Date: Wed, 11 Sep 1996 09:27:25 -0700 From: jeff@aa.net (Jeff Harris) Subject: Seattle Rice Toss Over DOMA For Immediate Release Contact: Jeff Harris September 11, 1996 (206) 329-3801 GAYS PLAN "RICE-TOSS" OVER "DOMA" RALLY THURSDAY AT SEATTLE FEDERAL BUILDING Seattle, WA -- Lesbians, gay men, members of the clergy, friends and family members will protest Congress's passage of the anti-gay-marriage bill, the Defense of Marriage Act, (DOMA) and urge President Bill Clinton to veto it when it reaches his desk. WHAT: Rally in favor of gay and lesbian marriages WHERE: Federal Building, 2nd Avenue & Madison, Seattle DATE: Thursday, September 12, 1996 WHEN: 7:00 p.m. The Senate passed DOMA on September 10, with 85 Senators voting in favor of the bill, and 14 against. Both of Washington's Senators, Patty Murray and Slade Gorton voted for the anti-gay legislation. The measure passed the House in July. President Clinton has said he will sign the bill into law. Organizers of the rally ask people to bring rice to the rally on Thursday. The rice will be tossed over the crowd as a symbolic blessing of gay and lesbian unions. David Serkin-Poole, Cantor of Temple Temple B'Nai Torah on Mercer Island said this about the celebration. "Anytime two individuals make a commitment of love and devotion in the sanctity of a union, the blessing bestowed upon all society is self evident." --30-- From: MPetrelis@aol.com Date: Fri, 13 Sep 1996 12:53:51 -0400 Subject: Report: Seattle rice-toss From: jeff@aa.net X-From: jeff@aa.net (Jeff Harris) Thirty people protested the Defense of Marriage Act in front of the Federal Building at the Seattle Rice Toss on Thursday Sept. 12. I opened the event by welcoming everyone and then spoke briefly about the Defense of Marriage Act and public and upcoming private resistance to the anti-gay legislation. Straight and gay members of the clergy and one lesbian couple spoke briefly in support of same sex marriages. Two television stations, KSTW Channel 11 Seattle's CBS affilliate and Channel 5 KING reported the event on their 11 O'Clock news. KING gave particular attention to Rev. Walter John Borris who blasted the religious political extremists who used religion to defame gay and lesbian Americans. The rice, rather the bird seed, is a very effective visual, especially on camera. Bring lots and plan to scoop it in big handfulls. The event left folks feeling uplifted. John G. Wilkinson, Media Coordinator for The Legal Marriage Alliance of Washington wrote a note this morning suggesting, "we do it again....and again....and again". Jeff Harris ---------------------------------- Here is a copy of my talk: RICE TOSS Jeff Harris September 12, 1996 206 329-3801 Welcome to the Seattle Rice Toss! My name is Jeff Harris I received a message from a friend in Hawaii that I want to read: "Aloha Jeff--Your headline for a Seattle Rice Toss caught my eye--I thought it a bit harsh to treat your mayor in an abusive manner. A hui hou, Martin , " I assured him we were using a bird-seed substitute, and that we would not be harming our mayor or any birds, but that we wanted to send some urgent messages. x To President Clinton, we want to say, "Veto DOMA! Change your mind, it would not be the first time. By signing DOMA you are validating hate and discrimination. Don't wait for the court to right this wrong. " x To Senator Patty Murray: You have betrayed us with your vote for the misnamed Defense of Marriage Act. A friend does not betray friends by voting for a bill whose only purpose is to encode as federal law, second class citizenship for lesbian and gay Americans. x To Slade Gorton, you have not only betrayed us, you have also betrayed your own gay son. x To Senator Ted Kennedy, the 13 other Senators who voted against the Defense of Marriage Act and to Rep. Jim McDermott: Thank you for your votes against DOMA. You did the right thing. We note your courage and commitment to equal rights for all Americans. Our protest is only beginning with this Seattle Rice Toss. There will be a Rice Toss tomorrow night in San Francisco. On Monday, David Mixner will stop traffic Los Angeles. Some of us will resist in more personal ways. Rev. Jan Nunley, Rector of St. Peter's and St. Andrew's Episcopal Church in Providence, RI will continue to perform the church's traditional blessing of marriages, but will refuse to sign marriage licenses until the state recognizes all of our marriages. And ultimately, if tis bill becomes law, there will be challenges in court and we will prevail. We do not always get to choose our battles. This battle for the government's recognition of our marriages, began as an authentic grass roots movement in Hawaii, where support has grown for couples who wanted to marry. They saw the opportunity and seized it. They did the right thing, just as Rosa Park did taking a seat on the bus so many years ago. This issue is about real lives, not abstract government policies. We cannot allow our government to provide support only for some couples . They must recognize all couples, of all faiths. There are members of the clergy here who honor and perform marriages for same sex couples. Any of them who want to say a few words can do do so here and now. After everyone has spoken we will toss the rice as a symbolic blessing for same sex unions. end