Date: Wed, 30 Apr 1997 19:21:54 -0400 From: Maggie Heineman Subject: Pennsylvania Expose -- Issue #17 Pennsylvania Expose May 1, 1997 Issue 17 American Airlines Needs To Hear From You -- Original Author Unknown -- Received by PAD over Internet on Friday, April 25, 1997 American Airlines is a major sponsor to and supporter of groups like GLAAD, the Human Rights Campaign, the Gay and Lesbian Victory Fund, the AIDS Action Foundation, DIFFA, AmFAR, and scores of community-based groups representing gays and lesbians. It is also the first airline to adopt a written nondiscrimination policy covering sexual orientation in its employment practices. An unusual joint letter was released to the media on Friday, March 14th from the Family Research Council, Concerned Women of America, American Family Association and Coral Ridge Ministries. Radical right leader Beverly LaHaye also went on Christian "talk radio" on Friday to blast American Airlines because "American's sponsorship of homosexual 'pride' events constitutes an open endorsement of promiscuous homosexuality." She and the other groups have written Bob Crandall at American to complain that the airline has "gone beyond mere tolerance" of gays and lesbians. The full article appears in Friday's Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and possibly picked up by other newspapers around the country. It has come to the attention of the gay and Lesbian community that American Airline's switchboard and E-mails are being bombarded now by homophobic and hateful callers. These callers have been urged by LaHaye and others to DEMAND the company terminate its gay- friendly policies. What You Can Do: At the end of this note is a petition supporting American Airlines' stance on gay rights. If you feel that discrimination is in no one's best interest, add your name to the petition. Then make and forward a copy of this article on your Internet message sender to other people whom you feel are concerned about and desire gay and lesbian friendly work sites. Then, if you are the 25th, 50th, 75th, 100th, etc., person to sign this petition, please forward this copy to American Airlines at webmaster@amrcorp.com *** To American Airlines: We, the undersigned, support your gay/lesbian rights polices and commend you for your efforts in ending discrimination. Thank you for your dedication to such issues and please continue to remain active in the struggle to end discrimination. 1. Clark Moeller, Towanda, PA 2. Joanne L. Tosti-Vasey, Bellefonte, PA 3. [add your name here] [Editor's note: Those of you reading the printed, or fax-printed, edition of this newsletter may painlessly obtain the above petition text and this article from Pennsylvania Expose's web site at http://www.libertynet.org/~exposepa/.] State Funding For Family Planning -- By Liz Hrendra-Roberts, Executive Director -- Planned Parenthood Pennsylvania Associates -- PPPAADV@aol.com The Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed the 1997-98 state budget on April 2, 1997. Over a two-day period the House considered nearly 300 amendments and added approximately $141 million to the Governor's proposed budget. There were no amendments pertaining to family planning or other reproductive rights. The budget bill moved to the Senate Appropriations Committee, who met on April 8 and stripped the bill of almost all of the changes made by the House. The budget was considered by the full Senate on April 14, 1997, where it passed by a vote of 42-8, with little debate. A House and Senate joint Conference Committee will meet shortly to rectify the differences in the House and Senate versions of the bill. Both chambers will then vote on the Conference Committee Report. The budget contains substantial cuts to family planning and other human services. These cuts occur at the same time that the Pennsylvania budget surplus is expected to exceed $408 million. Despite this extraordinary surplus, Title XX, the Social Services Block Grant, lost $496,000 in family planning funding and an additional $1.8 million was lost as a result of Act 35, the Commonwealth's new welfare law. Our last hope to restore funding to family planning rests with the members of the Conference Committee. We need your help! ----> Call your state senator and representative! Ask them to contact the budget conferees and urge them to provide funding to offset the cuts to family planning! Capitol switchboard 717/787-2121. The Center For Lesbian And Gay Law And Public Policy --By Andrew Park, Executive Director --The Center for Lesbian and Gay Law and Public Policy --clglpp@philadelphia.libertynet.org The Center was recently founded to advocate for the rights of lesbians and gay men in Pennsylvania. We advocate on behalf of lesbians and gay men in Pennsylvania. The following are some of our activities. Center Studies PA Marital Benefits: Did you know that there are over 1300 references to the marital relationship in PA state statutes? The Center has developed a system to catalogue each of those references. We will be able to quantify the many ways that Pennsylvania law discriminates against gay men and lesbian couples. This will become a powerful education tool to demonstrate the many benefits of marriage that are unavailable to same-gender couples. The Center will also use this as a basis for developing a series of proposed legislative solutions for the unfair treatment. Center To Publish Legal Handbooks: The Center is preparing legal handbooks to answer legal questions commonly asked by lesbians and gay men. The Couple's Handbook will address a variety of issues concerning Pennsylvania state law: living together, joint property ownership, wills, living will, powers of attorney, termination of a relationship, domestic partnership, tax issues, and more. The Center is also drafting a pamphlet explaining the legal options available to victims of anti-gay harassment and violence. >From filing a private criminal complaint to filing a civil lawsuit, this pamphlet will explain what you can do if you are a victim of harassment. New Gay Rights Law In Lancaster: The Center is serving as a legal resource in the effort to pass a new antidiscrimination law in Lancaster, PA. The current Lancaster City law, which protects gays and lesbians, can only be enforced by the County. The County refuses to enforce the City's law. Center Continues Telephone Counseling: The Center continues to provide referrals and legal counseling to lesbian and gay men in need of legal assistance. We continue to search for volunteer attorneys to provide legal counseling. Most calls concern either employment discrimination or couple's issues. Other common areas of concern include harassment and housing issues. Educating Attorneys: The Center provides support and assistance to attorneys representing gay men and lesbians. The Center has collaborated with Community Legal Services and the Public Interest Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association to host Continuing Legal Education classes. Held on April 11 and May 15 at the Philadelphia Bar Education Center, these cover Estate Planning, Family Law, employment Discrimination, Immigration Law and Domestic Violence. Working With Others Across The Commonwealth: No effort to achieve equal rights for lesbians and gay men in Pennsylvania will succeed unless we enlist the support of individuals and groups across the state. The Center is has begun to form working relationships with groups throughout the state. For example, the Center's Executive Director is a member of the state-wide board of the Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy. The Alliance includes progressive legislators and representatives from women's groups, ACLU chapters, education and teachers' groups, anti-hate groups, unions, religious freedom activists, and other progressive organizations across the state. The Center is facilitating a series of workshops on gay and lesbian issues at the Alliance's state conference in State College on May 3 and 4. Alliance For Tolerance And Freedom -- By Laura Montgomery Rutt, Executive Director -- Alliance for Tolerance and Freedom -- lmrutt@lancnews.infi Lancaster County has always been a strangely conservative place. Religious diversity flourishes, Amish, Brethren, Mennonite, Fundamentalists, Unitarian, Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, and others. And we are home to a 3:1 Republican majority. So when the conservative religious element, namely Fundamentalism, started teaming up with the majority political party in our county and our nation, that diversity was overshadowed by political religious extremism. I got tired of only reading one point of view in the paper. I got tired of hearing our Representative in Washington saying that no one in Lancaster supports progressive legislation. So I did something about it. I teamed up with a friend, got over 400 signatures and lobbied Bob Walker, our Representative, on The Employment Non- Discrimination Act (ENDA). No longer could he say that no one in Lancaster supported this piece of legislation. I started writing letters to the editor, and the response I got was astounding. Comments were, "I didn't know anyone else in Lancaster thought the way I did," or "It is so refreshing to know there are thinking people out there." So in April of 1995, a grass roots organization called the Alliance for Tolerance and Freedom was born. Since that time, the Alliance has held countless educational forums on such topics as Welfare Reform, Grass Roots Organizing, Religion in the Public Schools, Hate Crimes against Lesbians and Gays, and Organized Hate Groups. In April of 1996, we held a Speak Out, featuring 6 national or regional speakers on topics such as Women's Rights, Religious Liberty, School Vouchers, Religious Right assault on the Public Schools, and more. The Speak Out was cosponsored by 23 local, regional and national organizations and over 250 people attended. We now have a very dynamic and diverse board of directors. We have setup an E-mail network. We write countless letters to the editor, hold quarterly forums and publish a quarterly newsletter named -- what else but - - "Progressive Voices." It gives the opportunity for members of the community to let others know how they feel. It is a publication that gives us, the Progressives, a vehicle for communication, in a place where we used to feel remarkably isolated and alone. Our slogan is "Let your Voice be heard." And we will never again be silent or silenced! Calendar May June 01 02 03 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 29 30 May 3-4, 1997 -- PENNSYLVANIA ALLIANCE FOR DEMOCRACY CONFERENCE -- t23@email.psu.edu and lmrutt@lancnews.infi.net Are you concerned about intolerance? Are you an advocate for economic justice, reproductive rights, civil rights, gay rights, religious liberty, quality public education? This conference will provide you with opportunities to learn and network with individuals and organizations concerned about the issues. The conference will focus on organizing your community, mobilizing your allies, and networking with other advocates and organizations. The conference will be held at the Atherton Hotel in State College, PA. The hotel is wheelchair accessible and ASL interpretation will be provided. Cost is $55.00, payable to PAD, PO Box 366, Harrisburg, PA 17108-0366. On-site registrations will be accepted. For hotel reservations ($75 single, $85 double), call the Atherton Hotel at 1-800-832-0132. Mention the PA Alliance for Democracy for special room rates. May 15, 1997 - CONTINUING LEGAL EDUCATION CLASSES -- panow@libertynet.org -- clglpp@philadelphia.libertynet.org The Center for Lesbian and Gay Law and Public Policy is collaborating with Community Legal Services and the Public Interest Section of the Philadelphia Bar Association to host Continuing Legal Education classes. The second class (the first was held in April) will be held on May 15 at the Philadelphia Bar Education Center. These classes will cover Estate Planning, Family Law, Employment Discrimination, Immigration Law and Domestic Violence as they relate to lesbians and gay men. For further information contact Andrew Park at The Center for Lesbian and Gay Law and Public Policy, 1023 Bainbrdige St., Philadelphia PA, 19147. The phone number is (215) 413-0509 and the email address is clglpp@philadelphia.libertynet.org. * * * Pennsylvania Expose Copyright (c) 1997 Pennsylvania Alliance for Democracy P.O. Box 366, Harrisburg PA 17108 President, Clark Moeller http://www.libertynet.org/~exposepa/ * * * Permission to reproduce, unaltered, in whole or in part, with copyright notice. * * * Editor Joanne Tosti-Vasey t23@email.psu.edu Design-Layout-Editing-Publishing Joseph Bordo starwalker@earthlink.net