Will Arizona Be Abandoned?

Below is a piece written by Barbara McCullough-Jones in Arizona. I met Barbara last year while attending the national Equality Federation's annual summer meeting for statewide lgbt leaders. She is a great leader in the lgbt community and I'm looking forward to seeing her next week at this year's annual meeting. ~Jody

Will Arizona Be Abandoned?
By: Barbara McCullough-Jones
July 29th, 2008

This is a question I am asked nearly everyday from folks in Arizona and from folks around the country. They ask questions like how much support came from outside Arizona in 2006? Will anyone outside of Arizona give money this time to defeat Prop 102? Will anyone inside Arizona give money? How do you feel about so much money going to California? What about Florida? Can Arizona win this one too? Do you feel abandoned by those supporting California especially but also Florida since Arizona is the only state in the nation to defeat an anti-marriage amendment?

There is no easy answer to any of those questions. Frankly, I’m not sure there is value in even trying to come up with an answer. I do believe however, the real value lies in the fact that we are even having this discussion. Internal and external to Arizona.

In an odd way it shows people care. They care enough about Arizona’s contribution to the movement to worry whether we might be slighted financially in this campaign season. They care enough about our statewide LGBT infrastructure to be concerned we are not damaged in the process – at least hopeful that we might escape long term or irreparable damage.

Instead of answering those questions with only the “what’s in front of us” view, I prefer to answer from a 30,000 foot perspective. That means we have to look at our work as a marathon and not a sprint. It means we cannot be angry or feel slighted by donors who, from their own perspective, believe their need and desire to participate in the movement, to make a difference, is best served by giving to a campaign that in their opinion would provide the greatest impact to achieving equality – to meeting their personal political goals. Because we all come from different backgrounds, different economies, different cultural experiences, no one has any right to pass judgment on another for the decisions we make in political giving. Sometimes those decisions are very personal, sometimes they are just hard core strategic moves and sometimes they are the simplicity of altruism.

The higher ground at 30,000 feet allows us to let wash beneath our feet the hardness created by politics – in a way it is cleansing. Don’t think for a minute though that coming down from the high ground to do the work is easy. But we have to have a place to land. Something you can touch, hear and believe in. For me that place is community – it is the work. It is the very place where we interact with one another on a very human and hopefully humanitarian level. It is that place that sometimes stinks, sometimes is so loud with opposing voices you can’t hear yourself think and on occasion calls into question our belief in that very humanity we seek to be a part of.

Over the past several weeks in particular we have been fighting a battle that stems from the worst display of disintegration of democracy I have ever witnessed. We are fighting with every tool at our disposal to call out those who would seek to limit the fullness of our lives in order to advance their own.

Amidst our ongoing Senate debacle we have organized and are executing our 2008 elections strategy; we have organized a Statewide Coordinated Campaign to defeat Prop 102; and we continue to build the capacity of Equality Arizona – design and deliver programs that change hearts and minds while also managing a hard-hitting public affairs agenda to change public policy.

We need a win in California. We need a win in Florida. We need a win in Arizona. That very trifecta has the potential to change the face of American politics. Just for clarification, “trifecta” as a slang term is used to describe any successful or favorable phenomenon or characteristic that comes in threes (according to Wikipedia). That’s what our national agenda should be about.

There is often much angst about coastal states dictating what happens to the rest of the country but today, we need to support our coasts! And yes, tucked into the Southwest - in a place in mid-August where you’re sure you’re already doing time in purgatory - we WILL continue to do our part to advance equality - to contribute to the greater good of our great state and our nation.

Do we want and need your contributions? Yes! Not at the exclusion of California or Florida but in addition too. Just do it. Don’t hesitate, don’t even blink. Just write the checks…address one to California, one to Florida and one to Arizona and sign them simply…from one who cares.

Barbara McCullough-Jones is the Executive Director of Equality Arizona. You can support Arizona’s efforts at the Vote No On Prop 102 website.

The Language of God

Hi, folks: I just finished reading The Language of God by Dr. Francis Collins. Dr. Collins is a world known physician, geneticist, and former head of the Human Genome Project. The book outlines Dr. Collins’ journey to understand how faith and science can both be supported and maybe even “right”. There are parts where his lingo does get a little science heavy, but it’s got some good points on both fronts. I suggest it for anyone that wants to say that science doesn’t have to be threatened by belief in God and vice versa. ~Jody

Foundation using religion to divide

Hi, all: Below is a piece that Rev. Dr. Pennybacker, who chairs KFA's Religious Advisory Committee, placed in the Herald-Leader earlier this week. Enjoy ~Jody

Foundation using religion to divide, not to embrace
By Albert M. Pennybacker

At issue: June 30 Herald-Leader article, ”Group Targets 6 on UK Faculty,“
The attack dogs are still at work among us, this time under the banner of The Family Foundation.

Many splendid comments, such as the statement by UK President Lee T. Todd Jr., have been made. But progressive religious voices have not been clearly heard, though it is a religious view that fuels this action.

I am appalled that the foundation has attacked respected professors at the very best of our Kentucky universities and sought to manipulate state funding against them.

And this action, note, is taken on the basis of the foundation's ideological agenda. Has The Family Foundation been appointed guardian of what is intellectually appropriate and morally acceptable?

Second, the foundation is an integral part of a larger network of exclusivist religion -- ”my way or the highway“ -- which is always suspect.

Why else would legitimate areas of study be attacked as offensive or inappropriate? Good religion affirms an open mind, advocates honest inquiry and applauds sound intellectual contributions to understanding the complexities in the life we share. These foster our living better together.

Third, have you noticed how preoccupied with managing our sexual identity and behavior these fundamentalist religious themes often are?

Resilient religion has always believed that human sexuality is a good and generous gift, for our joy and for our sharing in God's creation. Pinch-nosed piety has always missed the point. Most of us are very tired of having this sort of accusatory and religiously narrow voice inflicted on us.

Enough! It needs to be thoroughly repudiated. I applaud these six professors for seeking to enlarge human understanding. Many religious people concur.

Poor Form Politics in Arizona

If you want to see poor form politics in action, check out the happenings in Arizona. I have said many times my hat is off to EQ. Arizona; they are a first class operation and I'm glad it is their team organizing to defeat this.

A MESSAGE FROM EQUALITY ARIZONA:
We just got back from the state Capitol, where the Senate voted to force another constitutional amendment to define marriage on the ballot. What happened tonight was disgraceful, but that doesn't change the fact that we will be facing another anti-LGBT amendment this November. It's true. The Arizona Legislature caved to the coercion of a little-known group, the Center for Arizona Policy, led by an extremist fundamentalist -- Cathi Herrod. The Legislature ignored the people of Arizona, who already voted down a similar amendment. The Senate approved Senate Concurrent Resolution (SCR) 1042 tonight, and they broke the rules, along with the sanctity of the Senate, to do so.

How Your Senator Voted
SCR 1042 was brought to the floor of the Senate for reconsideration tonight. It passed with the 16 votes it needed. Below is the list of how your Senator voted.
Find out who your Senator is by clicking here.

Yes
Sylvia Allen (R-5)Robert Blendu (R-12)Robert "Bob" Burns (R-9)Pamela Gorman (R-6)Ron Gould (R-3)Chuck Gray (R-19)Linda Gray (R-10)Jack W. Harper (R-4)John Huppenthal (R-20)Karen Johnson (R-18)Barbara Leff (R-11)Tom O'Halleran (R-1)Jay Tibshraeny (R-21)Thayer Verschoor (R-22)Jim Waring (R-7)Timothy S. Bee (R-30)

No
Paula Aboud (D-28)Meg Burton Cahill (D-17)Ken Cheuvront (D-15)Jorge Luis Garcia (D-27)

Not Voting (Absent)
Amanda Aguirre (D-24)Carolyn S. Allen (R-8)Marsha Arzberger (D-25)Albert Hale (D-2)Leah Landrum Taylor (D-16)Debbie McCune Davis (D-14)Richard Miranda (D-16)Charlene Pesquiera (D-26)Rebecca Rios (D-23)Victor Soltero (D-29)

To see how your Senator voted on this bill originally on Wednesday, click here.

Integrity Lost
Tonight's debate was intense for everyone on the Senate floor and those of us watching in the gallery. But what happened to our openly-gay Senators by their colleagues was absolutely disgusting. Senate extremists strategically broke the rules of the Senate, which govern the processes for discussion and voting on bills. During a filibuster-like discussion on another bill during Committee of the Whole, Majority Leader Thayer Verschoor (R-22) and Majority Whip John Huppenthal (R-20), among others, devised a scheme with committee chairman Jack Harper (R-4) to outright violate the rules of the Senate and the rights of Senators Aboud and Cheuvront.

In the middle of their discussion, Senator Harper turned off the microphones of Senators Paula Aboud (D-28) and Ken Cheuvront (D-15) and called on the Majority Leader to make a motion. Then, when Senators Aboud and Cheuvront loudly called for a Point of Order several times, even walking to the front desk where Senator Harper sat, he deliberately ignored their calls. To add insult to injury, these people attempted to justify their actions, even after the Senate President and other Senators admonished them for deliberately breaking the rules. Tonight's actions of these and other Senators have forever tainted that body, and it's important that we all let the people of Arizona know how these individuals acted so unethically.

Heroes Emerge
In the end, it was Senators Aboud and Cheuvront who gave the most impassioned remarks ever heard on the floor of the Arizona Senate.

Senator Aboud spoke eloquently about the irrational fear Senators were expressing by their yes vote, asking, "Do I scare you?" She talked about family values that matter, like love, caring for elder parents and hospital visitation rights, and reminded her colleagues that these are all rights currently denied to people who cannot marry.

After listening to Sen. Sylvia Allen (R-5) describe what she considered her moral superiority to protect families citing civilization from the 18th century and how same-sex marriage will signal the end of civilization as we know if today, Sen. Cheuvront hit the majority hard when he defined the many ways in which the integrity of the Senate was lost today.

Accurately listing the many ways in which the legislative process was prostituted for political gain, Sen. Cheuvront admonished fellow Republican Senators by exposing the tactics of the Center for Arizona Policy (CAP). This sentiment was echoed by Senate President Bee, who pointed out the extreme measures that CAP used to secure votes, while he was explaining his vote on the bill.

Today's Senate session was the culmination of not just a battle over a bill introduced at the beginning of the session in January but in fact was the end result of CAP's tantrum over the defeat of Prop 107 in 2006. Having lost this session on several other bills, including abstinence-only, abortion, school vouchers and a number of other issues, CAP needed this win to fill their coffers.

No one can deny this bill was nothing more than a referendum on the LGBT community – a political fundraiser to fuel the anti-gay industry in Arizona.
Both Sen. Cheuvront and Representative Steve Gallardo sent messages to those in both chambers, stating those who would vote for this divisive measure may not be very secure in their positions after this session and once voters realize how abusive and out of touch they really are.

Preparing for Tomorrow
No doubt we will see a mix of emotions from anger to sadness, and the worst part is the backlash of violence that often accompanies these actions. As a community we must unite like never before. Our resolve must be unwavering to change the faces of those who cast votes that affect so many lives.

We at Equality Arizona are incredibly proud of those who stood with us throughout this session. Our allies in the Legislature who provided leadership, encouragement and strategic advice were invaluable. We owe a debt of gratitude to Reps. Kyrsten Sinema, Linda Lopez, Robert Meza, Steve Gallardo and others. In the other chamber our heroes are Sens. Paula Aboud, Ken Cheuvront, Debbie McCune-Davis, Jorge Luis Garcia and Meg Burton-Cahill.

In addition to elected officials many individuals and organizations stood by us throughout this process. As Sen. Cheuvront said in his remarks, this kind of experience divides friends and foes very quickly. We are truly humbled at the number of allies from around the state and every walk of life that emerged to assist with strategy. A heartfelt thank you goes to the many supporters that helped build messaging and programs that allowed us to do this work.

We will regain our footing, strengthen our resolve and decide collectively – as a statewide movement for equality - the ways in which we will turn this experience into one which empowers Arizona voters to create a fair and just society.

Despite an amazing process, coercion and corruption won out today in Arizona's Legislature.

But tomorrow is a new day.

Yours in equality,

Barbara McCullough-Jones
Executive Director

and

Sam Holdren
Public Affairs Director

Jason Johnson Scholarship

This year the KFA Foundation will award $1,500 to an outstanding undergraduate or graduate student. Download the application for more information! Applications are due by Aug. 15.

Those interested in learning more about the scholarship or making a tax-deductible donation in support of it can do so by contacting me directly at jodycofer@bellsouth.net.

~Jody