>Dear Friends,  Below is the schedule for the Senate Judiciary Committee
>hearings this week (Statehouse, Room 11) on the issue of implementing the
>Vermont Supreme Court's December decision in Baker v. State.  If you can
>possibly get to any of it, your supportive presence will really be helpful.
>Look for someone with a pink sticker and ask whether they have any extras,
>so you can wear one to show you are a supporter.  The opposition is
>maintaining a strong presence at all times (in fact the Mormon Church has
>actually set up a schedule of who is going when), and we MUST maintain a
>presence there as well.  Please let me know if you are planning to go,
>and when, so I can know which times are covered and which times I should
>try to find more people for.  Please take a friend or two or three with you!!
>
>Please note that this is NOT just an exercise in civics.  Last week the
>Committee was asking questions about every possible way to get out of
>doing anything in response to the Vermont Supreme Court's ruling,
>including passing a constitutional amendment to specifically deny rights
>to gay and lesbian people and removing appropriations for the Judiciary as
>one of the "checks and balances" included in our system of government.  The
>constant presence of supporters of civil rights for gay and lesbian
>Vermonters is CRITICAL.
>
>Schedule (always subject to modification):
>Wednesday, March 29:
>       9 am - 12 pm.  Clergy Day.  6 religious leaders, 3 in support and 3
>opposed, will testify.  Episcopal, Mormon, UU, MAC, Jewish, Catholic.  All
>religious leaders who can possibly attend, in religious garb, please do!
>And anyone else as well.
>       4:30-6:30 pm.  4 reps, 1 in support and 3 opposed:  Patty Smith
>(D-Sudbury), Peg Flory (R-Rutland), Bobby Starr (D-North Troy), George
>Schiavone (R-Shelburne).
>
>Thursday, March 30:
>       9:00 - 9:30 Joint Fiscal Office
>       9:30 - 10:30 Take It to the People (TIP)
>       10:30-11:30 Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force (VFMTF)
>
>       4:30-6:30:  Brian Pearl (who has taken credit for posting extremely
>offensive and libelous materials in Grand Isle County and who expected an
>apology from the people who held a candlelight vigil in support of civility
>and diversity and in protest of such divisive behavior);
>                   Harvey Gallenbeck (sp?), Human Rights Commission;
>                   Peter Diamondston, Liberty Union Party.
>
>Friday, March 31:
>       9:00-9:30 Deb Markowitz, Secretary of State's office
>       9:30-noon: Proposal #6, Vince Illuzzi's Constitutional Amendment
>proposal to specifically deny certain rights to gay and lesbian people;
>Michele Childs, legislative counsel; Bill Russell, legislative counsel;
>Gil Kajovich, Vermont Law School; David Coolidge, Marriage Law Foundation
>(out of state opposition)
>
>It cannot be overstated how important it is to have supporters there.
>Attending is incredibly educational, and is guaranteed to dispel any
>feeling of complacency about the success of civil union in the Senate.
>
>Best wishes to all and in hope of civil rights for all Vermonters,
>Dorothy Mammen
>
>PS.  If you are going up from Middlebury, please give me a call, as I know
>of 4 people who would like to and are available to attend any time, but
>need transportation.
>
>PPS.  If you do not wish to receive these updates/action alerts while this
>issue is making its way through the legislature, please notify Dorothy
>Mammen at [log in to unmask]
>
>
>
>*************************************************************************
>*  Dorothy Mammen                                                       *
>*  Coordinator, Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force                     *
>*  [log in to unmask]                                              *
>*                                                                       *
>*  VT Freedom to Marry Task Force  VT Freedom to Marry Action Committee *
>*  PO Box 1312                     PO Box 1038                          *
>*  Middlebury, VT 05753            Middlebury, VT 05753                 *
>*  [log in to unmask]          [log in to unmask]                      *
>*  http://www.vtfreetomarry.org    http://www.vtmarriageaction.com      *
>*  (802) 388-2633                  (802) 388-2633                       *
>*                                                                       *
>*  Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can *
>*  change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever does.        *
>*                                 -- Margaret Mead                      *
>*************************************************************************
>
>
>
>
>
_____________________________________________

Kyla J. McLeod
Graduate Assistant
Center for Cultural Pluralism
The University of Vermont
phone (802)656-7990
Fax (802)656-3348