Date: Mon, 26 Aug 96 12:36:35 HST
From: ramsey@math.hawaii.edu (Tom Ramsey)
Subject: HAWAII AUG. 26

	     AUGUST 8 HONOLULU ADVERTISER POLL:  72% THINK MARRIAGE
	            SHOULD BE BETWEEN A MAN AND WOMAN ONLY

    In late July 501 Honolulu residents were surveyed by telephone by
SMS Research and Marketing Services, Inc.  These 501 were identified as
likely to vote in both the Sept. 21 primary and the Nov. 5 general election.
The margin of error is estimated at 4.4%.

QUESTION 1:  Do you think two people of the same sex should be allowed
to get married in Hawaii?
YES---19% (it was 20% in February)
NO----72%
UNDECIDED/DON'T KNOW---9%
The change since February is not viewed as statistically significant, 
because it is well within the margin of error.

QUESTION 2:  Should the Legislature have taken a stand on the issue of
same-sex marriages?
YES---67%
NO----22%
NOT SURE/UNDECIDED---9%
DON'T CARE---2%
I find this last question really weird.  It doesn't ask what the legislature
should have done!
        
    It is the stubborn resistance of public opinion to change that lead some
h.e.r.m.p volunteers to create Friends of h.e.r.m.p and its 900-number:
1-900-97-MARRY.  If you call it and have your friends call it and have
their friends call it ........, we will truly break new ground in the struggle
for civil rights.  [If you call and listen to the message, the charge is
$5 unless you choose to make it more---and even that choice is not available
in the 808 area code.  Callers must be at least 18 years of age.]

					Best Regards,

					Tom Ramsey
					Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project

P. S.  Here are 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 $13,000, with the
            bill mounting rapidly during the trial in September.
              
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 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
DEAF QUEER RESOURCE CENTER
NEW YORK FREEDOM TO MARRY