Civil unions bill moves to Illinois House floor

I love it when his head explodes

That's the best part!

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by: Phil @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 15:11:19 PM CST

The only real shame...

is that it never stays exploded.

____________________________________
Cuius testiculos habes, habeas cardia et cerebellum.

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by: tavdy79 @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 15:37:07 PM CST

[ Parent ]

As Jeebs in MIB says

..."Do you know how much that STINGS?"

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by: Louise @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 17:18:38 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Nothing on Peteys site yet

but I'm looking!

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by: kevinchi @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 15:17:14 PM CST

It usually takes him a day

He's so busy doing "research."

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by: Phil @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 15:34:53 PM CST

[ Parent ]

With all the "research" he does...

he must go through leather wear at a phenomenal rate.

____________________________________
Cuius testiculos habes, habeas cardia et cerebellum.

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by: tavdy79 @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 15:38:03 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I went to Peter's site...

Now I think I need eyebleach.

He had something from yesterday about the bill "could" leave committee...but no rant yet for today.

And might I say ... YAY!! You go IL!! Called my reps yesterday about this to say full steam ahead!

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by: the.sue @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 15:23:28 PM CST

The best way to view his site

Is to hold your nose shut while viewing.

IFI's site might have something up first, There seems to be more of them and they seem a little better organized.

Found this gem too.  Makes The Peter and IFI look lame by comparison.  http://www.home60515.com/

A real embarrassment for Downers Grove though.

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by: Phil @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 15:42:04 PM CST

[ Parent ]

True.

That site is bad too.  It appears that the liberal media ate someone's baby.  That and the way the insist on using discredited studies because even after being proven wrong over and over again, they are still the facts.  WTF?

My America includes LGBT families.

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by: Mena @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 16:08:11 PM CST

[ Parent ]

It's still not marriage

But it's a start.  I can't imagine it getting much support from my part of the state (deep south).

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by: wolfbane @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 16:50:55 PM CST

From Rep. Greg Harris

Pam et al, I received the following email message from Rep. Harris (my district rep and the bill's sponsor) this afternoon.  Thought I'd share.

I am proud to announce that HB 2234 passed out of committee this morning. I want to thank you for taking the time to write me and my colleagues, because these messages mean a LOT, and reinforce for us that we are doing the right thing for our constituents.

As we move closer to the full House vote, I am hoping I can count on you to help get the message out to your friends, family, co-workers and others you know across the State to call their Representative in support.  You know that this issue has mobilized our opponents. We need to be sure that voices for equality, fairness and justice are heard...not just our opponent's call for continued discrimination, and their attacks on the rights of our lesbian and gay neighbors.

I hope you can help by using your contact lists, email trees, phone trees and organizational connections to mobilize citizens across the State to help us make history for Illinois. We will keep you updated, and forward useful information

Again, I am very grateful your message of support for HB 2234, the Illinois Religious Freedom Protection and Civil Union Act.

Very truly yours,

Rep. Greg Harris
13th District

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by: RickyG @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 17:17:36 PM CST

a great quote, one that i'm going to commit to memory:

Dr. Randy Georgemiller testified on behalf of the Illinois Psychological Association.

"Heterosexual and homosexual relationships are essentially equivalent in terms of their psychological and social functions and therefore discriminatory policies are unjustified" Georgemiller told the committee.  "Government recognition of relationships affords a variety of benefits that are favorable to the couple's physical, financial, and psychological well being. Just as for heterosexuals, a committed relationship offers a positive sense of self, self worth, and mastery, and provides some insulation from mental and physical disorders."

The gays stole my lunch money

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by: matt in mpls @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 17:33:34 PM CST

Equality Illinois press release on civil unions

From EQIL's email blast today:

CIVIL UNION BILL PASSES ILLINOIS HOUSE COMMITTEE

SPRINGFIELD, IL -- An Illinois House committee passed a bill today that would extend legal recognition and many of the benefits limited to married couples to same sex couples.

The Religious Freedom and Civil Union Act (HB2234) passed the Youth and Family Committee with a vote on Thursday, March 5.  The bill now goes to the full House for consideration.

"We are gratified that the members of the committee understand the importance of recognizing and extending legal protections to Illinois same-sex couples and their families," said Rick Garcia, director of public policy, Equality Illinois.  "These couples make our communities stronger and deserve to have the same protections and benefits as their heterosexual counterparts."

The bill guarantees some of the rights and responsibilities to persons in civil unions that are currently granted to persons in civil marriages.  Among those rights are the ability to participate in healthcare visitation and decision making for one's partner, survivor benefits and the right to make disposition decisions about deceased partner's remains.

The bill also re-affirms religious institutions' right not to solemnize a civil union.

"This bill asks for no special rights, only to grant all families access to what most families now are given automatically under the law," said Representative Greg Harris (D-Chicago) the chief sponsor of the bill.  "We have families in our districts in committed relationships, working hard every day, who when faced with sudden tragedy may desperately need these rights tomorrow or the next day."

Equality Illinois lined up an impressive list of witnesses to testify before the committee.

The Reverned Suzanne Anderson-Hurdle a Lutheran pastor, mother of three and a Chaplain for her local fire and police departments gave testimony in favor of the bill.

"It seems odd to me that some who tout the idea of family values would push for the defeat of this bill.  Their position is incongruent with the nation of family values and seems to lack integrity," said Pastor Suzanne.  "It is both naive and ethnocentric to say that the "family" is mom, dad and children.  This is not the reality for so many people -- gay or straight and it discounts the experiences of so many people in our communities.

Dr. Randy Georgemiller testified on behalf of the Illinois Psychological Association.

"Heterosexual and homosexual relationships are essentially equivalent in terms of their psychological and social functions and therefore discriminatory policies are unjustified" Georgemiller told the committee.  "Government recognition of relationships affords a variety of benefits that are favorable to the couple's physical, financial, and psychological well being. Just as for heterosexuals, a committed relationship offers a positive sense of self, self worth, and mastery, and provides some insulation from mental and physical disorders."

Gail Clodfelter of Springfield noted the protections that she and her husband have that are denied to her gay son and his partner.

If passed by the full General Assembly, Illinois will join a handful of states to recognize civil unions joining .

In Illinois, the County of Cook and the cities of Oak Park and Urbana have domestic partner registries, but the registries convey no benefits to registrants.  The above jurisdictions, the State of Illinois and Chicago extend domestic partner benefits to their gay employees as do numerous Fortune 500 companies.

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by: JJ in Chicago @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 19:30:54 PM CST

I read in the Chicago Tribune

That Valerie Jarrett was and is working the phones to get black legislators to vote for the bill...hmmmmm...

The invisible hand of Barack Obama?  

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by: kevinchi @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 19:50:27 PM CST

If it is Obama,

it certainly would be invisible.  You know he won't be seen with our sort.  Like we have fleas or something.

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by: Lurleen @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 23:19:41 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Well, Obama did take good care

of the GLBT community here in Illinois, though. I have to give him credit where credit  

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by: kevinchi @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 10:43:34 AM CST

[ Parent ]

"is due"

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by: kevinchi @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 10:43:56 AM CST

[ Parent ]

That Obama seems to have evaporated

Do you have any pictures of him in the same room with gay people?

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 10:51:30 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I don't

and I only found one on the Internet.

I know he has never walked in a pride parade in Chicago that I know of. If he has, it would have happened before the Bobby Rush race in 2000. (And I fdon't go to the pride parade every year!)

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by: kevinchi @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 11:16:13 AM CST

[ Parent ]

That Obama seems to have evaporated

Do you have any pictures of him in the same room with gay people?

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 10:51:30 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Here's IFI's take on it.

Strangely, their heads haven't exploded on it - yet.  I'm disappointed, but IFI tends to disappoint.  I'm still waiting on The Peter.

It should be noted that the Illinois Family Institute has been listed the by the Southern Poverty Law Center as a hate group.

http://www.illinoisfamily.org/...

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by: Phil @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 21:50:39 PM CST

the committee vote was a straight split down party lines....

the illinois general assembly is comprised of 68 democrats and 48 republicans, a 20-member democrat lead.  cautious optimism?

The gays stole my lunch money

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by: matt in mpls @ Thu Mar 05, 2009 at 23:15:01 PM CST

VERY cautious...

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by: kevinchi @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 10:40:11 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Good luck, Illinois!

It looks like we're screwed here in CA, but if we get enough states on our side in the next couple of decades, maybe the Supremes will make it nationwide.  

Cause any fool knows, a dog needs a home; a shelter from pigs on the wing

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by: QueerInSoCal @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 10:32:42 AM CST

Have Faith.

We are not screwed in Cali...we are one step closer to getting Civil Unions for All...and Marriage for all...in time you will understand...HINTS: separation of church and state...equal protection...due process...legal tenets that can't be denied...    

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by: StayWoke @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 11:25:56 AM CST

[ Parent ]

"in time you will understand"

why not lay it all out now so we understand now?  we're not little children you can dangle little "hope" baubles in front of.  either you have something real to offer, or you don't.  empty cheerleading is no less annoying than the pastor promising that it's ok if you suffer lynching today, because tomorrow you;ll be in heaven.  gimme a break.

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 11:32:51 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Please check out the following:

http://www.beyondmarriage.org

Kindly let me know your thoughts after reading it.

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by: StayWoke @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 15:19:10 PM CST

[ Parent ]

I think

it's a lot of touchy-feely, feel-good crap.

Look, marriage is an institution that's been around for millenia. It's my custom, just as much as is it is anyone else's. Should other forms of family, such as children caring for their parents, siblings for each other, etc., all be recognized? Of course. But marriage is an institution separate and apart from all that. Marriage tells the world "This is the person I love and I have committed to spend the rest of my life with him." Nothing else says that. Certainly not separate-and-not-equal "civil union" bullshit.

So if your crumbs of hope revolve around that, thanks, but no. I'll take it if that's all that's available, but I will continue to work toward getting my full equality, and that means marriage.

Cause any fool knows, a dog needs a home; a shelter from pigs on the wing

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by: QueerInSoCal @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 17:49:59 PM CST

[ Parent ]

something your plan doesn't acknowledge

is that the states will continue to be free to offer marriage (and faux marriage) as they see fit.  so even if you create "federal civil unions" (still not sure really what that means), that doesn't mean that most people won't still be married.  and there's nothing you can do about it.  so im'm not really sure who all you think you'll be bringing together with this scheme.  i don't know one straight couple who would EVER deign to have anything other than real marriage.  so who do you really think is going to join you in this?  really what is looks like to me is a way to derail what we need most: everyone being on the same page legally.  that means civil marriage for all.

after reading the link and you comments about how disorganized this whole federal cu "movement" is, i find your constant refrain of "just wait, it's coming!" to be completely disingenuous.  you've made it sound like people are hammering away on the legislation as we speak, and it'll be sprung on us momentarily.  while in truth you've got nothing more than some vague ideas and a website.  i feel very misled.

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 21:39:27 PM CST

[ Parent ]

Federal Civil Union Legislation

is coming. Push for it! Call and write your reps on the Hill.  

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by: StayWoke @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 11:20:44 AM CST

how would that work, exactly?

you keep pushing "federal civil unions legislation", but you never link to a draft or explain how it would work.  could you get into some specifics, please?  for starters, what would the scope of a federal cu be, and how would a federal cu be entered into?  who would be eligible?  would this legislation downgrade bona fide s-s marriages to cu's?

if you want people to support the idea, you need to start providing real information.

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 11:29:52 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Here is a Starting Point...

Civil Unions are recognized in 18 countries... Andorra, Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Iceland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, UK, Uruguay...look to how civil unions work in those countries...compare and contrast. Due to the U.S. Constitution and legal precedent, what would be the best configuration for U.S. civil unions? This would be going forward legislation and would not downgrade/revoke already existing marriages.

Thing is...back in the day, the mainstream LGBT orgs decided not to push for civil unions...and to this day they are STILL RECALCITRANT! That is why this must come from the grassroots. Everyday people MUST contact their reps in WDC and request that THEY draft, propose, and pass Federal Civil Union legislation...this is what we PAY them to do!

Suggestion...all these disparate, high profile, monied, LGBT mainstream groups need to coalesce with non-LGBT groups that support civil unions.  Maybe when we HAVE SOME CONSENSUS I can provide a link or links to drafts/planks/position points agreed upon/proposed by the collective. Presently, the LGBT powerhouses are stuck and won't get off their "marriage" horse. They have purged from their ranks civil union proponents and will not allow civil union proponents back into their ranks. They have the resources to move forward on this but they don't want to.  Maybe the coming CA Sup. Crt. ruling will force their hand.

I'm biding my time, hoping the LGBT mainstream comes around.  Until then, I'm going to keep advocating that everyday people lobby their WDC reps to support Federal Civil Union legislation and cheering as more and more state legislatures pass their own versions.

Federal Civil Union legislation can be passed the same way  DOMA was passed. We NOW have the numbers and a man in office who can make Federal Civil Unions for All law. All WE need to do is come together and let them know that we want it to be done.
             

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by: StayWoke @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 16:18:45 PM CST

[ Parent ]

This is politically naive

and practically unworkable.

So the federal government sets up some kind of DP registration. Then what? Are they going to try to force states to recognize it? They can't - there's no provision in the US Constitution for that, and there's 200+ years of precedent, all against it, that would have to be overcome. Decades of lawsuits later, it'd be a 50/50 split whether we had anything left.

You gave a long list of countries at the beginning of your post. Guess what all of them have in common with each other, and not the US? Ding-ding-ding! That's right, they don't have our Constitution and our federal/state split form of government. That form of government is precisely why we can have marriage over here, and domestic partnership over there, and civil unions back behind there, and no recognition at all here, and here, and right there.

Our government isn't set up for federal civil unions. We will have to work, state by state, to get some form of recognition until we reach a critical mass and the gay version of Loving vs. State of Virginia is handed down by the SCOTUS. And, hey, if I'm going to be working a fifty state strategy, it's completely unproductive to try to make up something new while I'm doing it. Marriage is here, it's a known type of relationship, it does everything we need. Why waste energy and time to get something second best?

Cause any fool knows, a dog needs a home; a shelter from pigs on the wing

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by: QueerInSoCal @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 18:10:50 PM CST

[ Parent ]

the reality is

that we don't need "federal civil unions".  all we need is for doma to be repealed so that the existing federal laws can apply equally to us all.  

btw staywoke, you need doma repealed too if you want to go ahead and create a whole second tier relationship system.  are you working on getting doma repealed?  first things first!

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Mar 06, 2009 at 21:28:35 PM CST

[ Parent ]

History Will Tell the Tale

Ok. All I can say is history will soon show us what the U.S.A. will have.  Federal Civil Unions for All legislation or not.  Good luck to US all as we strive for Committed Couple Equality.  

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by: StayWoke @ Sat Mar 07, 2009 at 17:27:46 PM CST