MassNews Staff
June 19, 2002

Everyone will be meeting at the State House today before 1 p.m. in order to get a seat to watch the debate about the Protection of Marriage Amendment, which is scheduled to begin at 2 p.m.

The supporters of the Amendment will be gathering on the edge of the Common directly across Beacon Street from the front steps of the Capital. They will be given badges for easy identification and will then move on to the State House.

Sen. Tom Birmingham has scheduled the Convention for that time but has not yet announced the agenda for the day.

He is apparently waiting to gauge whether he can pull something sneaky to avoid a vote or whether there will be a large number of citizens in attendance who are watching what he does.

"What a great experience in democracy this will be," says Sarah McVay Pawlick, President of Mass. Citizens for Marriage. "I couldn't think of a better place to bring a teenager to demonstrate that the citizens of a democracy must always be vigilant.

"We're sorry to say that this is the way democracy works in Massachusetts.

"But we are blessed that it will work if we make the effort. If we don't, the politicians will walk right over us. That is why it's so important that many citizens show up today at 1 p.m. at the State House."

A close vote is expected. MCM has advised everyone to be at the Capital by 1 p.m. in order to get seats in the gallery.

"The unanimous decision by the Supreme Judicial Court last week has made it very difficult for any legislator to say with a straight face that this matter should not be sent on to the people for their decision," Pawlick says.

The Court rebuffed the opponents of the Amendment last Thursday by a 7-0 vote. It refused to stop the Amendment from going forward to the voters at the election in November 2004. They said it is an appropriate matter for the voters to be deciding.

"Now, the same opponents who lost their lawsuit in the SJC are very desperate and are urging Sen. Birmingham to break the law and violate the Constitution," Pawlick said.

"They want him to throw in the trash the signatures of the over 100,000 citizens who signed the Marriage Petitions last fall. They are proposing that he unlawfully have the measure die in committee without ever having the vote which is required under the Constitution. If he does allow a vote, they hope for some other shady trick."

There is a lot at stake for Birmingham. The largest and most powerful homosexual group in the country is the Human Rights Campaign. It was started by the heir of the Hormel meat company, James Hormel, who was Clinton's ambassador to Luxembourg.
His homosexual organization raised $275,000 from their annual fundraiser in Boston last year to help their $8 million budget. That event drew 1300 people, including Tom Birmingham. With that much money floating around, everyone understands that Birmingham is impressed.

But on the other hand, the Boston Globe, which has publicly pressured Birmingham to act unlawfully, has reported that Birmingham is leaning toward obeying the law.

"That is why we must have a large turnout," says Pawlick. "There is nothing like the spotlight to keep people honest. A democracy is not a spectator sport. We welcome everyone who feels this measure is important, to be at the State House tomorrow."

If anyone needs transportation or other information, they can obtain it by calling Mass. Citizens for Marriage at 781-647-1942.

Monitors are also needed who will follow a Senator or Rep for the day so that MCM can inform the voters where their legislators were in case they do not show for the Constitutional Convention. Those volunteers should come to the gathering spot on the Common before 1 p.m. to get their ID badge.