Civil & Human Rights

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

What will all the Anglophiles in America do now? If Parliament and Her Majesty the Queen can sign off on same-sex marriage in Great Britain, what objection do these Anglophile Americans have to same-sex marriage in the "colonies" on the other side of the pond?  

The Guardian reports, Gay marriage bill expected to complete passage through House of Commons:

Legislation to introduce same-sex marriage is expected to complete its passage through the House of Commons on Tuesday, with the first weddings under the law to take place in England and Wales next summer.

Jubilant gay rights campaigners were celebrating the successful passage of the marriage (same-sex couples) bill through the House of Lords on Monday night – and vowing to take the fight for marriage equality to Scotland and Northern Ireland.

MPs
will debate amendments made to the legislation in the upper house on
Tuesday evening, but this is expected to be little more than a formality
and is unlikely to delay its progress into law, with royal assent
within the next few days.

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

Senator Michele Reagan (R-Scottsdale) wants to be Arizona's next Secretary of State. Her role models are Katherine Harris (R-Florida) (2000), Ken Blackwell (R-Ohio) (2004), and Scott Gessler (R-Colorado) (2012), Republican Secretaries of State with notorious records for voter suppression.

Sen. Reagan is the sponsor of the Voter Suppression Act, HB 2305, and she is damned proud of it. Last Friday, The Arizona Republic published a "My Turn" guest opinion by Sen. Reagan that can be boiled down to her shouting "voter fraud!" as the reason for her Voter Suppression Act. Reagan:
3 oft-forgotten election-bill facts.

This despite the fact that our current Secretary of State, Ken "Birther" Bennett, testified to a U.S. Senate panel in December last year that Arizona prosecuted a whopping fifteen cases of voter fraud in the last eighteen months. And none of these were cases of non-citizens voting, but rather "snowbirds" who voted in Arizona and in another state. 2.3 million ballots were cast in the 2012 election in Arizona. Ken Bennett's passion for voter fraud turns up fifteen cases.

A citizens referendum (or "citizens veto" in other states) has been filed by the Protect Your Right to Vote Committee to block Sen. Reagan's Voter Suppression Act. The Libertarian Party, the Green Party, the Democratic Party, the non-partisan League of Women Voters, organized labor, and a wide array of Latino and voting rights organizations are in the process of collecting enough signatures to be filed by September 12.

Posted by AzBlueMeanie:

On Saturday, the Arizona Democratic Party held its Summer State Committee Meeting in Cottonwood, Arizona. A presentation on the referendum to block the Voter Suppression Act, HB 2305, was filmed by Blog for Arizona's Pamela Powers Hannley, who will post more about this meeting. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghG6vesppWs.

Packets of information were provided to County Party Chairs and to state committee members at the meeting, along with walk lists for precincts. The Arizona Democratic Party effort will supplement the paid canvas being organized by the Protect Your Right to Vote Committee.

This is a call to action to Democratic volunteers, and to anyone who supports the sacrosanct right to vote for which Americans have fought and died to preserve. Now is the time for all good men and women to come to the aid of their country and this state. Democrats should contact your local Democratic County Party Office (see contact information below) and your Legislative District chairs.

You may also contact the Arizona Advocacy Network to volunteer (see announcement below the fold).