Indiana Equality

TAKE ACTION NOW!

Call your member of Congress  toll-free at 866-346-4611 today, Tuesday or Wednesday, April 27-29, and urge support of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (LLEHCPA) to fight hate crimes and ensure safety and security for all people.

In our increasingly diverse nation, hate crimes are a persistent problem. Although there are laws on the books to deter hate crimes, protect victims, and prosecute crimes, significant improvements can still be made.

The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1913) expands the coverage of existing hate crime laws to include not only victims of crime based on race, color, religion, and national origin, but also bias-motivated crimes based on the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. H.R. 1913 also provides for federal involvement in prosecuting hate crimes in states where current law or local actions are inadequate.

Hate crimes cut across all of our communities and the LLEHCPA (H.R. 1913) is needed to ensure that all people have the right to be safe and free from physical harm and intimidation. Call your representative toll-free at 866-346-4611, Monday-Wednesday, April 27-April 29, and urge support of H.R. 1913 to fight hate crimes and provide safety and security for all people.

Take Action on the Matthew Shepard Act

Ten years ago, college student Matthew Shepard was attacked, brutally beaten, tied to a fence and left to die in the Wyoming countryside -- just because he was gay.

Ten years later, the federal government still has no authority to investigate, prosecute, or help local law enforcement crack down on hate crimes like the one committed by Matthew Shepard's murderers.

Two years ago, the House and the Senate both passed the hate crimes bill. If George W. Bush's veto pen hadn't stood in the way, it would surely be law today.

2009 marks our best chance yet to get this bill signed into law. But it is far from a done deal. Our opponents will not be silent and they will try to drag this debate into the gutter.

At this very moment, they're gearing up to bombard Congress with bald-faced lies about the Matthew Shepard Act. They will claim that the bill will criminalize pastors and their sermons, endanger Christianity, and end free speech – yet the bill expressly protects speech and only applies to physical violence.

We can't let lawmakers be intimidated or misled by this despicable propaganda. We will lose votes unless YOU make sure Congress understands the truth about this bill.

 

Protect All or Protect None

I took a moment the other day to write a Letter to the Editor to my local paper. I encourage you all to do the same. Not only to the local paper but to your local legislature as well. Tell them it is past due time for us to pass a anti-discrimination bill including LGBT people. I want to share with you what I wrote and titled, "Protect All or Protect None."

To the Editor,

I would like to raise awareness to an issue I feel is often ignored and swept under the rug too often. Two months ago my employer told me, “You know I can fire you for just being gay, right?” After being told this, I became determined to see Indiana pass a anti-discrimination law to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people.

Currently in 30 states (including Indiana) LGBT people can be legally fired from their jobs, denied credit, denied housing, and denied public accommodations. You may think this never happens, but it does, and one time is one time too many. Indiana Equality reported in 2005 more than 84% of Indiana Hoosiers are in favor of including LGBT people in a anti-discrimination bill. With an overwhelming amount of support for this I’m often left wondering, “Why hasn’t this bill been passed?” With that said, I’m tired of wondering why this hasn’t happened and would now like to pose that question to the law makers of Indiana and the 29 other states who still ignore the humanity of their tax paying citizens.

Evidently I’m good enough to pay equal taxes but when it comes to equal protection I’m excluded from the books. With today’s economy I’m happy to even have a job, but there are a handful who think I shouldn’t even have one because I am gay. Indiana, when will you protect me? When will you extend equal protection to your sons, daughters, your sisters and brothers? For that is who we are. You are related to one of us. We may be family but when will you recognize us fully under the law? I will close with this. I encourage the legislators and law makers to take this matter seriously and with great urgency. Lastly, I encourage Hoosiers to contact their local legislators and urge them to pass a anti-discrimination bill including LGBT people. A threat to justice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere. We can no longer ignore this injustice.

Sincerely,
Azariah Southworth

Kate Clinton Interview

Sorry it took me so long to get this post up! I was fortunate enough to interview Kate Clinton when she was in town at the beginning of the month. Check out what she had to say!

Brandon: What got you started out in comedy?

Kate: MY BEST FRIEND GOT SICK OF HEARING ME SAY I WANTED TO TRY STANDUP COMEDY,  BOOKED ME IN A CLUB, SAID "YOU'RE ON IN A MONTH.  I DON'T WANT TO HEAR ABOUT IT ANY MORE."  WE ALL SHOUD HAVE SUCH GOOD FRIENDS.

Brandon: Has your comedy changed since you started out?

Kate: MY COMEDY IS ABOUT THE WORLD WE LIVE IN AND THAT HAS CHANGED A GOOD BIT SINCE 1981.

Brandon: What do you see the roll of humor playing in changing the climate for LGBT people?

Kate: WE ALL COULD USE A LAUGH IN A HETEROSEXIST WORLD THAT IS LOSING MONEY AND BUYING GUNS. WE NEED HELP NOT TO TAKE OURSELVES TOO SERIOUSLY SO WE CAN DO WHAT WE NEED TO DO - PASS ENDA, REPEAL DOMA, GET RID OF DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL, AND GET A FEDERAL MARRIAGE ACT.

Brandon: Do you have a preference in performing in front of an LGBT crowd versus a straight audience?

Kate: I LOVE ANY AUDIENCE THAT BUYS TICKETS.

Brandon: Since we now have a somewhat supportive president in the White House, do you see any major changes coming for LGBT folks?

Kate: THE BIG DIFFERENCE IS THAT WE NO LONGER HAVE WHITE HOUSE SANCTIONED HOMOPHOBIA.  THAT WAS AN EXCUSE FOR LOTS OF BAD BEHAVIOR AS EVIDENCED IN THE 1%  RISE OF ANTI-GAY VIOLENCE WHILE BIAS VIOLENCE IN GENERAL DECREASED 6%.

Brandon: How well or poorly do you think LGBT people are represented in the mainstream media?

Kate: REALLY WHAT IS THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA ANYMORE?  LGBT PEOPLE ARE REPRESENTING THEMSELVES IN THE NEW MEDIAS.  MSM IS SO LAST CENTURY.

Brandon: How has, if any, the portrayal of LGBT people in the mainstream media changed since when you first started out?

Kate: THERE HAS BEEN AN EBB AND FLOW IN REPRESENTATION.  PERHAPS THE BIGGEST CHANGE IS THAT LGBT STORIES ARE NOT EXCLUSIVELY ABOUT COMING OUT BUT ABOUT LIVING OUT.

Brandon: Any tips for young LGBT folks looking to make it in the entertainment industry?

Kate: HAVE A FRIEND BOOK YOU IN A CLUB, OR BOOK A FRIEND IN A CLUB.  START, START SMALL, LEARN YOUR CRAFT, HAVE FUN AND GET THE CHECK.

Brandon: What do you think of Indiana?

Kate: THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE FOR LGBT INDIANANS IS  TO COME OUT.  AS EVERYWHERE, WE HAVE LOTS OF STRAIGHT ALLIES WHO WELCOME THE OPPORTUNITY OF SUPPORTING THE LGBT COMMUNITY.  THAT'S WHY VISIBILITY IS IMPORTANT. 

National Center for Lesbian Rights Attorney to Speak at Law School

Noon, Monday, April 13, 2009

Room 120, Maurer School of Law, 211 S. Indiana Ave, Bloomington

Melanie Rowen, Staff Attorney for the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), will provide an inside look at the California litigation working to provide marriage rights to gays and lesbians in California.  The NCLR is lead counsel, along with the ACLU and Lambda Legal, on the writ petition recently argued before the California Supreme Court seeking to invalidate Proposition 8, the Constitutional Amendment outlawing same sex marriage.

Rowen will discuss both the In re Marriage Cases decision issued by the California Supreme Court last year and the ongoing litigation challenging Proposition 8. In addition to outlining the arguments presented in both cases and discussing the In re Marriage Cases opinion as well as the recent oral arguments in the Proposition 8 litigation, she will be available to answer student questions about recent developments in marriage equality nationwide.  In the past week alone, there have been major events in Iowa,

Vermont, New Hampshire and the District of Columbia.   She will also discuss public interest lawyering and how students can get involved in civil rights work.

For more info on NCLR, please visit www.nclrights.org.

The talk is sponsored by the law school's Lambda Law Society.  Light lunch will be served.  No RSVP necessary.

Vermont and Iowa - now Washington D.C?

We added Iowa to the rolls, and now Vermont has decided to legalize gay marriage as well.  New Hampshire and Maine are contemplating it from what I understand, and Washington DC's council just voted to recognize gay marriages from the first four states, and others that hopefully will follow.  Don't hold your breath on Washington D.C., it ultimately will have to go before the Congress for a vote as anything in D.C. must - maybe it will still pass? I'm not certain yet.

It does show however, the growing movement in the United States towards what I call an inclusive acceptance.  As time goes on, and the baby boomers continue to age and pass the torch to the younger generation, I see movement.  It's been slow and tedious and at times I wondered if we would ever get there in my lifetime, but it's happening.

And this is what I see as the important aspect.  Yes, I'm thrilled that the ban on my happiness is being lifted but to me it's not the most important point. The fact that we're moving beyond the divisive issues of the culture war we've been waging is what moves me.  I understand it is a cliche at best, but I simply want to be happy and know that those around me are happy as well.  It's simply not going to happen until we start to sing camp songs together.

And then there's Vermont

by Don Sherfick

“This morning, class, we’re going to take up the undemocratic travesty that occurred in Vermont this past Tuesday.”

That quickly got my attention.  I knew the political science instructor had previously gone into a long tirade about how “unelected activist judges” in Iowa had unanimously nudged the Nuptial Doomsday Clock a few notches closer to midnight.  Now apparently somebody in Montpelier was about to get a like thrashing.

“It’s a travesty”, he continued.  We have three distinct and co-equal branches of government, with the judiciary of course being much less co-equal than the other two except when I like its rulings.  Vermont judges, just like all others, are supposed to stick to interpreting laws, not making it.”

Now the others in the class were looking a bit perplexed.

Update for North East Indiana

I have been hearing a lot of talk about a national protest if Prop 8 in California is not overturned by the court. As exciting as being a part of a protest is, I would rather see no protest than a violent one. What has violence ever done?  I'm not only speaking about physical violence but violence of the tongue and heart.

For example, Rick Warren. The way we as a community responded to him was not only wrong but did not and never will change the way Mr. Warren and his followers view us. Our response was violent with the tongue and heart. Violence of any nature never ends oppression, end injustice,  bring resolve, healing or peace. Rather it perpetuates and instills those very things in our minds, society, religions, etc.

With that said, I am quickly working with local LGBT leaders to gather all those interested for a training session on non-violence. The resources I will be using can be found at... http://www.nonviolence4equality.org/

I hope you too will hold a training session in your region. This way if there is a call for a national or local protest/demonstration we can have people ready, have a strategy, and be effective. We will also be able to speak truth to power with non-violence as done by Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr. A great book to read on non-violence is, "Jesus and Non-Violence: The Third Way" by Walter Wink.

I think it may even be a good idea to train groups of people in our regions and hold monthly demonstrations/protest until Indiana passes a Anti-Discrimination bill for LGBT people. I think by making ourselves visible through monthly demonstrations/protest  we will be alerting and teaching the public the lack and need of a Anti-Discrimination bill protecting LGBT people in Indiana.

We can no longer take this lightly. Martin Luther King, Jr. acknowledged that real change takes time; yet he also warned against the "tranquilizing drug of gradualism" and instructed the oppressed to demand equality now - not on the convenient time schedule of those doing the oppressing. Legislative efforts toward equality, while essential, have proven woefully inadequate under current circumstances.

I'll close with this. From the Birmingham Jail, Dr. King wrote: "Nonviolent direct action seeks to create such a crisis and foster such a tension that a community which has constantly refused to negotiate is forced to confront the issue. It seeks so to dramatize the issue that it can no longer be ignored."

Spread love,
Azariah Southworth

Help to Ensure Indiana’s Police Officers are Adequately Trained

Take Action on Senate Bill 173

Senate Bill 173 includes a requirement that all Indiana law enforcement officers receive training in identifying, responding to, and reporting bias crimes. This training in identifying, responding to, and reporting bias crimes, is consistent with current federal and state law.

According the Federal Bureau of Investigation there were over 9,000 reported bias crimes in 2007 (data for 2008 is not complete in its entirety). Being that countless numbers of bias crimes cases go unreported every year, there is a dire need for our public safety officers to be adequately trained in identifying, responding to, and reporting bias crimes.

SB 173 has now being considered by the Indiana House of Representatives.  Help make Indiana safer.  Please tell your state representative that Indiana’s police officers must be adequately informed and trained about bias crimes.

Take Action Now

Iowa's impact on Indiana: my heart versus my head

by Don Sherfick

“So…you’re a lawyer….what’s your take on the Iowa decision?” my friend, knowing my involvementand interest in helping fight the so-called “Indiana Marriage Protection Amendment” that’s dead again this time around in the General Assembly.  Last Friday's unanimous decision by the Iowa Supreme Court saying that restricting civil marriage to opposite sex couples had already prompted speculation concerning the impact on Indiana.

“Very well-reasoned”, I responded, knowing that the next comment from her would be something about my longstanding insistence that despite loud squawking by those pushing the discriminatory measure (first called SJR-7 and then with some wordsmithing SJR-15), such a decision just wasn’t in the cards for the Hoosier state.

I must confess that my heart and my head are not at all in sync on this one.  If I were to say that in my heart I didn’t rejoice in its impact on gay and lesbian couples in Iowa, and its psychological effects throughout the nation, my nose would and should immediately grow longer like Pinocchio’s.  And folks like the Indiana Family Institute’s Ryan McCann would, as they’ve done before, call me out for doublespeak, something I still believe they wrote the book on when it comes to this kind of “bait and switch” and other contradictory behavior. 

But my head looks at the reality of the situation, and despite all of the rhetoric about impending doom spreading across the Mississippi River, across Illinois, and into the Indiana Supreme Court’s chambers, I still say, with others who’ve bothered to study Indiana constitutional law, that it simply "AIN'T gonna happen here".   At least not until Justices Scalia, Thomas, and maybe Alito endorse late term abortions and singing the full praises of Roe vs. Wade.