In just days, we expect that the Oregon Senate will take part in a historic vote on Civil Unions. We will get very little advance notice of the date or time of the vote, but watch your email closely (If you are not subscribed to our e-newsletter visit www.basicrights.org to sign-up)! You'll get breaking news as soon as we know when the vote will take place. Plan now to join us when it happens. You won't want to miss this historic moment.

But, remember, a vote in the Senate is just the first step. We still have to get civil unions (SB 1073) through the Oregon House. With less than 3 weeks left in the this legislative session, time is of the essence. Civil unions must become the law in the next few weeks before the legislature adjourns. Your action today can decide the outcome of this fight and make civil unions a reality in Oregon.

Even if you have called or written before, even if you believe that your legislators will already vote the right way, the stakes are too high to do anything but lobby as hard as we can!

Take Action Now!

Through our partners at Onward Oregon, you have already generated more than 700 emails to Oregon legislators. Now, in the final days of the legislative session we need to pull out all the stops. Can we make it 1000? Or more?

Take Action Now!

Event Date: Tuesday, 6/21/2005
Event Time: All Day
It’s back! Bites for Rights, the most popular BRO fundraiser EVER!

Tuesday, June 21st join thousands of Oregonians in turning your food habit into a political act by dining out. Participating restaurants will donate 15% of your bill to Basic Rights Oregon; what a great reason to not cook…ALL DAY! Mark your calendars and make your breakfast, lunch, and dinner plans NOW…and don’t forget to order dessert!

And keep checking out www.basicrights.org and our weekly e-update for a complete listing of participating restaurants.

These restaurants will be donating 15% of their proceeds to advance basic rights for all Oregonians:

820
Adobe Rose Café
Assaggio Trattoria & Enoteca
Aura
Ben & Jerry's Scoop Shop on Hawthorne
Bernie's Southern Bistro: 10% of proceeds
Besaw's Café
Bread & Ink Café
Bridges Café & Catering
Burst's Candies, Corvallis
Cascade Baking Company, Salem
Chez Jose East
County Cork & Public House
Cricket Café
Darcelle XV
Divine Café
Esan Thai Cuisine
Escape from New York Pizza
Fife
Fish Grotto Seafood Restaurant
Fratelli
Grass Roots Books & Espresso, Corvallis
Grolla Restaurant & Wine Bar
Haven
Higgins
Il Piatto
Interzone, Corvallis
Jam on Hawthorne
Ken's Place: June 23rd instead!
Kornblatt's Deli
La Calaca Comelona
Le Bistro Montage: 20% of lunch proceeds
Let's Do Coffee & More, West Linn
Lucy's Table
Mama Mia Trattoria
Masu Sushi
Mint
Mother's Bistro & Bar
Muu Muu's
No Fish! Go Fish!
Off Center Cafe, Salem
Old Wive's Tales
PaRaDoX Palace Café
Paragon
Pastini: NE Broadway and SE Division restaurants
Pix Patisserie
Poppi's Anatolia, Eugene
Red Star Tavern & Roast House
Ring of Fire & The Lava Lounge, Eugene
Russell Street BBQ
Starky's
Sweet Life Patisserie, Eugene: 10% of proceeds
T. Paul's Urban Cafe, Astoria
Thai Pepper Restaurant
The Grove, Bend
Three Friends Coffeehouse
Three Square Grill
Touchstone Coffee House
Vita Cafe
Wild Abandon & the Red Velvet Lounge
Wilf's Restaurant & Piano Bar
Zell's Café

Historic civil-union vote set in Senate
Bill moves out of committee on party-line vote; backers face tough odds in House
STEVE LAW
Statesman Journal
June 8, 2005
Click Here

Civil unions bill heads to Senate
Several hurdles remain before Oregon offers rights to same-sex couples
Wednesday, June 08, 2005
MICHELLE COLE
Click Here

OPB News
Senate Committee Passes Civil Unions Bill
By Colin Fogarty
Click here

Ore. Senate panel passes bill to create civil unions
Tuesday, June 7, 2005
By NIKI SULLIVAN, Associated Press Writer
Click Here

The Oregon Legislature's Senate Rules Committee took the first step today, Tuesday, June 7 toward ensuring fairness for all Oregon families, regardless of sexual orientation, by approving by a 3-2 vote Senate Bill 1073, which creates civil unions providing all of as the state protections and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples and their families.

"Never before has the Oregon Legislature acted to provide Oregon same-sex couples with the legal protections all families require every day and in times of crisis," said Basic Rights Oregon Executive Director Roey Thorpe. "Basic Rights Oregon applauds the courage of Senators who today ensured that fairness and decency won out over prejudice."

The Senate Rules Commitee vote, however, is just the first step in the legislative process needed to make SB 1073 the law in Oregon. The bill must now be approved by a floor vote in the before moving to the Oregon House. With less than 30 days left in the legislative session, Basic Rights Oregon is urging the Oregon Senate to act quickly and approve the bill.

"For Oregon same-sex couples, and we don't even know which ones will be hit hardest, each day that goes by without civil unions is a day that families are vulnerable to tragedy and two more years is too long to wait for another try in another legislative session," said Thorpe. "Oregon lawmakers now have it within their power to prevent these tragedies and we are counting on them to side with decency and fairness and pass SB 1073 immediately."

Civil Union Hearing Tuesday!
The Oregon Legislature is moving quickly to enact civil unions. Just Friday we told you about the introduction of Senate Bill 1073, which would create civil unions providing the legal, state-provided protections and responsibilities of marriage to same-sex couples in Oregon.

Now, the Senate Rules Committee announced today that it will hold a hearing tomorrow afternoon at 3PM, Tuesday, June 7th on this civil unions bill. The hearing, which will take place in Hearing Room B at the State Capitol in Salem, is open to the public and all are welcome to attend and observe the proceedings. Unlike other hearings, however, the time allotted for testimony is likely to be very limited.

Tell the Senate Rules Committee to Vote SB 1073 Out of Committee Now!
Whether you can make it to the hearing tommorrow or not, the Senate Rules Committee needs to hear from you today! This committee COULD vote on SB 1073 as early as TOMMORROW! The choice for legislators is between fairness for ALL Oregon families or discrimination against gay and lesbian Oregonians. Will voices of fair-minded Oregonians or this extremism influence the vote on civil unions? You decide.

Take Action Now!
Call the Senate Rules Committee Members now (if it is after hours you can leave a message on legislative voicemail) and tell them:

1.) Oregon same-sex couples and their families can't wait any longer to be protected under the law.
2.)Don't delay: Vote Senate Bill 1073 out of committee immediately!

Senator Kate Brown, Majority Leader and Committee Chair
503-986-1700
Senator Charlie Ringo
503-986-1717
Senator Jason Atkinson
503-986-1702
Senator Frank Shields
503-986-1724
Senator Ted Ferrioli, Minority Leader
503-986-1730

This committee COULD vote on SB 1073 as early as TOMMORROW! Make your call now!

Did you make the calls?
Send us an email and report how it went!

The clock is ticking on the Oregon legislature and that means our efforts in the next two weeks could determine the outcome of civil unions and nondiscrimination legislation. Big efforts could equal a big victory and WE NEED YOUR HELP!

First, take the action in this week's action alert.

Second, plan now, to spend at least one night next week with us as we phone supporters around the state. We'll be urging supporters to call lawmakers who are undecided or wavering. Key civil rights legislation on GLBT issues has been defeated this year in California and Washington by just one vote! We don't want that to happen here!

Sign up for your shift now! Phone Banks will happen in Bend, Medford, Salem and Portland Monday through Thursday from 6-9 PM.

Email the organizer in your area with your selected shift!

In Bend, centraloregon@basicrights.org
In Salem, kristin@basicrights.org
In Portland, thomas@basicrights.org
In Medford, southernoregon@basicrights.org

With only weeks left in this legislative session, anti-gay extremists are pulling out all the stops to block civil unions.

To stop them, the Senate has proposed and is poised to vote as early as next week on SB 1073, which would create civil unions for same-sex couples in Oregon!

Your action today could decide the outcome of this fight.

Right now, Oregon lawmakers are hearing from anti-gay opponents of SB 1073 the vilest in anti-gay rhetoric: "gay and lesbian people are depraved and sick," "gay and lesbian people are a threat to public health," "gay and lesbian people want to destroy the family." Will voices of fair-minded Oregonians or this extremism influence the vote on civil unions? You decide.

Over the last several weeks, hundreds of Oregonians have turned out and spoken up over and over again, at hearings before the Senate AND House, to tell the stories of their lives, to talk about their families and to express support for civil unions and a ban on discrimination.

Thanks to your lobbying efforts on SB 1000, BOTH civil unions and a ban on discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity are moving forward in the Oregon legislature, but in separate bills. Civil unions will move first in the form of SB 1073. Anti-discrimination legislation will follow.

Never before has basic fairness for GLBT Oregonians gotten the attention of Oregon lawmakers like it has this session. Nevertheless, the need has never been greater to keep up the pressure on Oregon lawmakers to support both of our legislative goals.

Our opposition has pulled out all the stops. Now, in the next 30 days, it is time for us to do the same. No matter what the outcome when lawmakers pack up and go home, will you be able to say you did everything you could do to make civil unions and anti-discrimination laws a reality? If you haven't yet made that phone call or sent that letter to your legislator, do it now! If you have already called and already written, do it again. The time is short and the stakes are high.

The Associated Press

Despite rumors - legislators are simply considering this option. It has not happened yet. Make sure it doesn't happen! Click here to take action now.

Editorial from OregonLive.com:

It was disappointing to learn Tuesday that Senate Bill 1000, which started out as landmark legislation to protect the rights of gays and lesbians in Oregon, has apparently now been split in two.

The original bill had twin goals: Outlaw discrimination against gays and lesbians in housing, employment and public accommodations, such as restaurants, stores and theaters; and create Vermont-style civil unions for gay and lesbian couples.

We don't pretend to know the precise thinking behind this legislative surgery, but we do know it says something sad about Oregon. It appears that one half of the bill -- which would have protected gays and lesbians from discrimination -- may have been sacrificed to increase the chances that the other half (creating civil unions) will thrive.

In reality, both halves are essential. And although it was unusual, there was something inspired about twinning the two in the original SB1000. Legislators say each has a penumbra of complexities, and resolving those will be easier if each stands alone. Maybe so, but there was an elegant economy about combining the two. In effect, they argue for each other. Both stand on the same bedrock principle: that all Oregonians are equal, no matter their color, religion, sex or sexual orientation.

In Oregon today, amazingly, it's legal to refuse to hire or even to fire gays and lesbians because they're gay or lesbian; to reject their housing applications because they're gay or lesbian; and to refuse to serve them in restaurants because they're gay or lesbian. This is so wrong that it, honestly, seems like a throwback to another century.

But it's not. People who testified against SB1000 justified keeping discrimination against gays and lesbians intact with rationalizations they would never use against Catholics, Jews or Asian or African Americans. These minorities have also faced ugly discrimination in past eras, but circa 2005, most people know such prejudice is wrong, and that Oregonians of different races, ethnic heritages and religious beliefs have every right to seek out housing, apply for jobs and live their lives. Gay and lesbian Oregonians should enjoy the same rights -- but they don't.

Supporters of the original Senate Bill 1000 said Tuesday that the surgery performed on the bill shouldn't be interpreted as leaving the anti-discrimination provisions to die. Both halves of the bill are important, supporters said, but there was a fear that both halves of the bill would die if they stayed joined.

"I'm passionate about both of them, and both should go forward," said Sen. Ben Westlund, R-Tumalo, one of the co-sponsors of SB1000.

If the Oregon Legislature succeeds in creating civil unions, this surgery may look tactically brilliant. But it is depressing to see anti-discrimination legislation -- something so basic -- move to the bottom of the legislative stack.

The original Senate Bill 1000 would have been a landmark. When you cut a landmark in two, it's diminished, no matter how you look at it. Both halves of this bill are vital to make Oregon a safe, fair, welcoming state for all Oregonians.

Make sure it doesn't get split into two bills! Click here to take action now.

Today Oregon lawmakers announced plans to consider the introduction of a new bill aimed at enacting civil unions only—leaving aside the issue of protection for gays and lesbians from discrimination in housing, employment, public accommodations, education and public services for a separate discussion.

While Basic Rights Oregon is encouraged by the continued interest in addressing discrimination faced by Oregon same-sex couples and their families, we do not support a “piecemeal” approach to protecting Oregonians from all kinds of discrimination.

“No form of protection from discrimination is more important than another,” said Basic Rights Oregon Executive Director Roey Thorpe. “Oregon cannot choose to provide legal protection and recognition to same-sex couples and their families and at the same time ignore continuing legal discrimination that allows those same couples to be expelled from a restaurant or denied a home solely because of their sexual orientation.”

SB 1000, which was drafted at the request of Governor Ted Kulongoski on behalf of Basic Rights Oregon, would require only one vote in the House and Senate to create civil unions for same-sex couples and prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation in public accommodations, housing, employment, public services and education in the State of Oregon.

“We will continue to urge legislators to follow the lead of Oregon’s Governor and support SB 1000 as the best way to address discrimination across the board,” said Thorpe. “Most Oregonians believe discrimination against gay and lesbian families and individuals is wrong. They want politicians to stop playing games with the lives of gay people, put an end to discrimination and move on with the other business of the state.”

Republican Sen. Ben Westlund of Bend has been flooded with phone calls, mail, e-mail and facsimiles attacking him for his support of SB 1000, a measure that would allow same-sex Oregon couples to form civil unions and protect gay, lesbian and transgender individuals from discrimination. The Source Weekly submitted a freedom of information act request to Westlund’s office asking it to provide us with one day’s worth of e-mails on the topic—which are legally considered public records when they deal with public business. Westlund’s office complied.

What follows is a selection of those e-mails.

We are publishing these messages because we feel it is important for the public to get a sense of the tone of the opposition to SB 1000, and to know the extent and depth of the bigotry that exists in our community, among our neighbors, acquaintances and co-workers. The spelling, punctuation and grammar are as they were in the originals. We have omitted addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses but we have included the writers’ names, in the belief that people who are willing to make such statements should be willing to put their names on them.

And we are hereby conferring the Boot on every one of them.

Please tell me why anyone with a sane mind would back a corrupt bill like this one, which will cause no end of grief, lawsuits, force employers to hire objectionable people with aids to handle food, work in medical laboratories and other technical places that require complete sanitary conditions.

Where is all this freedom that everyone talks about? No one should be forced to accept against their will and better judgment a bill like sp 1000. This law if passed will promote incurable diseases costing the taxpayers a bundle of money, blocking our courts and also making the appearance of our places of business look like hell and give 3% of our population as much freedom as they want to force their vulgar way of life on 97% of the population, who don’t want it. Don’t forget that this bill sp 1000 only covers the people that flaunt sex ahead of everything else.

Norman Kneisel

I am opposed to this bill because the only thing that it really does is provide tax incentives for same sex couples. We do not need any more tax loop holes.

Leonard Peoples

Dear Senator Westlund,

We want you to know that we strongly oppose SB 1000 and the granting of a special status to people whom practice deviate homosexual behavior. Your support of homosexual behavior is unacceptable to us.

Douglas & Juanita King

I want to encourage you to vote in tandem with the constituants that sent you there, and not against the wishes of the magority of the voters that voted to preserve “marrige” as one man one woman.

TP Holdings LLC
Leon Methvin

Dear Senator Westlund

My wife and I didn’t send you to Salem to join Portland liberals and sponsor minority status for gays, lesbians and create same-sex civil unions!

Legislation has not been created for African Americans or Asians to give them special status. 57 percent of Oregonians voted to preserve marriage as only between one man and one woman. Civil unions is just another name for marriage.

Stan & Rita Kenniston

Senator Westlund- please wake up!

Obviously, all citizens need to have all rights protected. Those rights that you feel some are missing...simply address them.

There is no need to copy the north east states ... I.e. First issued marriage certificates, then when that failed, went to civil unions. Everything that you will include in SB 1000 can be handled in a “rights guaranteed” manner via legislation.

Although Multnomah County runs the Tate...please remember who asked you to be “our voice”.

Bruce Boylen (72 yr. Oregonian)

My wife, Sharon and I reside in Redmond, Or and while we are live long conservative Republicans, next election we are not going to vote for anyone - we intend to vote against you.......we just discovered that not only do you support SB1000 but you sponsored it. What in the world is wrong with you? Civil union is marriage under a different name....did you not follow the outcome of measure 36?

Ronald J. Sample

Dear Senator Westlund,

I am so disappointed to hear you are supporting SB 1000. Do you realize what you are doing? I voted for you with confidence believing that your morals were correct. Now, I see that my marriage and family really means nothing to you. You may never have to answer to my face, but you will someday answer to the creator of the universe for your deeds. He who seeks to please man first is a fool.

Sincerely,
Jennifer Thomasson

Ben, we did not send you to Salem to go against 57 percent of Oregonians to sponsor bad public policy. Please change your vote to no on SB 1000

Wilma Patrick

Dear Senator,

I am writing to urge you to not endorse SB 1000. Please remember that over half of all voters recently communicated in a very clear and concise manner that they are proponents of marriage being defined as 1 man and 1 woman. My other concern is, what is going to happen if minority status is given to gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals & transgendered? The long term effects of this decision will be devastating to our culture and future generations. Please reconsider.

Thank you,
Joe & Zeitel Zachary

I guess you just don’t get it!!!! Oregon voted to preserve marriage between one man and one woman. We are totally ashamed of you for trying to circumvent our votes by promoting “civil unions” or anything of the like.

We are not haters of gay people, but promoting the gay agenda as a “normal lifestyle” is unacceptable.

We have always voted for you but that won’t happen again.

Elmer and Eleanor Reznicsek

Why you support this is beyond what the average guy can believe. You certainly don’t support families or the near 60 percent of Oregonians that voted to preserve marriage as one man and one woman. Typical Oregon politics. Ignore the voter and do what you want anyway. Better run as one of those Portland liberals next time around Ben because you sure wont be getting this family of Republicans votes when you run for re-election.

Ron Lane

Senator Westlund,

I’m contacting you to strongly urge you to oppose SB 1000. I am a pastor of a Messianic Jewish congregation in Bend Oregon, and am a registered voter. I have no wish to see SB 1000 passed. I agree with the Oregon family council: “ ... We didn’t send you to Salem to join with Portland liberals and sponsor minority status for gays, lesbians, bi-sexuals and transgendered. And create same-sex civil unions.”

Just say no!

Sincerely,
Mark Mclain

Dear Senator Westlund,

I have been a strong supporter of yours for several years now. I am a small business owner in the Bend area and want badly to support my local Republican leaders. I cannot however support you in the future if you continue your support of SB 1000. I believe this bill goes directly against the values that people (including myself) voted for when passing measure 36, and when we voted for you as our Senator. It is very important to me that people not be granted special rights just because they chose to engage in deviant behavior. This has been strongly represented in the way that I and a majority of Oregonians vote at election time.

Sincerely,
Kole Whalen

Senator Westlund

Please vote no on SB 1000. We voted for you to represent the majority of citizens, not special interest groups consisting of liberals, gays and lesbians who want to support same sex marriages! As a taxpayer I find it unconscionable that you would even consider a bill that will ultimately result in teaching children that gay and lesbian relationships are normal and acceptable. Not in my America and not with my taxpayers dollars! Please consider what you’re about to do. Thank you.

James M. Morrell

As conservative Republicans in Bend. We strongly object to your support of SB 1000. You can count on losing our votes in the next election .

Fred and Jetta Bertsch

We did not vote you in so that you could join the liberals. We voted you in to do what we wanted and needed you to do for us. If you go thru with this we won’t be voting you in again, and we will let everyone we know hear what it is you are trying to do to us.

An interested Oregonian
Tina M. Berry

Dear Senator Westlund,

Oregonians voted clearly against same sex marriage during the last elections. The same people are opposed to same sex civil unions. We are the people who sent you to Salem to represent us, so when the time comes, vote no on SB 1000.

Same sex unions of any kind are wrong and go against the very fabric of the fundamental tenets this nation was founded on.

Best regards,
Andrew Shooks

Ben,

Just a quick note letting you know Patty’s and my position in regards SB 1000.

Call it civil unions, call it marriage, call it whatever you want. Public confirmation of any union between two people is marriage.

This public act between the same sex is wrong ! Legally and morally. The strength of our society is proportional to the strength of our family. Our beautiful American society is having it’s struggles because the American family is having it’s struggles.

Please consider this question. Will this Senate bill that you are sponsering strengthen the American family?

When the American family is gone, America will be gone.

Ben, we respect you, we respect your judgment.

Have a great day, god bless always,

Dean & Patty Larkin

Please oppose SB 1000. We do not need this legislation; it’s bad public policy and unnecessary. Where is this country going We need more leaders who believe in religious values, and the fact that one man/one woman is a marriage...why all of a sudden after thousands of years do you want to change that? And most of the voters in Oregon voted not to change that. Please......... Oppose SB 1000.

E.L.J. Grandpierre and Mildred C. Grandpierre

Senator Westlund,

SB1000 is bad policy! It is social engineering at its liberal worse. Be the Republican you were voted into office to be! Vote no.

Toby Wilson

Senator,

I was very disappointed to discover that you were sponsoring this bill. This is a slap at your constituents. We did not elect you to sponsor minority status for gays, lesbians, and etc. We soundly defeated single sex marriage and yet you are trying to throw it back in our face. I have supported you because I thought your standards were higher than this. If you want to work with the liberals of the Portland area that is your privilege, but you will loose my support along with a lot of other good Christian people, here in central Oregon, who will not tolerate this assault on our moral standards.

Richard T. Virgin

Senator Westlund

We did not send you to Salem to ignore 57 percent of the voters, or to join the Portland Liderals and sponsor minority status for gays, lesbisns, bi-sexuals, and the transgendered. We did not send to Salem to create same sex civil unions. 57 percent of the voters in Oregon voted to preserve marriage as only between one man and one woman. Do not go against the will of the voters of Oregon.

We Oregonians have voted by the majority to preserve marriage as only between a man & a woman so please oppose SB 1000

Harold F. Remmy and Carla K. Remmy

SB 1000 is a bad policy, we voted to preserve marriage as only between one man and one woman, Dont spin your way around that

Don Irvine

Dear Senator Ben Westlund

I object to your sponsorship and support of SB 1000. You are creating special rights for gays. With passage of this bill, in any dispute involving housing, employment or personal association, members of this group will allege discrimination based on sexual orientation, even if not present. No group is entitled to special rights under law, that are denied to everyone. SB 1000 is misguided and unfair.

Sincerely,
Duane Hill

SB 1000 is bad public policy, because is creates special rights for one group of citizens at the expense of others. The charge of discrimination has become a weapon used by special groups to bludgeon those with whom they disagree. SB 1000 codifies this advantage in law. Gays are no more the target of discrimination than obese people, people with abrasive personalities, or ugly people. Quit trying to eliminate the differences and divergences in humanity, because when you create special rights for one group you deny the rights of others.

Sherry Hill

Hello - I am one of your constituents who voted you into office and am writing to you to strongly encourage you to not support Senate bill 1000. As a Republican I voted you into office to represent the Republican views and values that this country was founded upon, not to support the Portland liberals you now seem to be following and supporting! Maybe you should come to the districts and counties that supported you for office and voted you into office to reconnect with what we voted you into office to stand for! SB 1000 is bad public policy and by supporting it you are ignoring 57 percent of the Oregonians that expressed their views to preserve marriage and the very nature of a man and a woman. Unless you are ready to end your career as a Republican Senator, I urge you to rethink your position and remember who you are there to represent! If I learn of your support for SB 1000 you can count on myself and my husband voting against you in the next election!

Regards,
Kellyanne Litton

Writing to have you withdraw SB 1000 and leave things as they are. Why do we always have to be changing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

Thanks
D. Buell

Dear Senator Westlund,

I am greatly disappointed that you have chosen to sponsor SB 1000, especially after Oregon voters passed by a 57 percent majority a measure that preserves marriage as only between one man and one woman. To now advocate for same-sex civil unions is merely to play a semantic game to get around the wishes of the state’s voters. I urge you to reconsider your vote for this bill.

Sincerely,
Rod Morris

Senator Westlund,

I have been sent information about SB 1000 and have learned that this bill would change every Oregon law related to marriage and adds same-sex civil unions.

I voted with 57 percent of Oregon voters to preserve marriage as only between one man and one woman. And I am horrified to think that you would sponsor a bill that would try to force a change on the residents of Oregon that ignores the desire of the people.

Forcing our schools to teach our children, under the guise of “diversity education”, about gay (to be gay?) & lesbian ( to be lesbian?) And (have?) Bi-sexual relationships is not the responsibility of the Oregon school system but the responsibility of the parent/guardian to teach their child about gay, lesbian and bi-sexuality. The job of our schools is to teach academic subjects (reading, writing, arithmetic, science, technology) to our children so that they will be prepared to enjoy interesting, challenging, productive lives. Our schools need all the classroom time so that our Oregon children will not be left behind.

I am told the bill could require religious institutions and organizations to go against their faith. It could also cost Oregon private businesses thousands of dollars in health care and legal fees.

I urge you to oppose SB 1000.

Betty J. Hendricks
Republican Voter

Join BRO at the State Capitol in Salem on Tuesday, May 31st for a hearing before the House Judiciary Committee on HB 3476, which is the Reciprocal Beneficiaries Bill being proposed by the backers of Measure 36 as a way to undermine our efforts to pass Senate Bill 1000 and create civil unions for same-sex couples in Oregon.

If the Oregon House doesn't hear from supporters of fairness and equality, same-sex couples and their families and people of faith from all over Oregon, they will hear from those who oppose even the most basic protections for GLBT Oregonians. We need hundreds of Oregonians to turn out and tell the House that there is no middle ground between right and wrong. Can we count on you?

We want to overwhelm the house with oral testimony and statements in opposition to this bill as a substitute for civil unions.

Event Date: 5/31/2005 - 6/1/2005
Event Time: 6PM- End of Hearing