Don`t they have anything better to do!

[Michael Walsh]

" . . . I can safely say we have around 2 thousand ready to storm the Capital steps.

Is that the same 2,000 who are coming for Spring Diversity Weekend or a different 2,000?

Until I know for sure, I'm going ahead with the DPR Funeral Festivities anyway. I can't just crochet a casket overnight, you know.

Besides, I'm gonna have to drag my Anita Bryant albums out of the attic so the Drag Widows can learn their lines.

BTW, the ACLU's already got Arkansas in court over the fostering/adoption ban. My guess is they might not mind being able to demonstrate a pattern of discrimination in legislation--involving once again the Arkansas Family Council and their hired legislators--that would help them make their case.

[Sparky]

since the DPR passed some 2 1/2 years ago, Eureka Officials--- City Council, Mayor, COC and CAPC have maintained a very low profie.

At last, BK is here to scrub the DPR away, clean up the mess we made for Eureka.

I have no clue how City Council will will react. Meebee they will declare April 4th Bryan King day in Eureka, post a letter on the door of the courthouse in his honor.

Not ONLY is the State Capital waiting to hear a message from certain people in Eureka tonight, so is the Gay Community.

[Sparky]

BTW, the ACLU's already got Arkansas in court over the fostering/adoption ban. My guess is they might not mind being able to demonstrate a pattern of discrimination in legislation--involving once again the Arkansas Family Council and their hired legislators--that would help them make their case.

funny you should mention this, were you listening in on the call?

[Son of Grace]

Mabye this is why they started putting that crap in the water...
oh, nevermind
sshhhh

[Sparky]

HB2176
TO PROHIBIT A DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP REGISTRY IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS.

Stricken language would be deleted from and underlined language would be added to the law as it existed
prior to this session of the General Assembly.

*KLL199*

03-09-2009 13:16 KLL199

1

State of Arkansas

2

87th General Assembly A Bill

3

Regular Session, 2009 HOUSE BILL 2176

4
5

By: Representative King

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7
8

For An Act To Be Entitled

9 AN ACT TO PROHIBIT A DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP
10 REGISTRY IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS; AND FOR OTHER
11 PURPOSES.
12
13

Subtitle

14 TO PROHIBIT A DOMESTIC PARTNERSHIP
15 REGISTRY IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS.
16
17
18 BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ARKANSAS:
19
20 SECTION 1. Arkansas Code Title 9, Chapter 11, Subchapter 1 is amended
21 to add an additional section to read as follows:
22 9-11-110. Validity of domestic partnership registries.
23 (a) A county or municipality shall not create a domestic partnership
24 registry or other certification process that recognizes a domestic partner
25 relationship not recognized by the Arkansas Constitution, Amendment 83.
26 (b) An ordinance, resolution, or proclamation in violation of
27 subsection (a) of this section is void.
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35

36

[shuggie]

Deer Mast'a Pawn,
Please, stay in your pew and outa the People's House.

[Sparky]

are ya ready for the todays feedback?

[Sparky]

Most House Reps feel this will never make it to floor.

Attaching the gay and lesbian stink to this bill was done purposely to get the local ANGST flamed up.

It is was very transparent in LR today, that State Rep. King wants to punish the one municipality that did not help to elect him.

The buzz and chatter was not about the HOMO's in Eureka, it was how the State Legislation has NO buisness telling local municipalities, that are functioning under the State Constitution, how to govern their communities.

Please continue with your letters to State Rep. Bryan King.

[Michael Walsh]

So.

So, now King's bill to deprive Eureka Springs of its Domestic Partnership Registry will go to a committee which includes State Rep. Kathy Webb, an out and proud lesbian.

And a politician.

Webb has "promised" some GLBT leaders she will kill the bill if only they will pretty please tone down the rhetoric on GF and return to being quiet little queers (or straight, commie, pinko, hippie, bleeding-heart liberals, as the case may be).

Because all this mean talk, she seems to think, is causing all kinda of ruckus, as King lumbers around the capital button-holing his small-town colleagues and whining about how unfairly he's being portrayed.

Can't you just hear him? "See, I told you how dangerous those Eureka folks was, now, didn't I? This, right here, proves it. Why they even got my name--my name--on a tombstone."

Translation: If you just don't rile the fundies--or the politicians they've paid for--then things'll work out jest dandy. Or so Webb seems to think.

Right. Where have I heard that before? And where has that gotten us? Except to the point where the Jericho Riders are getting in the faces of our paying guests and townsfolk during Diversity Weekends, the AFA has made a horror film about our town and both have called for boycotts.

Oh. And our own state representative is trying to repeal our own DPR.

Well. That worked out didn't it? So glad we played nice 2 1/2 years ago. Maybe that's why city officials have been mute on the subject of the DPR since then.

"Now y'all just hush up and move on yonder to the back of the bus. Nothin' to look at here and no one gives a rat's ass about your civil rights, respect, dignity, equality nor none of that other nonsense, either. Just keep quiet and shuffle on along."

Right now, I'm not sure who makes me madder, King or Webb.

No, wait, I do.

At least I've always known where King was coming from. But I remember well back in ought seven when we were trying to garner official public support for the DPR. It took forever to get a response from Webb and when finally came, when we were practically doing hand-to-hand combat with the Rev. Flipflop and his forces, this is what we were told, "Ms. Webb has already communicated her support privately to the mayor."

Oh. Good.

Quite an official, public endorsement there, all right. Good way to sway public opinion and rally those on the front lines, a good many of whom helped put you in office. Hold back until you see which way the wind's blowing and then send a non-public love note from one public servant to another public servant.

Screw the boots on the ground that actually make things happen.

Now, word is that Webb has been "in contact" with Eureka city officials. Soon--perhaps within the next hour or so--you may begin to hear the re-framing of the issue at hand. Not discrimination or homophobia or bigotry, lord no. Instead, it'll probably be something like urging the state legislature to stay out of the business of municipalities, gol darn it.

Then, maybe, if we can just get them dang Geekfesters to be nice, then Bryan King and the Arkansas Family Council which hold his leash and the American Family Association and the Jericho Riders will leave us be.

Yeah, that works for me.

[Sparky]

Dunes, bite your tongue. Politicians are the beloved chosen ones, just ask Gawd.