After making history in 2006, Arizona voters again have to decide on the definition of marriage.

From the latest issue of the Tucson Weekly:

Kelly Frieders is a Christian, a registered Republican and a straight, married mother of 10-year-old triplets. On paper, Frieders should be a supporter of state Sen. Tim Bee’s run for the U.S. House against Democratic incumbent Gabrielle Giffords.

Instead, Frieders is angry at Bee, because of his efforts to get Proposition 102 on the ballot, a legislature-produced measure sponsored by Bee to constitutionally define marriage in Arizona as legally being between one man and one woman.

Frieders says she doesn’t agree with supporters of Prop 102, who want to make the proposed amendment a religious issue.

“I’m really disappointed. I’m really upset with the direction the Republican Party has gone. I’m a Republican because I believe in less government and being financially conservative. Seems to me Prop 102 is about more government, not less,” Frieders says.

Frieders and others against Prop 102 are also upset that Bee and his fellow legislators ignored the fact that in 2006, Arizona voters narrowly defeated another anti-gay-marriage initiative, Proposition 107.

Read the rest of the article here.

We had a huge turnout of faith leaders in Southern Arizona for Tuesday’s news conference. From the Arizona Daily Star:

Tucson religious leaders who oppose Arizona’s marriage amendment spoke against it Tuesday, with many questioning why the measure is before voters again after it was defeated two years ago.

Rabbi Helen Cohn spoke of Jewish Scriptures in urging people to vote against Proposition 102, which would amend the Arizona Constitution to define marriage as solely between one man and one woman.

…

Cohn said endorsing the amendment based on religious beliefs blurs the line between religious life and secular life. “Legislation based on one group’s religious beliefs is completely contrary to all this country stands for,” she said.

The Rev. Anna Bell, pastor of the Mosaic United Methodist Church, said Arizonans were “clear two years ago” in defeating a similar amendment. She said voters now are “ready for solutions to actual problems.” 

 

“Religious beliefs and values are important to many Arizonans, but no religion should be able to use government enforcement to mandate its beliefs for all of us,” she said.

If not, now is the time to check that item off of your to-do list. There are four easy ways you can do this:

• The easiest way is to register online. If you have a valid Arizona Driver License (or an Arizona non-operating Identification Card), you can register online using the Service Arizona EZ Voter Registration web site.
• You can also download a printable PDF form. Just print out, fill it in, and mail it to the County Recorder of the county in which you are a legal resident.
• You can also request an Arizona Voter Registration Form from your County Recorder.
• Or you can visit your County Recorder’s office and register in person.

Remember, the deadline for registering is midnight on Monday, October 6.

Early voting begins on October 2. You can request an early ballot from your local your County Recorder. To request an early ballot, please see the instructions below for your county.

Apache County: Please call (928) 337-7514.

Cochise County: Please call (520) 432-8354 or (520) 432-8358.

Coconino County: Please call (928) 779-6589 or 800-793-6181.

Gila County: Requests for an early ballot can be made by email by following these instructions.

Graham County: Request a ballot via this online form.

Greenlee County: Download this PDF form print it out, fill it in, and mail it to: Greenlee County Recorder, P.O. Box 1625, Clifton, AZ 85533.

La Paz County: Contact the La Paz County Recorder’s office:

• by phone: (928) 669-6136 or 1-888-526-8685 within the County only
• or by mail: 1112 Joshua Ave., Ste. 201, Parker, AZ 85344.

Maricopa County: Request a ballot via this online form.

Mojave County: Request a ballot via this online form.

Navajo County: Request a ballot via this online form.

Pima County: Request a ballot via this online form.

Pinal County: You can request a ballot via this online form.

Santa Cruz County: Download this PDF form, print it out, fill it in, and mail it to: Santa Cruz County Recorder, 2150 N Congress Drive, Nogales, AZ, 85621.

Yavapai County: Request a ballot via this online form.

Yuma County: Contact the Yuma County Recorder’s Office, 410 S. Maiden Lane, Suite B, Yuma, (928) 373-6034.

Tell Phoenix Politicians to Trust the People

As you know, voters defeated this amendment two years ago. So, why won’t Phoenix politicians listen to us? Do they think we are dumb? In 2006, we voted NO, and now they are back at it again, putting divisive issues on the ballot. We need to stop spending time debating the definition of marriage.

In fact, why aren’t we dealing with more important issues? We would rather focus on issues like health care, immigration, energy policy, and the economy. Arizona has a budget deficit. But what do politicians spend their time debating? Marriage, even though it is already defined as between a man and a woman.

Proponents for this amendment have raised more than $3 million to overturn the will of the voters. With only 45 days left before the election, now is the crucial moment to work together and defeat their efforts again. Please take a few minutes to give a donation online today.

The stakes are high. Please give generously today.

Help make history, again!

You can take action to defeat Prop 102 in your community!

Canvassing: walk and knock! Join 102 walkers against 102.

• Saturday, Oct. 11, 8:30AM-Noon (fabulous lunch included!) at 452 S. Stone Ave (Grijalva Campaign HQ — see map). Email to sign up!

Event table staffing: a great opportunity to share your stories and encourage folks to vote No on 102! Email to sign up!

• Generation Obama, Saturday, Sept. 27, 3-7PM at Armory Park (See map).
• Pride in the Desert, Saturday, Oct. 18, 10AM-5PM at Reid Park (See map).

Phone banking: everyone is excited for this election, so when you call, they are happy to chat! Email to sign up!

• Sundays, Sept. 28, Oct. 5 & Oct. 12, 3-5PM
• Tuesday, Oct. 7, 6-8PM

Walk packet stuffing: help get No on 102 literature in every packet that will go to voters in Southern Arizona.

• Every Friday until the election, 10AM-?, 452 S. Stone Ave (See map).

Sign up today!

Event Held at Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, Tues., Noon

Citing the need to clearly express their opposition to Proposition 102, the so-called “Marriage Amendment,” Southern Arizona faith leaders will gather to speak to the press and the public.

TUESDAY, September 23, at NOON
Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church sanctuary , 2331 E ADAMS ST, Tucson.

Leaders from the Disciples of Christ, United Church of Christ, Presbyterian, Methodist, Episcopalian, Lutheran, Jewish Reformed traditions, and others will process into the sanctuary in formal clerical vestments at noon.

Some of the speakers will include:

• Rev. Pedro Goycolea, pastor of Iglesia Cristiana Centro Vida, a Spanish-speaking congregation in Sahuarita.
• Father Frank Bergen, who has served as a priest in both the Roman Catholic Jesuit Order and the Episcopal Church.
• Rabbi Helen Cohn, a Jewish rabbi who is spiritual leader of Congregation M’kor Hayim in Tucson.
• Rev. John Fife, former national moderator of the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church (USA).
• Rev. Anna Bell, minister at Mosaic United Methodist Church, Tucson.
• Kelly Frieders, a married Republican mother of triplets, and an active Christian lay person.

Everyone is invited. Please join us in your lunch hour and help us support our faith leaders.

Did you see this in the Sept 23 issue of The Advocate?

Now that hope is being put to the test in California, Florida, and once again, Arizona, which all face ballot initiatives against same-sex marriage this election cycle. But while donations are pouring in to defeat the initiatives in the first two states, money is only trickling into Arizona’s gay rights groups. … If donations and attention are the currency of this campaign, marriage equality advocates could be up a creek.

“We’re hearing from individuals who have the money to fight these things that they’re giving to California and Florida because they feel like they can win there — and are skeptical about our chances here,” says Robert Tindall, a Phoenix human resources consultant and board member for the state’s American Civil Liberties Union. Adds Rebecca Wininger, a member of the Phoenix chapter of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, “To say that one fight is more important than another dismisses the other fights.”

Donations and attention are most certainly the currency of this campaign. Arizona turned back a so-called “marriage amendment” in 2006, becoming the first state in the nation to do so at a time when everyone thought it was impossible.

But just because we did this in 2006 doesn’t mean that it will automatically happen again in 2008. We can defeat Prop 102 again, but we cannot do this without your help. Help us preserve your 2006 victory and tell them that when you say no, you really mean no. Please give today, as generously as you can.

Episcopal Bishop Kirk S. Smith of the diocese of Arizona doesn’t see the need for Prop 102:

This proposition, the so-called “Marriage Protection Amendment” left me scratching my head. Doesn’t Arizona law already define marriage as a union between a man and woman, and didn’t voters already reject a similar initiative in the last election? Why are we going through this again?

I urge you to read the arguments on both sides, and you can find them at: http://www.azsos.gov/election/2008/Info/PubPamphlet/english/Prop102.htm. I did, and afterwards I was even more convinced that Prop 102 has nothing to do with upholding marriage and the family — after all, everyone supports that.

You can read the rest of the Right Rev. comments here.

Amended RESOLUTION
(Opposing Ballot Referendum 102)
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT DEFINING MARRIAGE

Whereas: The pursuit for equality is an enduring value of the Arizona State Democratic Party, and

Whereas: The Arizona State Democratic Party supported a similar resolution two years ago, and

Whereas: The Arizona voters voted down a similar ballot initiative just two years ago, and

Whereas: The proponents of said ballot referendum are using this as a tool to raise money and turnout in a cynical manipulation of Arizona’s electoral process.

Whereas: Facing a three-billion dollar budget deficit, the Republican leadership prioritized this issue, violated legislative ethics rules, and failed to adequately address vital issues such as education.

Therefore

Be it resolved: that the Arizona State Democratic Party opposes this ballot referendum which would, if passed, place discriminatory language in our State Constitution.

Be it further resolved: that the Arizona State Democratic Party requests all voters maintain the Arizona tradition of equality by voting against this ballot initiative.