Gay Family Victory in Arkansas Legislature With HRC Assistance

Gays scored a victory in Arkansas on March 27 when a bill was killed that would have outlawed gay adoptions and the gay blogosphere is starting to buzz about it.

First, some background from the ACLU of Arkansas.

Click here for the text of the actual bill.

This is how the Arkansas GOP supported the bill:

This bill merely affirms what social science has revealed again and again - the best environment to raise children is when a mother and a father are joined in marriage. Even the infamous Massachusetts Supreme Court, in a dissenting opinion to their notorious same-sex "marriage" case, argued that a mother and a father represent the best chance to raise healthy and successful children. [...]

Some facts to consider:
· A study of convicted child molesters, published in the Archives of Sexual Behavior, found that "86 percent of offenders against males described themselves as homosexual or bisexual" (W. D. Erickson, M.D., et al., in Archives of Sexual Behavior 17:1, 1988).

· The rate of homosexual versus heterosexual child sexual abuse is staggering," said Reisman, who was the principal investigator for an $800,000 Justice Department grant studying child pornography and violence. "Abel's data of 150.2 boys abused per male homosexual offender finds no equal (yet) in heterosexual violations of 19.8 girls." See more staggering statistics at this link that could be used in emails or letters to committee members.

Now let's move on to the good news, starting with this from one gay blogger in Arkanas:

I've received word from several people that SB959 failed to pass the House Judiciary Committee today. SB959 would have banned 'homosexuals' and cohabitating couples from adopting or foster children.

The bill was sponsored by Senator Womack and backed by the Arkansas Family Council. Jerry Cox, Executive Director of the Family Council, was a co-author of the SB959. This is the same organization responsible for the Arkansas Marriage Amendment, which banned same-sex marriage and anything that resembles it in Arkansas. In fact Pam Adcock, staff attorney for the Family Council, defended the constitutionality putting the Arkansas Marriage Amendment on the ballot in the Arkansas Supreme Court and won that case.

Many thanks go out to queers statewide for bringing this adoption bill to a halt. But don't expect the Family Council to let this issue disappear.

And this is the most comprehensive blog report, from a lesbian named Randi in Little Rock who shocks me because she mentions that an HRC field representative was part of the coalition that defeated the antigay bill. Her report is so good I'm reposting much of it:

Today SB959, a bill that would have banned lesbians, gays and cohabitating couples in a sexual relationship from adopting or being foster parents was stopped in the Arkansas House Judiciary Committee. Senator Womack was forced to present the bill without a House sponsor. At the end of the testimony and Senator Womack's closing remarks the bill failed to move forward due to a failure to obtain a do-pass motion.

The efforts of Representative Kathy Webb could be seen throughout the session and were a cornerstone of the defeat. We also had assistance from others on the Committee, again directly attributable to Representative Webb. Also supporting Representative Webb was an amazing coalition of Arkansas groups and individuals who opposed this bill. The hard work of all of the collaborating groups was clearly evident as we presented our opposition to this heinous legislation.

The groups included CAR, the ACLU, Stonewall Democrats, Arkansas Citizens First Congress, and the Arkansas Equality Yahoo group out of NW Arkansas. Sarah Scanlon a Regional Field Director for the Human Rights Campaign was also on hand for the past two weeks providing the support of HRC. [...]

The audience was clearly a majority in their opposition to the bill. Many of them CAR members and supporters. The organized opposition to the bill included testimony from a pediatrician representing the Arkansas Chapter of the American Academy of Pediatrics, Juvenile Court Judge Joyce Warren, two teenagers, one with two lesbian moms who have been together for 17 years, the other teen lives with her grandmother who is a lesbian (this is CAR's own Director and her granddaughter), a staff attorney for the ACLU, the non-biological mother of one of the teens, CAR's Director, an out public school teacher with children, and a community activist.

There was a last minute attempt to amend the bill to allow homosexual blood relatives to adopt or provide foster care. This amendment, an attempt by the opposition to make the bill alittle more palatable was soundly defeated. [...]

We just received word that when the Judiciary Committee reconvened this afternoon there was a last ditch effort to revive the bill. Representative Woods said that he forgot to make a do-pass motion in the earlier session. There were only three votes and once again the bill was unable to move forward.

***NOTE: I am so proud of all who stepped up to defeat this bill. I will always be grateful for those who have made it possible for CAR to exist and for me to serve as CAR's director and to do this work in Arkansas. And for that special someone, without whom none of this would have been possible; you know who you are! Mil Gracias! Con todo mi corazon!

Congratulations to our gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender family down in Arkansas on defeating this anti-gay family bill. Gay America salutes you and our political allies for standing up and endorsing equality for all of us.

###




Homes for Sale in Arkansas

Interested in Arkansas homes for sale? You can get information on the real estate environment from the government. Its a great time to buy homes for sale by owner in Arkansas.

NYT, '04: Human Rights Campaign "Effective Lobby on Capitol Hill"

Just a reminder that the last time the New York Times wrote about the Human Rights Campaign, it's leaders and agenda for pushing gay equality, was back on December 9, 2004, and the story was not all that flattering, but also didn't overlook the group's alleged effectiveness at lobbying Congress.

Two-plus years later, HRC is facing sustained criticism, on a host of important gay mattes, from within the gay community, and across the political, geographical and ideological spectrums of gay newspapers, activists and news bloggers. And a few staunch defenders of HRC are becoming more aggressive in praising the group, and dismissing both the diverse critics and numerous complaints leveled against HRC.

No matter where you stand on HRC these days, love it or loathe it or are just indifferent to it, there's no denying a debate is raging in the community over our largest political organization.

Yes, there are many elements here that would make for an excellent report on HRC today, in the Gray Lady, and many other mainstream news publications.

From the Dec. 9, 2004 edition of the Times:

Leaders of the gay rights movement are embroiled in a bitter and increasingly public debate over whether they should moderate their goals in the wake of bruising losses in November when 11 states approved constitutional amendments prohibiting same-sex marriages.

In the past week alone, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay and lesbian advocacy group, has accepted the resignation of its executive director, appointed its first non-gay board co-chairman and adopted a new, more moderate strategy, with less emphasis on legalizing same-sex marriages and more on strengthening personal relationships. [...]

But others involved in the drive for gay and lesbian equality say the Human Rights Campaign's approach smacks of pre-emptive surrender and wrong-headed political calculation. [...]

The Human Rights Campaign, which is based in Washington, was instrumental in the defeat this year of the federal marriage amendment, which would have defined marriage as a union only between a man and a woman. The group was not as active in the ballot initiative battles in the states this fall. [...]

Steven Fisher, the campaign's communications director, said the group's emphasis in coming months would be on communicating the struggles of gays in their families, workplaces, churches and synagogues. The story of gay men and lesbians in the United States is often told through the prism of sensationalism and stigma, Mr. Fisher said. [...]

He also said the group would adopt a selective and incremental approach to winning rights rather than reaching for the gold ring of marriage right away. He mentioned that the group would press more immediately for Social Security survivor benefits, hospital visitation privileges and tax breaks for gay couples. [...]

The Human Rights Campaign has shown itself to be an effective lobby on Capitol Hill and successful in raising money to work for and publicize gay causes. The group's annual budget is about $30 million. But it finds itself in a difficult environment, with larger and more conservative Republican majorities in Congress and a White House that knows how to use same-sex marriage to its political advantage. [...]

Katharine Q. Seelye contributed reporting for this article.

Correction: December 17, 2004, Friday:

An article on Dec. 9 about the debate among gay rights leaders over efforts to legalize same-sex marriages referred incorrectly to the outcome of a meeting of the Human Rights Campaign a week earlier. After the meeting, leaders said they had agreed on a need to moderate their tactics and message after losing 11 ballot initiatives on Nov. 2. They did not conclude that they needed to moderate the pursuit of fundamental goals, including full rights for gay men and lesbians.

AP: Zwonitzer's Speech Draws Cheers from Bloggers, Gay Activists

That admirable young GOP man Dan Zwonitzer just can't keep himself out of the news this week, can he? Nothing gives me greater pleasure, more than a week after I learned of his speech and worked with fellow bloggers to call justifiable attention to his remarks, to see him and bloggers getting on the AP wire.

Dan Zwonitzer, may have tongue-twisting name, but he's a straight man I nominate as the Gay Community's Hero for Spring 2007.

From the AP wire:

Republican Casts Surprise Vote Killing Wyoming Anti-gay Bill

CHEYENNE, Wyo. (AP) — Republican Wyoming House Speaker Roy Cohee cast the tie-breaking vote in committee to kill a bill that would have barred Wyoming from recognizing gay marriages from other states. Wyoming already has a law in place that says marriages conducted within the state must be between a man and a woman. [...]

Supporters of the bill said gay marriage is morally wrong and destructive to society. Opponents said the bill would discriminate against a minority group. Some added that such measures lead to increased violence against homosexuals and incidents of suicide.

"This is the civil rights struggle of my generation,” said Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyenne), whose passionate speech in favor of gay equality drew cheers from gay activists and bloggers across the country this week.

WY GOP's Dan Zwonitzer Shares Letters Received Over Pro-Gay Speech

What hath Dan Zwonitzer unleashed?

Lots of letters of love and praise from many people around the globe who took the time to write to him. I spoke with Dan today and asked for copies of some of the hundreds of letters he has received since bloggers, such as Pam Spaulding, Andrew Sullivan, myself and other bloggers, either posted the text of his speech or linked to it.

Dan sent along a few letters, and we agreed that I would delete the contact info and names of the writers. If you're one of the writers and WANT your name attached to what I've posted here, just let me know in the comments section.

If I were part of a larger gay advocacy organization, one fighting in Congress for better legal protections for us, and a group that had some bucks, I'd create the Zwonitzer Prize.

It would be to acknowledge the bravery of an under-30 person who's straight, and regardless of political affiliation, stands up, even when no one in the gay community is asking them to, and at risk to their person or career or reputation, stands up or acts or speaks in favor of simple basic gay equality.

I'm just a poor blogger who can't create awards out of thin air. The best I can do to honor Zwonitzer is to again say, thank you, Dan. You're really one person who makes America great.

And now, some of the letters he's received:

1.
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 11:18 AM
Subject: Thank you for being an ally


> Dear Representative Zwonitzer:
>
> I don't really know how to thank you for your courage in opposing the
> the ban on recognizing same-sex unions in Wyoming. You said what
> needs to be said: that the fight for gay rights in this country is
> the Civil Rights struggle of our generation, and as such, we cannot
> turn away from this work. We cannot abandon issues so crucial to the
> daily life of men and women in this country to the hands of those who
> forget that equality threatens no-one.
>
> Two years ago, I performed the marriage of my uncle to his long-term
> partner in Massachusetts. They had been together 12 years before
> they were allowed to confirm the strength of their union before their
> loved ones and the laws of the commonwealth. Whenever I see anyone
> decrying gay families as being unstable, unhealthy, I think of those
> two men, waiting patiently for 12 years with their house and dogs and
> car payments and family surrounding them and I wonder, this is the
> greatest evil in our society? I think of them, and I think of how
> little they can travel and maintain their rights should something
> happen. I think of them, and I think of how much an issue that has
> no impact on the people who protest it so vehemently changes their
> every day life. And when I see people like you, people who have a
> great deal to lose by standing up for this basic civil right, the
> freedom to marry, I know that the fight is still going on, even in
> corners of the country where its unexpected. When I thought of
> Wyoming before, I thought of Laramie. Now, I will think of you.
>
> As Robert Kennedy once said: "Few will have the greatness to bend
> history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of
> events, and in the total; of all those acts will be written the
> history of this generation." History remembers well the citizens who
> dare to do what is right rather than what is easy, convenient.
> History remembers Abolitionists, Suffragists, Freedom Riders, those
> who dared to go against the tide. And history will remember you as a
> man who went against the tide, as the man stood before the Wyoming
> legislature and said "No"--not for your benefit, but because it was
> the right thing to do. I hope that you will always, always do the
> right thing.
>
> Gratefully, and with highest admiration,
>
>> Silver Spring, MD
>

2.
----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 12:54 PM
Subject: Kudos!

Congratulations on your principled stand on the issue of gay marriage. In
today's political climate it seems that forced labels and ill-fitting
pigeonholes are the norm, and it is heartening to see a public servant doing
the job for which he was elected - to wit, representing the people. I
believe you are correct, this is the most important civil rights battle of
our era. More importantly I hope that through the course of this battle we
can move a little closer to developing a social framework that asks the
questions, "Is this fair? Who is being helped by this? Who is being hurt by
this?" and perhaps resolve future civil rights issues in a healthier and
faster way. One can hope that someday we well never hear stories like the 72
year old man in Detroit who was beaten to death for being gay.

I am not gay but it pains me to take part in a society that is being so ugly
and unfair to fellow humans. Congratulations again, and I hope your message
of tolerance and hope spreads throughout your legislative body and your
constituency.

Best regards,

3.

----- Original Message -----

From:

To: dzwonitzer@wyoming.com
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 3:26 PM
Subject: Kudos

Dear Representative Zwonitzer --

Even though I live in Washington state, I want to thank you for your vocal and principled stance on LGBT civil rights. Even though I tend to vote Democrat, I hold out no less hope for the improvement of the Republican party. After all, all Americans’ fortunes are bound up with the decisions of lawmakers and judges throughout the political spectrum. Washington struggles with this issue too, and Oregon suffered a heartbreaking setback a few years ago, as you probably recall. (I can remember the joy of a friend of mine, a Wiccan priest, who was so honored and moved to officiate at many marriages during Portland’s brief period of allowing them – as well as the pain he felt when the ban came crashing back into place, just after he had proposed to his own longtime partner.) So again, even though I’m technically removed from your constituency, I think the effects of your actions are felt many miles away. My husband, as a Republican voter, hopes so greatly for the emergence of more Republicans he can fully support; as it is, he must usually choose between someone who shares his fiscal views but will set civil rights back, or vice versa.

I’m also encouraged to hear from a legislator who goes to the history when considering a present-day issue, and who is both willing to acknowledge parallels when they occur and determined not to repeat the mistakes of past generations.

I hope you’re supported by all those in Wyoming who wish to see civil rights continue to advance in the 21^st century.

Many thanks,

4.

----- Original Message -----

From:

To: dzwonitzer@wyoming.com
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2007 12:43 AM
Subject: Thanks for your vote.

Dear Representative Zwonitzer,

I'm a life-long Democrat, and I want to thank you for the courage to vote to defeat the bill banning same-sex unions.

I am a straight man, married for almost 30 years, so I can only guess how difficult life is for people who are gay, especially those who want to commit to a long-term relationship.

But as a society, it's important that we be able to empathize with the plight of others, even if we can't completely understand what they're going through..

Without empathy, intolerance can emerge from a blindness to that other person's humanity.

I've had difficultly finding common ground with Republican folks I know lately. I'm encouraged to find that you and I seem to share a common belief in the importance of equal rights for all of our citizens, regardless of sexual preference.

I have hope that a generation from now, this time of fear and hatred of gays will be looked at as a sad, dark period, only signicant in a historical context..

Thank you again,



5.

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Sunday, February 25, 2007 5:11 AM
Subject: In Regards and Appreciation


>I am gay, 25, and currently staying up late tending to my husband as
> he deals with a fever. We were married in San Francisco during the
> big brouhaha in 2004 in a ceremony that was at once both meaningless
> and the most important event of my life. While he's napping and
> seeing if the fever continues to recede, I've been catching up on my
> blogs and came across a writeup of your speech on pandagon.net. I
> just wanted to convey my deepest thanks to you for taking such an
> important and (sadly) bold stand. While I'd never dare imply that
> standing in the rain for six hours while getting preached at by a
> single earnest young man and receiving coffee, pizza, and flowers from
> total strangers could possibly compare to attack dogs, fire hoses, and
> arrest, I do believe that in 30 years this era will be viewed with the
> same sense of "How could they think like that?" unreality and
> disbelief that the Civil Rights Era is viewed by us today.
>
> I am married. I've stood before a preacher and God and sworn my
> undying love and devotion to another human being and nothing can
> change that. No law, no amendment, no speech, and no slander. They
> cannot take away the home hunting, good morning kisses on the way to
> work, paying the bills, walking the dog, shopping for furniture,
> figuring out who gets the remote, and the thousands of other things
> that make us married. All that they can do is ensure that we have to
> file our taxes separately, and that if I ever get into an accident, my
> husband will not be allowed into the hospital room to hold my hand one
> last time.
>
> And I thank you from the bottom of my heart for understanding that.
>

6.

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 1:38 PM
Subject: Equality Speech


Hi,

I'm not from your state, but I wanted to let you
know that I read the speech you made on equality for
same-sex couples. It was so beautiful that I cried.
I cannot express how much it means to me that there
are politicians like you who see this issue for what
it truly is.

Thank you,

7.

----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Monday, February 26, 2007 12:39 PM
Subject: Congratulations


I am not in your voting district - heck, I'm not even in your state -
but what I read today makes me wish I were. You would get my vote for
the rest of your career.

I applaud you for making the point in your speech that this is about
equality and basic rights, rather than stooping to the arguments thrown
about by the intolerant people who support bills of this kind. We need
more politicians who are willing to do what you did - recognize the
truth of the issue, and stand up for what is right regardless of
personal opinion or party line.

I know you're getting a lot of hate mail about your speech. Please don't
take it to heart. You did absolutely the right thing, said absolutely
the correct words, and you deserve every ounce of positive recognition
you get from this. I hope that you can continue to follow your own
example during the rest of your hopefully long career.

Good luck, and thank you.

8.

To: dzwonitzer@wyoming.com

Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 10:35 PM

Subject: Kudos

Dear Rep. Zwonitzer, I am a straight old lady in WA. I am old enough to be your grandmother and was on the front lines 40 years ago. I just read your speech linked to at the Andrew Sullivan site and wanted to tell you that I think the speech you gave was just wonderful. I'm proud that a smart young man like you is now carrying the torch of equality.

Thank you very much for sticking up for our gay citizens. You're right you know, it is the fair thing to do. It is also the American thing to do.

9.

To: "Dan Zwonitzer"
Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 3:29 PM
Subject: Thank You for Your Defense of Gay Rights



Dear Mr. Zwonitzer,

I felt the need to write to you and express my gratitude for your
recent speech concerning gay rights. I am a white man married to a
black woman, and I view the current issue of gay marriage to be the
same as my own situation could have been in the very recent past. I
am only 45, but in my lifetime (though not my adult lifetime) it was
illegal in several states for my wife and I to be married.

Laws like this are disgusting, repugnant, and have no place in a free
society. We have friends who are gay in committed relationships, yet
they are denied the bond and the rights that my wife and I share all
because narrow minded people want to force others to live by their own
rules. Gay marriage will have virtually no impact on their own lives,
yet they passionately fight it. This is bigotry, plain and simple.

If you should lose your seat over this, maybe you'll consider coming
to Pennsylvania. We can always use a good person who actually
understands and lives the definition of morality, rather than those
who proclaim morality but wouldn't know it if it hit them in the
forehead.

Thank you again.

10.

To: dzwonitzer@wyoming.com

Sent: Friday, February 23, 2007 3:47 PM

Subject: GO DAN!!!

Hey Bro

I just got call from Cain and read the Andrew Sullivan blog about the stand you took on equal rights. I just wanted to write and tell you how proud I am to call you a friend and an elected representative. I thought your words and thoughts were exactly on point, and the passion with which you conveyed your message was entirely justified. No matter what happens (and I personally don't think you'll lose your seat over this, but you know the tenor of your folks better than I) you will always know that you stood up for the good side of, like you said, the civil rights issue of our time.

So, like the subject like says, Go Dan!! Thanks for making us proud, my friend. You're a credit to the parents who raised you, the tradition of equality in the state you call home, the tradition of the college that trained you, and the crazy drunken roommates who spent 4 years liberalizing you (kinda kidding about that last part ... but only kinda :-) ).

I hope all is well -- let me know how things develop.

All the best,

11.

To: dzwonitzer@wyoming.com

Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 8:15 AM

Subject: thank you for standing up

Dear Representative Zwonitzer,

I'm writing from Portugal, where I am now living as an American expatriate. I am one of the individuals whose rights you stood up for during the committee hearing on the bill banning recognition of same sex marriages.

My partner is a Portuguese native who loves her country. I'm a native of the fair state of Oregon, and love my state, my friends and my family very much. When it came time to choose which of us would leave our home, the fact that we would both have fewer civil rights in the United States than in Portugal weighed heavily in our decision.

It is deeply embarrassing to me to witness this march of progress in western Europe and other parts of the world while knowing that my own nation cannot match it; indeed, it appears to be moving the opposite direction. As an expatriate, I get a lot of questions about my nation's laws and international behaviors, and more often than not I simply cannot explain to anyone's satisfaction. The fact that I am now living here is, I think, a fairly strong statement in and of itself.

So, on behalf of myself, my wife, my child and millions of others, I thank you for your principled stand. To take such a stand knowing that it might cost you your seat is an act of great strength and integrity, and oh, how I wish there were more like you in both parties! It is people like you who can and do make a difference. Though you may receive a bushel of hate mail for standing up, I hope you'll also receive some letters like this one to balance things out. Letters that say, "We respect you, we appreciate you, and we admire you." Because we do.

And by the way, do you think you could give some ethics lessons to the current field of candidates for President?

Best regards,

12.

To:
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 8:17 AM
Subject: Thank you, and congratulations...


> Thank you sir, for continuing the proud tradition, often forgotten,
> of Wyoming's concern for civil rights. The state that first gave
> women the right to vote should be proud of you for standing up for
> what is right in the debate on Gay marriage.
>
> Your courage sets an excellent example for us all, and reminds us
> that there are decent, brave human beings out there doing the right
> thing.
>
> Best wishes in the coming year, and I won't be surprised if you are
> re-elected by an overwhelming majority. The Wyomingites I know
> quietly do the right thing, and recognize quality people. They don't
> just shout about it; they live it. And those Wyomingites will vote
> for you.
>
> Sincerely,

13.

To: dzwonitzer@wyoming.com

Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 12:54 PM

Subject: Thank you

Rep. Zwonitzer,

I read in the news about your vote to kill the bill that would limit recognition of same-sex marriages in Wyoming. Thank you.

Two years ago, my partner was in a terrible accident and is now permanently paralyzed from the waist down. Sitting outside the emergency room, waiting all night to find out whether she would survive was terrifying, but I was also scared the hospital would not let me see her when the surgery was over. To my relief, I was let into the ICU, where I spent days by her side, giving her chips of crushed ice from a spoon.

We’ve been through a long journey together. It’s been scary and sad and hopeful. My employer recognizes our relationship, so I was able to spend time with my partner in rehab. I was able to help her learn to dress and move again. My work offers domestic partner benefits, so we had insurance that covered her surgery and recovery without plunging us into bankruptcy. She’s doing well now. Though she will probably never walk again, she’s at work, playing wheelchair tennis, taking our dogs to the park, and wheeling my niece and nephew around in her lap.

I cannot tell you how much harder this would have been if we’d had to hide. I think often about couples like us, who live in places where people are scared of same-sex couples or hateful about them, and I worry so much about them. I hope that one day our society lets people who love each other take care of each other. Everywhere.

Regards

14.

To: dzwonitzer@wyoming.com

Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 3:31 PM

Subject: Sending my thanks

Representative Zwonitzer,

Through the political blogs that I frequent I learned of your stance against the amendment to your state's constitution to ban same-sex marriage. I am not one of your constituents, nor am I a member of your party; I am a student in California one year your junior, and I identify as a homosexual. After reading your speech given to your fellow legislators defending your "no" vote, and after recognizing the risks taken by someone in your position by doing so, I wanted to send you my thanks and express my admiration.

Recently it's been difficult for me to watch politics unfold in states across our nation where opponents of same-sex marriage are out for blood, promoting state constitutional amendments that don't simply ban same-sex "marriage," but that instead ban all similar and "lesser" state-recognized unions, and even more so, demonstrating a complete lack of compassion, prevent any marriage-related benefits and protections from being required for same-sex couples. In many states this means the loss of progress already made for the rights and opportunities of LGBT citizens.

I've always looked to the future and seen a time where people will look back and wonder what we were thinking, and wonder how an argument about "sanctity of marriage" had anything in the world to do with, say, hospital visitation rights. Now, during what seems to be a resurgence of anti-gay sentiment in politics, your words and your actions strengthen my belief that our our society is progressing on these issues.

Sincerely,

15.

To:
Sent: Saturday, February 24, 2007 4:12 PM
Subject: Well done, sir


Dear Representative Zwonitzer,

I'm an Australian citizen in Sydney who just read a blog report of your
speech in favour of marriage equality. I admire your words and your
stand greatly.

[quote]
I can debate the specifics of this bill back and forth as everyone in
this room can, but I won’t because the overall theme is fairness, and
you know it.
[endquote]

I know from an excerpt from an email you sent to the blogger that you
are concerned about how the rest of the US and the world views Wyoming
as in some ways backwards. Your speech will go a great way towards
countering that perception, and moderate Republicans such as yourself
also remind us that the GOP has been in some ways hijacked by extremists
who don't represent the history and ideals of your party accurately or
honourably.

You are a remarkable leader in this issue, and I hope you continue to
have the chance to serve and lead against bigotry and unfairness. I'm a
religious skeptic, but my thoughts and blessings go with you nonetheless.

Respectful regards,


P.S.
The blog post I read: [
http://pandagon.net/2007/02/24/you-dont-stand-alone-wyoming-rep-zwonitzer/