Date: Tue, 10 Sep 96 16:05:52 HST
From: ramsey@math.hawaii.edu (Tom Ramsey)
Subject: HAWAII SEPT. 10

	                OPENING DAY OF THE TRIAL


	Deputy State's Attorney Rick Eichor made the opening remarks for
the state for 25 minutes.   Dan Foley of HERMP responded to him for 
another 25 minutes.  The rest of the day was spent on the state's lead
witness, Dr. Kyle D. Pruitt of Connecticut. 

	Some significant remarks made by Dr. Pruitt are:
   1)  Same-sex couples are equally capable as heterosexuals of being
       positive parents.
   2)  Gays and lesbians ought to be allowed to adopt and foster children.
   3)  A parent's sexual orientation does not disqualify them from being
       a good, fit, loving parent.
   4)  If a gay father proved to be more stable and nurturing than
       the heterosexual mother, Dr. Pruitt would recommend custody of
       the child with the gay father.

	Dr. Pruitt's  initial testimony was that the optimal child-rearing
environment is created with the biological parents.  Under cross-examination
by Evan Wolfson of LLDEF, Dr. Pruitt  made statements 1, 2, 3, and 4 above.
Dr. Pruitt agreed with Dr. Charlotte Patterson that, to date, there is no
research that demonstrates a significant difference in the emotional
wellbeing of the child between child-rearing by homosexual as opposed to
heterosexual parents.  Dr. Patterson will be a later witness in the trial.


						Best Regards,


						Tom Ramsey
						HERMP Co-Coordinator


SEE ALSO:
http://www.xq.com/hermp/
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/orgs/hermp/
http://www.tnight.com/hermp/
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/usa/hawaii/marriage.update/
http://www.hawaii.gov/lrb/solcvr.html
http://www.qrd.org/qrd/www/legal/
http://nether.net/~rod/html/sub/marriage.html
http://www.well.com/user/davadam/hermp.html
http://www.eskimo.com/~demian/partners.html
 
      The Hawaii Equal Rights Marriage Project, h.e.r.m.p, is the sole support
of the work of Dan Foley on Baehr v. Miike.   Please be generous in support of
h.e.r.m.p; Hawaii is a small state!  Donations to h.e.r.m.p are fully
tax-deductible, and should be made out to
                     GLCC-HERMP
                     1521 Alexander Street, #503
                     Honolulu, HI 96822.
 
      The h.e.r.m.p branch in Kona, on the Big Island, has produced a T-shirt
for sale.  One can send a check for $17.50 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.  To place an email order for T-shirts, or
to obtain more information, please email skippero@aol.com.  An image of
the T-shirt is available via the WEB on
       http://www.qrd.org/QRD/www/usa/maine/hawaii-tee.html