The Columbian: In Our View: Signature Drought
April 28, 2006
Did the women's suffrage movement of the early 1900's result in preferential treatment to women? Of course not. The eminently proper reform allowed women to vote, just like men. Did the Civil Rights Act of 1964 grant preferential treatment to people of color? Of course not. It granted them equality, prohibiting segregation in public places and processes.
That's why it is rather annoying that opponents of Washington state's gay civil-rights law are snorting that the measure grants "preferential treatment" to homosexuals. It does nothing of the sort. Thirty years in the making and three decades late, the bill passed last November prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and finance matters. Religious organizations and owner-occupied dwelling units are exempt.
That's why it is rather annoying that opponents of Washington state's gay civil-rights law are snorting that the measure grants "preferential treatment" to homosexuals. It does nothing of the sort. Thirty years in the making and three decades late, the bill passed last November prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing and finance matters. Religious organizations and owner-occupied dwelling units are exempt.
Seattle Times: Finkbeiner says he won't seek re-election
Nixon said that after Finkbeiner voted for House Bill 2661, which bans discrimination against gays and lesbians, people urged him to run against Finkbeiner in the Republican primary this year. Nixon said that he refused, but that he told people he would run if Finkbeiner decided to leave the Legislature.
Finkbeiner said his vote on the bill did not play into his decision to leave the Senate.
"I was really reinforced that I did the right thing after talking to folks since I took that vote. I got a lot more positive feedback than I got negative," he said. "It was a vote I feel good about."
Democrats spent almost 30 years pushing the gay-rights measure but were repeatedly blocked by Senate Republicans. Finkbeiner's decision this year to back the measure gave Democrats the cushion they needed to pass it into law.
Finkbeiner said his vote on the bill did not play into his decision to leave the Senate.
"I was really reinforced that I did the right thing after talking to folks since I took that vote. I got a lot more positive feedback than I got negative," he said. "It was a vote I feel good about."
Democrats spent almost 30 years pushing the gay-rights measure but were repeatedly blocked by Senate Republicans. Finkbeiner's decision this year to back the measure gave Democrats the cushion they needed to pass it into law.
KOMO TV: They Took A Wrong And Made It Right
April 27, 2006
Instead of burrowing deeper into the hole of ignorance that had already been dug by the choir director, the Federal Way school board unanimously voted to add sexual orientation to the district's policy on discrimination.
The young singer had hit a high note.
She was pleased.
The people who supported here were pleased.
The school board was pleased.
I don't know how the choir director or the complaining parent feel, but then, who the hell cares?
The young singer had hit a high note.
She was pleased.
The people who supported here were pleased.
The school board was pleased.
I don't know how the choir director or the complaining parent feel, but then, who the hell cares?
Tacoma News Tribune: Student speaks out after song cut from show
A parent had complained, and the teacher directing the student-run show yanked the song, Pothan told the Federal Way School Board on Tuesday night.
"I'm heterosexual," the 16-year-old sophomore told board members and more than 100 onlookers. “I wasn't trying to portray my love to my classmate. I was being discriminated against for something I was not."
Pothan recounted her heartbreak over the change, urging the School Board to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation. A minister, a parent and several other students - including three students from Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor - also spoke in support of Pothan and the anti-discrimination language.
Board members then voted unanimously to add sexual orientation to a policy that already bans discrimination based on race, religion, gender and mental or physical disabilities.
"I'm heterosexual," the 16-year-old sophomore told board members and more than 100 onlookers. “I wasn't trying to portray my love to my classmate. I was being discriminated against for something I was not."
Pothan recounted her heartbreak over the change, urging the School Board to bar discrimination based on sexual orientation. A minister, a parent and several other students - including three students from Peninsula High School in Gig Harbor - also spoke in support of Pothan and the anti-discrimination language.
Board members then voted unanimously to add sexual orientation to a policy that already bans discrimination based on race, religion, gender and mental or physical disabilities.
The Olympian: Union's early endorsements show shift toward GOP
Overall, 13 House Republicans were endorsed out of 65 total endorsements given; one Senate Republican, Pam Roach, was among the 11 Senate endorsements.
The union came out against five initiatives in the works, including I-917's repeal of vehicle weight fees, I-920's repeal of the estate tax, I-926's restrictions on collective bargaining, I-933's limits on government regulation of property, and I-943's repeal of the new law protecting gays against discrimination.
The union came out against five initiatives in the works, including I-917's repeal of vehicle weight fees, I-920's repeal of the estate tax, I-926's restrictions on collective bargaining, I-933's limits on government regulation of property, and I-943's repeal of the new law protecting gays against discrimination.
Seattle P-I: Bid to put gay civil-rights issue to voters loses momentum
April 26, 2006
Supporters of an effort to overturn the state's new gay civil-rights law sent out an e-mail Wednesday saying they've collected just a fraction of the signatures needed to get the measure to voters.
Tim Eyman sent the e-mail to supporters and the media, saying that only 8,718 signatures have been gathered. He needs 112,440 valid voter signatures by June 7 to get Referendum 65 on the November ballot.
"It's gut-check time," Eyman said by phone Wednesday. "Do we really want this thing on the ballot? Yes or no."
Tim Eyman sent the e-mail to supporters and the media, saying that only 8,718 signatures have been gathered. He needs 112,440 valid voter signatures by June 7 to get Referendum 65 on the November ballot.
"It's gut-check time," Eyman said by phone Wednesday. "Do we really want this thing on the ballot? Yes or no."
The Stranger: The Race to Replace State Rep. Ed Murray
April 6, 2006
When Washington State Representative Ed Murray (D-Seattle) announced last weekend that he is surrendering his seat in the house in order to make a run for the state senate, he lifted the curtain on a highly anticipated race that has been underway, behind the scenes, for more than four months.
It's not the intraparty showdown that Murray has set up between himself and longtime incumbent Senator Pat Thibaudeau (D-Seattle), although that will be one of the more exciting races this season. Rather, it's the race Murray created by vacating his house seat, a race that's shaping up to be a six-way brawl among a group of dedicated Seattle liberals who want to become the next state representative from the 43rd District (which encompasses Capitol Hill, Madison Valley, and parts of Fremont and downtown Seattle).
It's not the intraparty showdown that Murray has set up between himself and longtime incumbent Senator Pat Thibaudeau (D-Seattle), although that will be one of the more exciting races this season. Rather, it's the race Murray created by vacating his house seat, a race that's shaping up to be a six-way brawl among a group of dedicated Seattle liberals who want to become the next state representative from the 43rd District (which encompasses Capitol Hill, Madison Valley, and parts of Fremont and downtown Seattle).
(Grays Harbor) Daily World: Club's leader calls for reprimand, not Plumb's ouster
A student senator who thinks being gay is "bad behavior" shouldn't lose her senate seat, but should be reprimanded, says the president of the new gay-straight student alliance at Grays Harbor College.
"There are some members of the club who want her off the senate," Jeremy Vaughn, president of the club, said Wednesday. "I think that's a little overboard. This is a first offense ... and though I disagree with her, everyone is entitled to their opinion."
Amanda Plumb, a 17-year-old Running Start student from Hoquiam High School, voted against the charter for the new club last month because of her religious beliefs. Even so, the new club's charter was approved and $200 was allocated to the club on an 8-4 vote.
"There are some members of the club who want her off the senate," Jeremy Vaughn, president of the club, said Wednesday. "I think that's a little overboard. This is a first offense ... and though I disagree with her, everyone is entitled to their opinion."
Amanda Plumb, a 17-year-old Running Start student from Hoquiam High School, voted against the charter for the new club last month because of her religious beliefs. Even so, the new club's charter was approved and $200 was allocated to the club on an 8-4 vote.
(Grays Harbor) Daily World: Controversy over gay club at college gets personal
April 4, 2006
A Grays Harbor College student senator who voted against the charter for a new gay-straight student alliance is being ridiculed on the college’s Internet message board. Members of the student body said today she should be censured or lose her senate seat because she believes being gay is "bad behavior."
Gary Murrell, an openly gay history teacher and the chairman of the Grays Harbor chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, came to Amanda Plumb's defense this morning.
Plumb, a 17-year-old Running Start student from Hoquiam High School, voted against a measure that would have established a club for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender and straight students last month because of her religious beliefs. Even so, the new club's charter was approved on an 8-4 vote.
Gary Murrell, an openly gay history teacher and the chairman of the Grays Harbor chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, came to Amanda Plumb's defense this morning.
Plumb, a 17-year-old Running Start student from Hoquiam High School, voted against a measure that would have established a club for gays, lesbians, bisexuals, transgender and straight students last month because of her religious beliefs. Even so, the new club's charter was approved on an 8-4 vote.
Seattle Times: Gay man sees big changes since '72 lawsuit
It's been more than three decades since Paul Barwick and John Singer walked into the King County auditor's office and, amid the glare of news cameras, requested — and were refused — a marriage license.
In the annals of the gay-rights movement, the men were revolutionaries: Thirty-four years ago this month, they became the first gay couple in the state, and the second in the country, to sue over the right to marry.
A King County Superior Court judge and later the state Court of Appeals rejected their claim that state law denying them the right to marry was unconstitutional. Their case, Singer v. Hara, has become case law — cited by gay-rights lawyers as an outdated reference point and by their opponents as an enduring legacy.
In the annals of the gay-rights movement, the men were revolutionaries: Thirty-four years ago this month, they became the first gay couple in the state, and the second in the country, to sue over the right to marry.
A King County Superior Court judge and later the state Court of Appeals rejected their claim that state law denying them the right to marry was unconstitutional. Their case, Singer v. Hara, has become case law — cited by gay-rights lawyers as an outdated reference point and by their opponents as an enduring legacy.
