Date: 	Thu, 16 Jul 1998 19:37:09 -1000
From: Mia H H Lam <mial@hawaii.edu>
Subject: Avery Chumbley web site (fwd)


---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 16 Jul 1998 11:47:13 -1000
From: Tom Ramsey <ramsey@math.hawaii.edu>
Subject: Avery Chumbley web site

	     Avery Chumbley's Home Page

	Senator Avery Chumbley is running for
re-election from a "canoe" district that is split
between Maui and Kauai.  He has created a web page
that is remarkable---both in its thoughtful design
and the content.  Please check it out!  (The background
to his web page is the Declaration of Independence.)

     <http://www.aloha.net/~abc/chumbley.html>


	Senator Chumbley fought hard in the Senate
to put some substance into the Reciprocal Beneficiary
Act.  The original House version had four rights,
and the final version over 50.  With the "expert"
advice of Attorney General Bronster, Senators Chumbley
and Matsunaga fought hard to put health benefits for
partners into the bill.  The House campaigned against
that to the bitter end, and then conceded.  Bronster
then undid her own advice to the Senate in several official
opinions that totally gutted the hard work of the Senate.
Of course, she is wrong.  Of course, we could probably get
her opinions over-turned in court.  I actually thinks she
expects us to do that (but just wants to make everyone work
hard for each and every benefit).

	Senator Chumbley devotes a full page of the
web site to his position on same-sex marriage (on what
he did and why).  That web page is

      <http://www.aloha.net/~abc/samesex.html>

There is a carefully worded conclusion to that page,
which can be read as recommending a "no" vote on the
Constitutional Amendment (to those with eyes to see
and ears to hear):

     "In the end, I am willing to acknowledge that
      political pressure was brought and bought by
      persons both within and outside of Hawaii, which
      allowed for the "majority" to be able to
      overrule the minority. However, I am also painfully
      aware that my Senate colleagues and I agreed to a
      compromise that will forever change the course of history
      in Hawaii. Ultimately, it is my hope that the opportunity
      to vote on this issue will allow the people of Hawaii
      to reaffirm their belief in our Constitution and our
      government "with an understanding and compassionate heart"
      and recognize that all of Hawaii's people should be treated
      with dignity, respect, and fairness." 


	A special mahalo to Martin Rice for bringing Senator
Chumbley's web site to my attention.

						Tom Ramsey