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Indianapolis, February 25, 2005-- A statewide grassroots mobilization is underway to fight hate, bigotry and Senate Joint Resolution 7 (SJR7) beginning Tuesday, March 8, at 11:30 a.m. with a counter rally on the Statehouse East steps against Eric Miller and his organization Advance America.
The initial effort to combat SJR7, the proposed Indiana constitutional amendment that would define marriage as between one man and one woman, is a serious mobilization by individuals, businesses, organizations and churches from across the state. The historical endeavor to stop the proposal is comprised of Hoosiers who believe that SJR7 is unconstitutional and falls in line with a nation-wide anti-gay agenda spearheaded by the fundamentalist religious right.
According to the grassroots group of organizers, tackling large, structured groups such as Eric Miller’s Advance America that vehemently support SJR7 is a first step in the fight. "We believe that at the heart of the discrimination in Indiana and elsewhere is ignorance, and ignorance can fall victim to modern-day extremist hate groups such as Miller’s that actively promote fear and unconstitutional amendments such as SJR7," said Pepper Partin, Indianapolis, grassroots organizer against the proposed amendment. "It is important for the public to know that there is a new face to extremism and just because those faces do not sport swastikas or hoods does not mean they are not promoting hate and bigotry. Their subtle approach is more appealing to mainstream society."
Eric Miller, Christian fundamentalist, former candidate for governor and founder of Advance America champions an anti-gay agenda that sends the message that those born with a sexual orientation other than heterosexuality are second class citizens undeserving of equal protection under the U.S. Constitution. On March 8, Miller, Advance America as well as the legislators who are aided by Miller, will rally in the Statehouse rotunda in order to encourage support for the proposed constitutional amendment that will ban same sex marriage and civil unions and will subsequently affect heterosexuals who are domestic partners but choose not to marry.
"Can it be anymore clear that this is about the persecution of a group of people," Partin asked. She and grassroots co-organizers expect over 1,000 people for their counter rally against Miller and SJR7. "We are going to attend Miller’s party. We have people coming from all over the state to peacefully rally against Miller’s unconscionable message," she added. "We even have people flying in for the occasion. No doubt our friends in more progressive parts of the country are saddened by what is happening here."
Indiana’s history regarding the KKK is still fresh in many minds. Indiana has been unable to live down its reputation as a breeding ground for hate and bigotry. "It is time for Indiana to step out of the early Twentieth Century and join the progressive evolution where there is no place for discrimination. Our counter rally will be an initial step in making sure hate groups feel unwelcome here," Partin said.
SJR7 was introduced in the 114th General Assembly by Senator Brandt Hershman (R-Wheatfield). He and the bill have garnered much support from fellow Senators. This support includes the recent Senate vote of 42-8 in favor of the proposed amendment. However, the measure must pass the House in this session and pass in the 115th General Assembly before hitting the ballots in 2008.
Dr. Jan Williams, Indianapolis, co-organizer of the grassroots initiative believes that mobilizing against SJR7 is vital. "I am convinced that this mobilization effort is an extremely important measure to show that SJR7, Advance America and other maligned initiatives will meet with resistance from Hoosers. To many, this is our government’s attempt to legalize discrimination."
Organizers further said that outside of the obvious arguments against a measure that unravels the constitution and makes a mockery of the democracy we promote abroad, a constitutional amendment that would single out a group of people as second class citizens has economic ramifications in an already economically depressed state.
"Indiana is a hard sell," Partin says. "We have a difficult time luring business. We have a difficult time keeping our college graduates and we all know that term as the 'brain drain'. We rank high in the number of meth users and meth labs. Priorities in our state do not include environmental and social responsibility. Right now the state has little going for it. If Indiana is going to compete with progressive states to fill ours with the best and brightest, we have to offer more than a bad reputation built on a foundation of bigotry. All we are doing is building upon that foundation with measures such as SJR7."
Troy Liggett, Indianapolis, co-organizer of the grassroots effort agrees that keeping people in the state will be difficult. "Indiana will not lose [people] because of what the amendment does, since gay marriage is already illegal. Indiana will lose business and people because of the message of intolerance."
Partin appeals to everyone who believes in the constitution to attend the rally. "We need to send a clear message on March 8 that if we, as a country, are going to support the battle against hate mongering across the globe, we must first work to clean up our own backyards."
The counter rally against Eric Miller, Advance America and SJR7 will take place on the East steps of the Statehouse in Indianapolis on March 8, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. For more information about the counter rally, visit http://www.stopthebigots.org
