Actions | Gay Rights

Get MA Senate Candidates to Speak Out for ENDA

To: State Sen. Scott Brown (MA-025), Rep. Michael Capuano (MA-08) and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Started by: Dustin Kight

The candidates running for Ted Kennedy's Senate seat in Massachusetts are largely supportive of LGBT rights -- the Democrats, at least.

Rep. Capuano, for instance, is a co-sponsor of the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), which will ban discrimination in hiring and firing based on someone's sexual orientation and gender identity. Attorney General Martha Coakley was the first statewide elected official to endorse MA's gender-identity nondiscrimination bill, still under consideration at the Statehouse. Still, they need to do more.

Amazingly, in 2009 LGBT people can still be fired or not hired in 30 states simply because of their sexual orientation and gender identity.

At this point, saying you support ENDA or co-sponsoring ENDA is not enough. These candidates, all vying for the LGBT and allied vote, need to come out strongly in favor of ENDA and advocate for its passage.

Tomorrow, Thursday, November 5th, a very important Senate hearing will take place on ENDA. All ENDA-supportive Senate candidates should issue public statements supporting the legislation and talk about ENDA in their campaign work these next few days. They should make a point of advocating for its passage.

We call on them to do so.

(To find out more about ENDA and take action yourself, visit http://www.unitedenda.org.)

Note: Alan Khazei and Steve Pagliuca were not included in this petition because direct email contact could not be found for either.

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Sign the Letter

Critical hearing tomorrow: Show your support for ENDA

Dear MA Senate Candidate,

Many of you are supportive of equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans. You have spoken out and shown your support in the past, and Massachusetts is a better Commonwealth because of it. We call on you to show that support again at a critical juncture for the federal Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA). Tomorrow morning, Thursday, November 5th, the Senate will conduct a hearing on ENDA, setting the stage for its passage. If you support Massachusetts's LGBT citizens, you will speak out in favor of ENDA between now and tomorrow. You will educate the voters about your support and urge them to advocate for ENDA's passage, as well. In other words, you will campaign as a supporter of protection against employment discrimination to all Massachusetts voters, not just to captive audiences of LGBT people and their friends. With a setback for equality as bitter as last night's vote in Maine to repeal the marriage law, LGBT people are no longer satisfied were mere support. We need and demand adamant, passionate, articulate, unwavering support. We, including our straight family and friends, expect nothing less.

[Your name here]

Sorry, the time period for signing this petition has ended.

Vy Malmuth Kapaa, HI

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
Joan E Loza Mobry Madison, WI

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
Jennifer Bland Rogers, AR

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
Rev Bookburn Collingswood, NJ

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
Alan Haggard San Diego, CA

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
Chris . Bayonne, NJ

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
Jennifer Hall Greeneville, TN

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
Elizabeth Barrette Charleston, IL

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
kenneth knoppik boca raton, FL

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04
jake wolfhart Peace Dude Capitan, NM

Sent letter to Michael Capuano , Scott Brown and Martha Coakley (MA Attorney General / Senate Candidate)

Nov 04