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Greetings!
It's been a while since we last reported to you. In the meantime, so much has happened!
On June 29th, the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots, The Power was joined at the Stonewall Inn by prominent activists and elected officials for the the launch of our nationwide petition drive to expand the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include LGBT Americans. We were particularly honored to be joined by Congressman Jerrold Nadler, the Chairman of the House Judiciary's Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties. His committee has primary or joint jurisdiction over all LGBT civil rights legislation, and he is the author of the Uniting American Families Act and the upcoming DOMA repeal bill. On being presented with the petition signatures gathered thus far, Congressman Nadler made the stunning announcement that his office has begun drafting legislation to include LGBT people in all federal civil rights legislation. We are pleased to report that the petition has been greeted with endorsements from many prominent activists, organizations, and officials. To read more about the press conference and to stream audio from the event click here.
L to R: Rev. Dr. Mel White, Liz Abzug, Kevin Graves, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, Jeff Hall, Jeffrey H. Campagna, Rabbi Sharon Kleinbaum, New York City Council Member Rosie Mendez, Jon Winkleman, Lynn Schulman. |
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Action: Be a Power Tweeter and Grow The Movement For an LGBT Civil Rights Act 
Do you Tweet? If you do, follow The Power and retweet our posts. It's the subtle way to tell eveyone you know that you want them to sign the petition.
If you don't Tweet yet, start. It's simpler than anything else on the net. Just retweet (RT) The Power's Tweets and before you know it, you will be drawing hundreds, if not thousands of people into the movement. |
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Soulforce Founder Says "We can not wait a little longer."  The Rev. Dr. Mel White, founder of the organization Soulforce, which
promotes "freedom for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people from religious and political oppression through the practice of relentless nonviolent resistance," and best-selling author of Stranger at the Gate: To be Gay and Christian in America, drove all the way up to New York from Lynchburg, Virginia to be with us at the kick-off of the Petition. In his remarks, he compared the incremental gay legislative agenda that has replaced the gay rights movement of the past to the incremental progress of the Civil Rights movement of the sixties. Paraphrasing and reinterpreting the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. he said, "This continued arrogant ladling out of pieces of the rights of citizenship has begun to generate a growing discontent in the LGBT community. What LGBT Americans want is absolute and unqualified freedom and equality here in this land of our birth. LGBT Americans no longer will be tolerant of anything less than our due right and heritage. We are pursuing only that which we know is honorably ours."
To read the Rev. Dr. Mel White's complete statement, click here.
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National Black Justice Coaltion Endorses The Power Petition 
The National Black Justice Coalition, the only national civil rights organization of concerned Black, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and allies, endorsed the Power Petition and its call to expand the Civil Rights Act to include LGBT people. Acting Executive Director Dr. Sylvia Rhue issued a statement that said in part:
"We must expand the Civil Rights Act to give each person the ability to participate freely in the political, economic and social life of the United States of America. The National Black Justice Coalition urges all who fight for civil rights and justice to stand together and sign this petition to call on Congress to expand and strengthen the Civil Rights Act by adding "gender identity" and "sexual orientation" to the protected categories."
To read her full statement click here. |
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Major Don't Ask Don't Tell Opponents Endorse Power Petition 
New York, NY (August 3, 2009) - After a week of upsets for opponents of Don't Ask Don't Tell (DADT), The Power (www.ThePowerOnline.org), an online campaign to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, announced new endorsements from Justin Elzie and David Mixner, two major figures in the debate over the policy. Elzie was the first Marine ever discharged under DADT and Mixner is a major Democratic fundraiser who was famously arrested in front of the White House protesting after his friend, President Clinton, did not live up to his promise to end the ban on gays in the military.
Elzie said, "...Even when we repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell, under current law, LGBT service-members will return to civilian life as second class citizens. This is why I am giving my strong endorsement to The Power's petition to expand the Civil Rights Act to include "gender identity" and "sexual orientation."
To read Elzie and Mixner's full statements, click here. |
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Sen. Gillibrand Endorses Power Petition  Senator Kirsten Gillibrand marked the 40th Anniversary of Stonewall by coming out as one of the strongest endorsers of The Power Petition. Senator Gillibrand issued the following statement:
"It's time to extend every basic right and freedom to each and every member of America's LGBT community. In 2009, it is unconscionable that gay and lesbian couples are held back from pursuing all of their dreams. The direction that our history is moving in is clear - it's time our policies caught up with it. I look forward to the day when New York and all states accept this basic principle of fairness, and I pledge my commitment to getting it done, and that's why I'm proud to support this petition."
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Liz Abzug Says Civil Rights Act is Strongest Protection 
Beginning in 1974, and at two subsequent times in the 1970's, New York Congresswoman Bella Abzug introduced legislation that would have expanded the Civil Rights Act to include LGBT people. Thirty-five years later, her daughter, Liz, a civil rights attorney and public affairs consultant, continues to work toward that goal with The Power. Says Liz, "Extending the enforcement powers of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to cover LGBT Americans is absolutely the strongest and most fundamental way to protect our civil rights-this is so long overdue! My mother, former Congresswoman Bella Abzug (D-N.Y.), was the first person to introduce a bill (The Equality Rights Act) in Congress to do this, way back in 1974," Abzug continued. "It is simple: We must demand and finally achieve this expansion to the Civil Rights Act of 1964 now!"
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Steele Luxury Travel Offers Special Discount to Power Petition Supporters
 Steele Luxury Travel is a proud supporter of the Power Online Petition. We are pleased to offer a $250 discount to supporters of the Power Online Petition for both our 2009 late summer trips: Turkish Delight and Mykonos Island Villa Escape. Simply mention The Power Online when inquiring about or making your reservation. Live your indulgence.
THE TURKISH DELIGHT
August 24 - August 30, 2009
Experience the Wonders of Turkey: Istanbul & Bodrum.
Istanbul is a city that boasts an exotic blend of sights, sounds and smells, from the bustling harbor to the tranquil serenity of the Blue Mosque. Here over 6,000 years of history comes to life with every street corner you turn. Next, jet to the chic Turkish coast where you will spend five lavish days in Bodrum. Read more...
THE MYKONOS ISLAND VILLA ESCAPE
August 31 - September 7, 2009
Enjoy 7 beautiful nights in Mykonos at your very own luxury villa compound exclusively reserved for Steele Luxury Travelers. The sexy island of Mykonos, Greece is well known for its beautiful open air landscape and cosmopolitan nightlife. Mykonos is a popular gay summer destination; some consider it to be "the ultimate gay destination". Read more... |
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Transgender Leaders Have The Power Two of America's most prominent transgender rights activists also came out in strong support of this grass roots initiative to extend full civil rights protections to transgender people.
 Melissa Sklarz, who is both the Director of the New York Trans Rights Organization and Board Co-Chair of National Stonewall Democrats said "We would like to thank the Civil Rights Project and the The Power for this moment. Transgender identity is not covered in court by sexual orientation, not in 1974 and not today. Trans people lose case after case as lawyers easily prove that changing gender identity is different than being gay and not protected. Simple additional language to the Civil Rights Act can ensure that all Americans are legally protected in America, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity."
Babs Saperstein, the Director of the Gender Rights Advocacy Association of New Jersey said, ""I congratulate ThePoweronline.org for their efforts in expanding the Civil Rights Act to include all LGBT people. In 2007 we saw our community come together to fight against the divisive actions of some in the Beltway. We can work together, we can do more! The seeds for a new paradigm were planted and now focusing on this Act, while we make sure to take care of the matters at hand, extends our reach and our goals for true, meaningful, and comprehensive equality!"
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Action: Invite Your Friends to Join You
The most vital thing you can do to help make inclusion of LGBT people in the Civil Rights Act a reality is ask your friends, family, and colleagues to join you in demanding full equality now. To help you out, here is a letter you can cut and paste into an email.
Dear Friends,
Please forgive the mass mailing. I have a very important request for you. I am fighting to expand the Civil Rights Act to make it illegal to discriminate based on LGBT status. Congressman Jerrold Nadler says his office is drafting legislation that would do this. But to make it a reality, we need to be able to show all members of Congress that there will be public support for this bill. This is very important to me. Please take a minute to to sign the petition at www.ThePowerOnline.org and spread the word to everyone you know.
Thank you!
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Nobel Peace Prize Nominee Says "Today is always the right time for civil rights."  Many people have said that pushing for rapid repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act, an immediate end to Don't Ask Don't Tell, Hate Crimes, and passage of the Uniting American Families Act is asking for too much too soon, especially when the government is so busy trying to deal with the economy and healthcare. Mandy Carter, an African-American lesbian activist with a 40-year movement history in social, racial and lebigaytrans justice organizing who was nominated for a 2005 Nobel Peace Prize for her work sends a different message.
In a statement endorsing The Power Petition, Carter addressed these concerns saying, "Some say this is the time to focus on jobs, peace and heath care rather then gay rights. We must answer that civil rights has always been about jobs, peace and the health and welfare of humankind. Today is always the right time for civil rights. The only wrong time is tomorrow. I call on everyone to join me and to sign this petition."
Too read Mandy Carter's full statement, click here. |
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Rep. Carolyn Maloney: Workplace Protections Are Not Enough
 Clearly referencing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which some organizations suggest is the outer limit of what LGBT people can hope to achieve, Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) marked the launch of the Power Petition by declaring, "I am proud to support the effort to expand federal civil rights law to include sexual orientation as a protected category in areas such as housing and public accommodations. Equal rights do not stop at the workplace door, and it is high time that the principle of equality was extended to lesbians, gay men, bisexuals and transgender persons in every aspect of our society and our laws." |
The New York Blade Halts Publication With Cover Story on The Power  It is with pride and sadness that we report that our local media sponsor, The New York Blade, featured The Power as the cover story of its Pride issue, which was also its last issue. Reporter Trenton Straube reports on the state of the LGBT rights movement, its history going back to Stonewall, and how you, as a supporter of The Power are sending a new message to Washington that the time for full equality is now. To read the full story click here.
Thanks to Matthew Bank, Gary Lacinsky, and everyone at The New York Blade and HX for all your support and for living out the principle that every one of us has a role to play in the struggle for full equality. |
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Please Support Our Affiliates
Our affiliates are companies and organizations that promote The Power Petition on their websites and using their mailing lists. We thank them for their commitment to equality and for their efforts to build support for inclusion of LGBT people in the Civil Rights Act.
Most trusted GLBT news source since 1969. Read the Washington Blade in print every Friday or on line with breaking news every day at www.washblade.com. Edge New York
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 Civil Rights Front
Civil Rights Front is an all inclusive, direct action group working towards marriage equality and full civil rights for the LGBTQ community. We believe true equality can be achieved by educating people about the challenges we face; organizing our community and allies; and encouraging our government to change discriminatory legislation. We hope to bring LGBTQ organizations, leaders, supporters, and community members together to ensure that a strong and unified voice is heard. We have a lot of work to do, and we can't do it alone.  Spin Cycle SpinCycleNYC.com is YOUR guide to New York City's downtown scene -- clubs, theaters, bars, parties and much, much more! Sign up to receive updates on parties and shows, special promotions and invitations to celebrity events.
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Lastly, remember that The Power is you. It is you emailing all your friends to tell them to sign the petition. It is you organizing in your community to convince your representatives to support expansion of the Civil Rights Act. When each of us reaches out to the people in our lives and asks them to join with us, that is when we will change the world.
Sincerely,
Jeff Campagna
The Power |
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