This would be terrible for the gay community.

We need to balance that and we need to do it today.

The full senate may vote on this bill as early as WEDNESDAY MORNING.

If you live in the 20th District which is the Back Mountain, Mountain Top, Wyoming County, Susquehanna County, Wayne County, Pike County, and Monroe county….

Stop what you’re doing and send an e-mail now.

Send an e-mail to Senator Baker’s direct e-mail address:
LBaker@pasen.gov and CC: to advocacy@gaynepa.com.

You can also click here to do so.

Today we look back with disbelief that there was a time in American when we did not allow marriage between Catholics and Protestants or between blacks and whites. Unfortunately our laws continue to deny the right to marry to adults who are gay or lesbian. We should not support this kind of discrimination.

People are not being asked to change their religious beliefs and nobody is trying to force any clergy person to perform same-sex weddings. There are many things about modern society that some religious organizations do not endorse. Yet, as a society we are governed by laws and not by religious beliefs.

Same-sex couples are already denied the right to marry in Pennsylvania.

This amendment is unnecessary, unwise and divisive!

The proposed amendment could take away existing legal protections for committed long-term couples and their children, as well as limit other types of relationship recognition.

It would also prohibit civil unions.

If you have friends and family in these districts, forward this to them.

We’re having a Sunday “Family Dinner” event at Really Cooking Cafe in Dallas on June 1st.

They are providing a limited ‘lite’ menu for $8.99 plus tax and tip. Those who want to order off the full menu may do so as well. The regular dinner menu can be found at http://www.reallycookingcafe.com. Those who order food off the regular menu will enjoy a 10% discount (no discounts on the lite menu or on alcoholic beverages).

There will be LIVE entertainment, too!

Get more details and RSVP at http://gaynepa.eventbrite.com.

This union of intolerance is determined to take the state constitution, a document that grants rights and privileges, and add to it discrimination, prejudice, intolerance and second-class citizenship to this majestic document. Why is it that these groups never come together for the purpose of feeding the hungry, clothing the naked or housing the homeless?

Those who claim to be Christians act in a way that shows them to be anything but Christians. Christ left us with one simple commandment that rose above all others: to love God and one another.

I am waiting for someone from the far right to answer a basic question: How does preventing two members of the gay community from uniting as a family protect their own marriage, which has a 50 percent chance of ending in divorce? What possible threat is there to them other than touching upon inner insecurity?

Marriage is not a religious institution; it is a civil matter between two parties. The church does not “marry” couples; it witnesses the exchange of vows. Without a civil license issued by the government, no marriage is possible. No church will be compelled under any legislation anywhere to perform a ceremony for a gay couple if it is not already part of the norm for that church. Any suggestion to the contrary is nothing more than a scare tactic, which is a favorite tool of the right.

So what is really at issue here is whether gay people have access to the same government processes that others have access to. The taxes paid by gay people go to the same government that everyone else’s taxes go to.

They support the same public agencies and pay the salaries of the same employees as everyone else does. Shouldn’t gay people have access to the same benefits of their taxes? The only fair alternative would be to cut taxes for all gay people. Shall we amend the constitution to allow for this while equal access to a marriage license is denied? It is either that or equal access for all.

But this conservative drive goes even further. They wish to see the ability of two people to enter into a contract restricted based on their sexual orientation. This is a fundamental constitutional right that is at stake here.

The most disgusting part of their renewed drive for hatred is their desire to remove partner benefits such as health care. Most of the large corporations in America provide the same benefits to their gay employees as they do their straight employees. It costs the company no more than if they had an all-heterosexual work force.

This petty, hate-filled group wants to tell corporations who they can extend benefits to and who they can’t. If one of the partners in a same-sex relationship gets sick, has no health insurance and was prevented by some archaic law from getting his partner’s benefits, then who pays for that health care? The taxpayer, that’s who. So what is worse, a partner’s health insurance benefit or the taxpayer paying for that care?

One of the biggest arguments the right likes to tout as justification for denying equal rights to the gay community is that it might influence their kids. Utter ignorance is the only answer regarding why the right believes that a child will become gay if he or she sees a gay marriage. They just don’t get it.

A person is born gay; he or she does not choose to be gay. One cannot “change” a straight kid into a gay one if it isn’t already in the genes of that child. The only thing this kind of law does is potentially deny their kids or grandkids equal access and rights under the law. There have always been gay people and there will continue to be gay people, and nothing the right does can change that.

I urge all fair-minded people to contact their state senator and urge him or her to vote against any constitutional amendment that restricts the equal rights of the citizenry of this state. It is time to diverge from the ultra-conservative path in this country, for we have seen what that path has done to the honor, freedom, and moral standing of the United States. It has brought us to the near edge of destruction.

Guest Post By Rev. Bruce J. Simpson

Thursday, April 17, 6:30 pm - Monthly Dinner “OUT” - Marianacci’s
The members choice this month is Marianacci’s 252 West 8th Street, Wyoming. RSVP to events@prideofnepa.org Subject: Dinner Out

Friday, April 18, 5:00 – 8:00 PM - Third Friday Arts Walk – Wilkes-Barre
Stop by and check out our gay artist of the month. For more information about the Third Friday Arts Walk Events click on the following link www.artsyouniverse.com/7.html

Call for Artists: Pride of Northeast PA is looking for members who would like to showcase their artistic talents at Pride Place. Artists of all kinds have decorated Pride Place during the past year, and we need your help for 2008. Each artist will display their artwork for one month and has the distinct opportunity to be present for Third Friday Artswalk, where the Stegmaier Mansion/Arts YOUniverse is open to a vast number of visitors. If interested, please contact bod@prideofnepa.org

Pride Place: Be sure to check out our home and free lending library at Pride Place in the Arts Youniverse Building, 156 South Franklin Street Wilkes-Barre.

Pride of NEPA Website:Have you seen the face of Pride of NEPA lately. Visit our website at prideofnepa.org.

You do not need to be a member to attend our events or use our library. So don’t sit home, come on “OUT” and bring a friend.

Social conservatives in Harrisburg are trying to pass a statewide constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage — but this time they’ve expanded their goal. They want to block civil unions, domestic
partnerships, domestic partner benefits, and more.

Please contact your legislator and ask him/her to oppose the amendment by filling out a quick form at this link.

Thank you!

If this describes you, consider making Dignity Of The Lehigh Valley your spiritual home.

This will be a wine and cheese social and initial planning meeting.

If you plan on attending, please let us know by sending email to: dignitylehighvalley@yahoo.com

We believe that God created us, Christ died for us, and the Holy Spirit sanctified us in Baptism. As GLBT Catholics, it is our right, our privilege, and our duty to live the sacramental life of the Church. We believe that we can express our sexuality in a loving, life-affirming manner that is in keeping with Christ’s teaching.

Creemos que Dios nos creó, que Cristo murió por nosotros, y que el Espíritu Santo nos santificó en bautismo. Como Católicos Homosexuales, Lesbianas, Bisexuales y Transgéneros, es nuestro derecho, nuestro privilegio y nuestro deber vivir la vida sacramental de la iglesia. Creemos que podemos expresar nuestra sexualidad en una manera amorosa y afirmadora de la vida que está en armonía con la enseñanza de Cristo.

Dignity Of The Lehigh Valley will gather for the first time on:
Sunday, February 10th at 7:00 PM
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
1900 E. Pennsylvania Ave.
Allentown, PA

For more information: dignitylehighvalley@yahoo.com

Call for Artists: Pride of Northeast PA is looking for members who would like to showcase their artistic talents at Pride Place. Artists of all kinds have decorated Pride Place during the past year, and we need your help for 2008. Each artist will display their artwork for one month and has the distinct opportunity to be present for Third Friday Artswalk, where the Stegmaier Mansion/Arts YOUniverse is open to a vast number of visitors. If interested, please contact bod@prideofnepa.org

Pride Place: Be sure to check out our home and free lending library at Pride Place in the Arts Youniverse Building, 156 South Franklin Street Wilkes-Barre.

Spread the word! You do not need to be a member to attend our events or use our library.  So don’t sit home, come on “OUT” and bring a friend.

Schedule of PRIDE of NEPA Events:
Sunday, February  10,  1st show
Movie Out at Cinemark. - Movie suggestions are welcome. The snow date for the event will be February 24th.  To reserve your seat  email reservations to: jeng1969@verizon.net

Tuesday, February 12, 6:30 pm
Monthly Membership Meeting  - Tony Di’s
Tony Di’s Pizza Buffet is located on South Main Street in downtown Wilkes-Barre across from the Post Office.  Tony Di’s is a gay owned and operated establishment so even if you can’t make the meeting stop by and say Hi.
Friday,  February 15, 5:00 – 8:00 PM
Third Friday Arts Walk – Wilkes-Barre
Stop by and check out our gay artist of the month. For more information about the Third Friday Arts Walk Events click on the following link www.artsyouniverse.com/7.html

Thursday, February  21, 6:30 pm
Monthly Dinner    “OUT” - Thai Thai
We are trying our Wilkes-Barre’s newest resturant the Thai Thai this month.    Don’t forget to RSVP to   Subject: Dinner Out

Dignity’s mission is to provide a safe, affirming environment for GLBTQA Catholics to worship together with a gay-affirming priest, to celebrate fellowship and to provide support for one another in their Christian faith while embracing a Catholic spirituality.

Dignity has been blessed over the years with the support of significant leaders in the gay Christian movement, such as Fr. Mychal Judge, who was the first official recorded death at the World Trade Center site on September 11, 2001.

If you are interested in being a part of this new ministry in the Lehigh Valley, please send email to: dignitylehighvalley@yahoo.com. Tentative plans are underway for an initial meeting in Bethlehem in mid February.