Progress Now Action

Please do not vote to retain ANY judges or justices in Colorado! Under Chief Justice Mary Mullarkey's leadership, Colorado's Judiciary and legal system has been turned into a protection racket for corrupt judges, justices, and attorneys. Self regulation is laughed at, and the Judicial Performance Commission's recommendation, cannot be trusted. As an example, see www.coloradoopencourt.blogspot.com Despite overwhelming evidence of judicial corruption, the Judicial Performance Commission recommended Judge David R. Lass be retained in 2004.

Until there is real accountability within our judiciary, vote every justice and judge out of office. They are domestic terrorists who destroy the foundation of America, i.e., our inalienable rights and Constitution(s). I also petitioned ALL State Legislators to investigate the corruption and to hold the judges and justices accountable. To date, NO Legislator has made any real effort to protect We The People from Colorado's corrupt Judiciary. Therefore, please vote out EVERY incumbent as well.

Please spread this message to everyone you know and ask them to do the same. If they (judges, justices and legislators) refuse to hear the truth, let them hear our vote!! Halena Lewis Halen@axint.net

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Martin Luther King Jr. (1929-1968)

Join my group to support accountability within our judiciary at www.progressnowaction.org/page/group/OPENCOURT

Dear Representative Carroll,

In reply to your last email;

You said: "When you think a judge gets a decision wrong the best remedy is to appeal."

Answer: You didn't read my account did you? To say that I think that the judge reached the wrong decision is insulting, offensive and derogatory. As my account exposes, Judge David R. Lass reached the wrong decision deliberately. He deliberately misstated the facts and evidence, he deliberately misapplied the laws, and deliberately abused his authority. He not only reached the wrong decision, he clearly reached a predetermined one.
An appeal regarding the water rights was filed. That case was 04 SA 328. I submitted numerous pleadings and complaints to the Colorado Supreme Court regarding the collusion between the attorneys and judges, the lack of jurisdiction, the violations of law, etc. However, all my pleadings and complaints were struck from the record.

You said: "I/we can help with legislative reforms that create /strengthen the judicial performance commission."

Answer: The judicial performance commission doesn't work and should be abolished. Judges Lass, Ruckriegle, Ossola, and Petre are good examples of why it doesn't work. Instead, all judges and justices, should be term limited to four years or less.

You said: "I don't think impeachment is the proper remedy unless a crime has been committed and if you think a crime has been committed the proper channel would be to report to the police and DA-not the legislature."

Answer: 1. If you bothered to read my account, you would find that several crimes were committed. In all, Judge Lass violated, and allowed others to violate 22 laws. 13 of the 22 are felonies, and 9 of the 22 are State racketeering charges. I am herein adding 18-8-403(1)(a), 18-8-404(a)(b)(c), 18-8-405(a)(b), and 18-8-406 C.R.S. How much crime do you need? Show me where the general public is allowed to violate even one law without being held accountable?

In addition to the violation of laws, Judge Lass violated the Judicial Cannons, Rules of Professional Conduct, the Constitution(s), his oath of office, and more. Article XIII, Section 2 of the Colorado Constitution provides that the governor and other state and judicial officers shall be liable to impeachment for high crimes and misdemeanors, (it doesn't even have to be a felony), or malfeasance in office. I have evidenced both, high crimes and malfeasance in office. Article XIII also provides that the House shall impeach and all impeachments shall be tried by the Senate. You are clearly provided with the power and the law, so why do you refuse to use it?

While you and the rest of the Legislators are refusing to use your powers to stop Judge Lass, he is continuing with the trial and issuing orders even though he has no authority to do so. I recently submitted two Motions to Dismiss and Vacate for lack of jurisdiction. Judge Lass denied my Motions, and instead of relying on his own Court record to show jurisdiction(there is none), and the right to continue, Judge Lass used the Opinion issued in 04 SA 328 wherein the Colorado Supreme Court ruled that the doctrine of issue preclusion bars Appellants from collaterally attacking the lack of subject matter and in personam jurisdiction of the Summit County Court.

Because all roads, in the abuse of authority, obstruction of justice, violations of law etc., lead to the Colorado Supreme Court, lets take a look at the jurisdictional findings of that Opinion, shall we?

First of all, even though all my pleadings and complaints were stricken, the Justices still had full access to the entire record in Case No. 99 CV 277. The court record itself evidences that Judge Lass violated the laws, allowed others to violate the laws, abused his authority, and deliberately abused, violated, and denied me my civil rights to due process, contract freely, and right to be heard. The law recognizes that the Judgment in 99CV277 was not only void, but void ab initio. (From the beginning.)

Instead of holding Judge Lass accountable, the Supreme Court Justices denied, circumvented and concealed his criminal conduct, and put the blame on me by saying I had the chance to litigate, and/or did litigate the lack of jurisdiction, and am now barred by the doctrines of claim and issue preclusion from challenging it.

I re-read the transcript of 99 CV 277, and jurisdiction was not even mentioned once. The record shows that I hired four attorneys to represent me, my rights, and that of the Association. One was hired prior to the filing of the lawsuit, two were hired during proceedings to trial, and one was hired after the trial. Not one of the four ever mentioned subject matter or in personam jurisdiction, nor the lack thereof, to me or the court in any of the submitted pleadings before, during or after the trial. None. I stumbled upon jurisdiction requirements through law discussion groups and investigated it on my own. So no, I did not have a full and fair opportunity to litigate the lack of jurisdiction during the lawsuit, or at trial, and the record confirms it. For that matter, due process also mandates that the court confirm that subject matter and in personam jurisdiction exists. Again, the record does not evidence the court confirming its jurisdiction in any way except to deliberately misstate the facts and evidence in order to fraudulently obtain it.

The Colorado Supreme Court then supported their findings with case laws. Case law is supposed to be used to support arguments in like or similar circumstances and determinations. Let's look at the ones they used:

1. Keystone v. Flynn, 769 P.2d 484, 488-89 n.6 (Colo.1989) This is a case regarding whether the District Court obtained subject matter jurisdiction while the parties had not yet exhausted all administrative remedies, nor had the Public Utilities Commission entered a final decision.

2. Insurance Corp. Of Ireland, Ltd. V. Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinea, 456 U.S. 694, 702, 102 S. Ct. 2099, 2104 n.9 (1982). This is a case regarding personal jurisdiction over a foreign party by sanction, under Federal Rules of Civil Procedure 37(b)(2)(A).

3. O'Neill v. Simpson. 958 P.2d 1121 (Colo.1998). This is a case regarding a lack of jurisdiction based on defective service of process.

4. City of South Pasadena v. Mineta, 284 F.3d 1154,1157 (9th Cir. 2002). This is a case regarding 11th Amendment immunity.

5. In re Marriage of Mallon, 956 P.2d 642, 645 (Colo. App. 1998). This case is a case regarding lack of jurisdiction due to the husband not residing in Colorado for 90 days prior to the petition for dissolution being filed.

6. People in Interest of E.E.A., 854 P2d 1346 (Colo.App.1992). This is a case regarding a jurisdictional flaw because the minor child being the subject of a paternity suit, was not made a party to the suit.

7. In People ex rel. J.A.U. 47 P.3d 327, 331 (Colo. 2002). This is another case regarding paternity, and lack of jurisdiction based on mistake.

While claim and issue preclusion may have applied to the above cases, none of them state that the reasons for lack of subject matter or in personam jurisdiction was based on the unlawful, fraudulent and malicious actions of the judge. Claim and issue preclusion does not apply when unlawful, fraudulent and malicious actions are committed by the judge. None of the above case law applies to my situation, the record, or the appeal brought in 04 SA 328. Citing one case law wrongfully is a mistake, citing seven wrongfully is deliberate and a cover-up.

The Justices then stated that to overcome the doctrines of claim and issue preclusion, there would have to be a showing of "manifest abuse of authority by the trial court." Again, in spite of striking all my pleadings and complaints which did show manifest abuses of authority, they had the Court Record, and the justices cannot escape the fact that the record itself speaks to manifest abuses of authority by the trial court.

They also reference Restatement (Second) of Judgment §12 cmt.a (1982). In the Restatement, a modern rule was added wherein finality rather than the validity of a case is given greater weight. They also say that finality over validity is in the public's interest.

No, it is not in the public's interest to forego truth over closure in any case. Off the top of my head, this principle of law is unconstitutional and violates the Rules of Professional Conduct. It strikes at the very core of our judicial systems stand for due process, fairness, equality, and to get at the truth in every case. The Supreme Court Justices have a duty to strike this principle everywhere it is used, and remove it from everywhere it is written. The concept of finality over validity only ensures a revolving door employment for attorneys, clogs our courtrooms, and denies justice. Again, the quoted Restatement did not apply to my case, or the appeal brought in 04 SA 328.

In their final argument, the Justices validly cite Restatement (Second) of Judgments §12 (1982). But, because they denied, circumvented and concealed Judge Lass's criminal conduct, they say the remedy doesn't apply. Here is what it says:

Section 12, paragraph 1, states that a judgment may be attacked for lack of subject matter jurisdiction when;
(1) The subject matter of the action was so plainly beyond the court's jurisdiction that its entertaining the action was a manifest abuse of authority; or . . . .

The Plaintiff(s), not an Opinion, establishes the court's subject matter jurisdiction. The record evidences that the Plaintiff's in 99 CV 277 had NO standing to bring suit, they could show NO injury, and there was NO justiciable controversy. In short, Judge David R. Lass lacked subject matter jurisdiction, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO SUBJECT MATTER!!!!!! Likewise, there was NO judgment on the merits, BECAUSE THERE WERE NO MERITS!!!!!! By deliberately not addressing or even explaining the abuse of authority, or criminal conduct committed by Judge Lass, the Supreme Court Justices Opinion is biased and can only be construed to be a cover-up. Judge Lass's use of the Opinion as a defense for his continuing actions shows not only cover-up, but collusion between himself and the Colorado Supreme Court Justices. Furthermore, because of the amount of officials involved, the amount of money and property involved, this is more than just a good ole boy type system. It is a criminal enterprise, and all roads lead to the Mullarkey Court. (www.fbi.gov/hq/cid/orgcrime/glossary.htm) The Opinion, and Judge Lass's reliance on it rather than his own court record, is yet another on ramp.

The public will also be deceived by this Opinion as it will undoubtedly set precedence for someone else. They, not being privy to all the facts, and that crimes and abuses were intentionally denied, circumvented and concealed from the Opinion, will not be able to defend against it. How many more Opinions are there like this? Obviously, this case shows that a judge and/or justice can make a case, finding, or judgment have any outcome they want it to be, and the unsuspecting public has no clue. As long as the judge or justice signs it, the unsuspecting public will think that it must have been adjudicated fairly and by the rules and law, right? Again, how much crime do you need? How many more victims will there be who may or may not figure out what happened to them?

If you want to look up this Opinion yourself, the Case No. is 04SA328. A google search will bring it up easily, and while I am only herein focusing on the jurisdictional findings, the entire Opinion can be shown to be geared towards protecting Judge Lass, the attorneys, and other public officials criminal conduct.

The only remedy is impeachment, and I have herein made a partial but effective case against the Colorado Supreme Court Justices. If they are not stopped and held accountable, I as well as all other victims of this current corrupt judiciary, will hold you, and all the legislators, etc., liable for our losses of rights and property. And yes there are other victims. In fact, when I met with you in 2006 regarding this same case, Representative Wes McKinley told me that there had been another couple in to see him regarding Judge David R. Lass just two weeks earlier. Had something been done in 2006, I, as well as others would not have to be unduly enduring the continuing injustices today.

I did everything right. I filed complaints with every agency, entity and officials who are in position and power to stop the corruption, and bring accountability to our judiciary. I didn't fail, you did, and they did. (In 2007, yet another person has contacted me regarding Judge David Lass.)

2. Regarding the second part of your statement, I did take it to Sheriff Minor and D.A. Hurlbert. They both told me they would not investigate or bring charges. In fact, Sheriff Minor even yelled his statement that he would do nothing about the corruption. Here are their phone numbers. Feel free to call and ask them why they won't perform the duties, obligations and responsibilities of their offices of public trust. Sheriff John Minor - 970- 453-2232, D. A. Mark Hurlbert - 970-453-2327.

While your at it, here is the number to Summit County Commissioners Thomas Davidson, Bob French and Tom Long. Their number is 970 - 453-2561. I sent them a copy of the same account I gave you, and mailed it via Certified Mail No. 7007 3020 0002 4929 7947. Anyone can go to USPS.com, put in those numbers and verify that they did receive it. Ask them why I haven't heard from them, and ask them why they refuse to perform the duties, obligations, and responsibilities of their office of public trust.

The number for Chief Judge Terry Ruckriegle is 970-453-2241.
The number for Judges Ossola and Petre is 970- 945-5075
The number for County Attorney's Frank Celico and Jeff Huntley is 970 453-2561
The number for Summit County Planning Dept. is 970-668-4200
The number for Summit County Environmental Health is 970-668-4070
The number for Dept. Of Natural Resources is 303-866-3581
The number for Attorney General Suthers is 303- 866-4500
The number for Governor Bill Ritter is 303-866-2471
The number for Attorney Regulation is 303-866-6400
The number for the Judicial Discipline is 303-894-2110.

The above is a shortened list, but call and ask these public officials why they refuse to perform the duties, obligations and responsibilities of their offices of public trust, and/or participated in the racketeering. Article XIII also provides that those who are not liable to impeachment are liable to removal. Will I hold them liable? You bet. Again, I didn't fail, they did.

You said: "If you think the law itself is not properly written (which maybe lead to the wrong result in your case), we may be able to help."

Answer: It is not the law itself. As I have shown, and which you continue to skirt the real issue, it is the people elected and appointed who do not follow, uphold, and/or apply the laws fairly and for the benefit of all. As I have shown, our laws are being prostituted for money and job security, and not for truth and justice.

I will not respond to the rest of your e-mail because it is just more of the same skirting the real issues. I will however state that if this Governor and Legislature fails to use the power and rights we the people granted in Article XIII, I will in the future run a campaign to remove it from the Governor and Legislature, and put it in the hands of the people. Use it or lose it.

I will be sharing this email with the public. Part of the reason is to show the people what it is really like to seek redress of grievances, the other part is to warn them of corrupt public officials. If I alienate you-the one legislator out of a hundred who has responded to me-so be it. When our judiciary is being allowed to render a Judgment/Opinion that fits any scenario but the truth, we have bigger problems than whether I made you mad. Ours is a government of, by and for the people, (a Republic), not the other way around. Halena Lewis Halen@axint.net


Read my account at www.coloradoopencourt.blogspot.com

Join my group to support judicial accountability at www.progressnowaction.org/page/group/OPENCOURT

Joan Fitz-Gerald, Colorado Candidate for U.S. Congress

Herein are excerpts from Joan Fitz-Gerald's ad for U.S. Congress. I answer the statements and provide first hand knowledge of why no-one should vote for Joan Fitzgerald.

Statement: "You can count on Joan Fitz-Gerald."

Answer: As my State Senator, I contacted Joan Fitz-Gerald regarding judicial corruption and criminal conduct within the 5th Judicial District in 2002, and again in 2006. She finally responded in 2006 stating she would look into my complaints, and that her aide would be contacting me. She did nothing with my complaint, her aide never called, and the corruption and criminal conduct within our Judiciary is continuing. So no, you cannot count on Joan Fitz-Gerald.

Statement: "She'll change America" and "She'll bring change to Washington."

Answer: How will she do that when she did nothing to change our corrupt and criminal Judiciary? She failed us at home, she'll fail us nationally, too.

Statement: "She's tenacious" and "She's a fighter."

Answer: She's a coward, and she's a liar. (See my first answer.)

Statement: " She'll bring a sense of urgency to Congress."

Answer: Really? I'm still waiting on the investigation into my complaint, it's been over two years, Joan.

Statement: "Joan will work to get us out of Iraq."

Answer: No she won't. Our young men and women are fighting and dying for our Country every day. What makes our Country great, and the envy of other countries, is our Constitutions, and laws. Joan Fitz-Gerald failed to uphold our Constitutions and laws when she refused to bring accountability to the corrupt and criminal Colorado Judiciary. She slapped the face of every man and woman fighting and dying in Iraq, and has shown her true concerns about their well being. She has shown she could care less about getting us out of Iraq, and that her only allegiance is to protect the wealthy.

Statement: "Joan changed Colorado."

Answer: Joan failed Colorado. No matter what accomplishments she stacks up on paper, she failed where the people needed her most, and that was to uphold our Constitutions, Laws, and our rights and freedoms. All the other accomplishments don't matter.




If there was a truth pill every politician was made to take, Joan Fitz-Gerald's ad would state;

You can't count on me,

I am a liar,

I'm a coward,

I'll make promises I don't intend to keep,

I won't uphold the Constitution's, the Laws, nor the oath I swore to do so,

A vote for Joan Fitz-Gerald, is a vote for the same as before. I'm just a different face,

After election, I'll pretend to work on tough issues that affect the working class, ignore the working class, and for the most part, sit on my ass and continue living off the public dole for another four years.



Halena Lewis
Halen@axint.net


Don't vote for Joan Fitz-Gerald. We can't afford another four years of her forked tongue representation.

My Judicial corruption case is told at www.coloradoopencourt.blogspot.com
Join me in supporting a call for an investigation into our corrupt and criminal Judiciary at,
www.progressnowaction.org/page/group/OPENCOURT

On Saturday, July 19 from 1-3 pm Soulforce in Colorado will launch a discussion group exploring the wide-ranging oeuvre of nonviolent theory entitled "Readings in Nonviolence". We will meet at The Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Community Center of Colorado (1050 Broadway in Denver). I hope you might consider joining us.

Christopher Hubble   Read More »

Dear friends,

We hope you'll join us for a panel discussion featuring marriage equality activists Kate Burns and Sheila Schroeder, Ex-Gay Survivors Christine Bakke and Daniel Gonzales, and local student organizers Carly Schlotterer and Julia Johns at MCC of the Rockies (10th & Clarkson in Denver) from 1-3 pm on June 1st. Mark your calendar!

**********

What is the difference between being "OUT" and being "SOULFORCE OUT"?

At Soulforce's recent 10th anniversary celebration, Jarrett Lucas (Equality Rider and Director of Outreach for SoulforceQ) reflected on this question during a staff and volunteer organizer brainstorming forum.

How can we continue to help and support each other as we turn our personal expressions of integrity and authenticity living as openly lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people into a force for positive and transformative social change?

We hope you'll help us answer this question when you join members of Soulforce, the Ex-Gay Survivors' movement, and local student activists for a panel discussion and town hall meeting at MCC of the Rockies (10th and Clarkson in Capitol Hill, Denver) on June 1st from 1-3 pm.

Are you "OUT" or are you "SOULFORCE OUT"?


Sincerely,

Christopher Hubble
http://christopherh-queermusings.blogspot.com
cahubble08@gmail.com
303-241-3225

"When the bamboo forest goes, with it goes the sound of the flute." Hindu Proverb

Hello friends,

Sorry this is a couple days late...

http://www.soulforce.org/email_campaign/email_2_14_2008.html

Step up, don't be shy!

We just had the gold-medal award-winning record-breaking GOP-freaking fantastically amazing caucus turn-out of all time (so far).

There are swarms of new bees buzzing! NOW, how do we keep them active and making honey for the election in the fall?

Let's all think of some ideas, and don't worry about whether someone else will think they are the best ideas ever. Just...share them. The thing about ideas is that often they generate MORE ideas. And one that might not totally work where I live (rural and red) could be perfect for Pueblo or awesome for Alamosa.

I'll start. We are going to harvest the emails and PO addresses our county collected at the caucuses, and use those to start a 'known active' mailing list. It was pretty expensive to mail a postcard to every Dem household in our county, but mailing a few hundred postcards before other events? Doable.

An idea I want to promote down here is to start up some committees new people can join. Bake sale contributers? Someone to work a MONTHLY voter registration table? (Maybe combine those two ideas? Register people AND sell them cookies?)

I once read something about how to be happy: you need something to do, something to care about and something to hope for.

The way I see it, we Dems have the power to help a LOT of people get happy!

So first...ideas!

Your turn!

Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, my best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender-neutral celebration of the winter solstice holiday(tm), practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion of your choice, or secular practices of your choice, with respect for the religious/secular persuasions and/or traditions of others, or their choice not to practice religious or secular traditions at all . . . and a fiscally successful, personally fulfilling, and medically uncomplicated recognition of the onset of the generally accepted calendar year 2008, but not without due respect for the calendars of choice of other cultures whose contributions to society have helped make America great, (not to imply that America is necessarily greater than any other country or is the only "AMERICA" in the western hemisphere), and without regard to the race, creed, color, age, physical ability, religious faith, choice of computer platform, or sexual orientation of the wishee.

By accepting this greeting, you are accepting these terms: This greeting is subject to clarification or withdrawal. It is freely transferable with no alteration to the original greeting. It implies no promise by the wisher to actually implement any of the wishes for her/himself or others, is void where prohibited by law, and is revocable at the sole discretion of the wisher. This wish is warranted to perform as expected within the usual application of good tidings for a period of one year, or until the issuance of a subsequent holiday greeting, which ever comes first, and warranty is limited to replacement of this wish or issuance of a new wish at the sole discretion of the wisher.

(You know I didn't actually write the above, right? But I'm sending it out as part of my final Prowers Dems newsletter of the year, and I thought, what the heck, share the love!)

Cross-posted with permission from Joe.My.God

The young man who last Sunday shot and killed two people at a youth ministry training center, then killed two more and himself at Colorado's New Life Church (Ted Haggard's former home), was a cast out from the youth ministry, probably because he failed their attempts to make him "ex-gay".   Read More »

After my run-in with the 2008 ballot issues, I decided to take a different turn. I attended a session entitled "Way beyond marriage: Queer Politics 101." The leaders, after seeing this void on the board, decided to inject RootsCamp with some sexual identity conversation.

Were were a good sized group but we were able to do intros and talk about what "queer" means to us. (More on that below)

I went there because I don't think a queer community exists in Denver. There aren't any spaces here for lgbt people to talk focus on community issues. I wanted to know if I was wrong. from what we talked about, the answer is no, despite there being groups on ProgressNowAction and Connexion. We've got to make some changes as a community if we're going to be considered part of the progressive movement...let's use the resources we have...   Read More »

Dear friends,

I'm writing to ask for your help.

On Sep 24, Soulforce in Colorado organized a marriage equality civil disobedience during which two of my friends, Kate Burns and Sheila Schroeder, entered the Denver clerk and recorder office to request a marriage license… and refused to leave after being denied. They were both arrested and cited for trespassing (links to video of the action below).

Kate and Sheila stand trial on Dec. 17 and their legal team of three attorneys working pro bono are seeking affidavits by religious leaders willing testify that they or their organizations support full marriage equality.

If you or anyone you know might be interested and able to complete an affidavit by Nov 23, would you please contact me or Kate and Sheila directly (kateburns303@comcast.net).

I hope you have both been well,

Chris

The video for the Marriage Equality civil disobedience on September 24th in Denver (Kate and Sheila arrested) is now on YouTube and Google video. Many of you are in it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7luw6WKiI_E

Also, Ron Zappolo hosted Kate and Sheila on his weekly news magazine Colorado 2031. Zappolo also interviewed Focus on the Family representatives Carrie Gordon Earll and Melissa Fryrear who oppose same-gender marriage equality.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-1181419119680720526&pr=goog-sl

Sincerely,

Christopher Hubble
www.HubbleBooks.com
cahubble05@yahoo.com
303-241-3225

"When the bamboo forest goes, with it goes the sound of the flute." Hindu Proverb
   Read More »

LESBIAN COUPLE RISKS ARREST TO SEEK MARRIAGE LICENSE IN DENVER

Local Faith Leader Supports Demand for Civil Marriage

******************************************
Soulforce Media Advisory: September 21, 2007 For Immediate Release

Contact(s):
Kate Burns & Sheila Schroeder, kateburns303@comcast.net, 303-806-8444 Christopher Hubble, Soulforce Colorado State Organizer, 303-241-3225, cahubble05@yahoo.com
******************************************

(Denver, CO) - In an effort to achieve basic fairness and marriage equality for all of Colorado's families, local nonviolent advocates will again seek to elevate this issue in the public mind. On Monday, September 24, married same-gender couple Kate Burns and Sheila Schroeder will enter the Denver Clerk and Recorder Office to request a marriage license. When denied, they will risk arrest by refusing to leave.

Who: Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Families and their Allies, including Rev. Mike Morran of the First Unitarian Society, Denver.

What: Marriage Equality Direct Action: press conference, vigil, civil disobedience

When: Monday, September 24, 2007 3:30 p.m. MDT

[TRAINING IN NONVIOLENCE TO PREPARE FOR MONDAY'S ACTION IS SCHEDULED FROM 1:30-4:30 SUNDAY AFTERNOON (09/23) AT THE GLBT COMMUNITY CENTER OF COLORADO (1050 BROADWAY IN DENVER--JUST SOUTH OF 11TH AND BROADWAY ON THE EAST SIDE OF BROADWAY--LOOK FOR THE PURPLE AWNING)]

Where: Denver Clerk and Recorder Office, Wellington Webb Municipal Administration Building, 201 West Colfax Avenue, Denver, Colorado 80202, (Court-Colfax block on 15th Street)

SOULFORCE is a national civil rights and social justice organization. Our vision is freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance. For more information, go to www.soulforce.org.

"All reforms owe their origin to the initiation of minorities in opposition to majorities... Those who believe that they are not bound to obey laws which are repugnant to their conscience have only the remedy of [nonviolence] open to them." M.K. Gandhi


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ABOUT THIS MARRIAGE EQUALITY DIRECT ACTION

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

This action seeks to dramatize that marriage laws which deny full equality to lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people are an example of religion-based oppression and undermine America's tradition of religious pluralism protected by the U.S. Constitution.

When asked about her decision to participate in this action, Sheila said, "In the four years since my partner and I had our commitment ceremony, we have experienced numerous acts of discrimination. We are denied the ability to file taxes together. We experienced panic when I had a potentially dangerous health crisis and we had no security that she could attend to me in the hospital. We have spent thousands of dollars in legal fees to combine our property and insure our rights as a couple--when heterosexual couples are granted all of this free without question. This discrimination is unconstitutional and unconscionable. It is my patriotic duty to stand against this discrimination. The world needs more love and more support for loving couples. My church supports this fundamental notion and now it's time my government does too."

Earlier this year, Soulforce launched FOCUS ON THE FACTS, an ongoing campaign of nonviolent direct action with the goal of ending religion-based oppression of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Coloradans--staging several sit-ins at James Dobson's ministry headquarters in Colorado Springs since February. Most recently, on July 13th, Soulforce, Just Spirit, and the Pikes Peak Gay and Lesbian Pride Center organized a marriage equality direct action at the county clerk's office in Colorado Springs. For several years now, affirming marriage equality has been a distinct theme at PrideFest in the Springs. Several same-gender couples asked for marriage licenses and were denied according to state statute. Randomly formed opposite-gender couples then obtained licenses to demonstrate the hypocrisy of the law. And a couple that had been denied when attempting to obtain a license in a previous year as lesbian partners obtained a license this year because one of them has since transitioned to become male.

Speaking about the continuation of this campaign in Denver and her participation in the action on Sep 24, Kate Burns said, "As a life-long Unitarian Universalist, I seek to practice my religion by marrying my life partner in the church where I grew up. My religion does not condemn love simply because it happens between partners of the same gender. Legislation that prevents me from marrying my partner interferes with the free exercise of my faith tradition and imposes the viewpoint of one religious view--which opposes our union--on all citizens. My union with my partner, Sheila, is a life-long commitment founded on love and respect for each other, and for each other's families. I will not allow an unjust law tell me that we are not worthy of being married. Following the principles of nonviolent resistance, I will do whatever it takes to shed light on the immoral and discriminatory legislation that denies basic human rights to us as a couple, and to all lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people."

Kate's and Sheila's minister, Rev. Mike Morran of the First Unitarian Society of Denver will be present Monday to support Kate and Sheila in this profound act of civil resistance. Rev. Morran has a history of support of full equality for all of Colorado's families. A year ago to the day, he led a "Standing on the Side of Love" service on the steps of the Colorado State Capitol Building in support of the "principles of love, diversity, freedom and inclusion." Explaining his support for Kate and Sheila, Rev. Morran said, "There are so many levels where marriage equality simply makes good sense. From a religious point of view, the Gospels clearly hold up Love as the spiritual goal for people of faith. From a church point of view, marriage is a sacrament and the state should stay out of it. From a constitutional point of view, freedoms, like the freedom to marry, that apply to some citizens but not to others can only undermine the civil rights of all people, not just gays and lesbians. As a person of faith, as a pastor, and as a citizen, I am proud to stand on the side of love, to protect the right of churches to administer their own sacraments, and to uphold equal rights and responsibilities for all citizens." [A full text of the "Standing on the Side of Love" principles are included with this advisory.]

********************

FIRST UNITARIAN SOCIETY OF DENVER seeks "to create a loving and welcoming spiritual family, embracing all who enter in search of solace, inspiration, knowledge, and growth… we bring our gifts to build a strong religious community… we venture into the wider world, working to build a just and nurturing society for all." The UUA's support of equal treatment for bisexual, gay, lesbian and transgender persons is long-reaching and extensive. For more information, go to www.firstunitariandenver.org. UUA Interfaith Clergy Pledge for the Freedom to Marry.

********************





* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

ACTION PARTICIPANT BIO INFORMATION:

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *



SHEILA E. SCHROEDER is an ordinary American who recognizes that speaking about injustice is her patriotic duty. She is a partner, daughter, sister, aunt, friend, teacher, and a filmmaker. Just like her filmmaking mission where she tries to amplify the voices of those not often portrayed in the media, she is trying to use her own voice to draw attention to injustice she experiences. While she has come to activism later in life and participated in nonviolent actions in the past, this will be her first act of civil disobedience.


KATE BURNS was born in Denver, attended East High School and Colorado State University, and now works at the University of Denver. She has pride in her native state, and considers it her responsibility to keep working as a dedicated citizen to help Colorado progress to become a shining example of freedom and equality. She grew up in First Unitarian Church of Denver where her minister, Rev. Mike Morran, would gladly marry her to her partner of five years, Sheila Schroeder, if the state and nation of her birth would shed its institutional discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.


REV. MIKE MORRAN is minister at First Unitarian Church in Denver, Colorado, an urban congregation of over 250 families. He is a member of Colorado Clergy for Equality in Marriage, Capitol Hill United Ministries, and the Family Matters Task Force of the Unitarian Universalist Association. He is a proud father of two children, whom he co-parents with his partner of 13 years.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

STANDING ON THE SIDE OF LOVE PRINCIPLES

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


First Unitarian Society of Denver believes that all human beings are created in love, worthy of dignity and respect to the fullest extent. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people are an integral part of natural and divine creation. Therefore we stand on the side of Love.

We believe that a Family is best defined, not by gender, but by commitment and Love. Therefore we stand on the side of Love.

We believe that Creation is characterized by diversity, and that loving relationships take many forms. Reverence for diversity ensures the peaceful prosperity of the human race. Therefore, we stand on the side of Love.
We believe that responsible Freedom is the highest political achievement of our culture, the best environment for human beings to grow in, and the only environment in which both human and divine Love can flourish. Therefore, we stand on the side of Love.

We believe that a Freedom, including the freedom to marry the person of our choice, if it does not apply equally to all citizens, is not Freedom. Standing for the civil rights of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people will help to preserve the civil rights of all human beings. Therefore, we stand on the side of Love.


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

MORE INFORMATION ABOUT "FOCUS ON THE FACTS":

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Video of several FOCUS ON THE FACTS actions are now viewable at the Soulforce website or on Google:


>> Feb 18 - Dotti Berry and Robynne Sapp sit-in at James Dobson's ministry headquarters.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-8003306472349571226&q=dotti+berry+robynne+sapp&total=5&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=1



>> April 28 - Roses and Reality - Chris Hubble and Leigh Lyon are arrested entering the campus of James Dobson's ministry headquarters to deliver A False Focus On My Family and the open video letter DVD "Dear Dr. Dobson".

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-809226073899638175



>> July 13 - Marriage Equality Direct Action - Marriage Equality direct action led by Rev. Elder Dr. Nori Rost, Ryan Acker and Frank Volz.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2420139976809796770&q=marriage+equality+action&total=35&start=0&num=10&so=0&type=search&plindex=0

One of the ways that gay and lesbian families continue to be discriminated against is health insurance. Many of the large insurers offer employees of large corporations the ability to insure their domestic partners, but small businesses have been unable to offer domestic partner coverage--until now.

Anthem, Colorado's Blue Cross affiliate, is erasing that bit of discrimination from its small business policies.

Take a minute to write Anthem to thank them for taking an important step for equality. As every average American knows, health care is the single biggest pocketbook issue that we face. It's doubly hard for gay and lesbian people who face institutional discrimination in nearly every facet of life.

Anthem just made it a little easier. If you are a small business owner, call Anthem and get set up with them so that you can offer health insurance parity to all of your employees. If you are an employee at a small business, your boss now has no excuse not to offer health insurance parity to you and your coworkers.

Apparently, Wayne Allard never saw this.

U.S. Sen. Wayne Allard of Colorado said he doesn't believe that his Republican colleague who was arrested in a men's restroom is gay.
Allard, who served in the Senate since 1997, said he was "flabbergasted" to learn about the arrest of U.S. Sen. Larry Craig, a three-term senator. A plainclothes officer was investigating complaints about sexual activity in the bathroom.

Allard said he's never heard anyone discuss Craig's sexuality.

"Never. Nada. Not one rumor of impropriety," he said.

Like I said, he never saw this video because...well, it's about as obvious as it could be. Larry Craig makes Ted Haggard look straight.

Not that there's, let's be clear, anything wrong with that. Except for the years of hypocrisy, the anti-gay grandstanding, James Dobson's hearty support...all, as it turns out, a convoluted rage against the Larry Craig in Larry Craig's closet.

After Mark Foley, Rudy Giuliani's staffer, Ken Mehlman, David Dreier, Jim Kolbe (only came out after activists threatened to expose him for his vote for the 1996 "Defense of Marriage Act")...at some point you have to conclude their self-directed bigotry is pathological.

Don't hate them, pity them. And Craig doesn't need to resign, he just needs to figure out who he really is and be true to it.

In the middle of the night on August 27, 1955, Emmett Till--a 15 year-old black boy--was kidnapped from his uncle's house in Mississippi by two white brothers. They dragged him into the woods, beat him until he was unrecognizable, shot him, tied a fan around his neck to weigh him down, and tossed him into the Tallahatchie River.

On September 22, 2000, a man charged into a gay bar in Roanoke, VA and opened fire because he wanted to "waste some faggots." Danny Overstreet was killed, and six others were injured.

In a new video, Focus on the Family equates being brutally murdered for being gay with getting your order screwed up in the drive through. They equate Emmett Till's savage death with being cut off while driving on the freeway.

These are the people who purport to speak for Christians in America. These are the family values that they espouse. This is the group that is pulling George W. Bush's puppet strings.

The Bush Administration recently demanded that air carriers collect broad personal information, including a traveler's sexual orientation, by threatening to turn planes away from Europe, and the European Union caved in.

U.S. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff praised the pact as an "essential screening tool for detecting potentially dangerous transatlantic travelers." If available at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, Chertoff said, such information would have, "within a matter of moments, helped to identify many of the 19 hijackers by linking their methods of payment, phone numbers and seat assignments."

That's right. Micheal Chertoff just said that the 9/11 hijackers were gay. Or at least that if we had known conclusively if they were gay or not, we would have been able to prevent 9/11. Or something.

The government will retain information on your sexual orientation for at least 15 years (but they leave the door open to keeping it forever):

Although Homeland Security has said it will move passenger information to "dormant" status after seven years and "expects" to erase it after 15 years, it notified the E.U. that expiration of data will be subject to "further discussions."

The data is only supposed to be used for counter-terrorism and law enforcement. Which means that if the army of lawyers at Focus on the Family are successful in overturning Lawrence v. Texas, the government will have a huge forever database of gay people it can arrest en masse. One and only one protection exists to prevent the government from arresting and jailing gay people, and it is in the hands of the likes of John Roberts and Sam Alito.

Even if Lawrence is never challenged, Bush and Chertoff could right now black list gay people from traveling, because there is no federal law that protects gay people from profiling or discrimination.

If you think I'm being alarmist, ask yourself why the government would be collecting information about someone's sexual orientation if they had no intention of ever using it.

I hate it when I'm forced to agree with Republicans:

But Patrick Sammon, president of Log Cabin Republicans, a national gay group, accused Senate Democrats of holding the hate crimes bill "hostage" to what he called their doomed attempt to force President Bush to change his policies on the war.

"The bottom line is the Democrats don't have the votes to pass their Iraq amendments," Sammon said. "Even if they did, everyone knows the president would veto the bill."

He's right. Senate sponsors of the bill attached it to the defense authorization bill supposedly to protect it from a stand-alone veto threat from Bush. But they attached it to a bill they know that Bush will veto anyway. That says to me that the Senate is not very serious about passing the hate crimes bill.

I'd rather see the hate crimes bill pass and be vetoed than to see it disappear because Senate Dems don't have the votes to overcome a Republican filibuster on Iraq. Let the "moderate" Republicans keep running toward the burning barn on Iraq. Don't make America's GLBT citizens go along with them.