I:F News
I:F
Post-Election Press Release
On
Tuesday night, fairness suffered a temporary
setback.
In the days that followed, the good people of
Memphis and Shelby County paused, looked inward,
and consoled our families and friends. This
defeat cuts deep, however the 52,000 voters in
Shelby County who voted NO on Amendment One will
persevere. Today, the fight for fairness and
equality continues because we know the arc of
history bends toward justice. Thanks to the
struggle against Amendment One, the “No on One”
voters of Shelby County are more organized and
motivated than ever before. To capitalize on
this momentum, I:F is pleased to announce a
Post-Election Town Hall Meeting. The meeting
will be held:
Tuesday, November 14, 2006 7:00 p.m. MGLCC
(892 So. Cooper)
The focus of the meeting will be to recap the
Amendment One results, discuss "lessons learned"
from the campaign, and discuss 2007 initiatives
for LGBT equality in Memphis and Tennessee.
Similar meetings will be held across Tennessee
on this night. I:F would like to thank the
Tennessee Equality Project (TEP) for
coordinating these simultaneous meetings. Please
join us at MGLCC so your voice can be heard.
In conclusion, I:F would like to thank the
volunteers in Memphis who canvassed voters,
constructed signs, stood on street corners, and
spread the “Vote No on One” message to friends
and families the past several months. We can all
be proud of our efforts. We would also like to
express our deepest gratitude to Randy
Tarkington, Marisa Richmond, and the entire
staff of volunteers at the Vote No on 1 Campaign
in Nashville. Without all of you, the 52,000 NO
votes in Shelby County would never have been
achieved!
See you on Tuesday!
Today, hope is on our side. Tomorrow, we
will prevail.
Shelby County
Democrats voice unanimous opposition to Amendment 1 and
support of Amendment 2
Executive Committee stands with gay community and seniors
Memphis, TN, October 7, 2006:
On Thursday, Oct. 5, the Executive Committee of the Shelby
County Democratic Party (SCDPEC) took positions on two
referenda that will appear on the Nov. 7th ballot in
Tennessee.
In the first of two
resolutions (attached), the SCDPEC resolved that “all
Tennessee voters are hereby urged to oppose the attempt to
write discrimination into the Tennessee Constitution through
proposed Amendment 1 by voting “NO” against the adoption of
Amendment 1.” If passed, Amendment 1 would add
discriminatory language against same-sex marriage and civil
unions to the Tennessee Constitution. The resolution argued
that the Tennessee Constitution presently “contains no
language discriminating against any group of Tennesseans or
expressly denying equal treatment to any group of
Tennesseans.”
After the unanimous vote, committee member, Desi Franklin,
declared that she “brought the resolution to oppose
Amendment No. 1 to the local party's executive committee
because this amendment to our state constitution is not
necessary - state law already prohibits same sex marriage -
and it is wrong to write discrimination into our
constitution.” With its vote on Amendment 1, the SCDPEC
joined the National Democratic Party and the Davidson County
Democratic Party in their opposition to anti-gay legislation
and constitutional amendments. Matt Kuhn, Chair of the
SCDPEC, proclaimed that “The Shelby County Democratic Party
is proud to endorse a resolution keeping discrimination out
of the Tennessee Constitution. We urge all other county
Democratic parties across the State to pass similar
resolutions."
The vote on Amendment 1
occurred amid a large crowd of onlookers from the Memphis
Gay and Lesbian Community Center’s Initiative: Fairness
(I:F) and Memphis Stonewall Democrats. I:F and the Memphis
Stonewall Democrats are active supporters of the statewide
Vote No on One Campaign. I:F Co-Chair, Tommy Simmons, was
elated to observe the unanimous decision. “I cannot
underestimate the historical significance of this event to
all LGBT citizens of Shelby County. Huge.” Fellow I:F
Co-Chair, Jonathan Cole was surprised that “the resolution
passed without any hint of opposition. This vote marks a
high point for the Vote No on One Campaign.”
Franklin also introduced a
resolution in support of another referendum on the ballot.
Amendment 2 would allow the state legislature to implement a
property tax relief program for seniors. Through its second
resolution, the SCDPEC urged Tennesseans to vote yes on
Amendment 2. Franklin “sponsored the resolution to support
Amendment No. 2 because the Democratic Party stands for the
principle of a retirement with dignity.” The Amendment 2
resolution also passed unanimously.
After both votes, Franklin
concluded “I'm proud that the largest county Democratic
Party in Tennessee has shown leadership on both of these
issues, which reflect our Democratic values.”
Read the full resolution
text here.
Marriage Equality Town Hall Meeting Announced
I:F and the Vote No on 1 Campaign to host at MGLCC -
Friday, September 15th
On Friday, Sept. 15, the Vote No on One Campaign and the
Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center’s Initiative:
Fairness Committee will host a Town Hall Meeting from 7-9 pm
on the subject of the Tennessee "Marriage" Amendment.
Campaign representatives from Nashville and Memphis will
update everyone regarding the statewide movement to defeat
the Tennessee Marriage Amendment. Future campaign activity
events will also be discussed.
Local Memphis volunteers have already begun door-to-door
canvassing efforts to mobilize “No on One” voters. Nearly
70% of voters in the first Memphis precinct to be canvassed
voiced a commitment to vote “No” on Amendment One.
Volunteers interested in canvassing in the community and
at other local events are encouraged to attend the Town Hall
Meeting at the Memphis Gay and Lesbian Community Center at
892 South Cooper Street.
I:F Volunteers Needed for Cooper Young
Festival
Help I:F and the Vote No on 1 Campaign on
Saturday, September 16th.
The Cooper-Young Festival, hosted by the Cooper- Young
Business Association (CYBA), is Memphis' most anticipated
outdoor celebration. Held in Memphis' largest historic
district, the Cooper-Young Festival is scheduled for
Saturday, September 16th, 2006 (rain date - Sunday, Sept.
17th).<br><br>In its nineteenth year, this event has grown
tremendously and is one of Memphis' most highly attended
Festivals. This year over 50,000 guests will enjoy an
appealing mix of art, music and crafts presented by over 300
artisans from around the country. This Festival is a true
celebration of the arts, people, culture and Memphis
heritage.
Volunteer a few hours of your day at the festival and
help I:F and the Vote No on 1 Campaign spread the word to
Vote NO! in November. As an I:F volunteer, you will hand
out fliers, hold yard signs, and staff the I:F booth for a
few hours.
Several shifts of volunteers are needed. If you would
like to volunteer, email us at
if@mglcc.org and state
which of the shifts listed below work best for you.
- Shift 1 - 8:00am - Noon
- Shift 2 - 11:00am - 3:00pm
- Shift 3 - 2:00pm - 6:00pm
- Shift 4 - 4:00pm - 8:00pm
You may volunteer for more than one shift. Shifts
overlap for maximum coverage.
Photo: (L to R) Katie Messmer, Dr. Heidi Levitt, Kristi
Hupf, and Dr. Michele Buehl participate in this year's
Mid-South Pride Parade.
I:F
Street Visibility Events Planned
 Help
I:F take the Vote No on 1 message to the streets of Memphis
by participating in our September Street Visibility events.
Street Visibility consists of holding Vote No on 1 yard
signs (homemade signs that are on message are welcome, too)
and distributing fliers to pedestrians. Pictured here are
Lisa Kurts-Crume (L) and I:F Co-Chair, Tommy Simmons at a
recent Street Visibility event in Midtown Memphis.
Below are the details of the two events planned for
September:
- Diversity Memphis Walk
Sunday, September 17
1:00pm - 4:00pm
Downtown Memphis near the National Civil Rights Museum
- Kathy Griffin Concert
Wednesday, September 20
6:30pm - 8:00pm
Downtown Memphis near The Orpheum
Join the I:F Team at either the Diversity Memphis Walk or
the Kathy Griffin Concert and help put a face to those
directly affected by this discriminatory ballot initiative.
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