Citizens Project

Rally Tomorrow: Make your voice heard for Civil Unions!

11th May, 2012

It’s not over yet.

This week has been an emotional roller coaster ride. First, thanks to one brave representative, Civil Unions made it out of the House Judiciary Committee. Then, House leadership filibustered the bill, effectively killing it.

Within 24 hours, Governor Hickenlooper revived SB-2, calling a special session, andPresident Obama expressed his support of marriage equality.

Last night, Citizens Project attended a meeting with partners from One Colorado, The Pride Center, Inside/Out and others to develop a strategy for our next steps.  One man who attended said, “I came tonight because I couldn’t just sit by anymore. I knew I had to do something.”

Together, we are making history, and if you can’t just sit by anymore either, we invite you to make your voice for equality heard:

• Sign a petition asking House Speaker McNulty and others to give Civil Unions a fair hearing.
• Attend a rally on Monday at the state capitol and show your support for Civil Unions! If you’d like to carpool to the rally from Colorado Springs, meet at Inside/Out Youth Services at 7:30am on Monday, May 14 or contact Jessie.
• Many of the representatives who vowed to block Civil Unions represent El Paso County. Show your solidarity with ALL families by attending a rally Saturday - tomorrow!

Let Them Vote – Civil Unions Rally in Colorado Springs
Bring signs, wear red, and invite your friends, family, neighbors and allies!
Saturday, May 12, 2012
3-5pm
All Souls Universalist Unitarian Church, 730 N. Tejon St. (map)
Yo-Yogurt, coffee, and other treats provided.
RSVP and more details

Thank you for your support of Civil Unions - we will get there - together!

Civil Unions

9th May, 2012

To our friends and allies:

So many of our communications reflect the organizational voice of Citizens Project.

Today, in the aftermath of last night’s debacle at the State Capitol, I want to reflect my own voice.

Civil Unions, SB-2, had enough votes and deserved a full hearing by the Colorado House of Representatives. But it never made it to the house floor, because of a filibuster. And several other important bills died with it as a result.

Those are the mechanics of what happened, and that’s what died last night.

But the true story is deeply personal, and much more prevails than was lost.

Through this legislative session, we saw heroes. Organizational leaders stepping up to support full equality for our LGBT community: One Colorado, Inside/Out, PFLAG, Pride Centers across the state, Inter-religious groups, and countless others.  We saw individuals and families champion the bill, sometimes revisiting and exposing their own wounds, their own pain, to create understanding. We saw brave allies in the legislature: Pat Steadman, B.J. Nikkel, and many, many more, who sought to give all committed couples the right to love and live together with basic legal protections.

We saw communities coming together, and we saw a flame, a passion for change, that cannot be filibustered or extinguished.

Hope prevails. Courage prevails. Solidarity prevails.

Love prevails.

That’s the true story, and our commitment to full equality cannot be eradicated by anyone without our consent. We will not sit still. We will stand down threats to equal and civil rights, threats to religious freedom, and threats to democracy.

We will do it together, and we will not stop until our work is done.

Thank you for the humbling opportunity to be a part of creating that change.

Civil Unions Update and Next Steps

4th May, 2012

Thanks to hundreds of tireless advocates statewide and a handful of brave representatives, SB-2, Civil Unions, cleared a major hurdle yesterday.

Owing in large part to a surprise yes vote from Rep. B.J. Nikkel of Loveland, Civil Unions passed the House Judiciary Committee last night.

But the fight is not over: Today, a Denver Post article quoted House Speaker Frank McNulty saying he may not allow the bill a full hearing on the House floor, effectively killing it.

Don’t wait! Call Speaker McNulty and ask him to allow a fair vote on Civil Unions! You can reach his office at: (303) 866-2346.

Please also contact your representative and ask them to vote YES for equality, YES for love, and YES for all Coloradans.

Thank you for standing for love, commitment, and equality!

Make Your Voice Heard in Support of Civil Unions

2nd May, 2012

Civil Unions legislation has cleared the Colorado Senate and will be heard in the House Judiciary Committee this Thursday, May 3.

We invite you to stand in support of SB-2 in three critical ways:

• Contact your representative and let them know that civil unions are an important step in ensuring equal rights for committed couples.  Find your representative here and find their contact information here.
• Attend One Colorado’s Rally in support of Civil Unions at the Capitol on Thursday, and stick around to hear testimony. RSVP and get more information here.  For information about testifying during the hearing, contact Jace.
•  Share this information with your friends, and encourage them to make their voices heard!

Thank you for your support of full equality for all Coloradans.

Coming Together on Common Ground

18th April, 2012

By Rev. Renee TanEyck, guest writer

Why does it take a crisis such as 9-11 or Katrina to bring people together?

I grew up in a Catholic household, and though I did not consider myself outgoing or confident, I was always analytical, questioning everything to the point of frustrating adults.  In our small town church, it was not uncommon to hear comments from others if you missed a day at church or other church activities.  As time passed, however, the scope of my inquiries grew to questions such as “Why would a truly loving God send my god-parents to hell, just because they did not believe in Him?”  “Why, if we want to attract people to Christianity, was there a statement in the missalette denying invitation to participate in the Eucharist to those who were not Christian, and offering only a half-hearted invitation to those who were not Catholic?”  “Why does the priest dislike children, when Jesus loved the children?”  “Why do we have this rule?  Who told you so? Who told that person?” “What if I don’t interpret that passage the same way you do?”  When someone would criticize, I explained that it is our duty to question everything, even telling one friend’s parent that at least “I didn’t leave what I learned at the door prior to walking out of church.”

In my teens and twenties, I tried other denominations, always searching for what felt right, going to bible study groups, asking questions and trying to find answers that did not bring me back to the same uncomfortable conclusions.  During my twenties when I was in the Army, I did not feel that I could find my “next chapter,” and this part of my life remained in limbo for many years; the military has traditionally provided pastoral or chaplain services only for Christians.  Despite this fact, the cliché that “there are no atheists in foxholes” is untrue, and the military is acknowledging in recent years that not all of its members are Christian, and even among Christian members, beliefs and practices vary greatly.

Over the past 15 years, however, I have learned the actual history behind Christianity, which is eye-opening and includes great pagan roots, tragedies, atrocities, and incredible examples of humanity (Mother Teresa, who was a devout Catholic who never tried to convert those to whom she provided aid, and who seemed to believe that all religion leads to the same god). I have also studied other cultures and religions and belief systems and thoughts; Christian denominations, paganism, shamanism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, atheism, Judaism, and many other ideas of friends, acquaintances, colleagues, and spiritual leaders. What I have discovered is that I adore everyone in this wonderfully diverse world and all its ideas; I do not believe that any one belief system is right or wrong.

I have learned that though I do not personally believe in deities to be worshiped, anthropology and sociology explain the benefits that established religion and spiritual beliefs can have for societies.  However, I have also learned that not only does religion have the ability to comfort and guide, it also has the ability to cause great harm.  Similar to some politicians who, rather than representing all of their constituents, choose who they deem worthy, some religious doctrines and institutions also choose who they deem worthy.  It is interesting that Ghandi and Mother Teresa, arguably two of the greatest civil rights and spiritual leaders of our time, never discriminated against people based on their beliefs, innate value or worthiness, nor does the Dalai Lama.

I have also learned that we all have more in common that most people think we do.

After watching the struggles of non-Christians over the years, their fears, I also found myself afraid when I came to the realization that, though I was still searching for answers, I had to admit to myself that I am not a Christian, and perhaps, in my heart, never was.

There are open struggles, as non-Christians seek to openly be who they are, to ensure separation of church and state, and as Christians fear “wars” on their religious beliefs.  I watched in disbelief as the supposed “war on Christmas” manifested last winter, stupefied and bewildered, trying to understand how anyone was being denied the right to observe Christmas in their homes, and as groups of non-Christians struggled with long-time local, state, and federal practices of decorating for the holidays, with some politicians even trying to legislate holiday decorations and the title of the tree (Christmas tree versus holiday tree). I do not believe this is what we are paying politicians to do.  It is interesting that there did not seem to be any public advocacy on behalf of those who celebrate the other December observances of Kwanzaa, Hanukah, or the Winter Solstice.

I do believe, after much pondering, that a Christmas tree is a Christmas tree, despite the fact that I celebrate Christmas only secularly, and despite its pagan origin, since there is no other holiday that uses a Christmas tree that I am aware of.  But I also believe there is a deeper issue here, one that goes beyond semantics.

If I say “happy holidays,” that is my way of wishing something positive to the other person, and if the other person says “merry Christmas,” that is his/her way of wishing something positive to me.  It should not matter what words we each use, if we are able to look at the deeper intentions, especially since such huge population in America celebrates a December holiday.  If a person says “God bless you,” after a sneeze, it is that person’s way of wishing you positive health, in the same way that Spanish speakers say “Salud” when someone sneezes (“to your health”).

I believe that if we can get beyond semantics, if we can look deeper into our neighbors’ hearts, we will find that we have much more in common than we thought, and it will not take a crisis to bring people together.

Day of Silence

18th April, 2012

April 20, 2012, is the Day of Silence, one of the largest student-led actions in the country. The purpose is to raise awareness around anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) bullying, harassment, and name-calling.

On Friday, hundreds of students locally will be taking a vow of silence to represent the silencing faced by LGBT people and their allies every day.  Inside Out Youth Services is proud to host youth in “Breaking the Silence” at 4:00 p.m. at Colorado Springs City Hall.

What:         “Breaking the Silence” with LGBT Youth

When:        April 20, 2012 – 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Where:       Colorado Springs City Hall, 107 North Nevada Avenue, Colo Spgs

Why:          Day of Silence is a student-led action raising awareness about the forced silence faced by lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender students because of discrimination and harassment.

Special Guest: Paula Reed, former Columbine High School teacher

The Day of Silence in local schools is particularly relevant. Colorado just one year ago passed a law (HB1254) requiring all school districts put in place policies that address cyber-bullying and that address harassment of students because of sexual orientation and gender expression/gender identity.

School districts around the state are getting up to speed on the new policy requirements and, more importantly, on supporting teachers and other school staff on how to effectively address bias-based bullying. The Day of Silence is an opportunity for students to take the initiative to teach one another and others about diversity, respect and safety for all students.

The Gay Lesbian Straight Education Network’s 2009 National School Climate Survey found that 9 out of 10 LGBT students report verbal, sexual or physical harassment at school, and 30% report missing at least a day of school in the past month out of fear for their personal safety. The Day of Silence is one way students and their allies are making anti-LGBT bullying, harassment and name-calling unacceptable in American’s schools.

Thousands to March in Denver for Women’s Health Care Access

17th April, 2012

On April 28th, 2012, at 9:30am, thousands of Colorado women and their family members will gather at Civic Center Park’s Greek Amphitheater for a Rally to protect women’s access to health care, and for the right of each woman to make her own health care decisions. State and federal legislators, musicians, poets, community leaders, and ordinary Coloradans will be addressing current legislation in Colorado and other states. Following the rally, attendees will march around the State Capitol and back around Civic Center Park to where they started.

Presenters at the Rally will include:
Award-winning Poet, Suzi Q
Human Rights Attorney Beth Klein
Unitarian Universalist Reverend Dr. Nori Rost
Musical Comedy by “The Raging Grannies”
The Foxfield Four (formerly the David James Band)
State legislators:
House Representatives Crisanta Duran, and Lois Court
Senator Morgan Carroll, Senator Lucia Guzman, Senator Betty Boyd
State Representative and US Congressional Candidate Joe Miklosi

The Rally and March have been organized by a grassroots group of Colorado women, primarily using social media, following talk show host Rush Limbaugh’s personal attack on Law Student Sandra Fluke, and Foster Friess’s comment that women should “put an aspirin between their knees” as a form of birth control. According to the Guttmacher Institute[1], more than 1100 separate provisions were presented in state legislatures across the country in 2011 which attempted to limit a woman’s family planning options or access to health care. Approximately 135 of them were passed and became law.

Jean Tinley, a resident of Lone Tree, plans to bring her whole family to the March. “Women’s reproductive healthcare should remain in our hands and those of our doctors, not legislators. Family planning is a personal and private decision”, she said.

“Extremists in Congress …are deliberately increasing the cost of health care for millions of women. At the same time, they have let the Violence Against Women Act expire. It is outrageous” said State Representative Joe Miklosi.

For more information, please contact Nancy Cronk at We Are Women March at 303-680-6243, or check out the group Facebook page at: http://www.facebook.com/groups/WOWCO/

Loyalty, Reason and Action: Lessons Learned from the Repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT)

17th April, 2012

Please join PFLAG, Citizens Project, and other allies at this free public presentation for the broad Colorado Springs community.

Thursday, May 3rd, 7:00 − 9:00 pm

Shove Chapel on the Colorado College campus

1010 N. Nevada Avenue, Colorado Springs

Featured presenter: Col. Gary Packard, Permanent Professor and Head of the Department of Behavioral Sciences & Leadership at the USAFA.  A USAFA graduate, he has served our nation in the Air Force for close to 30 years, over ten years of that as an instructor at the Academy.  Col Packard will present on this topic for about 45 min, as he has done at various campuses.  There should be close to an hour for Q&A with the audience.

Sponsors: PFLAG Colorado Springs is the organizing sponsor.  Other local co-sponsors include the Colorado College Chaplains’ Office, The Pride Center, The Diversity Forum, Citizens Project, and the Blue Alliance.

PFLAG point of contact: Bill Oliver, gnarlybill at hotmail.com

Check out the DADT Flyer

Have you seen us?

2nd April, 2012

Have you seen our new billboards around town?

Citizens Project recently launched a multi-media campaign that highlights the value of finding “common ground for the common good,” which includes billboards, social media, print, online and television ads.

The campaign, which celebrates our 20^th anniversary, highlights work done since our organization’s inception. In the last two decades, Citizens Project has provided a moderate and reasonable voice in favor of pluralism and church/state separation across the community and state.

Citizens Project’s first awareness campaign was launched in 1992, when bumper stickers inviting people to “Celebrate Diversity” became icons of a movement. Later, “Create Community” bumper stickers embraced a feeling of oneness.

“We have a long history of challenging Colorado Springs residents to think differently about the potential of our community and the power of shared values,” Executive Director Kristy Milligan said. “We hope this campaign will inspire people to continue working together to make the Pikes Peak region the best place it can be — for everyone.”