Seattle Gay News Oct 24
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Initiative 677 update 
Campaign boils while Pride Foundation and Barbara Streisand provide moral
support 
by Tom Flint 
Associate Editor 
   The Pride Foundation has given $5,000 to Hands Off Washington in support
of passing Initiative 677. "The Pride Foundation wanted to join others in our
community in stepping up the plate to ensure the success of this historic
initiative," said Peggy Dole, Pride Board President. 
   In its donation announcement, the Pride Foundation stressed that the I-677
contribution is unprecedented for their organization, emphasizing the
importance of passing the initiative for the sexual minority community. The
Pride Foundation made the contribution outside their regular funding cycles,
and the money will be used for education-related information regarding
discrimination in the workplace. 
   "Initiative 677 has done a tremendous job of getting our neighbors and
co-workers to understand that discrimination against Lesbians and Gays is
legal in most Washington State counties," said Ted Lord, Pride Executive
Director. "Pride strongly supports the civil rights education and outreach
this initiative is making possible." 
   The $5,000 donation matches the largest amount the Pride Foundation grants
in its twice-yearly cycles. The Pride Foundation said it wanted to send a
message that passing 677 is a high priority to the community. Pride also
recognized the importance of ensuring that the "Yes on 677" message is
communicated widely via advertisements. 
   The Great Diva herself, Barbara Streisand, made a $1,000 contribution to
the I-677 campaign last week, signaling to the Hollywood community that I-677
is the place to put the money for most return during the 1997 elections. 
   Mississippi Preacher interferes in I-677 campaign 
   Rev. Donald Wildmon, director of the American Family Association (AFA) of
Tupelo, Mississippi, intervened against the Gay/Lesbian civil rights
initiative by mailing anti-Gay literature to Washington state voters last
week. 
   The AFA is national religious right organization that led the attack on
the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA). 
   AFA mailings claim that I-677 would give "special rights for homosexuals
in Washington state would legally expose our children to teaching about
homosexuality, and would increase intrusive government and discrimination
lawsuits against employers." 
   "Most Americans believe it is appropriate to keep their sexual lives
private, not flaunt them in public and demand special rights and legal
protections based on sexual behavior," the brochure says. 
   Rev. Wildmon says the initiative "would protect sexual behavior by
teachers that parents may find inappropriate, unhealthy, unnatural, or
immoral and impose them on their children. To do otherwise would be labeled
discriminatory and position the offending enter of school district vulnerable
to a damaging lawsuit." 
   The AFA says I-677 would "mean that schools would not be able to protect
your children because it requires special employment protection for any
sexual orientation, including predatory sexual orientations. This opens the
door for later additions from pedophilia to necrophilia to porn addiction to
be added through court rulings by liberal judges." 
   Editorial endorsements supporting I-677 are rolling in 
   Daily newspapers across the state are endorsing Initiative 677, including
the Seattle Post Intelligencer, Yakima Herald Republic, Spokane Spokesman
Review, the Olympian, and the Wenatchee World - so far. 
   The Wenatchee World said "The state's anti-discrimination law is in place
to protect citizens against blatant and pernicious prejudice. It is meant to
protect people who, through no fault of their own, by circumstances of their
birth, have traits that raise the specter of retribution. But the law is not
thorough. This hole can be corrected by Initiative 677, on the ballot Nov. 4.
...This initiative is neither conservative or liberal. It is neither radical
or permissive nor amoral. It is simply fair. It deserves a Yes vote." 
   "The initiative would be unnecessary if the Washington state Legislature
had approached this issue with some courage. So-called Gay rights bills very
similar to this initiative have come before the Legislature regularly for two
decades and have rarely received even a token hearing. An initiative is the
only effective route available. If it is approved, Washington will become the
first state to approve a Gay rights law by this method." 
   The Olympian: "Employed Gays and Lesbians in this state can be fired from
their jobs simply because of their sexual orientation. It is legal. It is
unfair. It happens. ...Washington residents support tolerance and fairness.
We agree and that's why we support initiative 677." 
   The Spokane Spokesman Review: "Advocates of fairness, regardless of
whether they approve of homosexuality, believe a workers would not be
discriminated against because of differences that are irrelevant of the job.
When the Washington Association of Churches endorsed Initiative 677, a
spokesperson noted that ending discrimination is an issue of morality. Going
against fairness is a hard sell, which is why opponents...trample on truth
and feast on fear...." 
   The Everett Herald: "I-677 is about a basic matter of fairness. ...That's
why we believe that voters ought to say yes. Opponents complain about special
rights for homosexuals, but his measure covers discrimination against
heterosexual or homosexual employees alike. That doesn't sound biased or
tilted." 
   The Yakima Herald Republic: "When considering I-677, it's very important
to keep focused on the issues at hand. ...The initiative would simply ban
employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, a matter of fair play
that is long overdue in the workplace. 
   "The ban on workplace discrimination is picking up some high-powered
support on the campaign trail. ...I-677 is a matter of equality and fairness
in the workplace. If you're going to be against discrimination, you have to
be against it in any form. I-677 is another needed step in that direction." 
   Bellingham Herald opposes I-677 
   The Bellingham Herald published an editorial praising Initiative 677, and
then in a jump of convoluted logic, urged the public to vote "No on 677." 
   "What I-677 would do is prohibit employers from discriminating against
employees on the basis of their sexual orientation in hiring, firing and
promtheir sexual orientation in hiring, firing and promotions. That intent
should be applauded. No one dese  (NOTE:  This is the way the story came to
us)
   The editors said that people of color, overweight people, short people,
and ugly people experience more discrimination that Gays and Lesbians, so
voters should "vote no on I-677. But they should also reject the prejudicial
and hostile attitudes and tactics of those who believe they have a right to
demean and discriminate against the Gay community." 
   The NOPE campaign continues to quote Stranger columnist Dan Savage as an 
proof that Gays and Lesbians do not experience discrimination in Washington
state. The Capitol Hill Times printed a pro and con article on the initiative
last week. The anti-Gay article was written by Bob Larimer, spokesperson for
NOPE campaign [No Official Preferential Employment] and quoted Stranger
columnist Dan Savage as an opponent of I-677. 
   Larimer characterized proponents of I-677 as "special pleaders and their
apologists who have always desperately wanted to finesse government into
forcing citizens to deny biological realities and mouth approval of
homosexuality." 
   Larimer went on to say: "Writing in the Seattle Times recently, Dan
Savage, columnist for The Stranger, stated, `The vast majority of Gays and
Lesbians living in Washington state do not live in daily fear of losing our
jobs, as Hands Off Washington would have us believe." 
   Senator Adam Kline defended the initiative as "one of the simplest,
shortest and most concise initiatives put before the people of this state." 
   "The opponents of I-677 cannot give you a good argument on why this very
simple and straightforward initiative should not pass," Kline said. "They
have resorted to the same tired old arguments that they have used in the
past. They will do anything to confuse and frighten the voters." 
   Voter's Guide hits the stands 
   The Washington State Voter's Guide was distributed this week, and absentee
voters have begun to cast their ballot by mail. 
   The official ballot title for Initiative 677 reads: "Shall discrimination
based on sexual orientation be prohibited in employment, employment agency,
and union membership practices without requiring employee partner benefits or
preferential treatment?" 
   The statement against I-677, written by the fundamentalist Rabbi Daniel
Lapin of Mercer Island, a militant anti-Gay activist, says I-677 "gives
special rights to homosexuals, bisexual, transsexuals and transvestites based
solely on sexual practices they choose to engage in. Most people think others
should keep their private lives private, not flaunt them in public and demand
special rights and legal protections based on sexual practices. The workplace
is simply not an appropriate place to display sexual behaviors. Public and
private schools and day care centers can't stop homosexual lifestyles from
being openly displayed, or prevent teachers from `cross-dressing' in school
classrooms." 
   Volunteers needed badly 
   The Nov. 4 election is just one week away and the final "get out the vote"
campaign has begun. Volunteers are needed to make phone calls to remind
voters to send in their absentee ballots and of the important issues on the
ballot this year. 
   Political campaign experiences demonstrates that the "get out the vote"
campaign is simple, easy, and absolutely necessary step in any winning
campaign.. 
   Hands Off Washington said they have to make over 100,000 phone calls in
the next few days and they need hundreds of volunteers. It's easy,
non-complicated, and someone will show you want to do. 
   If you have two free hours during any evening this week and want to help
passage of Initiative 677, call Hands Off Washington at (206) 323-5191.