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Reflexology 101

  

A Cartoon with
Its Own Opinion

   

Ode to National Poetry Month:
The OITM Poetry Contest Winners

 

Volume XV, Number 3

House App

Islanders Say
No to Hate

BY BARBARA Dozrzros

A group of people in north-
western Vermont demonstrat-
ed against what they saw as
hate being expressed in their
community last month.

On the evening of March
12, more than 250 people
gathered in what organizers
called it a walk “against hate
and in support of political tol-
erance.”

The demonstration arose in
response to posters written,
paid for and distributed‘ earli-
er that week by Brian Pearl,
the self-proclaimed Freeman
of Grand Isle, Reform Party
candidate for governor, and
former Libertarian candidate
for Assistant Judge.

Pearl’s posters listed the
names of area residents sup-
portive of the Vermont
Freedom to Marry Task Force
under a heading that read:
“This List of Names are
Those of Yout Neighbors In
South Hero, North Hero,
Grand Isle and Isle La Mott
Who have Publically Joined
Governor Howard Dean in

 

 

 

BY BARBARA DOZETOS

After two long days of
debate, Vermont’s House of
Representatives voted on Mar.
16 to pass H847, the civil
union bill drafted by the cham-
ber’s judiciary committee.

It took more than 12 hours
of speeches, explanations, and
proposed changes to the bill
through its crucial first day of
debate. Late on March 15,
House members voted 79 - 68
to keep the bill alive for anoth-
er reading and a final vote.

One proposed amendment
would have replaced the entire
text of_ the bill with a plan to
call a constitutional convention
during to address the issue of
the Supreme Court decision in
Baker v. Vermont. This effort
was defeated soundly. Many
representatives expressed a
fear that such a move would
open up every part. of the
State’s constitution to change.

Another proposed amend-
ment would have instituted a
three-year process during
which all of the benefits, rights
and privileges of marriage
would be examined separately
and offered one by one, if

_ deemed appropriate, to any two

people otherwise ineligible for

 

April 2000

On March 15 and 16, the House of Represenaives was acked th spectaor for a total of nearly 20 hours

of floor debate on House Bill 847, An Act Relating to Civil Unions.

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ros Civil Rights Bil

    

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marriage.
The amendment’s author,
Peg Flory, R-Pittsford,

addressed member of both par-
ties during caucuses held to
discuss the bill. Flory told
Democrats that the legal status
of marriage was originally set
up to protect the state finan-
cially — to define responsibili-
ties of parents to their children
and to each other, should prob-

Dr. Laura Pulled From Local Station

BY BARBARA DOZETOS

Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s
voice has been silenced in
Vermont and most predict that
she won’t be heard from again
anytime soon.

Jeff Nicholson, WKDR sta-
tion manager, announced late
last month that the Williston-
based AM station would be
dropping the controversial
advice program. He said that
the decision came from the
management’s desire to offer
more local programming.

Louie Manno, whose talk
show will be moving to the
afternoon slot Schlessinger’s
had occupied, said there was
more to it than that. “Dr. Laura
has said some very hateful

things about homosexuals,” he
said, “If she had said them
about any other group of peo-
ple, the whole world would
have been up in arms.”
However, Manno cited a drop
in ratings as the‘ primary reason
behind canceling her show.
“The show has car-accident
appeal,” he said. “Eventually
people become desensitized to
the shocking content and the
crowd disperses.”

In spite of falling ratings,
Manno said Schlessinger
recently increased the fee she
charged to affiliates airing the
program. That combined with
the increased public pressure
to drop her and the real desire
of the station to air more local
voices led to the decision.

Sharon Randall, host and
producer of Vermont Rainbow
Connection, a public access
television show for the GLBT
community, was a leader in the
movement to have
Schlessinger removed from the
state’s airwaves. “I’m so
thrilled that she’s gone,” said
Randall. I’m certain that the
pressure andheat played a part
in this, even if they don’t admit
it.” ,

Schlessinger has gained
national attention recently
since she signed a contract
with Paramount Studios for a
television show that will be
broadcast on Fox television
stations.

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lems arise. Her proposal, she
said, “would take sexual activ-
ity out of the equation.”

Other lawmakers weren’t
swayed. “I’m not talking about
sexual activity,” said Rep. Ann
Seibert, D-Norwich. She told
Flory and the caucus that the
issue before them was about
civil rights, not sex.

During the floor debate on
the amendment, Rep. John

.’5_

Edwards, R-Swanton, asked
Flory, “Would you propose to
legalize discrimination against
anyone whose lifestyle you
disagree with?”

Flory’s amendment failed,
as opponents pointed out the
unwieldy nature of the proposi-
tion and its failure to address
the Supreme Court mandate.
“This amendment doesn’t rec-

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Rep. Francis Brooks, D-Montpelier, (left) delivered a moving speech.
during the first day of the debate. Virginia Renfrew (right) is one of the
lobbyists working for the passage of the civil union bill.

 

photo: Maxwell Stroud