Date: Wed, 17 Jul 96 03:48:48 HST
From: ramsey@math.hawaii.edu (Tom Ramsey)
Subject: HAWAII JULY 17

			DAN FOLEY ON DOMA:  FIGHT IT HARD
			    IN THE U.S. SENATE AND
			      THINK HISTORICALLY

	Dan Foley gave a wide-ranging interview on DOMA, emphasizing
several points.  

	First, we will fight it in every arena (including federal courts)
and will probably prevail.  BUT the additional court fights could add
six years to obtaining marriage rights AFTER we win in Hawaii.  SO FIGHT
IT HARD IN THE U.S. SENATE NOW.  IT IS INFINITELY EASIER (AND MORE CERTAIN)
TO STOP SOMETHING FROM BEING PASSED THAN TO REPEAL IT LATER LEGISLATIVELY
OR JUDICIALLY.

	Second, Congress NEVER attempted to lift state bans on interracial
marriages.  Congress passed the Voting Rights Act in 1964 and the Civil
Rights Act in 1965, but left untouched laws in many states (about 1/4 th)
that banned interracial marriage.  It was the federal courts in Loving
v. Virginia that struck down laws banning interracial marriage.  Many
white males STILL oppose interracial marriage (I believe a majority
oppose it, but don't have the reference), 31 years after the Civil Rights
Act.  Marriage is a hot button, which is why we have to push it, but
celebrate the profiles in courage that we do find among our leaders.

	Can we speed up the rate of change in public opinion?  It's
never really been tried, thoroughly and systematically.  In Hawaii, we have
a critical challenge and opportunity.  The challenge is that the people of
Hawaii will vote this November on WHETHER to have a Constitutional Convention.
We want that vote to be "no".  Enemies of same-gender marriage are targeting
Hawaii with hundreds of thousands of media dollars, to change Hawaii's
constitution against same-gender marriage.

	The opportunity is that Hawaii is small, with an isolated and
relatively cheap media market.  If 100,000 gay men and lesbians each
donate $5 to a media campaign here in Hawaii, we will learn how to
change public opinion.  PLEASE ACT NOW!



					Best Regards,
					Tom Ramsey
					Co-coordinator, h.e.r.m.p


P. S.  Here are some of the players and organizations in Hawaii whose
primary focus is on same gender marriage and which work closely with
h.e.r.m.p:

h.e.r.m.p:  the ONLY organization paying the legal fees of Dan
            Foley, the attorney who is in charge of the case
            with Evan Wolfson and Kirk Cashmere as co-counsels.
	    h.e.r.m.p was created when the three plaintiff couples
	    came to the Gay and Lesbian Community Center in 1993
            for help in raising funds to pay the legal expenses
	    (they had to distance themselves from an earlier
	    organizational structure).  Donations to h.e.r.m.p
	    are fully tax-deductible and can be made to GLCC-HERMP,
            1521 Alexander St., #503, Honolulu, HI 96822.  h.e.r.m.p
	    currently owes Dan Foley about $20,000, with the
	    bills mounting rapidly over the next three months.

Friends of h.e.r.m.p:  an organization parallel to h.e.r.m.p to
           handle the NON-tax-deductible public education and
           media work.  The address is PO BOX 11690, Honolulu, HI
           96828.  They have recently launched a 900-number, for
           donations of between $5 and $25:  1-900-97-MARRY.

Alliance for Equal Rights:  this political action group predates
           h.e.r.m.p considerably.  It played a strong role in
           getting Hawaii's law that bans discrimination in employment
           (with Leon Rouse as the lobbyist for that).  It's top
           priority is the support of legislative candidates who
	   support same gender marrige, but it can't give money
           directly to the candidate's election campaigns.  The
           address is 2139 Chamberlain Street, Honolulu, HI 96822.

The Equality Fund:  an organization parallel to the Alliance, which
           is a registered PAC giving money directly to legislative
           candidates.  The address is PO BOX 11690, Honolulu, HI 96828.
           
The following national organizations endorse h.e.r.m.p and Friends
of h.e.r.m.p (with its 900-number):

ASTREA NATIONAL LESBIAN ACTION FOUNDATION
GAY AND LESBIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION
GAY/LESBIAN/STRAIGHT TEACHERS NETWORK
HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN
LAMBDA LEGAL DEFENSE AND EDUCATION FUND
NATIONAL BLACK GAY AND LESBIAN LEADERSHIP FORUM
NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE
PARENTS AND FRIENDS OF LESBIANS AND GAYS