🚀 go-pugleaf

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Date: Wednesday, November 08, 2000 5:55 PM -0500
From: listmgr@ngltf.org
To: soho@cmu.edu
Subject: [NGLTF] Ballot initiative round-up


*********************************************************************
*  NATIONAL GAY AND LESBIAN TASK FORCE
PRESS RELEASE

Contact:
David Elliot, Communications Director
404-589-7663
1-800-757-6476 pager
delliot@ngltf.org

http://www.ngltf.org
1700 Kalorama Road NW, Washington, DC
*********************************************************************
*

OREGON VOTERS REJECTING INTOLERANCE

BUT MAINE CIVIL RIGHTS MEASURE NARROWLY FAILS;
VOTERS IN NEBRASKA, NEVADA OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVE ANTI-GLBT MEASURES

Nov. 8, 2000 - A proposed ballot measure outlawing all positive or
neutral mention of homosexuality in Oregon's public schools was
failing today by 34,000 votes with 82 percent of the votes counted.
Although it is expected to take Oregon officials several days to
complete the vote tally, the initiative, known as Measure 9, appeared
headed for defeat.

Meanwhile, voters in Maine narrowly rejected an effort to make Maine
the 12th state in the United States to ban discrimination based on
sexual orientation. And voters in Nebraska and Nevada overwhelmingly
approved measures attacking gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
people and their families.

"Oregon teaches us that when we have sufficient local infrastructure
to reach out and communicate to voters the reality of our lives, we
are more competitive and able to win, and that's the good news," said
Elizabeth Toledo, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian
Task Force. "The bad news is that when the rights of gay, lesbian,
bisexual and transgender people are subject to the will of a
transitory, election-day majority, we still face uphill battles,
sometimes against tremendous odds. The election results do show how
much work we have to do. We must dedicate ourselves to building local
movements and making sure local activists have the support and
resources to do the very important work of reaching out to voters."

Oregon's voters apparently are defeating the misleadingly named
"Student Protection Act," which would have required schools to remove
scientific, factual books from school libraries, prohibit counseling
and referral for GLBT students, ban medically accurate AIDS education
and prevent teachers from teaching respect and tolerance. NGLTF
partnered with the Oregon No On  9 Campaign by recruiting activists
from across the country to participate in an advanced training,
recruit volunteers, canvass voters, operate phone banks and help
build No On 9's campaign infrastructure. Led by veteran electoral
organizer Dave Fleischer of NGLTF, the Oregon project is the latest
effort aimed at building local and state political power so that one
day, ballot measures that attack the GLBT community are a thing of
the past.

"Oregon teaches us that a strong grassroots campaign can overcome
lies, mischaracterizations, distortions and scare tactics by our
opponents," Toledo said. "Right-wing extremists who keep subjecting
the Oregon GLBT community to these attacks should realize that a
majority of people are not on their side."

In Maine, the ballot initiative would have amended the state's Human
Rights Act to forbid discrimination on the basis of sexual
orientation. Toledo noted that according to a 1999 national survey,
74 percent of Democrats, 65 percent of independents and 49 percent of
Republicans  supported anti-discrimination laws. "Public opinion
polls consistently demonstrate overwhelming public support for
nondiscrimination ordinances," Toledo said. "So it's our job to
translate that support into real votes. The year 2001 will likely see
more anti-GLBT ballot initiatives and more crises for our communities
- but also, more opportunities as we confront  these crises by
building strength and infrastructure,"

In Nebraska, voters approved a proposal to outlaw same-sex marriages,
civil unions and government recognition of domestic partner benefits.
And in Nevada, voters approved a ban on same-sex marriage. Under the
Nevada Constitution, the Nevada measure must be approved again at the
ballot box in order for it to become law.

Overall across the United States, gay, lesbian and bisexual voters
comprised about 4 percent of the overall electorate, according to
preliminary data. Exit polls conducted by the Voter News Service show
that 70 percent of the GLB vote went to Vice President Al Gore,
25 percent went to Texas Gov. George W. Bush and 4 percent went to
Green Party candidate Ralph Nader. For past analysis of the GLB vote
as  well as projected election 2000 GLB voter turnout, please visit
www.ngltf.org.
_____________________________________________________________________
_  Founded in 1973, NGLTF works to eliminate prejudice, violence and
injustice against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people at
the local, state and national level. As part of a broader social
justice movement for freedom, justice and equality, NGLTF is creating
a world that respects and celebrates the diversity of human
expression  and identity where all people may fully participate in
society.

This message was issued by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
Communications Department.  If you have a question regarding this
post, please direct it to the contact at the top of this message.

To reach the NGLTF Communications Department at NGLTF, please call
David Elliot, Communications Director, at 202-332-6483 x3303 or pager
800-757-6476 or email delliot@ngltf.org.

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