By Dawn Wolfe Gutterman
LANSING – On Sunday, Nov. 13, organizers in two Michigan cities will join groups throughout the country in throwing Retirement Parties for anti-gay Senator Rick Santorum of Pennsylvania. The parties are part of the efforts of Stop Santorum Now, a national collaboration between the Stonewall Democrats and Liberty, PA – a statewide affiliate of Stonewall Democrats in Pennsylvania intent on retiring Santorum in the 2006 election.
Jon Hoadley, chair of the Michigan Stonewall Democrats, will be hosting his party at Soup to Nuts Bistro in Lansing from 7-9 p.m. In Saugatuck, the Saugatuck/Douglas Stonewall Democrats will begin their party at 7 p.m. at the Dunes Resort Cabaret Room in Saugatuck.
Hoadley said there are two main reasons for hosting parties in Michigan to unseat a Senator from another state.
"First is to highlight the work of the Michigan Stonewall Democrats, because we're building a partisan consciousness in our GLBT community," Hoadley said. "It's important that we recognize that the Democratic party isn't perfect, but we have to work to make it better. These types of events are helping with that. Second, we also want to support the work of the national Stonewall Democrats in getting the LGBT community's number one enemy, Rick Santorum, out of office."
Santorum supports amending the U.S. Constitution to deny equal marriage rights to same-sex couples and has likened homosexuality to bestiality. He is one of several Republican Senators to receive a score of zero from the Human Rights Campaign in 2004.
And, in addition to defeating Santorum, Michigan LGBTs will have an opportunity to learn more about the Michigan Stonewall Democrats' plan to take back Michigan's state House of Representatives from the Republicans in 2006.
Current parties
Tricks for Rick, the Lansing fundraising party will be held at Soup to Nuts Bistro, 123 Kalamazoo St. in Lansing from 7-9 p.m. Nov. 13. The suggested donation is $25 or more, with a goal of raising at least $1,000. According to the Lansing party's page on http://stopsantorumnow.org, $450 has already been pledged. Contact John Hoadley at 517-980-5212 for more information.
The Saugatuck Rick Santorum Retirement Party will be held at the Dunes Resort Cabaret Room, 333 Blue Star Highway in Saugatuck on Nov. 13. There is a suggested donation of $20 or more, with a goal of raising at least $1,000. According to the Saugatuck party's page on http://stopsantorumnow.org, $260 has already been pledged.
In addition to hors d'oeuvres, both parties will feature a conference call with special guest Michelle Clunie from "Queer As Folk."
More information about both parties, as well as an opportunity to donate online, is available at http://www.stopsantorumnow.org – click on "Rick's Retirement Party."
Host your own
Interested in hosting your own party to help retire Santorum? Stop Santorum Now has party packets and will provide you with a Web page to promote and raise funds for your effort. Visit http://www.stopsantorumnow.org for more information.
