Showing posts with label Alaska. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alaska. Show all posts

Friday, September 12, 2008

EDITORIAL: Social conservative

Anchorage Daily News
September 12, 2008
"Sarah Palin is asking Americans to elect a vice president who is an extreme social conservative. She opposes abortion rights. She favors the teaching of creationism. She preaches abstinence-only sex education. She is open to the possibility of banning books from public libraries. She opposes gay marriage. She personally opposes benefits for gay partners of public employees." [Link]

Sunday, April 1, 2007

In AK, same-sex couples are just trying to keep what they have

Juneau Empire
April 1, 2007
Instead of fighting to gain rights, Alaskan same-sex couples and their supporters are trying to keep ones they already have. They are also facing a campaign that some have described as not only hateful, but aimed at generating confusion among voters. (Link)

Thursday, January 4, 2007

OPINION: Benefits no place to start denying rights

The Anchorage Daily News
January 4, 2007
Seven years of litigation finally came to an end with the state's acquiescence to the Supreme Court's order that it offer employment benefits to the partners of same-sex employees. Unfortunately, Gov. Sarah Palin also signed the legislature's ill-conceived bill to convene a special election in April in order to ask citizens whether they want a further constitutional amendment adopted to prohibit public employers from offering such benefits. To adopt such an amendment would be the worst kind of step backward. (Link)

Thursday, December 28, 2006

End of year sees activity on same-sex unions

The Bay Area Reporter
December 28, 2006
There was a surge of activity on same-sex unions in the states in the last days of December, much of it initiated by governors. (Link)

Friday, December 8, 2006

OPINION: Majority endorsed oppression isn't OK

Juneau Empire
December 8, 2006
Usually the laws limiting the rights of a minority are cloaked as religious prejudices and the desire of some to impose their religious beliefs on others, something that is forbidden in the U.S. Constitution. Forty years ago laws were on the books in many states forbidding interracial marriage. Dire consequences for our nation were predicted if this "terrible abomination" was allowed to happen. In fact it was thought that civilization as we know it would go down the slope of anarchy if inter-racial couples were allowed to marry. (Link)

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

AK Court: policy holds lesbian and gay couples to higher standards

Juneau Empire
September 19, 2006
Following an action filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and nine Alaska couples, the high court ruled that denying gay and lesbian couples rights extended to married couples deprives them of equal protection guaranteed under the Alaska Constitution. As drafted, benefits for same-sex couples would require the partners to swear they have been in "exclusive, committed and intimate relationships" for at least a year. (Link)

Sunday, January 1, 2006

Court ruling stalled for resolution by governor, Legislature; city to comply

Anchorage Daily News
January 1, 2006
The nine couples who successfully won the lawsuit where the Alaska Supreme Court unanimously ruled it unconstitutional to discriminate against domestic partners in the workplace, still cannot enroll their partners in their health plans two months later. The ACLU has asked the court to give the city and legislature a deadline for compliance, while opponents stall and try to fight ways to challenge the ruling instead of executing it. (Link)