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>E-Newsletter:
Annual Meeting; Success!
Date: June 24,
2004
Dear Supporters,
Three issues in this week's e-newsletter.
1). Annual Meeting
Everyone is encouraged to attend our free
annual meeting, this Sunday (June 27th)
at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship
of Stony Brook. As our revitalized Chapter
moves forward, the meeting will offer
an opportunity to learn about the past
accomplishments and efforts of the Suffolk
NYCLU, and provide your opinion and advice
for our future work.
The meeting is truly an opportunity to
make a difference with civil liberties
in our local community, so please attend
if you have the opportunity. The meeting
will feature the election of our Board
of Directors and a presentation by Elaine
Gross, Executive Director of ERASE Racism,
who will discuss how Suffolk County became
the third most segregated region in the
United States, and ways that we can address
this problem.
The meeting will start at 3:00pm, and
will include refreshments and a chance
for open dialogue. You can RSVP (not required,
but greatly appreciated) and obtain further
information and directions through our
website at:
http://www.suffolknyclu.org/annualrsvp.cfm
2). Success!
Thanks in part to almost a hundred letters
sent through our website, we had two recent
victories in protecting civil liberties
in Suffolk County. The first happened
last week, when the Suffolk County Legislature
voted AGAINST an anti-immigrant resolution
endorsing laws that deny basic rights
and protections to immigrants. Although
this resolution had come out of committee
with 7-0 support, it failed to receive
majority support from the Legislature.
The supporters of the resolution were
so surprised that sentiment had turned
against the resolution that they tried
to prevent the vote from even happening.
They were unsuccessful, the vote went
through, and the resolution was defeated.
Our immigration system needs to be reformed
so that immigration is legal, safe, and
in keeping with Constitutional protections.
This resolution would have only endorsed
failed legislation and taken no steps
toward needed changes. By voting it down,
the legislature stood for fairness and
equality in immigration laws, and against
fear and xenophobia.
You can find out how your legislator voted
and send a letter of thanks or polite
disagreement through our website at:
http://www.suffolknyclu.org/action/inclusivethank.cfm
The second victory happened in Huntington
a few weeks ago when the Huntington Town
Board voted to create a Domestic Partner
Registry that provides an opportunity
for unmarried couples to formally and
legally document a relationship of mutual
support and commitment. This documentation
helps same-sex couples navigate the difficult
terrain of managing health insurers, employers
and hospitals while New York State continues
to deny them a marriage certificate.
This registry has since come into effect,
and many couples have already used it.
Your support has made a difference once
again! The vote was 4-1 in support of
the registry and if you are a resident
of the town of Huntington, you can thank
Board members who supported the registry
and state your polite disagreement with
the opposing vote through our website
at:
http://www.suffolknyclu.org/action/registrythank.cfm
3). Continue to Make a Difference!
You can continue to make a difference
in the state of civil liberties in Suffolk
County by forwarding this e-newsletter
to your friends and family!
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Defend civil liberties in Suffolk County!
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