Delaware Needs your Help/Time

Hello Friends,
The Civil Union Bill is filed. Now it is time to do our part- it is time to act!!

Will you join COLAGE and make the ALLIES PLEDGE?

ALLIES PLEDGE


We all have families and friends that love us.
Every movement needs Allies -

We need our straight Allies NOW!


If you live in Delaware, take the pledge!


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ALLIES PLEDGE



You can pledge to do three things:


1. Right now click on at the top of this email to spread this email through facebook.

2. Call or write your Senators and Representatives (everything you need is below - keep reading)

3. We ask everyone who is reading this to enlist the help of 5 straight allies. We need them to call and write with us. Forward this email to them.

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It can not be stressed enough the absolute importance of your sending a letter to EACH and EVERY Senator and Representative listed below.


Email addresses are provided to you so that all you have to do is click on the email addresses (listed below). If you are not sure what to write, please read the following simple suggestions:

1. Opening:

Dear ____, I live in district (insert #) and I am asking you to please support Civil Union Senate Bill 30 (SB30);


2. Sample texts:

(a) I have been married to my wife for XX years, and I can't see how civil unions will in any way negatively impact my marriage or in any way destroy the sanctity of my marriage!


(b) My spouse and I want to raise our children in a state that promotes equality. Their friends have two (moms or dads) who deserve the same rights and protection for their family as we have. This is about basic fairness. Please do the right thing for all of our families.


3. here's why it's important to me:
Story of LGBT person you love or care for in your life.

4. Sign your name and send to EVERY Senator and Representative

If you have NEVER acted before, now is the time.

Brief Facts for you to know on Senate Bill 30 (SB30)

Civil unions will be available only to couples of the same sex.
Marriage will remain limited by Delaware law only to opposite-sex couples.
A civil union would be parallel, but not equal, to marriage.
Civil unions will be performed and dissolved in the same manner as marriages.
Parties to a civil union will bear the same responsibilities and enjoy the same rights and protections, to the extent possible, as exist for married spouses.
No one under 18 will be able to enter into a civil union, while marriages may be performed for persons under 18 with the approval of the Family Court.
Civil unions are not recognized by federal law, though marriages between opposite-sex spouses are.
Employers generally will be required to make whatever employee benefits that are offered to a married spouse available to a spouse in a civil union. Private employers offering health and retirement benefits that are subject to ERISA - a federal law - may not be required to offer such benefits to a spouse in a civil union. This is because the federal Defense of Marriage Act defines "marriage" as only between a man and a woman and a "spouse" as only a person of the opposite sex, for purposes of federal law, and ERISA preempts inconsistent state law.
The draft Civil Union bill would remove the criminal penalties under Delaware law for marrying a same-sex spouse in another jurisdiction, and recognizes those marriages as well as similar legal relationships entered into outside of Delaware as civil unions.
Delaware law currently provides for a $100 fine or 30 days imprisonment for holding oneself out as a married same-sex couple. This penalty would be repealed for persons whose relationship is recognized as a civil union.
A legal relationship between same-sex persons entered into in another jurisdiction which is substantially similar to a Delaware civil union and would not otherwise be prohibited under Delaware law will be treated as a civil union in Delaware regardless of the form of the legal relationship in the other jurisdiction.
Religious freedom is given clear protections.
The First Amendment prohibits any clergy member from being forced to perform a ceremony not in accordance with his or her religious beliefs. Couples who have previously divorced, who are of different faiths, or who have not met certain standards within a religion sometimes experience this.
The Civil Union bill will explicitly extend First Amendment protections to clergy with respect to civil unions; no clergy member will be obligated to perform a civil union ceremony. Only Clerks of the Peace (state officials who perform civil marriage ceremonies) would be required to perform civil union ceremonies.
Jurisdiction of the Family Court for Dissolution of Civil Unions
Many persons who enter into a civil union in one state and then relocate to another state that does not recognize civil unions have found themselves unable to dissolve their civil union.


Make the Call Today + Write a Letter Today
Who to call or email?

Contact your Senator and your Representative



If you want to know to how to find out your District to personalize your message - click
HERE!


Click on the Senators name below to go to their website for telephone information and click on their email address to send a mail automatically.



Senators

District
Email
Patricia M. Blevins Senate Majority Leader D 7
Patricia.Blevins@state.de.us
Colin R. J. Bonini
R 16
senator-colin@prodigy.net
Joseph W. Booth
R 19
Joseph.Booth@state.de.us
George H. Bunting
D 20
George.Bunting@state.de.us
Brian J. Bushweller
D 17
brian.bushweller@state.de.us
Catherine L. Cloutier
R 5
catherine.cloutier@state.de.us
Dorinda A. "Dori" Connor
R 12
Dorinda.Connor@state.de.us
Anthony J. DeLuca President Pro Tempore D 11
Anthony.DeLuca@state.de.us
Bruce C. Ennis
D 14
gdebce@comcast.net
Bethany A. Hall-Long
D 10
bethany.hall-long@state.de.us
Margaret Rose Henry Senate Majority Whip D 2
MargaretRose.Henry@state.de.us
Michael S. Katz
D 4
michael.katz@state.de.us
David G. Lawson
R 15
Dave.Lawson@state.de.us
Robert I. Marshall
D 3
robert.marshall@state.de.us
David B. McBride
D 13
David.McBride@state.de.us
Harris B. McDowell
D 1
Harris.McDowell@state.de.us
Karen E. Peterson
D 9
Karen.Peterson@state.de.us
F. Gary Simpson Senate Minority Leader R 18
gsimpson@udel.edu
David P. Sokola
D 8
David.Sokola@state.de.us
Liane M. Sorenson Senate Minority Whip R 6
Liane.Sorenson@state.de.us
Robert L. Venables
D 21
Robert.Venables@state.de.us



If you choose to send to ALL the Senators, cut and paste this list:


Below are e-mail addresses for all the Senators If your e-mail program allows it, you can cut and paste the entire group of e-mail addresses in the cc line to reach all of them in a single e-mail. If you know any, or if you can to reach out personally to your Senator, please do so. The fate of Civil Unions in Delaware depends on you.


Patricia.Blevins@state.de.us;senator-colin@prodigy.net;Joseph.Booth@state.de.us;
George.Bunting@state.de.us;brian.bushweller@state.de.us;catherine.cloutier@state.de.us Dorinda.Connor@state.de.us;Anthony.DeLuca@state.de.us;gdebce@comcast.net; bethany.hall-ong@state.de.us;MargaretRose.Henry@state.de.us;michael.katz@state.de.us;
Dave.Lawson@state.de.us;robert.marshall@state.de.us;David.McBride@state.de.us;Harris.McDowell@state.de.us;Karen.Peterson@state.de.us;gsimpson@udel.edu;David.Sokola@state.de.us;Liane.Sorenson@state.de.us;Robert.Venables@state.de.us

Please contact your Representative as well.

Name

District
Emal

John C. Atkins
D 41
John.Atkins@state.de.us
Michael A. Barbieri
D 18
michael.barbieri@state.de.us
E. Bradford Bennett
D 32
bradford.bennett@state.de.us
Donald A. Blakey
D 34
donald.blakey@state.de.us
Stephanie T. Bolden
D 2
StephanieT.Bolden@state.de.us
Gerald L. Brady
D 4
gerald.brady@state.de.us
Ruth Briggs King
R 37
Ruth.BriggsKing@state.de.us
William J. Carson
D 28
william.carson@state.de.us
Melanie L George
D 5
melanie.george@state.de.us
Robert F. Gilligan Speaker of the House D 19
Robert.Gilligan@state.de.us
Debra J. Heffernan
D 6
debra.heffernan@state.de.us
Gerald W. Hocker House Minority Whip R 38
Gerald.Hocker@state.de.us
Deborah Hudson
D 12
Deborah.Hudson@state.de.us
Earl G. Jaques
D 27
earl.jaques@state.de.us
James Johnson
D 16
jj.johnson@state.de.us
S. Quinton Johnson
D 8
Quinton.Johnson@state.de.us
Helene M. Keeley
D 3
helene.keeley@state.de.us
Harvey R. Kenton

R 36
Harvey.Kenton@state.de.us
John A. Kowalko
D 25
john.kowalko@state.de.us
Gregory F. Lavelle House Minority Leader D 11
Greg.Lavelle@state.de.us
Clifford G. "Biff" Lee


R 40
biff.lee@state.de.us
Valerie Longhurst House Majority Whip D 15
Valerie.Longhurst@state.de.us
Nick T. Manolakos
R 20
Nick.T.Manolakos@state.de.us
Joseph E. Miro
R 22
joseph.miro@state.de.us
John L. Mitchell
D 13
john.l.mitchell@state.de.us
Michael P. Mulrooney
D 17
Michael.Mulrooney@state.de.us
Edward S. Osienski
D 24
Edward.Osienski@state.de.us
William R. "Bobby" Outten R 30
bobby.outten@state.de.us
Harold J. Peterman
R 33
jack.peterman@state.de.us
Michael Ramone
R 21
Michael.Ramone@state.de.us
Teresa Schooley
D 23
Terry.Schooley@state.de.us
Peter C. Schwartzkopf House Majority Leader D 14
Peter.Schwartzkopf@state.de.us
Darryl M. Scott
D 31
Darryl.Scott@state.de.us
Bryon H. Short
D 7
Bryon.Short@state.de.us
Daniel B. Short
R 39
Daniel.Short@state.de.us
John J. Viola
D 26
John.Viola@state.de.us
Rebecca Walker
D 9
Rebecca.Walker@state.de.us
Dennis E. Williams
D 10
Dennis.E.Williams@state.de.us
Dennis P. Williams
D 1
Dennis.Williams@state.de.us
Lincoln D. Willis
R 29
Lincoln.Willis@state.de.us
David L. Wilson
R 35
David.L.Wilson@state.de.us


Below are e-mail addresses for the Representatives. If your e-mail program allows it, you can cut and paste the entire group of e-mail addresses in the cc line to reach all of them in a single e-mail. If you know any, or if you can to reach out personally to your Senator, please do so. The fate of Civil Unions in Delaware depends on you.


John.Atkins@state.de.us;michael.barbieri@state.de.us;bradford.bennett@state.de.us;
donald.blakey@state.de.us;StephanieT.Bolden@state.de.us;gerald.brady@state.de.us;
Ruth.BriggsKing@state.de.us;william.carson@state.de.us;
melanie.george@state.de.us;Robert.Gilligan@state.de.us;
debra.heffernan@state.de.us;Gerald.Hocker@state.de.us;
Deborah.Hudson@state.de.us;earl.jaques@state.de.us;
jj.johnson@state.de.us;Quinton.Johnson@state.de.us;
helene.keeley@state.de.us;Harvey.Kenton@state.de.us;
john.kowalko@state.de.us;Greg.Lavelle@state.de.us;
biff.lee@state.de.us;Valerie.Longhurst@state.de.us;
Nick.T.Manolakos@state.de.us;joseph.miro@state.de.us;
john.l.mitchell@state.de.us;Michael.Mulrooney@state.de.us;
Edward.Osienski@state.de.us;bobby.outten@state.de.us;
jack.peterman@state.de.us;Michael.Ramone@state.de.us;
Terry.Schooley@state.de.us;Peter.Schwartzkopf@state.de.us;
Darryl.Scott@state.de.us;Bryon.Short@state.de.us;
Daniel.Short@state.de.us;John.Viola@state.de.us;
Rebecca.Walker@state.de.us;Dennis.E.Williams@state.de.us;
Dennis.Williams@state.de.us;Lincoln.Willis@state.de.us;
David.L.Wilson@state.de.us


Your voice and the voices of those who love you really matter and will make a difference - Our Senators and Representatives need to hear from us.

You can be sure they are hearing from those who oppose this.


Don't delay in making the call or writing the letter today!