Proposition 102 News Update

(h/t Vote No On Proposition 102.)

Familiar Feeling

September 27th, 2008

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.

Media Coverage of Faith Leaders’ News Conference

September 26th, 2008

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.

And from the Tucson Citizen:

Local faith leaders took a stand this week against religious extremists who would breach the separation between church and state, and write discrimination against gays into the Arizona Constitution.

About 30 clergymen and clergywomen gathered Tuesday in the sanctuary of Grace St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, 2331 E. Adams St., to urge Arizonans to vote no on Proposition 102, the “Marriage Amendment.”

…

Prop. 102 opponent the Rev. Frank Bergen, who has served as a priest in both the Roman Catholic Jesuit order and the Episcopal Church, said some people think everybody “should be bound by our religious concept of marriage.”

“Uh, uh; not so,” he said. He said his objection to Prop. 102 is actually rooted in religion. “Proposition 102 offends my sense of justice, and my sense of justice comes right out of my religious faith,” Bergen said.

Have You Registered To Vote?

September 23rd, 2008

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.