Sat 29 Jul 00 0:55
Note from Ross: These assholes don't give up, do they? (BTW,
doesn't some of these assholes remind any of you of a few people
here?)
Opponents target November election
Staff Writer
MONTPELIER - "Remember in November - Take back Vermont" was
the rallying cry as nearly 130 opponents of civil unions rallied on
the State House lawn Saturday morning.
"This is a day of rejoicing for but a small minority of Vermont
citizens. It's a very sad reminder of the arrogance of the House
and Senate leadership and the arrogance of the Dean administration
in the face of the majority of Vermonters' strong and vocal public
opposition to the civil unions legislation," said Craig Bensen,
vice president of Take It to the People and pastor of the
Cambridge United Church. "I'm wondering why the Vermont state flag
isn't flying at half mast."
Bensen and other speakers urged civil union opponents to register
voters and support politicians who would overturn the law next year,
and to oust the legislators who supported the law, including Gov.
Howard Dean. Anti-civil unions candidates worked the crowd for
signatures on their petitions, while volunteers handed out
literature under the blazing sun.
Steven Cable of Rutland, organizer of Who Would Have Thought, linked
homosexuality to a list of social ills, from decreased use of seatbelts
to increased alcoholism, drug use and AIDS. He also said adult sex
with children is part of a gay "manifesto."
"Further legitimizing homosexuality is just going to put our children in
harm's way," he said.
Cable rejected the labels of prejudice and homophobia that he said some
people put on his views.
"We need to respect all people. I'm against harassment," he said.
"But there's nothing wrong with fearing something that can hurt
you." The Rev. Neal Laybourne, pastor of the Barre Evangelical Free
Church and one of the rally's organizers, said the new law would increase
pressure to teach children in public schools that homosexuality is acceptable.
"Are our kids worth protecting from this kind of impure action?"
he asked, to sounds of approval.
"This is not about live and let live," Laybourne said. "We'd
already been doing that."
Instead, he argued that civil unions elevate same-sex relationships to
the privileged status of traditional marriage, which he said flies in
the face of most Vermonters' values.
Dean was right to call for healing after the law was passed,
Laybourne added, but healing can come only from the law's speedy
repeal. "The good doctor knows you never close up a wound that's
still infected," he said, referring to Dean's background as a general
practitioner. "It's time to make the civil unions bill the shortest-
lived bill in the state of Vermont."
Rep. Oreste Valsangiacomo, D-Barre City, who is not running for
re-election, urged members of the crowd to go door to door to win
support for their cause.
"Democracy is not a spectator sport," he said. "We either
participate or we get the wrong people in office."
"Today we are celebrating the beginning of the end of Act 91,"
he added. "November 7 is the most important election we will ever
have in Vermont." Although the rally was billed as non-religious,
it included an invocation in the name of Jesus Christ. The group also
rose to sing "My Country 'Tis of Thee" and "America the
Beautiful."
People in the crowd shared the organizers' concern about how civil unions
would affect children.
"I don't like them going into the schools and teaching our children it's
all right," said Sandy Raymond of Berlin, who wore a "Take Back
Vermont" T-shirt that matched the one worn by her husband of 40 years,
Gene. "We love (homosexuals), but not their lifestyle."
Robert Haverick of Marshfield attended the rally with his wife and
23-month-old daughter, Summer, who waved an American flag from her
stroller. Haverick opposes the civil unions law because it conflicts
with his moral views, and because he believes it will attract people
with AIDS to the state. "It will put a big drain on the Vermont
medical community and the state budget," he said.
The State House rally was organized late last week to coincide with the
first day of the new civil unions law. But some opponents, such as
Rep. Nancy Sheltra, R-Derby, chose to stay away and spend a quiet
day at home instead. "When Vermonters start seeing these unions take
place, that will be enough to activate the grassroots movement," she
said.
© 1999 Rutland Herald
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ROSS SAUER
Vermont gay bashing
By HEATHER STEPHENSON
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