Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...Gay partnership foes, backers in WA await ruling
10.15.2009 9:03am EDT
(Seattle) Supporters and foes of gay domestic partnerships await a federal ruling from a three-judge panel on whether petitions for Washington states’s Referendum 71 should be made public.
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Wednesday in Pasadena, Calif., on whether signatures collected to repeal a domestic partnership law passed by the Washington Legislature during the last session should be released.R-71 asks voters to approve or reject a new law expanding domestic partnerships for gay couples.
The referendum’s conservative sponsors want to keep their signed petitions out of public view, because they fear harassment from gay-rights supporters.
A federal judge in Tacoma granted the sponsors’ request in September. But the state is appealing, citing its open-government laws.
Why is it that conservatives like the darkness of secrecy vs open government?
@michaelnDallas
Because the bastards are descended from rats and cockroaches (BRAVE when they can hide, damned cowards!)
This is no different than the KKK hiding behind white sheets in the south.
As far as the fear of harrassment, they are truly a bunch of wimps.
I am non violent, so that is not an issue. I also hold property rights as on of the most basic rights we have, so would never damage someone’s property.
I would however, if I knew a neighbor had signed it, first confirm that they knew what they were signing (by asking them) and then make sure everyone in my community knew we had a bigot living amongst us.
People disagree with me, fine, but I say if you aren’t willing to be a bigot openly, you need to be outed. If you think I am 2nd class, you must defend that.
Only outing bigots will get us to that point. I sincerely believe most people do not want it to be known that they have irrational fears, and the knowledge that they will be outed could help some people heal.
It goes both ways.
Recently, a public utilities was forced to disclose the memberships of all employee social groups, including a GLBT and questioning group. They person who petitioned won the ruling using the transparent-government laws, and then took the names of those individuals and the minutes of their meetings and published them in a local newspaper. He actually claimed that it was only fair to “out” the members because no doubt those who sign Referendum 71 petitions would also be named publicly.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389×5901993
http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2009385607_webcitygays25m.html
xcajun:
excellent comparison!
Just got this latest update for those who want to keep up to date on this.
Judges OK release of R-71 petitions
The Washington attorney general says the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has lifted the injunction blocking release of R-71 petitions.
For the latest on this story, go to http://www.seattletimes.com
They should show their faces. We face the world everyday and face at times discrimination and harassment. They must learn to live with it.
If conservative anti-marriage equality backers don’t want to be outed, then they have the choice of not making donations. However, anyone who is proud of donating to or supporting a cause will have not shame in having her or his name revealed as such.
If they want to hide in the closet about their support of bigotry, I wonder what other closets they’re hiding in.
@audlindal–without checking the link, seem to recall that it had to do with a gay employees’ group at a public agency (it was either Seattle or King County WA). If you’re a public employee, then you’re likely to be told at orientation that most (but not necessarily all) of your workplace communications are public record. That includes anything on your work e-mail, anything on your gov’t phone, in general any activity you generated that was paid for by that agency. (Note, and not to self: good reason NOT to order porn if you’re on biz trip, even if you try to pay separately. You want it that much, bring your own porn and DVD player.)
For example: in my state, my pay and my job description are public record, and a curious reporter can request this info and publish it. However, state court says that home addresses of people in my agencies, and several others, can not be published, because there is too much potential for abuse of that information.
If WildwoodGuy is right, then the workers of the Seattle utility who were in a gay group better get ready to take one for the team. You sign a petition, it’s a public document. Let’s see it. Our system specifies a secret ballot, not a secret procedure. This case tells you enough about the wingnut brigade–all the sudden they care about clarity of the process because they’re on the losing end. The winning end seems to be the one that doesn’t go digging in peoples’ personal business. If I lived in Washington, I’d sure as hell wanna see who signed that petition for R71. I’d wanna see who donated. Why are they acting like they’re scared? Think they’re so slick they can get over on others and pay no consequences? Sunlight is the best disinfectant.
What part of “open and transparent” and “freedom of information” don’t the conservatives in Government, the christian taliban, morman taliban, bigots and their bigoted beliefs and advocates of bigots, KKK, etc understand????
Gays, their partners and children, and heterosexuals over 62 FULLY deserve extra domestic partnership rights!!!! (160 extra rights was it?)
“IT IS NOT MARRIAGE REMEMBER”!!!!!
Number 1: Please resgister to vote!!!!
Number 2: I urge you all on 3 November get out there everyone and vote APPROVE R-71!!!!!