Lavender Green ArchiveHere are links to the items that appear on this long, archive page:
Report on GLBTIQ Issues, Events, Concerns at National Convention: David Strand Hello all, I've been meaning to write this for awhile, so thanks for bearing with me hear. There's a lot of good news out of the convention. First of all, the Lavender Greens caucus was finally fully accredited by a unanimous vote of the Coordinating Committee. Our accreditation and representation on the CC had been provisional since 2002. The Black caucus was also accredited at the national convention. The platform focus this year was on gender variant issues and inclusion of "intersex and queer" alongside "gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender" in the national platform. Intersex and queer have both been added to the national platform despite some initial confusion and miscommunication between the caucus and the platform committee that lead to some historic emails being hunted down to verify communications that had occurred in the past. Inclusion of intersex and queer in the national platform passed unanimously and without controversy after the initial confusion was resolved. A statement was added to the platform clarifying that we support public funding of gender identity related healthcare including, but not limited to, gender reassignment surgery and procedures. Also, a statement was included opposing intersex gential mutilation of children and infants for purely cosmetic reasons. I gave a workshop on gbltiq diversity issues that was rather well attended including some international guests. The first half of the workshop was similar to the workshop I did at Campus Greens convention in 2001 and covered a lot of territory in a short time period with lots of group discussion. I was pleased that at the end of this segment that everyone had learned something(including myself) In line with our focus on gender variant issues at this years convention, the film "Toilet Training" about gender variant people's needs for nongendered public restrooms and how to make spaces more comfortable for gender variant people. Thursday evening there was a gathering of Lavender Greens. We ordered in vegan and vegetarian pizza from a local worker owned cooperative restaurant and met in a conference room at the hotel. It was great to meet Terry Baum who is running for Congress in San Francisco and other openly glbtiq candidates who were in attendance. It was also great to meet many national active Lavender Greens I had only met over email. There was much discussion about the platform issues as those hearings were not until the next day. We did take one official action and appointed David Silva from CA to the national Coordinated Campaign Committee. Otherwise, we talked about things we wanted to see the caucus do. One of the more exciting items to me was a proposal to work to form an international glbtiq green network and eventual appointment of three Lavender Green representatives to the International Committee of the GPUS to move us toward this goal. There were some international representatives present at the convention who thought this was a great idea as some of the other green parties in other countries have existing glbtiq groups. Would some of the other delegates who were there care to share their observations from Saturday and Sunday? I know that Mayor Jason West spoke and I was sorry to have missed his speech. David Strand, MN Lavender Greens
Wisconsin Greens To Hold Spring Gathering at the Civic Center (15 April 2004) Join the April 17th Civil Marriage Equality Coalition March for Equal Rights Greens rally to protest Marriage Protection Amendment to the state constitution The Wisconsin Green Party will be holding its Spring Gathering at the Madison Civic Center this coming weekend, April 16th to 18th. The WGP holds 3 state organizational membership meetings each year: Spring Gathering, Summer Gathering, and Fall Gathering. During this Gathering, the party will be choosing delegates to the Presidential Nominating Convention of the Green Party of the United States, to be held in Milwaukee, June 23 to 28th. Other business to be conducted: proposed constitutional changes, committee reports, identity caucus meetings, and workshops. The Wisconsin Green Party has 4 identity caucuses:, each designed to empower and advance the interests of the group represented: Women, diversity, Youth, and Lavender. The Lavender Caucus represents Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgendered Greens. The Civil Marriage Equality Coalition is a new organization recently formed in Dane county to fight the manedment to our state constitution banning gay marriage. The Four Lakes Green party of Dane County (the local affiliate of the Wisconsin Green party) is among the member organizations. The coalition has called for a march on Saturday, April 17, beginning at UW's Library Mall at 12:30pm. The march's route up State Street takes it past the Madison Civic Center, where Wisconsin Greens will join the march to the Capitol and participate in the rally on the steps to our statehouse. Coincidently, the march was organized at the same time as the scheduled meeting of the Lavender Caucus, as well as an allies' workshop, where WIGP members would have an opportunity to discuss ways to support the mission of the Lavender Caucus. "I can't think of any better way to support the mission of the Lavender Caucus than for us to join in this effort to speak up for justice and equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgendered, and all people" said Jill Bussiere, Wisconsin Green Party Co-Spokesperson. "This is a wonderful opportunity for us to take action on an extremely important issue - one whose time has finally come." "There has been a long history of discrimination against gay and lesbian people in the United States," said Dennis Bergren, Chair of the Lavender Caucus. "This Marriage Amendment is one of the severest anti-gay measures in the country and would erase the progress of the last half century of struggle. It is divisive and mean spirited and another attempt to demonize LGBT citizens and deny them equal rights. It is especially sad to see Wisconsin, who 20 years ago took the lead in adding sexual orientation to its non-discrimination laws, now dramatically turning backwards and trying to codify discrimination in the constitution. This amendment is a threat to every minority which the constitution was designed to protect. I look forward to the day when "with liberty and justice for all" is not just a mouthing of words but a reality in this country." Ben Manski, member of Four Lakes Green Party and Co-Chair of the Green Party of the United States, will be a speaker at the rally, which will reach the capitol at 1:15 PM. The Wisconsin Green Party stands on the four pillars of Ecological Wisdon, Social Justice, Grassroots Democracy, and Nonviolence.
PRESS RELEASE (8 March 2004): Wisconsin Green Party Urges State Senators to Vote Against Constitutional Amendment to Ban Gay Marriage. Party Warns State Senate Democrats: Vote for the Amendment and You Will be Opposed by a Green in November. The Wisconsin Green Party today announced that it will begin preparations to oppose in November's election any Democratic state senator who votes for the constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage on Tuesday. Dennis Bergren of Cottage Grove, convenor of the Wisconsin Green Party's Lavender Greens Caucus for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered individuals, noted "In last week's vote in the state Assembly, 12 Democrats voted for this mean spirited attack on the rights of all Wisconsin consenting adults to marry the person of their choice. We hope that Democrats in the State Senate are more sensible." The Wisconsin Green Party believes in equal rights for all Wisconsin residents. Support for gay marriage is a part of the Green Party platform: "Wisconsin Greens support the right of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people to be treated equally with all other people, in all areas of life, including in housing, employment, civil marriage and benefits, and child custody." "The Green Party advocates for the basic rights of all people, consistent with our philosophy of social justice," said Jill Bussiere, WGP Co-Spokesperson. "When the rights of any people or group are limited, we are all diminished. We are against any changes to the Wisconsin Constitution that would limit rights, and a ban on gay marriage would indeed be such a change." "Wisconsin's motto is 'Forward!', not 'Backward.' This ban is not just out-of-step with the Wisconsin tradition, it is an insult to that tradition. Wisconsinites have always honored civil rights and fought hatred, and we must continue to do so." said Ben Manski, a Wisconsin Green and co-chair of the Green Party of the United States. The Wisconsin Green Party stands on the four pillars of Ecological Wisdom, Social Justice, Grassroots Democracy, and Nonviolence. Contacts: Dennis Bergren, Lavender Greens Caucus: 608-839-4060, and Jill Bussiere, Wisconsin Green Party Co-spokesperson: 920-388-0529 For more information, go to: The Wisconsin Green Party and The Green Party of the United States
Dennis Bergren's letter to The Capital Times and Time Magazine, January 2004 (published in The Capital Times, but not by Time) Congressman Rangel, Prof. Moskos, and Senator Inhofe [Time Magazine Jan. 5, 04] support reinstating the draft "for every man and woman aged 18 to 26 who does not have a physical or mental disability". I would point out that this definition also includes gay men and lesbians. What would that mean for "Don't Ask, Don't Tell?" 1) They could add the proviso "except for gay men and lesbians", but this would institute a privileged class contrary to its claimed democratic purpose. Plus, we could anticipate a drastic jump in the number of people who claim a homosexual orientation. 2) The military could send gay men and lesbians to fight until the war was over and then kick them out as they have historically done, a not very admirable nor democratic policy of our military and government. (The administration has directed the military to suspend all proceedings against GLBT personnel for the duration of hostilities in Afghanistan and Iraq.) 3) The government could grant full citizenship responsibilities and rights to ALL citizens -- yes, that would include gay men and lesbians -- and scrap the highly discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy for the sham it is. Dennis Bergren Cottage Grove, WI
Thurs. July 10, 2003 The Capital Times Backing Sodomy Laws for gays is Indeed Bigotry David Konkol's letter "We strike down sodomy laws at our moral peril" (Voice of the People, July 5-6, 2003) defended the Texas sodomy law and lauded the anti-gay pronouncements of Senators Santorum and Frist citing their "problem with homosexual acts" on moral grounds. He overlooks the fact that Texas (as well as most of the other states whose supreme courts had overturned their sodomy laws) had already legalized sodomy (oral and anal sex) for heterosexuals whether married or not. It wasn't the sexual acts that were illegal, it was who was doing them. They were criminal acts only for gay people, no problem for heterosexuals. So yes, Mr. Konkel, Senators Santorum and Frist, it is bigotry when you criminalize behavior for one segment of the population that is completely legal for everyone else. It is bigotry, hypocrisy, and, I would say, the height of immorality. If you have problems with "homosexual acts", don't do them. If you object to same-sex marriage, then don't marry someone of the same sex. No one is asking you to. At the same time, mind your own business, get out of other people's bedrooms and stop trying to control other people's lives and loves. Dennis Bergren Cottage Grove
Madison Rally Celebrates Overturn of Texas Sodomy Laws (June 2003) On June 26, 2003, the US Supreme Court announced the unconstitutionality of the Texas Sodomy laws and of all state deviancy laws targeting same sex behavior. OutReach, the GLBT Center of Madison, called a rally on the City-County Courthouse steps to celebrate this momentous decision. Here are two of the speeches given at the rally: (1) Megan Mueller, member of 4-Lakes Green Party Rally: Thurs. June 26, 2003 City County Bldg. Madison Good evening. My name is Megan Mueller and I'm here as a representative of the Four Lakes Green Party of Dane County to express our full solidarity with and support of the LGBT community. One of the four main tenants of the Green Party is social justice including respect fot diversity and human rights. The Green Party supports equal rights and civill liberties for all individuals and honors cultural, ethnic, racial, sexual, religious, political, biological, and spiritual diversity. The Green Party also strongly supports same-sex marriages. In 1960 all fifty states had anti-sodomy laws. Twenty years ago the state of Wisconsin had anti-sodomy laws. Yesterday, thirteen states had anti-sodomy laws. Today, be they homosexual or heterosexual, all couples in all states can enjoy sexual freedom in the privacy of their own homes. I am very pleased with today's supreme court desicion. However, I don't view today's desicion as a huge step forward, but rather the avoidance of a huge step backwards. In my opinion the U.S. struggling to stay afloat in the relm of civil liberties, or as my roomate puts it, "we're in civil liberties purgatory". Today was a victory and hopefully the recognition of same sex marriages will be a victory soon to follow. Thank you all for coming out to the rally this evening. Be well, and may we all go home and celebrate privately, in what ever fitting manner comes to mind. (2) Kyle Richmond, Dane County Board Supervisor, Lavender Green Rally: Thurs. June 26, 2003 City County Bldg. Madison Wow! This truly is a great country, huh? We've finally got the right to hump in Texas! Woo-hoo! But before we celebrate, we shouldn't pass up a great opportunity to talk about sodomy in public, right? According to Webster's New World College Dictionary, sodomy is "any sexual intercourse held to be abnormal, especially beastiality or anal intercourse between two male persons." A sodomite is "any person who practices sodomy." So I just want to be clear, up to today, could I be called a sodomite in Texas if I was no longer practicing, but had already been licensed and certified? Yes or no?! And you know what? Heterosexuals in Texas were already allowed to have anal intercourse, so apparently the guy who got it up the butt from his wife was an upstanding member of the community, but the rest of us were criminals! I guess that's called trying to preserve the sanctity of sodomy, huh?? I want to remind you that this was a 6 to 3 decision, and the dissenting opinions on this Supreme Court -- those from Chief Justice Rehnquist, Justice Thomas and Justice Scalia -- are coming from the same tyrannical, so-called majority that likes to tell us how to have sex, who to have it with, or what pleasures are or are not valid. It's the same hypocritical group that doesn't quite feel "comfortable" with us.in other words, they're just not comfortable with everyone having the rights they have! Well, guess what?? I'm not comfortable being oppressed by a large group of people who think their religions, traditions or prejudices allow them to make me a second class citizen or a criminal! I'm sick of it! Justice Scalia went so far as to say the Supreme Court has now endorsed the "homosexual agenda"! To him I say, "That's right buddy!! The homosexuals I know believe in equal protection under the law and equal rights for all people, and if that's the homosexual agenda in this country, the Supreme Court should have gotten on board a long time ago!!!" By the way, I just want you to know that Justice Sandra O'Connor sided with the majority only on the argument that it was unfair to punish oral and anal sex between homosexuals but not the same conduct between heterosexuals. Equal punishment for all.it kind of gives you an idea what kind of gal Sandra is, huh? Justice Scalia also said this decision could lead to, and I quote, "judicial imposition of homosexual marriage, as has recently occurred in Canada." My response to that? I didn't say it, you did! Even Justice Scalia apparently agrees that good sodomy can lead to a long-term relationship, huh? So let's talk about that! We're constantly told we're not allowed to get married because that would upset the sanctity of heterosexual marriage. As someone else asked the other day, are those the same heterosexuals who get married in those humiliating, cattle-call game shows? The same heterosexuals in that inane Seagrams 7 commercial -- you know, Jim and Joe and Mary and Molly, who go out and get drunk, get married and produce Tim and Tom and Jill and Jan.gosh, I had no idea drunken sex behavior was sanctified anywhere outside the Big Ten. Or maybe it's the same heterosexual marriage sanctity they're preserving when we allow minors with parental consent, people who are not yet United States citizens or convicted felons to get hitched in this country but won't allow adult citizens of the same gender who've never broken the law and daily contribute to their communities to be married! Maybe it's THAT sanctity of marriage!! I was planning a wild Texas sex vacation this summer, complete with orange prison jumpsuit, but now the Supreme Court has ruined the excitement for me. Now I'm considering a more conservative vacation in Ontario! Ontario, that bastion of perversion! Well, our northern neighbor has finally gotten the clue that equal actually does mean equal, and I hope the State of Wisconsin and the people in this building behind me get the clue soon too!! I want equal rights and I want them now! Do you want equal rights?! Yes or no?! When do you want them?? The sexual minority communities on this earth put up with a lot, but as long as we're going to continue to be oppressed, we need to do what we do so well.make things fun and exciting anyway! So next time you're out in public with your partner, or your girlfriend or your boyfriend -- or all three of them -- you should say loudly, "Hey honey?! Can we do it Canadian style tonight?! I'm so sick of wearing that orange jumpsuit!!" Seriously.I urge all of you to keep fighting for the rights others already have and also to challenge your heterosexual friends to support you fully as a person, a citizen and a sexual being. Thank you!
Lavender Green Program Suggestions Notes from Dane Co. Lavender Green meeting of June 3, 2003, offered here so other groups across the state can use/adapt the enclosed suggestions as they see fit if they wish. The task at hand: the role of the Lavender Greens in the party and the LGBT community. There was general agreement that we should concentrate on local issues, i.e. for us , in Madison and Dane County. As to whether we would concentrate on social or political issues, it seemed that things important to us would entail both areas and, in general, require a multidirectional approach. These are some of the topics / actions that were proposed: Dane County Executive Kathleen Falk would apparently be willing to appoint a LGBT liaison if the money were there. Lacking that, perhaps we could suggest issues of importance to her and volunteer as members of a task force or offer to find members to do the foot work on a given issue. We can suggest ordinances to our elected representatives and perhaps help prepare them. For the time being, we can work through Progressive Dane and the Four Lakes Greens in candidate selection. We can let them know of issues/ positions that are important to us which they can consider in endorsing candidates. We should investigate working together with Action Wisconsin in many situations. The Lavender Greens can be a constant presence in the media to remind people of/ represent LGBT perspectives on current issues. We should be in the forefront of speaking out against organizations/ ordinances that do not consider LGBT needs and supporting those that do. In the long run we need to mobilize the LGBT vote to promote LGBT causes and to counter right-wing attacks on our community. In general, we need to promote volunteerism and participation in voting and causes. We need to reach out to people of color. We discussed at length the idea of growth through working on a signature issue or specific project. By bringing together people interested in working on the project it is hoped that they would join our organization. Various projects were suggested:
Obviously, there is a lot of work that needs to be done and a definite place for the Lavender Greens to take a leadership role. It would be nice if we had several work projects going on at the same time in committees. Please volunteer for how/where you would like to be involved. Things that need to be done:
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