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WEDDING PLANS

WEDDING PLANS
On March 8, the Washington State Supreme Court heard arguments about the constitutionality of the states Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Sometime between now and next spring, the court will issue its decision. We dont know when the court will publish its opinion; we dont know what that opinion will be; and we dont know how the public will react. But we do know that we have to be ready, and that we havent any time to waste. We hope the court will hand us a decisive victory, declaring the states DOMA unconstitutional and ordering the state to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples immediately. Instead, the court could declare DOMA unconstitutional and require the legislature to provide a remedy. Given the experience in other states, if the court rules in our favor, we expect marriage-equality opponents to push an anti-marriage amendment. To amend the Washington state constitution, both houses of the state legislature must pass an amendment with a 2/3 majority, and then the same amendment must receive a majority of the public vote. In the worst-case scenario, the court could find DOMA constitutional. Then, we would need to persuade our legislators to repeal the states DOMA and to permit same-sex marriages. Key to this effort would be electing pro-marriage-equality representatives and senators in the 2006 election. No matter what the court decides, it is clear that we must pursue both a legislative and a public education strategy. To that end, Equal Rights Washington is launching a statewide grassroots organizing effort, through which well train and dispatch volunteers to knock on doors in their communities and talk with people about our lives and marriage equality. At the same time, were coordinating meetings between individuals and their state legislators to speak openly about marriage and to learn conclusively where each of the current representatives and senators stand on marriage equality. A COMMUNITY IN CONCERT Equal Rights Washington has joined forces with numerous other groups whose goals are to achieve marriage equality in the state of Washington. Many organizations have worked tirelessly on this issue and bring valuable experience to the table. Included in this coalition are groups such as the Legal Marriage Alliance, the Pride Foundation, ACLU, Religious Coalition for Equality, Lambda Legal, and the Northwest Womens Law Center. Together, were developing effective messages for the communities we need to address, sharing resources, and coordinating efforts to educate Washington citizens and win equality for our families. All eyes will be on Washington in the coming year, and we must work together as a community to achieve our goals. You can join ERW and the other groups working on marriage equality to add your voice, skills, and resources to the effort. And please take every opportunity to talk with friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers about your life and the lives of others you know. Personal stories do make a difference. VOLUNTEER! You can get your feet wet with ERW during our volunteer drop-in nights on Wednesday evenings. From 6:30 - 8:30 p.m., come by the LGBT community center (1115 E. Pike St.) and help us stuff envelopes, enter computer data, or do whatever else needs to be done. Youll meet some great folks, eat good food, and help us move closer to achieving our goals. To get more involved, fill out the volunteer form at www.equalrightswashington.org or e-mail volunteer@equalrightswashington.org. We especially need volunteers with graphic design and fundraising skills. Be sure to let us know if youd like to be part of the door-to-door campaign or meet with your legislators, especially if you live outside Seattle.