Meeting and Things

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

We are meeting tonight at 7 p.m. in #311 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!

Hope to see you. Bring a friend or family member.

After tonight's meeting we will send to PFLAG National our memberships for 2009-2010. If you would like to renew your membership or start a membership, you can do so this evening.

Obviously, no one has to be a member to attend or participate in our activities, but it is a way we collect funds to do our work and it connects you with PFLAG national.

Here is the information about that.

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Thanks to Evan Baker of LGBTieS for information about events surrounding World AIDS Day, December 1st:

What’s going on:
•Bake sale in the Culp (Tuesday 12/1) 11AM- 1 PM
All proceeds go to the HIV Network to help individuals with HIV/AIDS whose insurance has been cut
Items include assorted cookies, brownies, muffins, and cakes

•Free give-aways (Tuesday 12/1) 11AM- 1 PM
There will be a booth with information on testing, how HIV/AIDS could affect you, and best of all, free bags with candy & condoms

•Free movie (Wednesday 12/2) 6 PM
“A Closer Walk” a film about the global AIDS epidemic which includes appearances by the Dalai Lama & U2’s Bono
Dec. 2nd in the Martha Street Culp Center Auditorium @ 6 PM open to faculty/staff, students, and ANYONE who wants to come

•Free Testing (Wednesday 12/2) 11 AM- 3 PM
HOPE for TN will be coming to provide testing for HIV in the Culp Center from 11AM- 3 PM
ALL TESTING WILL BE CONFIDENTIAL!
Testing will be done by oral swabbing and results within minutes
Testing will also be available at the Johnson City Mall in the Health Resource Center (in front of the downstairs Belk) Tuesday from 12-5 PM

•Candlelight, Prayer, and Reflection Service
•7 pm to 8:30 pm
•Munsey Memorial United Methodist Church
201 East Market Street
Johnson City, TN 37605

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In regards to advocacy, congress is considering the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Today, November 19th is national call-in day.

PFLAG National is encouraging PFLAGer to contact congress.

You are invited to call your representative today at 202-224-3121 and encourage passage of HR 3017.

We have a lot of work to do regarding education. There is a great deal of misinformation out there, unfortunately, including from our own members of congress.

Joe Rhymer of TEP Tri-Cities contacted Phil Roe and received this reply regarding ENDA:

Dear Mr. Rhymer,

Thank you for contacting me regarding proposed legislation governing sexual orientation in the workplace. I appreciate your views, which help inform and guide me in Congress.

Our nation has strong discrimination laws in place under Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act that protects employees from discrimination based on race, color, religion, national origin, or sex. I have three fundamental problems with the so-called Employee Non-Discrimination Act - that would extend these protections to sexual orientation - and would therefore oppose it if it comes to the House floor. As you may know, this legislation passed the House in 2007 but has never been considered by the Senate.

First, the legislation interferes with the free exercise of religion, a principle that has been embedded in our laws since our country's founding. The language in the bill is inconsistent with a religious exemption in Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. It is clear the bill's drafters intended to create more federal interference for businesses, schools and community service organizations operated by religious institutions.

Second, the bill prohibits discrimination based on "actual or perceived sexual orientation." Because there is no definition of "perceived" in the bill, employers are almost certain to see a flood of frivolous litigation flood our court system. This standard could be applied so broadly and loosely that employers will have a difficult time defending themselves.

Finally, provisions in the bill appear to be targeting states that prohibit same-sex marriage.

Employers in states that prohibit same-sex marriage could not ask about marital status, despite a lack of evidence that such a prohibition is necessary. Since there is no explanation as to why only these states are prohibited from asking about marital status, it seems clear that the intention is to undermine the traditional definition of marriage.

Given that I am concerned the consequences of this bill have not been thoroughly examined, I cannot support a bill that could undermine freedoms that make our nation great.

Again, I thank you for your opinions and look forward to serving you. Please do not hesitate to contact my office in the future. If you would be interested in receiving my e-newsletter, or for further information, please visit my website at www.roe.house.gov to sign up or contact me.

Sincerely,

David P. Roe
Member of Congress

***

I can think of a number of responses to Rep. Roe, including a definition of "freedom" but you might want to do that yourself.

You can contact Phil Roe directly at 202-225-6356. This is what he has on his webpage:

"If you'd like to contact me about a legislative issue, please e-mail me; or phone me at (202) 225-6356; or mail me a note."

You can do it via email, but a call is much more effective. You will get a staff member. Simply tell the staff person you support ENDA, HR 3017 and that your representative should as well.

Once you make your call, the Human Rights Campaign asks you to contact them.

***

See you tonight!
John Shuck, Secretary

Lisa Larges Approved for Ordination in Presbyterian Church

San Francisco Presbytery was all a twitter last night as Lisa Larges was approved for ordination by a vote of 156 to 138. That All May Freely Serve (TAMFS) was also approved as a validated ministry of the presbytery. That vote was 157 to 147.




In a polarized presbytery in a polarized denomination, Lisa Larges completed another chapter in her 23 year quest to serve the church as an ordained minister of word and sacrament.

Her last statement before the vote on her ordination:


"My call is to follow Jesus Christ and live my life with integrity."




Indeed. Thank you, Lisa, for your witness.

I have posted on her journey previously.

Lisa Larges on Trial
Lisa Larges Approved!
Lisa Larges in LA Times
More Links Regarding Lisa Larges
Lisa Larges' Statement of Conscience
Church Has Opportunity to do the Right Thing

Time to Join or Renew!

Hi Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Now is the time to renew your membership to PFLAG Tri-Cities or to join for the first time! All memberships expire in October and need to be renewed. Your membership is only $25 and it makes you a member of PFLAG National.

Here is what you do:

1) Send a check for $25 to the address below (or bring a check or cash to our November 19th meeting).

2) Make sure we have your information (either by filling the form on our webpage and sending it with your check) or by emailing pflagtricities [at] yahoo [dot] com

We are going to send in our list of members to PFLAG National after the November 19th meeting, so it would be awesome if you could be on that list!!

Of course, you can always make additional donations to PFLAG Tri-Cities as well

For inspiration, here is a letter from Kerry!

PFLAG Tri-Cities (Johnson City, Kingsport, Bristol)
P.O. Box 442
Mountain Home, TN 37684

October 22nd, 2009

Dear Friend,

You are receiving this letter because of your interest and commitment to equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. More and more people in Northeast Tennessee and Southwest Virginia are standing up and speaking out. PFLAG Tri-Cities was formed in April 2008 to provide support, education, and advocacy for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. We have two main purposes: to provide a support community for all individuals who have a GLBT person in their life and to provide support to GLBT and questioning people.

PFLAG Tri-Cities has an important on-line presence including e-mail (pflagtricities at yahoo dot com), a website (www.pflagtricities.org), weblog (www.pflagtricities.blogspot.com), and Yahoo! discussion group. We are also on Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace. Most of our communication is done on-line.

Highlights from our first 1 ½ years include creating a list of GLBT friendly businesses on our website and weblog, hosting Lambda Legal at a PFLAG meeting, staffing a booth at the Blue Plum Festival, meeting with the Society of Professional Journalists regarding fair and accurate reporting of issues pertinent to GLBT people, and advocating for equal benefits for GLBT individuals at Eastman Chemical.

And we want to do much, much more. We want to reach out to faith communities, agencies, schools, businesses, and local governments to make the Tri-Cities a place where all people are valued and treated equally. Will you join us?

You can become a member of PFLAG Tri-Cities for only $25 for your household. $15 of that will go to PFLAG National making you a full member of PFLAG National and $10 will go toward the work of PFLAG Tri-Cities. Your membership will be good until October 2010.

In addition to becoming a member, we appreciate any tax deductible donation to the work of PFLAG Tri-Cities you may wish to make. With your financial support we are able to continue our important work.

Please return the form and a check for $25 (or whatever amount you can afford) to the address below.

Thank you for your support,

Kerry L. Holland, Ph.D.

President, PFLAG Tri-Cities

Thanks, Kerry! And thanks to all of you! You are the tops!

John Shuck, Secretary

Reminder for Film and Other Things

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Final reminder about the film,

For the Bible Tells Me So, Sunday at 7 pm at First Presbyterian, Elizabethton

Here is the info.

I just saw the film again Thursday. Wow. Powerful. Invite family members and friends as it tells the lives of five families.

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LGBTieS is doing great work. Want to make sure you know what they have coming up. On October 27th they will present, Gay History 101!

"After our last few meetings, I concluded this: collectively, we have a very small amount of knowledge on the history of our LGBTQ History-myself included. I decided that that is simply unacceptable. Within other cultures, so much importance and pride is place on where those individuals have came from, the fights they have had to fight, and the soldiers they have lost along the way. Now is our time to learn our history! Now is our time to look back and see where we started, and just how far we have come! I’m currently working on a PowerPoint Presentation for our next meeting. I’ve actually worked on it for 4 days, and am at best, half finished. In other words, I’m not taking this likely! I’m doing this for you all, and would love to see each and every one of you all at our next meeting, October 27th, 7:00 p.m., Rogers Stout room 118!

The PowerPoint well feature 3 different parts-a brief history, timeline style, a list of LGBTQ organizations that exist today and their functions, and last, definitions of symbols and terminology from our history! I know it sounds like a long boring lecture, but I implore you to attend-it is so important to know our history! Come and be empowered!

Evan Baker, President-LGBTieS"

Thanks, Evan! Make sure to connect with LGBTieS via their Facebook page so you can keep up to date with our friends at ETSU.

***

Here is a post that includes narrative and some pics by Beth and Stacey at the National Equality March.

***

Big news in the Senate, eh?

We are getting there, one law at a time...

Peace,
john

PFLAGers at the March!

Here is a report and some pics by PFLAGers Stacey and Beth who attended the National Equality March in Washington D.C.

The March…
“full and equal protection for LGBT people in all matters governed by civil law in all 50 states”
“the march is just the beginning”

The fun began on the Metro just prior to noon on Sunday, the 11th…where anyone wearing a rainbow or a “Hello Kitty” sticker was clearly going to the same place…the corner of 15th and I Streets. People looked out for each other that day…like when a large group was on the wrong Metro…the yellow line instead of orange…someone in the crowd yelled “If you’re gay, get off now!!!” We got off…soon found the orange line…and made it to the crowd.


Joining the hundreds of thousands of people also gathered at the same corner of 15th and I streets, one might expect to be filled with anxiety! But quite the opposite, it felt open and calming and a wonderful blending of energy with these people all with the same focus.


It is difficult to put into words…suffice to say that the beauty that radiated from each individual person in that march was exquisite.





There were families with children…babies being carried, children in strollers…screen actors guild…straight families, gay families, young people, old people, pflag, socialist workers, church groups, Methodists, Unitarians…the list goes on.



Also striking was what wasn’t present at the march. Unlike what one might expect with a wonderfully typical Pride Parade – a variety of scantily clad men and women, drag queens, flamboyant and outrageous costumes, etc.




– it was overwhelmingly everyday people…coming together with their friends, loved ones, families, and perfect strangers to make a difference.




Estimates give 200,000 as the number of people, but it felt like a million on the ground making their way the 2.33 miles from I to H Streets, on to Pennsylvania Avenue, past the White House, to the Capitol building. It felt like a million people in part because of the time it took for the march to begin. It started at noon, and from where we stood toward the back of the crowd marching did not begin until after 1:30pm. Once we made it to the destination of the Capitol lawn, there still were seven blocks of marchers behind us.

Once the march concluded on the Capitol lawn, an equality rally was held, with a host of speakers including Matthew Shepherd’s mother, Cynthia Nixon, Cleve Jones, among others.






Dan Choi spoke of the need for repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. He emphatically repeated three times, getting louder with each time, “I Will Tell” “I Will Tell” “I Will Tell”. It was so inspiring to hear these words from him, knowing what he has been through. He had such conviction in his voice…and it was urging the crowd to join with him in telling.


An 18 year old young man … .
One of two that received an award…
Could hear the remorse in his voice - remorse for not responding two years ago the way he would have liked to an incident in which a gay friend was the focus of verbal attack (belittling, humiliating). And so now he is doing what he can to lead a movement of young straight allies to work for the cause… It was moving to hear him, because of his conviction to make a difference but more because of his youth…knowing he is so passionate about this cause…it just felt like he would in fact make a difference…and that he would be in this movement and politics for years to come.

News and Stuff

Hey Friends of PFLAG Tri-Cities!

I don't think a meeting goes by when someone doesn't bring up religion. We all know that religion can serve as a barrier to acceptance and equality (although not always). A great film that addresses that situation is "For the Bible Tells Me So."

First Presbyterian Church of Elizabethton has purchased the rights to host screenings of this film and they are inviting our PFLAG, LGBTieS, and TEP friends to come and watch it Sunday, October 25th at 7 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church, 119 West F Street, Elizabethton, TN 37643.

Here is a map.

This is not open to the public at large, but to invited friends (of which you are in that number). You can invite your friends too.

Anyone game for bringing snacks?

During the screening (and after if necessary), we are having an envelope stuffing party to send out our membership drive letters. It'll be fun. By the way, go to the PFLAG Tri-Cities web page for info on our membership drive!


***

We had a great meeting this past Thursday. We saw slideshows from Scott, Stacey and Beth about their trip to Washington DC for the Equality March. I plan to get something up on the blog and/or website this week. Check out this great youtube of excerpts of the speeches.

Adam presented a sample PFLAG powerpoint that we can use when we make presentations about PFLAG in the community. Adam and a few other folks will be tweaking that. Great job!

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Our next meeting is Thursday, November 19th at 7 p.m. at #311 Warf-Pickel at ETSU!

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LGBTieS meets weekly. Their next meeting is Tuesday, October 20th at 7 pm in #224 Rogers-Stout at ETSU.

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TEP Meets next on November 12th, location to be determined.

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The World AIDS Day Committee has been meeting for the past several months to plan events for December 2, 2009. Sally Dillon asked me to share this with PFLAG folks hoping we will participate:

"Next meeting of the World AIDS Day committee is November 6th at the Northeast Tennessee Regional Health Office, 2nd floor conference room, from 10:30 until noon. The NETRHO is located at 1233 Southwest Avenue Extension in JC (up the hill from the ETSU library and near married student housing). Public entrance is near the flagpole! Anyone and everyone involved in our community is welcome to participate.

Any questions, feel free to call me at 979-4606. Leave a message and I will call back. I am out of the office every day this week doing home visits in surrounding counties but check my voice messages throughout the day."

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Hope to see you Sunday!

John, the Secretary

Fall Membership Drive

Now is the time to renew your membership or start a new membership to PFLAG! You can become an at-large member of PFLAG national for $50. Here's how.

But if you join through PFLAG Tri-Cities it is only $25. Fifteen dollars will go to national and ten to PFLAG Tri-Cities. What could you do with the extra $25? Well...you could make a donation to PFLAG Tri-Cities!

Either way it is win-win for support, education, and advocacy.

All memberships expire at the same time, October of each year. If you have joined PFLAG Tri-Cities last year, your membership needs to be renewed. If you have never joined PFLAG there is no better time than the present!

Here is what you do:

Go to the website, open the form, print it, fill it out, send it with your check for $25 to

PFLAG Tri-Cities
P.O. Box 442
Mountain Home, TN 37684

You can make a larger contribution too. It will be most welcome.