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| click icon above to read Designation of referred measures on the 2006 General Election Ballot |
At the February PPMCC Board of Directors meeting the board unanimously voted to join the Colorado
Alliance for Family Equality (CAFE). There was no dues to pay but we had to agree with their mission
statement and send in a signed resolution. A brochure about CAFE can be downloaded by clicking on their
logo to the right.
Information about CAFE follows as well as an update on what is going on in Colorado's State Legislature.
Please check back to this page for updates that will be posted as soon as they are received. ~Frank
Alliance for Family Equality (CAFE). There was no dues to pay but we had to agree with their mission
statement and send in a signed resolution. A brochure about CAFE can be downloaded by clicking on their
logo to the right.
Information about CAFE follows as well as an update on what is going on in Colorado's State Legislature.
Please check back to this page for updates that will be posted as soon as they are received. ~Frank
Contact CAFÉ now at: cafe@civilrightsnow.org
OUR MISSION:
Our purpose is to achieve full civil marriage and family equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
(GLBT) people by providing a structure through which our member organizations and their allies can
coordinate their education and advocacy efforts on behalf of the GLBT community.
OUR VISION:
The Colorado Alliance for Family Equality (CAFE) envisions a Colorado where civil marriage is based on the
love, commitment and responsibilities shared by two individuals, regardless of gender.
ABOUT CAFÉ
CAFÉ is an organization of organizations—a coalition of GLBT and allied groups working to achieve civil
marriage and family equality in Colorado. CAFÉ meets the first Saturday of each month at locations around
the state as determined in advance by the Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee is elected by the membership at the annual meeting each
June. Member organizations each have one vote. Non-member affiliated organizations and affiliated
individuals participate in CAFÉ meetings and deliberations, but do not vote. We welcome representatives of
groups interested in joining us in this work and hope you will consider becoming part of our efforts to achieve
full equality for GLBT families in Colorado.
CURRENT MEMBERS
Colorado Alliance for Family Equality Member Resolution
We, the undersigned, are committed to full social and legal equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgendered (LGBT) community and their families. Because anything less than full access to civil marriage
for committed, same-sex couples is unequal, we strive through education and advocacy to achieve full
marriage equality in Colorado and nationally. However, we recognize that some couples and families are
subject to very real risks in the here and now, and thus we also support incremental efforts toward equality
such as civil unions, domestic partner benefits, second-parent adoption rights and related family protections.
Because freedom to marry is a basic human right and an individual choice, we resolve that the State should
not interfere with LGBT couples who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the benefits, protections,
responsibilities and commitment of civil marriage. Colorado’s families need and deserve equal access and
protection under the law. The State’s laws should protect, not harm, LGBT couples and their families.
Membership in the Colorado Alliance for Family Equality has been approved by our organization’s board of
directors or authorized agent. We support the goals and values of the Alliance and authorize it to add us to the
public membership list. We will designate an organizational contact to act as a liaison to the Alliance as
needed* and appropriate to support Alliance goals and activities.
Please return completed resolutions to
CAFE, c/o The Center; 1050 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203-2708
Rev. CAFÉ 09.22.05
Rev. CAFÉ 10/13/05
OUR MISSION:
Our purpose is to achieve full civil marriage and family equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
(GLBT) people by providing a structure through which our member organizations and their allies can
coordinate their education and advocacy efforts on behalf of the GLBT community.
OUR VISION:
The Colorado Alliance for Family Equality (CAFE) envisions a Colorado where civil marriage is based on the
love, commitment and responsibilities shared by two individuals, regardless of gender.
ABOUT CAFÉ
CAFÉ is an organization of organizations—a coalition of GLBT and allied groups working to achieve civil
marriage and family equality in Colorado. CAFÉ meets the first Saturday of each month at locations around
the state as determined in advance by the Steering Committee.
The Steering Committee is elected by the membership at the annual meeting each
June. Member organizations each have one vote. Non-member affiliated organizations and affiliated
individuals participate in CAFÉ meetings and deliberations, but do not vote. We welcome representatives of
groups interested in joining us in this work and hope you will consider becoming part of our efforts to achieve
full equality for GLBT families in Colorado.
CURRENT MEMBERS
Colorado Alliance for Family Equality Member Resolution
We, the undersigned, are committed to full social and legal equality for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgendered (LGBT) community and their families. Because anything less than full access to civil marriage
for committed, same-sex couples is unequal, we strive through education and advocacy to achieve full
marriage equality in Colorado and nationally. However, we recognize that some couples and families are
subject to very real risks in the here and now, and thus we also support incremental efforts toward equality
such as civil unions, domestic partner benefits, second-parent adoption rights and related family protections.
Because freedom to marry is a basic human right and an individual choice, we resolve that the State should
not interfere with LGBT couples who choose to marry and share fully and equally in the benefits, protections,
responsibilities and commitment of civil marriage. Colorado’s families need and deserve equal access and
protection under the law. The State’s laws should protect, not harm, LGBT couples and their families.
Membership in the Colorado Alliance for Family Equality has been approved by our organization’s board of
directors or authorized agent. We support the goals and values of the Alliance and authorize it to add us to the
public membership list. We will designate an organizational contact to act as a liaison to the Alliance as
needed* and appropriate to support Alliance goals and activities.
Please return completed resolutions to
CAFE, c/o The Center; 1050 Broadway, Denver, CO 80203-2708
Rev. CAFÉ 09.22.05
Rev. CAFÉ 10/13/05
| ACLU of Colorado Boulder Pride Christ Congregational UCC (Pueblo) Civil Rights Now Colorado Clergy for Equality in Marriage Colorado Lesbian & Gay Bar Association Colorado Log Cabin Republicans Colorado Stonewall Democrats Denver Green Party Equal Rights Colorado First Unitarian Society of Denver GLSEN Colorado Metropolitan Community Church of Pueblo Metropolitan Community Church of the Rockies Outfront Pueblo Pikes Peak Metropolitan Community Church click here for signed resolution PFLAG Boulder County PFLAG Denver |
www.ebar.com
The Gill Action Fund: Serious LGBT politics
by Bob Roehr
The Gill Action Fund is the latest creation of Denver's gay
entrepreneur and philanthropist Tim Gill. The fund was set
up because Gill's political investment had expanded to the
point where it needed a formal structure, explained Ted
Trimpa, who advises the fund.
Trimpa is a political consultant who has long advised Gill
on his strategies and contributions, but each sensed that the
efforts had outgrown their conversations on the living room
couch. There are legal limitations on what the Gill
Foundation can do in terms of political activity, and the
action fund was created to fill that void. The fact that an antigay marriage initiative is likely to be on the
ballot in Colorado this fall also influenced timing in creating the fund.
The Gill Foundation has assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The action fund is expected to have
expenditures of at least $10 million in 2006, according to foundation spokeswoman Joanne Kron.
Gill has been a major supporter of the gay marriage struggle in Massachusetts, probably the third largest
contributor overall, Trimpa guessed. The key to that success was real grassroots organizing. "I'm talking
knock on doors, and knock on them again, and don't go turn out the gay vote, go knock on the doors of
swing voters," said Rodger McFarlane, executive director of the Gill Foundation, pounding his hand on the
table, "and knock on them day after day."
some serious money to play like that. It certainly doesn't stop it, but it turns it way down." And when they
do spew antigay rhetoric, they often look extreme.
"You have to create an environment of fear and respect," added Trimpa. "The only way to do that is to get
aggressive and go out and actually beat them up [politically]. Sitting there crying and whining about being
victims isn't going to get us equality. What is going to get us equality is fighting for it."
The strategy had a test run in 2004 "when we flipped both houses" of the state legislature from Republican
to Democratic control, McFarlane said with pride. Trimpa said it was based on two parts, the carrot and
the stick. One was participating at the highest levels to set strategies and tactics with like-minded allies.
"The stick part of that was to overlay a strategy to take known antigay elected officials and target them
specifically for their past antigay views, actions, and statements."
"Of the three that we targeted, we took out two. And the third was an absolute long shot – a 3 to 1
Republican district. Out of 50,000 votes cast, we came within 1,500. We are finally realizing that how we
win is by creating an environment of fear and respect."
That winning attitude has carried over into this legislative session and in setting a strategy for elections in
the fall. Last year LGBT supporters were able to pass both hate crimes and employment nondiscrimination
laws. Conservative Republican Governor Bill Owens signed the first and vetoed the second.
"But an important thing about the veto message was that the governor specifically admonished those
senators that called homosexuality an abomination, and he criticized another for comparing homosexuality
to pedophilia," said Trimpa. "He is a pretty conservative governor and it was pretty compelling."
The key legislation this year is a domestic partnership law that the legislature will pass and put on the
November ballot. Trimpa said they are "talking about the pieces of this debate that have extraordinary
support – hospital visitation, inheritance, workers compensation, all poll above 75 percent – so let's make
them argue, individually, why those pieces shouldn't be so."
"Part of our strategy is to make the other side, particularly Focus [on the Family] talk about what the real
issue is," Trimpa said. "Is this about the fact that you don't want to accept homosexuality? Or is this about
the fact that you want to continue to be unfair to committed gay couples, to the financial challenges that
they face?"
James Dobson's group is so concerned that its chief legislative ally has introduced a bill that is a kind of
"DP-lite." It would offer some, but not all, of the same benefits to a broader range of people. Focus on the
Family has embraced it but one of their minions, the discredited psychologist Paul Cameron, has called that
"unprecedented" and has broken with the group on the issue. Trimpa credited Dobson with a smart political
ploy but doubts it will get very far.
The far right also is pushing a petition for the fall ballot that would define marriage as a union between a
man and a woman. McFarlane and Trimpa said the gay community would probably lose that vote, and that
has helped define their strategy. Going the legislative/ballot route shapes the public debate now to talk about
the substance of issues such as inheritance and medical decision-making.
"You can have people voting for the constitutional amendment and voting for DP and that works fine," said
Trimpa.
McFarlane added, "We put both options up at the same time so they can't just do the self-righteous Bible-
beating. You can be adamantly supportive of the definition of marriage between a man and a woman, but
then you have to talk about the actual legal and social stuff."
"If we were intellectually honest and said, no, nothing less than marriage, we'd lose our asses on that, just
like people in other states did. So let's use the opportunity to talk about the substance of the arguments
instead of the symbology," said McFarlane.
The Long Term
While their ultimate goal is marriage equality, Trimpa and McFarlane realize it is not going to be
accomplished immediately, in a single stroke.
"We have got to be careful about expecting people overnight to understand what it is like to be gay," said
Trimpa. "It took me over 12 years to come to grips with the fact that I was gay. And I thought about it
every damn day. I'd get up in the morning, look in the mirror, the face was staring me back, I kept having
those thoughts, my God, I'm attracted to men, what the hell is going on with me?
"And we are expecting people in a shorter period of time – when you think about real public awareness of
gay rights – just to do that overnight. I don't think that is fair."
The foundation and action fund also have learned to play both sides of the political aisle. "Part of Tim's
giving strategy on the Republican side has been, let's help Republicans take their party back, rather than
change them into Democrats. There are reasons they are Republican, and we have to respect that," said
Trimpa.
McFarland adds in a conspiratorial whisper, "And many of us happen to agree" with some of those reasons.
McFarlane has joined the growing chorus of those within the LGBT community calling for "actual
legislative wins," and accountability. "In the past it was we've gotta elect a Democrat, we've gotta elect a
Democrat. And the Democrats haven't done very well, nor have they responded to our adversaries."
"I think they're just scared of our issues. They're stuck [back] 10 years ago and think this is a negative,
when in fact, if you look at the data and if you get on the offensive, it is not a negative," McFarlane said.
"Tim has said, passing money through the Democratic Party and letting someone speak for us has not
worked. We always end up as the piece that is negotiable – we always fall off the end. Bill Clinton would
make speeches that would inspire you to walk across the desert, and then every time we came to getting
something out of committee or actually voting on something, we were the ones that were cut," McFarlane
added.
The pair criticizes much past political spending for piddling away money to support "friends" who are going
to win anyway; many of whom may vote the right way but do not exercise leadership on LGBT issues.
Trimpa said money has to be concentrated for maximum impact, both "to punish the evil," and "to create an
environment where there is reward for people who actually lead, who take those risks."
A combination of the community speaking for itself, a long term plan focusing on a few targets at a time,
and coordinating with allies will help to move the fight for LGBT equality along.
"We have to remember, civil unions were unspeakable five years ago, any legal recognition of a gay couple,
and now that's the fallback position for marriage, even for the president of the United States," said
McFarlane.
Correction
In the March 23 article about the Gill Foundation ["Gill Foundation helps gay groups"], the foundation's
assets are about double the $170 million mentioned in the story. Additionally, the reference to the Gill
Action Fund as a political action committee is incorrect. The fund is a 501 (c)4 organization that can take
part in issue advocacy. Finally, the given name of Ted Trimpa was incorrect.
The Gill Action Fund: Serious LGBT politics
by Bob Roehr
The Gill Action Fund is the latest creation of Denver's gay
entrepreneur and philanthropist Tim Gill. The fund was set
up because Gill's political investment had expanded to the
point where it needed a formal structure, explained Ted
Trimpa, who advises the fund.
Trimpa is a political consultant who has long advised Gill
on his strategies and contributions, but each sensed that the
efforts had outgrown their conversations on the living room
couch. There are legal limitations on what the Gill
Foundation can do in terms of political activity, and the
action fund was created to fill that void. The fact that an antigay marriage initiative is likely to be on the
ballot in Colorado this fall also influenced timing in creating the fund.
The Gill Foundation has assets worth hundreds of millions of dollars. The action fund is expected to have
expenditures of at least $10 million in 2006, according to foundation spokeswoman Joanne Kron.
Gill has been a major supporter of the gay marriage struggle in Massachusetts, probably the third largest
contributor overall, Trimpa guessed. The key to that success was real grassroots organizing. "I'm talking
knock on doors, and knock on them again, and don't go turn out the gay vote, go knock on the doors of
swing voters," said Rodger McFarlane, executive director of the Gill Foundation, pounding his hand on the
table, "and knock on them day after day."
- "It's expensive and time consuming," said Trimpa, "but it
is the absolute right way to do real grassroots politics –
door to door, talking to the voters, having gay people go
to them, allies of ours go to each of them, walk them
through, and you flip votes one by one." It is a strategy
that works in both the legislature and in the field.
- McFarlane quotes his boss on another key aspect of their
political strategy. "Tim says you have to turn down the
volume [of opponents' antigay rhetoric]. They can't just
some serious money to play like that. It certainly doesn't stop it, but it turns it way down." And when they
do spew antigay rhetoric, they often look extreme.
"You have to create an environment of fear and respect," added Trimpa. "The only way to do that is to get
aggressive and go out and actually beat them up [politically]. Sitting there crying and whining about being
victims isn't going to get us equality. What is going to get us equality is fighting for it."
- Colorado
Colorado is shaping up as a hot battleground for gay rights for the next election cycle. This
time, it isn't just because the far right has chosen to pick a fight; gay rights advocates have
The strategy had a test run in 2004 "when we flipped both houses" of the state legislature from Republican
to Democratic control, McFarlane said with pride. Trimpa said it was based on two parts, the carrot and
the stick. One was participating at the highest levels to set strategies and tactics with like-minded allies.
"The stick part of that was to overlay a strategy to take known antigay elected officials and target them
specifically for their past antigay views, actions, and statements."
"Of the three that we targeted, we took out two. And the third was an absolute long shot – a 3 to 1
Republican district. Out of 50,000 votes cast, we came within 1,500. We are finally realizing that how we
win is by creating an environment of fear and respect."
That winning attitude has carried over into this legislative session and in setting a strategy for elections in
the fall. Last year LGBT supporters were able to pass both hate crimes and employment nondiscrimination
laws. Conservative Republican Governor Bill Owens signed the first and vetoed the second.
"But an important thing about the veto message was that the governor specifically admonished those
senators that called homosexuality an abomination, and he criticized another for comparing homosexuality
to pedophilia," said Trimpa. "He is a pretty conservative governor and it was pretty compelling."
The key legislation this year is a domestic partnership law that the legislature will pass and put on the
November ballot. Trimpa said they are "talking about the pieces of this debate that have extraordinary
support – hospital visitation, inheritance, workers compensation, all poll above 75 percent – so let's make
them argue, individually, why those pieces shouldn't be so."
"Part of our strategy is to make the other side, particularly Focus [on the Family] talk about what the real
issue is," Trimpa said. "Is this about the fact that you don't want to accept homosexuality? Or is this about
the fact that you want to continue to be unfair to committed gay couples, to the financial challenges that
they face?"
James Dobson's group is so concerned that its chief legislative ally has introduced a bill that is a kind of
"DP-lite." It would offer some, but not all, of the same benefits to a broader range of people. Focus on the
Family has embraced it but one of their minions, the discredited psychologist Paul Cameron, has called that
"unprecedented" and has broken with the group on the issue. Trimpa credited Dobson with a smart political
ploy but doubts it will get very far.
The far right also is pushing a petition for the fall ballot that would define marriage as a union between a
man and a woman. McFarlane and Trimpa said the gay community would probably lose that vote, and that
has helped define their strategy. Going the legislative/ballot route shapes the public debate now to talk about
the substance of issues such as inheritance and medical decision-making.
"You can have people voting for the constitutional amendment and voting for DP and that works fine," said
Trimpa.
McFarlane added, "We put both options up at the same time so they can't just do the self-righteous Bible-
beating. You can be adamantly supportive of the definition of marriage between a man and a woman, but
then you have to talk about the actual legal and social stuff."
"If we were intellectually honest and said, no, nothing less than marriage, we'd lose our asses on that, just
like people in other states did. So let's use the opportunity to talk about the substance of the arguments
instead of the symbology," said McFarlane.
The Long Term
While their ultimate goal is marriage equality, Trimpa and McFarlane realize it is not going to be
accomplished immediately, in a single stroke.
"We have got to be careful about expecting people overnight to understand what it is like to be gay," said
Trimpa. "It took me over 12 years to come to grips with the fact that I was gay. And I thought about it
every damn day. I'd get up in the morning, look in the mirror, the face was staring me back, I kept having
those thoughts, my God, I'm attracted to men, what the hell is going on with me?
"And we are expecting people in a shorter period of time – when you think about real public awareness of
gay rights – just to do that overnight. I don't think that is fair."
The foundation and action fund also have learned to play both sides of the political aisle. "Part of Tim's
giving strategy on the Republican side has been, let's help Republicans take their party back, rather than
change them into Democrats. There are reasons they are Republican, and we have to respect that," said
Trimpa.
McFarland adds in a conspiratorial whisper, "And many of us happen to agree" with some of those reasons.
McFarlane has joined the growing chorus of those within the LGBT community calling for "actual
legislative wins," and accountability. "In the past it was we've gotta elect a Democrat, we've gotta elect a
Democrat. And the Democrats haven't done very well, nor have they responded to our adversaries."
"I think they're just scared of our issues. They're stuck [back] 10 years ago and think this is a negative,
when in fact, if you look at the data and if you get on the offensive, it is not a negative," McFarlane said.
"Tim has said, passing money through the Democratic Party and letting someone speak for us has not
worked. We always end up as the piece that is negotiable – we always fall off the end. Bill Clinton would
make speeches that would inspire you to walk across the desert, and then every time we came to getting
something out of committee or actually voting on something, we were the ones that were cut," McFarlane
added.
The pair criticizes much past political spending for piddling away money to support "friends" who are going
to win anyway; many of whom may vote the right way but do not exercise leadership on LGBT issues.
Trimpa said money has to be concentrated for maximum impact, both "to punish the evil," and "to create an
environment where there is reward for people who actually lead, who take those risks."
A combination of the community speaking for itself, a long term plan focusing on a few targets at a time,
and coordinating with allies will help to move the fight for LGBT equality along.
"We have to remember, civil unions were unspeakable five years ago, any legal recognition of a gay couple,
and now that's the fallback position for marriage, even for the president of the United States," said
McFarlane.
Correction
In the March 23 article about the Gill Foundation ["Gill Foundation helps gay groups"], the foundation's
assets are about double the $170 million mentioned in the story. Additionally, the reference to the Gill
Action Fund as a political action committee is incorrect. The fund is a 501 (c)4 organization that can take
part in issue advocacy. Finally, the given name of Ted Trimpa was incorrect.
| Download CAFE's monthly newsletter CAFE Lately July 2006 .pdf format |
Petition effort supports domestic partnership
Grand Junction Sentinel
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Phil Wolfe said the petition he signed Saturday to support a ballot measure to allow domestic partnerships in
Colorado is crucial to his family’s security.
“The truth is we need it,” Wolfe said as he stood with his partner, Dave Wolfe, and their 2-year-old son at
Western Equality’s seventh annual Pride Picnic at Hawthorne Park. “If something were to happen to one of
us, we want to make sure we’re protected.”
Dave Wolfe, who also signed a petition for the measure, agreed. “If anything were to happen to me,” he
said, “why shouldn’t we have the same rights as any other married couple?”
The measure, promoted by a group called Coloradans for Fairness and Equality, would amend the Colorado
Constitution with a provision allowing same-sex couples to legally enter domestic partnerships, said Pat
Steadman, a representative of the group. He said the measure doesn’t define domestic partnerships as
marriage, but it would give legal status to same-sex couples that obtain a domestic partnership license.
Such legal status would give many of the same rights to same-sex couples that married couples currently
enjoy, Steadman said.
“People are understanding that there are situations facing same-sex couples that aren’t clear in law,” he
said. For example, he said married couples have rights in such areas as child-support payments, estates and
medical decisions that same-sex couples don’t have.
Those issues are important for couples such as Phil and Dave Wolfe, who said they have put together as
many documents as they can to let others know how they want to handle issues such as money, medical
decisions and child custody if something happens to one of them.
Still, without legal recognition that they’re a couple, which a domestic partnership law would provide, they
worry that their plans could be challenged by a third party.
Jay Martinez said he has been in a relationship for 15 years and would like to be able to share his benefits
through work with his partner in the same manner that married couples share benefits.
“I’m doing everything I can to help with this initiative,” Martinez said. “We have a long fight ahead of us. I’
d like to see Colorado be the first state to say enough is enough — let’s let people live their lives.”
Petition-drive organizers want to collect 100,000 signatures in the next two months to be sure of meeting
the 68,000-signature threshold for placing an initiative on the November ballot, Steadman said.
Several efforts are under way throughout Colorado to place measures on the ballot to outlaw gay marriage,
and Steadman said his group’s proposal is a direct response to those efforts. He said that by legalizing
domestic partnerships, the measure sidesteps the controversy over gay marriage and tries to solve real
problems facing same-sex couples.
“We’re offering domestic partnerships as an alternative,” Steadman said.
Jeff Basinger, co-chairman of Western Equality, said the organization’s board endorsed the initiative
Thursday.
“It’s about strengthening families. It’s about providing safer environments where people can take care of
each other,” Basinger said. “It’s immediate legal protection for couples in long-term committed
relationships.”
Basinger said Coloradans for Fairness and Equality plans to open a campaign office in downtown Grand
Junction to push for the proposal’s passage in November.
Bob Kretschman can be reached via e-mail at bkretschman@gjds.com.
Read article on line at http://www.gjsentinel.
com/search/content/news/stories/2006/06/04/6_4_1b_Pride_picnic.html
Grand Junction Sentinel
Sunday, June 04, 2006
Phil Wolfe said the petition he signed Saturday to support a ballot measure to allow domestic partnerships in
Colorado is crucial to his family’s security.
“The truth is we need it,” Wolfe said as he stood with his partner, Dave Wolfe, and their 2-year-old son at
Western Equality’s seventh annual Pride Picnic at Hawthorne Park. “If something were to happen to one of
us, we want to make sure we’re protected.”
Dave Wolfe, who also signed a petition for the measure, agreed. “If anything were to happen to me,” he
said, “why shouldn’t we have the same rights as any other married couple?”
The measure, promoted by a group called Coloradans for Fairness and Equality, would amend the Colorado
Constitution with a provision allowing same-sex couples to legally enter domestic partnerships, said Pat
Steadman, a representative of the group. He said the measure doesn’t define domestic partnerships as
marriage, but it would give legal status to same-sex couples that obtain a domestic partnership license.
Such legal status would give many of the same rights to same-sex couples that married couples currently
enjoy, Steadman said.
“People are understanding that there are situations facing same-sex couples that aren’t clear in law,” he
said. For example, he said married couples have rights in such areas as child-support payments, estates and
medical decisions that same-sex couples don’t have.
Those issues are important for couples such as Phil and Dave Wolfe, who said they have put together as
many documents as they can to let others know how they want to handle issues such as money, medical
decisions and child custody if something happens to one of them.
Still, without legal recognition that they’re a couple, which a domestic partnership law would provide, they
worry that their plans could be challenged by a third party.
Jay Martinez said he has been in a relationship for 15 years and would like to be able to share his benefits
through work with his partner in the same manner that married couples share benefits.
“I’m doing everything I can to help with this initiative,” Martinez said. “We have a long fight ahead of us. I’
d like to see Colorado be the first state to say enough is enough — let’s let people live their lives.”
Petition-drive organizers want to collect 100,000 signatures in the next two months to be sure of meeting
the 68,000-signature threshold for placing an initiative on the November ballot, Steadman said.
Several efforts are under way throughout Colorado to place measures on the ballot to outlaw gay marriage,
and Steadman said his group’s proposal is a direct response to those efforts. He said that by legalizing
domestic partnerships, the measure sidesteps the controversy over gay marriage and tries to solve real
problems facing same-sex couples.
“We’re offering domestic partnerships as an alternative,” Steadman said.
Jeff Basinger, co-chairman of Western Equality, said the organization’s board endorsed the initiative
Thursday.
“It’s about strengthening families. It’s about providing safer environments where people can take care of
each other,” Basinger said. “It’s immediate legal protection for couples in long-term committed
relationships.”
Basinger said Coloradans for Fairness and Equality plans to open a campaign office in downtown Grand
Junction to push for the proposal’s passage in November.
Bob Kretschman can be reached via e-mail at bkretschman@gjds.com.
Read article on line at http://www.gjsentinel.
com/search/content/news/stories/2006/06/04/6_4_1b_Pride_picnic.html
| Download .pdf file of this article. |
