One has to wonder how many meals homobigots must forgoe to win votes and influence legislators?  Three?  Six? 

It seems the AFA of PA is peeved with the PA Senate Judiciacy Committee, specifically Senator Jane Earll of Erie for weakening the Marriage Protection Amendment when they stripped the anti-civil union language.  Chief scribe and bigot Diane Gramley sent me this message:

Senator Jane Earll of Erie offered the amendment stripping the strong language of H.B. 2381.  Yesterday the AFA of PA delivered over 800 letters from her constituents in favor of the Marriage Protection Amendment.  She will now have to face those constituents.

 

?Pennsylvanians understand the issue better than their Senators give them credit.  They understand that civil unions must be addressed or traditional marriage will be weakened because homosexual activists will continue pushing for same-sex marriage.  Even homosexual activists recognize civil unions will be used as a stepping stone to legalize same-sex marriage, continued Gramley.

If Senator Earll stood up to 800 Erians, what does that say about the 20 SW PA Democrats who kowtowed to hatred and prejudice?  Exactly ...

?If the Senate is not willing to deal with the issue of marriage in its entirety ? same-sex marriage and civil unions ? then they send the clear message to their constituents that they are not willing to take the tough stand necessary to protect one man one woman marriage,? Gramley concluded.

Diane, honey, the members of the Pennsylvania legislature are no more going to take a tough stance on ANY issue than they are going to vote to reduce their size.  The weenie Democrats in Southwestern PA didn't stand up FOR your little gaybashfest of a bill; they stood up AGAINST early retirement. 

Apparently, the AFA of PA was on to something ... the Pennsylvania Senate Judiciary Committee voted to send the amendment to the full Senate for a vote.  BUT they removed language in the bill prohibiting civil unions and domestic partnerships.  (365gay.com)

So what does this mean to the average homo?  Well, the bill that passes the Senate has to be the same version as passed the House.  So if this version passes, it has to go back to the House for another vote.  Or it has to be amended on the floor of the Senate before passing.  Either way, it all has to happen before the end of the session on June 30.

So what should you do?  Pittsburgh's own Steel-City Stonewall Democrats suggest you continue writing letters to the editor and contacting your Senator to ask why they aren't focusing on more pressing issues.   They offer this bit of comfort:

The good news is that our opposition is also now fighting the senate version of the amendment, dissatisfied that it now allows civil unions.

Those lovable homobigots at the American Family Association of Pennsylvania are desperately scrounging for last minute calls to the Senate Judiciary Committee which is scheduled to vote on the Marriage Protection Amendment today.

A vote to table or amend this legislation will be viewed as a vote to kill the Marriage Protection Amendment.  If there are any changes or amendments to H.B. 2381 the bill will die for this legislation session and all the hard work thus far will be all for naught.  Remember H.B. 2381 must be passed in the Senate by June 30^th.  Any delay during this committee meeting will postpone the people?s chance to vote on marriage by at least TWO years!

 

ACTION NEEDED: 

 

1.)Fast and pray for passage of the Marriage Protection Amendment in the Senate Judiciary Committee and ultimately in the Senate by June 30^th.

 

2.)  Call members of the Senate Judiciary Committee TODAY at their Harrisburg office and ask them to vote H.B. 2381 out of committee without compromising amendments.   Contact info below.  Please be respectful, but firm . . . you want a chance to vote on the definition of marriage and the only way that can happen is if they vote H.B. 2381 out of committee.  They need to hear from concerned Pennsylvanians TODAY.  A few pennies for the call and a few minutes of your time can make all the difference!

Pennies for a phone call?  An in-state long distance call in the middle of the day?  Who wrote this? 

Is it just me or does this sound a little skittish? 

Meanwhile, us homos sit and wait and hope that Senator Jay Costa who is minority chair of the committee will step and lead today.  We hope. 

Another h/t to feministing ....

Ohio legislators expect a bill banning all abortions with no exceptions to get a brief hearing and then be put back in the drawer. 

As the Columbus Dispatch reports, even the Ohio Right to Life organization does not support the bill.  Does this mean that even fetus worshippers have some respect for the lives of women?  Umm, no.  This means that they recognize a tactical error when they see one ...

Ohio Right to Life is neutral on the bill being considered today.

Denise Mackura, director of government relations, said while at least 100 abortion-rights opponents are expected at the Statehouse to express their views, she?s concerned the bill would eliminate a number of critical state laws, such as a ban on partial-birth abortion.

While that might appear to make sense, if the court tosses out the bill, all the other laws might get tossed with it, she said.

Mackura is unconvinced that an abortion ban is the best way to get Roe v. Wade overturned. Rather, she expects it would come from a case challenging, for example, a law restricting abortion funding or parental notification.

Mackura said she would rather see Ohio pass an abortion ban that goes into effect if the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade. She also wants to take away state funding for abortions.

"It?s always useful to send a message to the court that people do think the law has gotten too extreme," she said.

So a bill that would allow women to die attracts 18 co-sponsors.  And it gets a hearing, albeit a brief hearing.  In a state were domestic violence laws no longer apply to unmarried women. 

Got that?