Speak Out Against Vicious Gay Bashing: Candlelight Vigil Tonight on Santa Fe Plaza

From Equality New Mexico:
Join hundreds of New Mexicans speaking out against last Sunday's vicious gay bashing in Santa Fe: Candlelight Vigil, 6:00 PM, Saturday, March 5, Santa Fe Plaza

Contribute online at www.eqnm.org to offset victim James Maestas' medical expenses.  Or mail a check to:

Love Conquers Hate Fund
c/o Equality New Mexico Foundation
PO Box 27268
Albuquerque NM 87125

Click here for the latest news coverage of the story in the Santa Fe New Mexican. Click here for coverage in the Albuquerque Journal.

Sponsored by: Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Equality New Mexico, People of Color AIDS Foundation, Human Rights Alliance, Santa Fe Mountain Center, Esperanza Shelter for Battered Families, NAACP, Somos un Pueblo Unido, Santa Fe Rape Crisis, College of Santa Fe Queer Faculty and Staff Association, Academics for a Democratic Society, Albuquerque Rape Crisis Center, New Mexico Green Party, ACLU of New Mexico, New Mexico Human Rights Coalition, The Experience, Impact Personal Safety, Unity Santa Fe and Democracy for New Mexico.
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Editor's Note: I think it's telling that during this same period, discrimination against gay and lesbian citizens was greatly helped along by Democratic votes in the Senate Judiciary Committee at the Legislature. It's bad enough that Republicans apparently believe churches should regulate civil law and that some citizens should not have equal rights. But when Democrats also vote for disciminatory legislation, there has to be consequences.

In a vote of 5-5 last night, the Senate Judiciary Committee effectively tabled SB 576, Domestic Partner Benefits, killing the bill. And with a vote of 6-4, it gave a Do Pass to SB 597, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that defines CIVIL marriage as between one man and one woman. The bill may be heard by the full Senate as early as Sunday, March 6.

Votes were along party lines except for Democratic Senator Lidio Rainaldi, who voted against the domestic partner legislation and for the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Democratic Senator Richard Martinez did vote yes on SB 576 (Domestic Partnership) but unfortunately also voted yes on SB 597 (DOMA).

I guess Democratic Senator Rainaldi, who lives in Gallup and represents Cibola & McKinley counties, has decided that there is no wall between church and state in America. Shame on him. And shame on any Democrat who votes to limit rights that every U.S. citizen deserves under the Consitution. Rainaldi supports the kind of legislation that leads youths to believe it's ok to discriminate, that it's ok to viciously beat gay people. This is how hate crimes happen.

Senator Richard Martinez, who represents Los Alamos, Rio Arriba & Santa Fe Counties, also apparently believes that religion should govern what kinds of contracts and licenses consenting adults can enter into in terms of CIVIL agreements. Since when should the Catholic Church or any church have any say whatsover about civil law?

Should you find it in your heart to support equal rights for all our citizens, and to explain how discriminatory legislation has a direct link to the vicious gay bashing that took place in Santa Fe last weekend, you can find contact information here:

For Senator Rainaldi;

For Senator Martinez.

I think it's time that Democrats who are against equal rights, against diversity and against a strong wall between church and state should be called on their bigoted positions. And if that includes our Democratic Governor, so be it.