| From the HSLDA E-lert Service: |
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| Date: From: Subject: | 3/15/2007 3:06:04 PM Home School Legal Defense Association Oregon--Your Voice Crucial in Preserving Traditional Family! |
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====================================================================== From the HSLDA E-lert Service... ====================================================================== March 15, 2007 Oregon--Your Voice Crucial in Preserving Traditional Family! Dear HSLDA members and friends, A bill has just been introduced in the Oregon Legislature that would provide same-sex couples all of the same benefits and rights reserved for married men and women. Your calls are vital to let your elected representatives know where you stand on this issue and help stop this bill. House Bill 2007 would create "civil unions" for same-sex couples. The stated purpose of this bill is to "provide legal recognition to same-sex relationships" and extend benefits to same-sex partners "that are comparable to those provided to married individuals...by the laws of this state." Why is HSLDA opposed to this bill? Our freedom to educate our children is based upon "Western civilization concepts of the family as a unit with broad parental authority over minor children." Same-sex marriage or civil unions attack the traditions of the family in Western civilization upon which the foundation of parental choice in education and basic parental rights are based. House Bill 2007 establishes same-sex marriage in Oregon. The only difference is that H.B. 2007 calls it a "civil union." Please call now to help preserve the traditional family and defeat this legislation. While this issue will be highly polarized by those supporting this legislation, you can be the most effective advocate if you speak with conviction in a kind and loving manner. ACTION REQUESTED: 1) Please call and email your representative and give him or her this message in your own words: "Please oppose House Bill 2007. This bill elevates same-sex couples to that of married men and women. Regardless of the language in the bill this is an attack on traditional marriage. It erodes the family and endangers parental rights. House Bill 2007 does create same-sex marriage but just gives it another name. This bill should be defeated." If possible, continue to call and email your representative each week until you get assurances that they will oppose this bill. You do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler. Instead please let your representative know that you are a constituent in his or her district. Though this bill could potentially affect homeschool freedom, it will affect the definition of a family in Oregon law, moving it away from the traditional meaning. To find the name and contact information for your representative, visit HSLDA's Legislative Toolbox at http://www.hslda.org/toolbox . You can also send a brief message to your representative through the following phone numbers. If you live inside Oregon, but not in the Salem area, the toll-free telephone number is (800) 332-2313. In the Salem area, the number is 986-1187. 2) Please call and email each of the members of the Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee and give them this message in your own words: "Please oppose House Bill 2007. This bill elevates same-sex couples to that of married men and women. Regardless of the language in the bill this is an attack on traditional marriage. It erodes the family and endangers parental rights. House Bill 2007 does create same-sex marriage but just gives it another name. This bill should be defeated." Again, you do not need to identify yourself as a homeschooler. Instead please let your representative know that you are a constituent in their district. Though this bill could potentially affect homeschool families, it also will affect every family in Oregon. House Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee Members The phone number for the Elections, Ethics and Rules Committee is: (503) 986-1673. Representative Diane Rosenbaum, Chair Phone: 503-986-1442 Email: rep.dianerosenbaum@state.or.us Representative Vicki Berger , Vice-Chair Phone: 503-986-1420 Email: rep.vickiberger@state.or.us Representative Peter Buckley, Vice-Chair Phone: 503-986-1405 Email: rep.peterbuckley@state.or.us Representative Sal Esquivel Phone: 503-986-1406 Email: rep.salesquivel@state.or.us Representative Dave Hunt Phone: 503-986-1900 Email: rep.davehunt@state.or.us Representative Arnie Roblan Phone: 503-986-1409 Email: rep.arnieroblan@state.or.us Representative Kim Thatcher Phone: 503-986-1425 Email: rep.kimthatcher@state.or.us BACKGROUND How does defining marriage as being between one man and one woman or creating civil unions in effect providing same-sex marriage potentially affect your right to homeschool your children? Here is what the Supreme Court said in 2000 in the case of Troxel v. Granville: "Our jurisprudence historically has reflected Western civilization concepts of the family [a married couple of one man and one woman] as a unit with broad parental authority over minor children. Our cases have consistently followed that course." Parental rights are based on "western civilization concepts of the family." When those concepts are no longer the legal definition of the family in this nation, then the foundation upon which parental rights are based is completely removed. HSLDA will continue to fight against same-sex marriage. Same-sex marriage attacks the traditions of the family in western civilization. This is an attack on parental rights and a battle the homeschooling movement cannot afford to lose. To see the entire bill text you can go to: http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=3909 . The bill states that the "public policy of this state" and the bill are necessary to "further the state's interest in the promotion of stable and lasting families, extending benefits, protections and responsibilities to committed same-sex partners and their children that are comparable to those provided to married individuals and their children by the laws of this state." You may hear legislators tell you that House Bill 2007 clearly states that it does not seek to alter the definition of marriage in the Oregon Constitution as being between one man and one woman. However, the bill unequivocally states any "privilege, immunity, right or benefit granted by statute, administrative or court rule, policy, common law or any other law to an individual...(who) is or was married...is granted on equivalent terms, substantive and procedural, to an individual...(who) is or was in a civil union...." House Bill 2007 is same-sex marriage in everything but name. With prayer and hard work, this bill can be defeated. Please call now in support of traditional family values. Thank you for your support of traditional marriage in Washington! Sincerely, Thomas J. Schmidt HSLDA Staff Attorney ---------------------------------------------------------------------- -> What do you look like when you get out of bed? It's hard to look our best all the time. HSLDA works to present homeschooling in an engaging, dynamic, and informative light to the public news media. More reasons to join HSLDA... http://www.hslda.org/elink.asp?id=1104 ---------------------------------------------------------------------- ====================================================================== The HSLDA E-lert Service is a service of: Home School Legal Defense Association P.O. 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If this is an invalid email address or you have other problems, please reply to webmaster@hslda.org. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- DISCLAIMER: This is considered a private and confidential message from HSLDA to its bonafide HSLDA E-lert Service subscribers. HSLDA cannot attest to the authenticity of copies posted, forwarded, or sent by any party other than HSLDA. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NOTE: Please do not reply or otherwise use this email address; hslda@hslda.org is for broadcast purposes only and is not intended to receive incoming messages. We cannot reply to any email sent to this address. If you have comments or questions, please send email to info@hslda.org or call HSLDA at 540-338-5600. HSLDA members can also email staff directly through the Members website at http://members.hslda.org/contact.asp. Thank you for your cooperation. ====================================================================== | |
