4th September, 2001 (# 4) News Clippings Digest.

1. WASHINGTON POST With Vermont in the Lead, Controversy
Progresses; Battle Over Same-Sex Unions Moves to Other States
2. THE CAPITAL (Annapolis, MD) Special court master to review
validity of more than 47,000 signatures gathered by opponents of gay-
rights law
3. THE SCOTSMAN Lesbian lover jailed for kidnapping ex-partner
4. THE INDEPENDENT (U.K.) Homosexual and other unmarried couples
are to benefit from a £5m government scheme that is intended to
support family life, particularly in the case of minority groups that
have previously been overlooked
5. OMAHA WORLD-HERALD Letter: Anti-gay Initiative 416 is NOT
causing people to move to Nebraska

Washington Post, September 4, 2001
1150 15th Street NW, Washington, DC, 20071
(E-Mail: letterstoed@... )( http://washingtonpost.com/ )
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/nation/A36955-2001Sep3.html
With Vermont in the Lead, Controversy Progresses
Battle Over Same-Sex Unions Moves to Other States
By Pamela Ferdinand, Special to The Washington Post
BRATTLEBORO, Vt. -- The formal union of Peter Harrigan and
Stan Baker
was no small affair. Nearly 300 people attended a religious ceremony
last
year, with two priests and an 18-person choir at St. Paul's Episcopal
Cathedral in Burlington, followed by a sunset cruise and dinner dance
on
Lake Champlain.
The boat was christened, fittingly, "The Spirit of Ethan
Allen," for
two men who helped lead their own kind of battle in the Green Mountain
state.
Harrigan and Baker were among the three same-sex couples who
sued
Vermont for the right to marry -- and ultimately won equivalent
rights and
benefits of heterosexual marriage under the state's first-in-the-
nation
civil union system.
"Our ceremony was really as much a victory party as a civil
union or
a wedding," said Harrigan, 39, who has since seen changes to the
couple's
state income taxes and car insurance as a result of their new legal
status.
"It was great just to know how many people really cared about us and
supported us."
Since Vermont created civil unions just over a year ago, more
than
2,700 couples have taken advantage of the opportunity to participate
in the
ceremony. About two-thirds were women, and the vast majority of
couples --
more than 2,100 -- came from out of state, particularly from
Massachusetts,
New York and California, even though civil unions are not officially
recognized elsewhere.
The road to civil unions here was marked by months of emotional
debate that deeply divided the state and stirred national discussion
of gay
marriage. To a certain extent, however, the furor over gay marriage
has
actually moved elsewhere. The first same-sex wedding expo is
scheduled to
take place not in Burlington, but in Centerport, N.Y., next month.
At least five other state legislatures, including Rhode Island,
Connecticut, Washington, Hawaii and California, have considered a gay
marriage bill or one similar to Vermont's civil union law, while 35
states
and the federal government have adopted "defense of marriage laws"
that
define marriage as a union between a man and woman. Most recently, a
coalition called the Alliance for Marriage announced a campaign for an
amendment to the Constitution that would ban same-sex marriage.
Two pivotal court cases are also pending. In Georgia, a woman
is
arguing in a child custody case that her partner should be considered
the
legal equivalent of a spouse because they entered into a civil union
in
Vermont.
Seven gay couples, including two men who participated in a
civil
union ceremony, have sued Massachusetts for the right to marry. Four
of the
couples have young children.
In response, a group called Massachusetts Citizens for
Marriage is
proposing a ballot question that would prohibit same-sex marriage.
"Vermont's civil union law is really contributing to a growth
in
support for gay people's freedom to marry all around the country,"
said Evan
Wolfson, director of the Freedom to Marry Project in New York. "This
is not
about trying to start a wave of litigation. It's about people really
trying
to live their lives and protect their families."
Others disagree, saying civil unions have encouraged gay
activists to
make Massachusetts and other states a battleground for their agenda.
Civil
unions are aimed at eroding traditional marriage and will allow
marriage-style benefits for gay men and lesbians to creep into other
states
whether the states want them or not, said Mark Regan, a policy
analyst with
the Family Research Council in Washington.
"Civil unions are a counterfeit version of marriage that will
diminish the value of marriage," he said. "It is important for
people to
understand that the argument has shifted from talk about tolerance
and a
right to homosexual relations based on a right to privacy to explicit
public
approval. And that's profound in its implications."
In Vermont, civil unions sparked a furor. Opponents posted
"Take
Back Vermont" signs on barns and trees and swept 16 pro-civil union
legislators out of office last fall, creating a Republican majority
in the
state House of Representatives for the first time in more than a
decade.
According to most polls, public opinion remained evenly split on the
issue.
But these days the debate is more muted, though an
undercurrent of
opposition persists. A commission appointed by the legislature is
beginning
to examine the impact of civil unions, and many Vermonters say the
ceremonies have become almost routine. Civil union announcements
appear in
local newspapers, and a cottage industry has emerged of
photographers, inns,
florists and caterers that advertise themselves as gay-friendly.
Annette Cappy, the town clerk of this liberal, southern Vermont
community, issues as many $23 licenses for marriages between men and
women
as she does for civil unions. Since she supplied a license for one
of the
first civil unions in the state last July, she has been inundated with
cards, flowers and gifts from grateful same-sex couples who traveled
here
from as far away as Japan.
"It's been in effect for a year, and the sky hasn't fallen,"
she
said. "Everything is the same as it was before."
But relative silence does not necessarily mean there has been
"a
great coming together or resolution of the conflict," observed state
Rep.
Thomas A. Little, who supported civil unions as the Republican
chairman of
the House Judiciary Committee.
The Vermont House passed several anti-civil union measures
this year,
but they were blocked by the Democratic-controlled Senate. Opponents
of
civil unions warned that legislators who continue to back the
groundbreaking
law -- including Gov. Howard Dean (D) -- can expect their comeuppance
in the
next election.
Civil unions are raising the aspirations of gay men and
lesbians to
seek full marriage laws and are leading to the promotion of gay
rights in
schools, threatening to establish Vermont as a haven for gays, they
said.
"This has put Vermont on the map in a way that our Chamber of
Commerce didn't necessarily choose," said Craig Bensen, an evangelical
pastor and member of Take It to the People, which unsuccessfully
sought a
referendum on civil unions. "We'd like people to believe we're just
maple
syrup and pretty colors."
Even though Vermont's law contains a provision that makes civil
unions invalid in other states, if those states don't accept them, the
ceremonies have allowed some out-of-state couples to leverage their
newfound
status at home. A few have negotiated benefits with employers and
others on
a piecemeal basis, said Mary Bonauto, a staff attorney for Gay and
Lesbian
Advocates and Defenders in Boston.
Manuel Maravi, 29, and his partner obtained a civil union
license in
Vermont in October. Since they returned home to Salt Lake City, they
have
negotiated a family rate at their gym and a discount on their car
insurance.
Their request for joint health insurance was declined, but Maravi
said they
have no intention of filing a lawsuit seeking privileges bestowed by
the law
of another state.
"We're trying to educate people by leading our life as a
family and
being open, not suing the government or anything like that," he
said. "This
was very significant for us to be recognized as a couple. It makes
you feel
like people respect your choice -- that you are free to join your
life to
the person you love. That makes you feel like a human being."


The Capital, September 2, 2001
P. O. Box 911, Annapolis, MD, 21404
(Fax: 410-268-4643 ) (E-Mail: capletts@... )
( http://www.capitalonline.com/ )
http://www.hometownannapolis.com/cgi-bin/read/2001/09_02-46/TOP
47,000 signatures on tap for inspection
Court master to review validity of autographs in gay rights lawsuit
By Brian M. Schleter, Staff Writer, bschleter@...
A county judge will soon appoint a special court master to
review the
validity of more than 47,000 signatures gathered by opponents of a
new law
banning discrimination against homosexuals.
Lawyers for state election officials and supporters of the
controversial law reached the compromise Monday during a closed-door
meeting
with Circuit Court Judge Eugene M. Lerner, attorneys said.
No trial date was set.
The action arose from a lawsuit filed July 30 by the law's
supporters
seeking to block a statewide vote on the law in 2002.
State election officials said in June that opponents of the
Antidiscrimination Act of 2001 collected the signatures of 47,539
registered
voters, 1,411 more than the number required to force a referendum
next year.
In their lawsuit, 25 plaintiffs from around the state claim
local
election officials in every Maryland county erroneously approved
thousands
of allegedly fraudulent and illegally obtained petition signatures.
They
further claim the state Board of Elections compiled the figures from
the
local boards but did not conduct an independent review of the
signatures
before certifying the numbers on June 30.
Once they were certified, Maryland Secretary of State John T.
Willis
delayed the Oct. 1 implementation date of the law.
But Charles J. Butler, a Washington attorney representing the
plaintiffs, said several signature sheets don't contain all the
information
required by law, making the signatures they contain invalid.
Other sheets are signed by a person who witnessed the
sigatures as
required, but the date of the witness' signature predates those that
signed
the petition, he said.
"A lot of these errors are clear," Mr. Butler said.
Local elections officials would not comment on the allegations
in the
lawsuit, referring inquiries to the state office. A state elections
official also declined comment.
The special master will decide which petitions and signatures
are
legally acceptable, Mr. Butler said.
Judge Lerner ordered Mr. Butler and Assistant Attorney General
Michael Berman to confer and select a special master for him to
approve. In
the event they can't agree, each will submit a list of candidates for
the
judge to consider.
Mr. Berman said he could not comment because the case is
pending.
Any person can be appointed a special master, Mr. Butler
said. After
reviewing the evidence, the master makes a series of recommendations
to the
court. If both sides agree, the judge usually approves the
findings. If
not, they can request the judge hold a hearing.
Annapolis attorney Paula Peters, the lone county resident to
join the
lawsuit as a plaintiff, said she wanted to do her part to get the
issues
before the court.
"I feel really strongly on the issue. ... If this were to go
to a
referendum it would be horrible. It would stir up so much hate," she
said.
Tres Kerns of Severna Park, who leads TakeBackMaryland.org,
the group
that gathered the signatures, said his organization is considering
intervening in the lawsuit as an interested party. The Attorney
General's
Office is a part of the executive branch, and Gov. Parris N.
Glendening
supports the law.
"Our concern is we won't get a fair hearing," he said.


The Scotsman, September 4, 2001
20 North Bridge, Edinburgh EH1 1YT Scotland
( E-Mail: online@... ) ( http://www.scotsman.com/ )
http://www.thescotsman.co.uk/uk.cfm?id=104746
Lesbian lover jailed for kidnapping ex-partner
John Innes
A jealous lesbian bus driver who admitted kidnapping and
harassing
her policewoman ex-lover at knifepoint after she was jilted was
jailed for
two years yesterday.
Lesley Hodkinson, 27, had initially denied kidnapping and
harassing
serving police officer Samantha Barker, 21, a former glamour model,
but
changed her plea when she saw witness statements about what she had
done.
Hodkinson, brandishing a 6in kitchen knife, took Miss Barker
from her
home in Rochester, Kent, on 8 March and dragged her into a car before
driving her down the M20 motorway to Dover while threatening to "chop
her
up".
Judge Anthony Balston told Hodkinson, as he sentenced her at
Maidstone Crown Court, that prison was the only possible place for
someone
who would inflict such a terrifying ordeal on a former lover.
"It seems to me that none of the main players in this
unfortunate
tale have come out with any credit at all, but you did the worst," he
went
on.
"When you kidnapped the other woman you took her on a drive in
the
car and used a knife during that drive.
"Undoubtedly Miss Barker must have been terrified by what
happened
and prison is the only possible punishment for that sort of
behaviour."
Hodkinson, formerly of Chatham, showed no emotion as she was
led to
the cells.


The Independent, 4 September 2001
1 Canada Square, Canary Wharf, London E14 5DL England
(E-Mail: letters@... ) ( http://news.independent.co.uk )
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=92206
Gay and ethnic minority couples given £5m boost
By Robert Verkaik, Legal Affairs Correspondent
Homosexual and other unmarried couples are to benefit from a
£5m
government scheme that is intended to support family life,
particularly in
the case of minority groups that have previously been overlooked.
The Government said in plans published yesterday that it
wanted to
help a wider range of organisations that counsel couples.
Rosie Winterton, a minister at the Lord Chancellor's
Department, said
in a new guide accompanying the revised grant programme that family
life was
the "foundation on which our communities, our society and our country
are
built".
Ms Winterton said the new scheme, which has been given an
extra £1.8m
since it was first introduced, would help organisations that have not
previously received funding, "particularly those that exist to help
commonly
excluded minority groups".
She added: "We recognise the importance of supporting the adult
couple, with benefit to the couple itself, as well as any children
they may
have."
It was central to the Government's "vision of a modern and
decent
country" that strong and stable relationships benefit all in society,
she
said.
The increased funding has been partly introduced in response
to a
decision by the Lord Chancellor, Lord Irvine of Lairg, to shelve
plans to
introduce no-fault divorces earlier in the year. In this way the
emphasis
in government policy has switched from making it easier for married
couples
to divorce to helping all couples, married and unmarried, to stay
together.
The move follows recommendations by the Advisory Group on
Marriage
and Relationship Support, which was set up by Lord Irvine to draw up a
strategy on how the increased resources should be allocated.
The Lord Chancellor has overall responsibility for the family
justice
system and, since 1995, responsibility for policy development and
funding
for marriage and relationship support.
The Government hopes the scheme will attract applications for
the
grants from groups counselling couples from ethnic minority
communities.
Ms Winterton said: "The key role of the voluntary sector in
providing
support services to the adult couple is well recognised, but to date
government funding in this area has only been available to a
relatively
small number of organisations. With increased funding, the Lord
Chancellor's Department can now be more proactive and use funding in
different ways."


Omaha World-Herald, September 4, 2001
World Herald Square, Omaha, NE, 68102
(Fax: 402-345-4547 ) (E-Mail: pulse@... )
( http://www.omaha.com )
Letter: 416 was dark period
I don't know how to tell Leo Hain (Aug. 28 Pulse) this, but
Initiative 416 is not causing people to move to Nebraska. I didn't
know
that making gays and lesbians second-class citizens was a central
component
of "traditional family values."
I would ask Leo: What is a "traditional lifestyle"? It
sounds to me
like Mr. Hain has some very narrow definitions regarding life, people
and
his perceptions of them. That's why Initiative 416 passed by such a
wide
margin; it was the work of cretins. It exemplifies a very dark
period in
Nebraska's history.
That's not surprising, considering that Guyla Mills and her
hateful
cronies have always understood darkness. It's not hard to do when
you live
it 24-7.
- Daniel J. Kruse, Hartington, Neb.
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