Friday September 22, 2006 SGN.org |
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Volume 34 Issue 38 |
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Sunday, Oct 12, 2008
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Letters |
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| JUDICIAL RACES ARE IMPORTANT
[Editor's Note: The following is a open letter from Seattle City Councilmember Sally J. Clark.] After the State Supreme Court ruled in July to uphold Washington's so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), I felt a sadness and anger I hadn't expected. I hadn't anticipated the lack of understanding of our families, but I really didn't expect the vitriol in the words. After the thrill of passage of the Anti-Discrimination Bill in January, the Supreme Court's decision and the ways in which the majority justified the decision were a kick in the stomach. As bad and as beaten up as we may feel, it's time to pick ourselves up. We need to keep our eyes on the game board because others are working hard to push progressive laws off the table. While the appeal gets under way, there is something you and I can do right now to make a difference: vote for justices who know marriage in modern times is about trust, respect, responsibilities and equality under the law. Two of these justices, Susan Owens and Tom Chambers, are under attack as the run for reelection. It is critical that we stand behind those on the Court who stood with us and agreed that DOMA is in fact discriminatory and wrong headed. Both Owens and Chambers deserve the unqualified support of Gays and Lesbians and all fair minded people throughout Washington. Justice Owens faces a tough challenge from Republican State Senator Steve Johnson, a super-conservative. Johnson boasts membership in the right-wing Christian Legal Society and in Olympia repeatedly voted against the Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill. Johnson is backed by a coalition of ideologically driven and wealthy special interest groups that have pledged to spend heavily to see that he is elected. Owens, by contrast, has worked as a judge for more than 25 years, including six on the State Supreme Court. Her resume shows she is a proven advocate for individual rights, including the rights of women and minorities. With a crowded primary field, Owens race will likely be determined in November, but she needs our votes now in the primary (Tuesday, September 19) to make it to the fall ballot. Justice Chambers drew a last minute challenge from a name familiar to many advocates for equality and civil rights: the infamous "skirt judge" Jeanette Burrage. Rated "unqualified" five times by her peers, Burrage earned her nickname by berating women attorneys who entered her court wearing slacks. (In case you're interested, I am wearing slacks right now as I type this.) The Skirt Judge is running a negative, single-issue campaign against Chambers centered on the issue of his strong and clear dissent in the marriage decision. She is backed by a conservative political action committee running anti-Chamber ads on radio across the state. Chambers was named "Judge of the Year" by the Washington Women Lawyers of King County, and like Owens is endorsed by NARAL, Equal Rights Washington, and other groups. Please remember to cast your vote for Justices Susan Owens and Tom Chambers. Both received SEAMEC's endorsement. Tell your friends and family. We must keep their voices on the State Supreme Court. They have truly earned our support. Sincerely, Sally J. Clark Seattle City Councilmember Dear SGN, The outcome of this Tuesday's primary election will have a major impact on the future of LGBT rights in Washington State. Of major concern to all of us in the LGBT community are the races for State Supreme Court. The outcome of these races will affect us for years to come. Most of us are aware that on July 26 the Washington State Supreme Court, by a vote of 5 -4 gave us a kick in the teeth by upholding DOMA. Two of the four justices that voted in favor of marriage equality (our side) will be on September 19 primary ballot. A third justice, who had been supportive of LGBT rights in the past, will also be on that ballot. Lets look at them one at a time: Justice Susan Owens (position 2): A friend of our community who voted in favor or marriage equality for LGBT people. This is a five-way race in the primary. The top two vote-getters will proceed to the general election. The likely primary winners are Justice Owens and 47th District Senator Stephen Johnson. Senator Johnson has never taken a pro-Gay legislative vote in his career. He even voted against HB 2661, the Anderson-Murray Civil Rights Bill. The clear choice for us is Susan Owens. Justice Tom Chambers (position 9): He is the incumbent and our friend. His opponent is Jeanette Burrage, a former King County judge. She is definitely not a friend of our community, and is known to be hostile toward us. Burrage is the "skirts only for women" judge. You might think this race is a slam-dunk for Justice Chambers, but don't be fooled. King County is the only county in the state that mails a voter's pamphlet for the primary. There is undoubtedly a number of women around the state unfamiliar with her record who will vote for her based on her sex alone. Because there are only two candidates in this race, THIS RACE WILL BE DETERMINED IN THE PRIMARY. Chief Justice Gerry Alexander (position 8): This race, for me and for many of us, is the most difficult of all. Chief Justice Alexander voted AGAINST marriage equality. I find it extremely difficult to vote for him, but I will do it. Why? First and foremost, is his opponent, John Groen. Mr. Groen has made statements that make it clear that he will never support marriage equality or any form of Gay rights. By contrast, Chief Justice Alexander has voted in favor of equality several times in the past. Again, I acknowledge that he got it wrong on the marriage decision, but those who know the courts, the court system, and the players, think that Justice Alexander is swayable. Let us not forget that the attorneys for the couples in the Anderson lawsuit have filed a motion for reconsideration. If the court grants the motion, it is Justice Alexander, and surely not John Groen, that can be swayed to our side. Like the race for potion 2 (Chambers), THIS RACE WILL BE DETERMINED IN THE PRIMARY. Whether by mail or by going to the polls, be sure to vote in the September 19 primary. The Supreme Court races are the last listed among the candidate races on your ballot, so be sure to vote the entire ballot. Our future depends on it. Sincerely, Bill Dubay Seattle, WA LYNNE DODSON RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE 43RD Dear SGN, As someone who has been active in LGBT communities for many years, I call upon my sisters and brothers to join me in supporting Lynne Dodson for state representative. Voters in the 43rd legislative district are lucky to choose from a very impressive field of candidates-each of whom offers distinctive strengths. Lynne Dodson is the only candidate in this race who was rated "Outstanding" by the Municipal League of King County. Lynne has devoted her entire work life to public service as a teacher and an extraordinarily effective advocate for social justice encompassing a wide range of important issues. With a Ph.D. in social welfare, she teaches in the multi-racial classrooms at Seattle Central Community College. She has inspired the confidence of her peers to have been elected more than one term as president of the faculty union. Most impressively to me, Lynne Dodson served as statewide co-chair of Jobs with Justice for many years. Her incredible coalition skills brought together labor, faith, student, and other community organizations to organize on access to health care, immigrant rights, against the war, and for many other important issues. Having been given the top "5" rating and co-endorsed by SEAMEC, Lynne has an extremely strong record on LGBT issues, especially Transgender issues, as you can see at her campaign website, www.lynnetowin.org/LGBT.html. Lynne has also been endorsed by a large number of elected officials including House Majority Whip Sharon Tomiko-Santos, state senators Adam Kline and Karen Kaiser, state representatives Bob Hasegawa, Phyllis Gutierrez Kenney, Eric Pettigrew, Seattle City Council member David Della, Martin Luther King Jr. County Council member Larry Gossett, plus several other state representatives and other policy makers. She has been endorsed by over 45 organizations, including educational groups, many labor unions (including nurses, fire fighters, and teachers), women's organizations, and racial/ ethnic groups including the Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance-Seattle and the Latino Community Action Committee of Washington. For a list of people and organizations who are endorsing Lynne Dodson, go to her website www.lynnetowin.org. By far Lynne's strengths, as a candidate for state legislature, have convinced me to contribute the maximum amount financially to her for the primary election and to volunteer over 100 hours since I joined her steering committee last September. I hope you will join those who had attended the Queers for Lynne event at the LGBT Community Center last month and me in sending this teacher to Olympia! Sincerely, Sarah Luthens Dear SGN, There are a number of good candidates running for the 43rd District House seat, but as a Gay man and a trade unionist I believe that Lynne Dodson is the best choice. I am bothered by the idea that the seat is "our LGBT seat." It is important that a candidate elected to this position must not only support our issues, but also support issues that are important to our community. This includes fighting for workers rights, health care for all and education advances so all of our children get a decent education. I have known Lynne for a number of years through the labor movement and know from her actions that not only has she been a strong fighter for LGBTQ rights but she has been a strong fighter for the other issues I have mentioned. I hope that voters in the 43rd District not just look at a person's sexual orientation to make their decision on who to vote for. I hope you look at who will be best person to represent all off our issues besides just LGBTQ issues. That person is Lynne Dodson. Sincerely, Bruce "Mac" McIntosh NATIONAL GAY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SHOULD RETHINK WAL-MART PARTNERSHIP Dear SGN, I was surprised to read the press release from the National Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce touting a new "partnership" with Wal-Mart in your issue of August 25th, but more surprised at what the NGLCC had actually done. It is as if they are trying to make Wal-Mart sound respectable in the GBLT community by bedding down with the corporation. Wal-Mart's support of diversity is nice, but this actually means that both Queer and straight workers will be miserably paid (averaging below the poverty level), and all kinds of workers will equally be denied health care benefits. Wal-Mart buys from companies using child labor as well as adult, and destroys the economic vitality of a whole diverse array of small businesses in a wide variety of communities in America. Ironically, this past Monday. Labor Day, Seattle was the site of the final event in a 19-state campaign to "Wake up Wal-Mart," hosted by both of our Senators. This drive is designed to force the corporation to be a more responsible citizen. I don't expect a Chamber of Commerce to hoist the red flag. But how can our community continually ask for support from other sectors of society (including labor) when we celebrate their enemies? Labor leaders organized, lobbied and testified in favor of the Cal Anderson non-discrimination bill, standing with us for decades, and they are with us as well in the fight for domestic partnership benefits and marriage equality. When will our community be more visibly supportive of their issues? We can't just take, take, take and not give too! The NGLCC needs to rethink its actions. Sincerely, Phil Bereano |
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