Date: Mon, 24 Aug 1998 22:11:47 -1000
From: ramsey@math.hawaii.edu (Tom Ramsey)
Subject: HAWAII AUGUST 26

	         HAWAII NEWS

The BIG change---Hawaii's Campaign Spending
      Commission has lifted the donation limit
      of $1000 per person for an "issue" campaign.
      The sky is now the limit, and North American
      religious extremists are pouring money into
      Hawaii's vote on a proposed constitutional
      amendment.  Dobson's group may be spending 
      the most in Hawaii, but the Christian Coalition
      is raising money worldwide as well to use in
      Hawaii.

      The key team standing up to this onslaught is
            Protect Our Constitution
            PO Box 235704
            Honolulu HI 96823-3511
      Donations to Protect Our Constitution are
      not tax deductible.  Donations are reported
      to the campaign spending commission.  Protect
      Our Constitution is affiliated with the
      national Human Rights Campaign.
		

Supreme Court---silent; no news on the
                final appeal of the Baehr
                case

Legislature---not in session; most of them
              running for re-election

Governor---running for a second term; uphill
           battle against a charismatic
           woman Republican who might even
           be lesbian but vigorously denies
           it publicly

Constitutional Amendment---if the vote were
           held today, the "no" would win.
           A "no" vote protects the equal
           civil rights of gays and lesbians.
	   However, the amendment is confusing
	   to many voters and many more have
           yet to realize that it is on the
	   November ballot.

Call for a Constitutional Convention---more and
           more people realize that such a convention,
           held under the shadow of hysteria over
           same-gender marriage, would be a disaster
           for environmental protection, native
           Hawaiian gathering rights, the right to
           strike, the freedom to choose as well as
           the freedom to marry.  The only question
           is whether this broad coalition of interests
           can deliver the votes on November 3rd!

The exact constitutional question:

	"Shall the constitution of the State of Hawaii
be amended to specify that the legislature shall have
the power to reserve marriage to opposite-sex couples."

Note that it does not directly ban same-gender marriage,
but moves the topic away from protection of the bill of
rights in the constitution.  Note also that it is a power
grab by the legislature at the expense of the independent
judiciary.  As most people in Hawaii learn this, they
decide to vote "no".  Can they be educated fast enough,
in 72 days?  In the meantime, the opposition is working
hard to make this amendment a referendum of whether one
supports same-sex marriage (vote "yes" if you oppose
same-sex marriage is their campaign focus).

The Role of Marriage Project Hawaii---MPH is operating
under a tax-deductible status that limits its lobbying
and election activities.  It continues to support the
Baehr case, to educate the public on issues related
to same-gender marriage, and to build a network of supporters
in Hawaii.  It's address is PO Box 11690, Honolulu, HI 96828.

				Tom Ramsey