GREEN PARTY OF PENNSYLVANIA CALLS FOR
PASSAGE OF SB 935 TO SUPPORT MARRIAGE EQUALITY

• Green Party urges passage of SB 935 legalizing same-sex marriage
• Leaders outraged over Sen. Eichelberger’s comments that society  “allows” gays and lesbians to exist

Recently, the Green Party of Pennsylvania spoke out in support of Senate Bill 935,  which would make same-sex marriage legal in Pennsylvania.  The bill has been sponsored by Sen. Daylin Leach (D-17).

“Legalizing same-sex marriage is an important step toward achieving equality  for all Pennsylvanians,” said GPPA Chair Hillary Kane of Philadelphia.  “The Green Party has  always supported same-sex marriage.”

Earlier this summer, Sen. Leach debated State Senator John Eichelberger (R-30) on WHYY’s Radio Times.  During the interview, Eichelberger implied that society goes far enough when it “allows” gay people to exist.  In  Eichelberger’s view, any broader guarantee of rights for gays and lesbians would constitute “special treatment.”  Eichelberger is sponsoring a bill to amend the Pennsylvania Constitution so that it specifically bans marriage equality.

“If gays and lesbians had not been singled out for the ‘special treatments’ of discrimination and violent attacks in the past, they wouldn’t need this kind of legislation now.  But they have, and they do,” said Skip Mendler of Honesdale,  Chair of the Wayne County Green Party.

The U.S. Government Accountability Office lists 1,138 federal laws that
pertain to married couples.  The rights and responsibilities outlined in
those laws currently do not apply to same-sex couples in Pennsylvania,
effectively denying these rights on the basis on sexual orientation.  These rights include:

• Ability to obtain Social Security survivor benefits
• Ability to provide citizenship to a spouse through marriage
• Ability to have one’s marriage recognized equally in all 50 states

It’s not just the Green Party whose members are speaking out.  “Senator Leach is attempting tos provide a solution to Pennsylvania’s intrusive laws that interfere with our  individual rights, and I applaud him for recognizing the importance of these  issues,” said Marakay Rogers, 2008 Attorney General candidate for the PA Libertarian Party and Pennsylvania coordinator of Outright  Libertarians.

The Green Party of Pennsylvania calls on all individuals who are concerned  about achieving full human rights for all Pennsylvanians to contact their  State Senator and urge them to support SB 935 to support marriage equality  in Pennsylvania.

Go to www.gpofpa.org to find your state senator’s contact information. Just put your zip code into the “Find State Lawmakers” box on the right-hand  side.  A new window will open with the results (scroll to the middle of the  page).  Tell your state senator to support SB 935 to achieve marriage  equality in Pennsylvania.

SEE ALSO
Lavender Greens Caucus:
http://www.lavendergreens.us/

Green Party Platform Statement on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity:
http://www.gp.org/platform/2004/socjustice.html#999082

October 11 – National March for Marriage Equality
http://nationalequalitymarch.com/

U.S. Government Accountability Office report listing the many laws that discriminate based on marital status
http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d04353r.pdf

The Green Party of Pennsylvania (http://www.gpofpa.org ) is an independent  political party founded on four pillars: grassroots democracy, social justice, ecological wisdom and nonviolence.

It’s time to revise our platform, and we’d like your input. Just download the document, look it over, and let us know what you like or don’t like about it by clicking the “Comments” link.

GREEN PARTY OF PENNSYLVANIA
PRESS RELEASE

Attention: News Editor
For Immediate Release

For More Information Contact:
Hillary Aisenstein, GPPA Chair, 267-971-3559
Blyden Potts, GPPA Secretary, 717-377-9638
Skip Mendler, Wayne County (PA) GP Committee Chair, 570-251-3637

PA GREEN PARTY CHOOSES MCKINNEY
Former Congresswoman gets Presidential nod

CARLISLE — On Sunday, May 18, Green Party of Pennsylvania delegates confirmed former Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney as the winner of their party’s Presidential caucuses. McKinney, who served six terms as a Democratic Representative from Georgia, changed her registration to the Green Party when she moved from Georgia to California last year, and soon after threw her hat in the ring for the party’s nomination for President.

As a Congresswoman, McKinney made a name for herself by vigorously challenging the Bush Administration, and consistently opposed funding for bloated military and secret
intelligence budgets. She also made headlines when she introduced Articles of Impeachment for George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Condoleezza Rice for their illegal handling of the events leading up to the invasion of Iraq.

“Cynthia McKinney is the embodiment of Green values,” said Pennsylvania party chairwoman Hillary Aisenstein. “Cynthia McKinney represents real change for American voters and you can tell it by looking at her record in Congress.”

Pennsylvania’ s Green Party will send up to 32 delegates to the party’s National Nominating Convention, which will take place in Chicago July 10-13. Green Party county chapters across Pennsylvania held caucuses between April 20 and May 10 to determine how those delegates would be proportionally allocated McKinney received 53% of caucus first-place votes for a total of 17 delegates. The “No candidate” option received 5 delegates; consumer advocate and former Green Party nominee Ralph Nader received 4; Jesse Johnson received 3; and Kent Mesplay and Kat Swift each received one. One delegate will be uncommitted.

The Green Party of Pennsylvania is an independent political party that stands in opposition to the two corporate parties. The Green Party of Pennsylvania believes in grassroots democracy, sustainable economics, nonviolence, and ecology. The Green Party of Pennsylvania opposes the War in Iraq and calls for immediate troop withdrawal.

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for more information:

Cynthia McKinney for President
http://www.runcynth iarun.org

Green Party of the United States
http://www.gp. org

National Nominating Convention
http://www.greenpar ty2008.org

Media Credentialing for National Nomination Convention
http://www.gp. org/press/ pr-national. php?ID=60

Green Party of Pennsylvania
http://www.gpofpa. org

Wayne County (PA) Green Party Committee
http://www,greenway ne.org