  They'll either make the
discovery, or be left in the dust.  Every minute a marriage supporter spends
in carping about the priorities of national organizations, that's a minute
not spent talking to your
       1)relatives
       2)co-workers
       3)friends
       4)gay and lesbian social groups:  bowling leagues, softball leagues,
         business alliances, newspapers, churches, AIDS service organizations,
         Al-anon groups, support groups, etc.  MOST GAYS AND LESBIANS ARE
         COMPLETELY IGNORANT OF MARRIAGE STRUGGLE, EVEN NOW.
       5)local chapters of the NAACP, ACLU, Planned Parenthood, etc.
       6)unions and other employee organizations; credit unions
       7)the local churches
       8)the Kiwanis, the Elks Lodge
       9)local city council; county government
       10)local legislators
       11)members of Congress and the U.S. Senate
       12)writing a check to HERMP
There is no magic bullet, there's no David Geffen to sweep us all away
to some never-never-land.  There's you and we.

					Aloha!


					Tom Ramsey 
					Co-coordinator, HERMP


P.S.  The Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project, HERMP, is the sole support
of the work of Dan Foley on Baehr v. Lewin (Foley is the attorney who makes
all court appearances on behalf of the plaintiff couples).  Please be generous
in support of HERMP; Hawaii is a small state, and the tiny gay and lesbian
community here is very active in advocacy work which HERMP cannot address.
Donations to HERMP are fully tax-deductible, and should be made out to
GLCC/HERMP, 1820 University Avenue, Honolulu, HI 96822.
 
      The HERMP branch in Kona, on the Big Island, has produced a T-shirt
for sale.  One can send a check for $16.50 to HERMP, P.O.Box 902, Captain
Cook, HI 96704, together with a note about being sent a T-shirt (S, M, L,
XL, XXL).  It is also available in a tank top.  The design is multi-color
on white.  A large triangle points down, with the letters h.e.r.m.p above
the triangle, some male-male, female-female symbols in the border of the
triangle and some palm trees.  Thank you!