Hello Friends
Jesse Helms New Amendment Is Nothing Less
Than
"Discrimination By Blackmail"
There is an important development in the Senate
I thought you should
be aware of. There was an amendment introduced to a Senate
education
bill by Senator Jesse Helms. This amendment if allowed to
pass would
deny schools funding if they exclude Scouts because
of their anti-gay
polices. In effect creating a "Special
"Protected Group" for the Scout.
Thisis especially a concern because The
Boy Scout Policies are dictated
by a group of conservative. [See
letter below article with more details.]
Helms, one of our strongest opponents, never
misses an opportunity
force his intolerant personal beliefs on others,
especially when we, gays,
can be adversely affected. Once again he
is attempting to sneak another
amendment into a bill set to be debated next week. Leaving
little time
for others to learn of this amendment,
and little time for any organized
efforts to block his efforts. He
has absolute gall calling us radical militants
who are targeting honorable and
respectable organizations and force them
set aside their principles for our own.
Yet, he would grant the Boy Scouts
"Special Rights and
Protections and while at the same time forcing others
to abide by his personal beliefs and agenda. As he continues to
defame our
efforts to obtain
our equal rights without violating others. But, he
continues
on to trample on the
rights of others to support who they wish and or their
polices dictate. Especially, if they support or their polices
dictate anti~bias
or anti~discrimination against Gays and
Lesbians. Although, Jesse Helms is
an example of blatant hypocrisy, he is an expert at the art of dirty politics.
He should never be underestimated as to what amendments or bills he is
capable of sneaking through the Senate.
At this time, he has for Senators
who support his amendment. It is to be
debated in the Senate next we and
this is the first I have seen anything
in the news or online news services. And,
I do search dozens of online news
services and press release news wires.
[This article was posted on a web
site from the UK.]
This is an amendment that will force schools officials to
extend "Special Rights
and Protections" to the Boy Scouts, doing less they
will lose their much needed
government funding. A point to keep in mind, that by
granting such "Special Rights
and Protections" to the Boy Scouts, they in turn are also
being extended to their
Religious Partners. No such amendment should ever be
passed that would "force"
others to accept discrimination against
any person, persons, group or groups. This
is "Discrimination by Blackmail" and we should never
and can not allow any such
legislation go to be proposed or passed unchallenged. Please
be sure to read the
article below. And be sure to read the
letter, it has a quote from a letter that states
who in fact dictates the policy of the Boys
Scouts.
Remember the great success you accomplished with Home Depot
recently. More
than we need to respond and respond quickly.
You have the power to put a stop
this legislation. "Contact your Legislators" and tell all you know to do the same.
If you need to find who your Senator is, I have links
for all our government elected
officials. Go to our GLBT Rights Page, to find
your Senators contact information
Look in Center Column, page down to section Contact
Information Government
As always, your support is very much appreciated. Your
dedication and efforts
are making a positive difference in the quality of life for
all GLBT's. We are most
grateful for all you have accomplished on our
behalf.
Take Good Care My Friend and God Bless
"Zeke"
R. Zeke Fread
Coordinator and Organizer
Tampa Bay Coalition
[813] 251~0693
If we stand by silently and refuse to get
involved,
We lose our right to
complain on how things are,
But, If we join our voices as one and
speak out,
And, get actively involved in the pursuit
of change,
We will all have much less to complain
about. Z.
From: "Tampa Bay Coalition" <
no2laura@tampabay.rr.com>
Subject:
HelmsBill To Make Scout Protected Group
Date: Friday, May 18, 2001
9:07 AM
Helms sneaks amendment into education bill
to grant
"Special Rights and Protections" to the Boy
Scouts. And
Blackmail and Force School Officials To
Discriminate or
Lose Government Funding.
News Section
Scouts May Become Protected
Group
The religious right is attempting to
makethe Boy Scouts
of America
a protected group in order to
challenge recent
attacks from gay rights activists.
Senator Jesse Helms, a long-time opponent
of gay rights,
introduced an amendment to a
Senate education bill that
would deny funding to schools that exclude the Scouts
because of
their anti-gay policies.
Helms said that he wanted to protect the Scouts
from,
"malicious assaults by some homosexuals
and some
liberal politicians".
He added: "These radical militants are up to the
same
old tactics
when targeting an honorable and respectable
organization. They never miss a beat -
those who demand
that everybody else principles
must be laid aside in order
to protect the rights of homosexual conduct."
Helms was supported by Senators Strom Thurmond,
Bob
Smith, James Inhofe and Sam Brownback.
The measure
will be debated next week.
Winnie Stachelberg of the Human Rights Campaign,
the
biggest lesbian and gay rights organisation in
the US, said
that Helm’s proposals were redundant. She
argued that
federal laws already authorise equal access
to school facilities
for all groups, that no schools had
banned the scouts, they
had merely withheld sponsorship
and other special
privileges.
Stachelberg said: "The Boy Scouts have always
had, and
still have, access to schools. So this is really
nothing more
than a punishment in search of a
problem.
“The foundation of federal education policy is
based on
the principle of local control, and such
decisions should
be left to local school boards. The Helms
amendment is
clearly a federal intrusion into the decisions
of local
school boards."
Stachelberg went on to criticise Helms, saying
that he
uses, “his
position of power to bully those with whom
he disagrees". HRC spokesman David Smith warned
that the bill would create,
"a special protective status
for groups with anti-gay viewpoints”.