Dear Friend, In today's edition of InfoQuest*, I'm sharing my day, fighting for the religious and free speech rights of citizens of Pennsylvania, in Pennsylvania's state capitol. Hey, you don't have to be a lawyer - it's easy. Ask me about it. See our picture online at: http://users.netreach.net/infoquest/hate_crime_bill.htm It was two-hour drive for me to get to Harrisburg. Luckily, I left early. Getting around Harrisburg isn't as easy as I thought. I thought that the domed top of the capitol building would stick out like a lighthouse. However, like most modern cities these days, everyday skyscrapers tower over the once tallest building in the town. When I finally reached the capitol, I thought of former great Americans, like Benjamin Franklin, who walked on the same ground that I now walked! Remembering the religious freedom that Benjamin and others established for Pennsylvania, I was now marching for that same purpose, to fight to keep that same freedom! The main lobby was majestic. The archways were covered in paintings of old, right on the walls. Dedications to God are carved into the woodwork around the ceiling. One of the archway paintings was of many early Americans lined up, in a river, waiting to be baptized. Wow. To think that our representatives pass by these every day, and they condone abortion! I had never seen lobbying groups before; they were all gathered in the lobby (maybe that's where it comes from?). There was a large nursing group, all wearing their nursing gear, gathered in one corner of the lobby, waiting to meet with legislators to discuss nurse-to-patient ratio deficiencies. Luckily, I had my Pa. Health Powers Act flyers in my briefcase, so I handed one to the leader. What a blessing! Thank you Jesus! Another lobby group was wearing their union hats. Large groups of school children walked up and down the spiraling white and gray indoor marble stairs to have their pictures taken. Many had trinkets and stuffed animals that they bought from the souvenir store. As I was sitting on a large white marble bench, going through my constitutional analysis papers, I took out my silver pocket watch to look a the time. An adorable little girl in pigtails, carrying her stuffed animal, sat down next to me to look at my watch and said hello. Such innocence, a product of beauty by the hand of Jesus; it refreshed my determination in reviewing my materials as I recalled scripture: "[Mat 18:6] But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea." If the bill that I'm fighting becomes law, transvestites can use women's rooms with little girls, and men who think that their gender is female can demand to use public/company women's showers! We Must protect this little girl from harm! The time came to meet with the senior policy analysts of Governor Schweiker. I went to his office and was directed to the waiting lounge, where I met some of the people with whom I would be making our case against the horrible bill. They had not yet seen Diane, the woman who alerted us to this opportunity, to whom I sent my constitutional analysis. I gave each man a copy. After they looked at the document, they asked me if I had a law degree. I replied that all I needed was a reading and writing degree to compare the bill to the Pa. Constitution and see the errors of the bill. They smiled and nodded. You may read my analysis, in PDF or text, at: http://users.netreach.net/infoquest/government.htm#Pa_Hate_Crimes_Bill Did you know that the majority of men who wrote our Constitution were not lawyers? They knew how to read, write, and think! The rest of our group arrived just in time. We were called into a meeting room, to sit around a very large rectangular beautiful wooden meeting table. Old paintings were hung on the walls along with antique-looking light fixtures. The meeting was 50/50, but positive over-all. We met with Julia Morton, Schweiker's Senior Policy Manager, and David Kerr, Director of the Governor's Policy Office. We represented counties from every major area of Pa., which was good. Those who argued the bill with me were: Diane Gramley, President American Family Association of NW Pennsylvania Pastor Matt Shouse of NW PA Dorthea Burris, AFA NW PA Board of Directors Fran Bevan, PA Eagle Forum President (works with Phyllis Schlafly) Laverne Sober, President, PA Taxpayers Concerned with Education Albert Moore, Lehigh Valley Citizens for Traditional Values A pastor from Allentown A citizen of Montgomery County, PA I represented my online ministry, InfoQuest*, the website for which is InfoQuest* for Truth http://users.netreach.net/InfoQuest I was a bit disheartened to learn that the senior policy analysts for the governor did not know their Pa. Constitution. I questioned them on where the Gov. gets his legal authority (from the Pa. Constitution), how the Pa. Constitution dictates the responsibility of the Gov., as well as civics questions like whether Pa. is a republic or a democracy. They were silent on some questions and peddled around the others. I was quite shocked, as were the other citizen representatives. In answer to "how does the Governor decide if he will sign a bill into law," the answer was that he leans heavily on the Constitution, AND then he thinks about it to himself AND he takes into consideration the thoughts of his constituents. WHAT???? If he goes by anything but the Constitution, then he makes the decision all on his own, making him a dictator! Our nation and our states are a Republic, Rule by Law, NOT Rule by men or Rule by one man! I explain this in detail at: http://users.netreach.net/infoquest/Civics_in_Seconds.htm I know that God sent me there because I was told that I was the only citizen of Pennsylvania to give the governor a constitutional reason against the bill! http://users.netreach.net/infoquest/government.htm#Pa_Hate_Crimes_Bill After David left the room, Julia broke down and cried (she contributed some of this because she is 4 months pregnant). She is a Christian and shared with us some of the horror stories that she has experienced from religious groups who only quote the Bible, Tanakh, etc. in their arguments. Some of these groups even use horrible slang in describing homosexuals, which destroys the reputation of the Church. It was agreed that these individuals are not well versed in the Bible, since Jesus never showed hatred toward sinners, but loved them and showed them the self-destruction from their sin and told them to turn away from their self-destructive behavior and follow Him. Julia thanked us for bringing medical statistics (brought by Diane Gramley, President of AFA of PA and Fran Bevin, President of Eagle Forum of Pa.) and a Pa. constitutional analysis by me. Fran works in medical clinics and shared her years of experience watching many many young homosexual men die of AIDS. Julia repeated the importance of bringing legal, statistical, and other facts whenever sharing our views with others regarding legislation and civics. Julia is from West Virginia. Her dad is a pastor and the Assistant Sheriff of his municipality. I closed our meeting in prayer, thanking Jesus that we still had freedom of religion and to use us to keep it, thanking Jesus for putting Julia in a civil government position, and praying for Julia's unborn child. It is my prayer, that all Pennsylvania citizens who read this will contact their Pa. House Rep. ASAP and use my analysis to tell the rep to NOT vote for the bill! http://www2.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/findyourlegislator/find.cfm AND to call Gov. Schweiker and implore him not to sign the bill if it is passed in the house. (717) 787-2500 Since most state constitutions contain similar religious rights protections, I beseech you, if you are a citizen of any other state of our Republic, that you will educate you own legislator on hate crime legislation and other corrupt legislation. It's EASY! Just ask your Rep. for your state's House & Senate website and the website where you can get to your state constitution. Find your state rep here: http://users.netreach.net/infoquest/government.htm#CONGRESS PASTORS: PLEASE read my October 23, 2002 e-newsletter at: http://users.netreach.net/infoquest/iq_archive.htm PLEASE preach a sermon on Jesus' mandate to us to be involved in politics, the judiciary, and commerce! PLEASE have an alter call for those who are called to serve Jesus as a political leader! Please forward this report and my constitutional analysis of the bill to everyone you know who wants to defend our right to freedom of religion and speech. Pa. citizens can easily get their Pa. House Rep. contact info here: http://www2.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/findyourlegislator/find.cfm Today's AFA alert on our meeting follows. Thanks!!!! Erich <>< Here is the AFA of NW PA Alert that just went out: American Family Association of Northwestern PA P.O. Box 1048 Franklin, PA 16323 Phone: 1.814.432.5421 FAX: 1.814.432.0931 AFANWPA ACTION ALERT Update on Hate Crimes Legislation and Action Needed November 20, 2002 Thank you all for your prayers as we made the trip to Harrisburg yesterday. A group of nine defenders of the family met with David Kerr, Director of the Governor's Policy Office and Julia Morton, Senior Policy Manager also of the Policy Office to express their concerns with H.B. 1493, the hate crimes bill. AFANWPA is very thankful that the nine were able to drop everything on such short notice (with less than 24 hours notice the nine of us were headed to Harrisburg!) and make the trip to meet with the Governor's office. The groups represented were AFANWPA, Eagle Forum -- PA, InfoQuest*, Lehigh Valley Citizens for Traditional Values and PA Taxpayers Concerned with Education. But mostly we are just concerned citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania who can no longer remain silent as we see the distortions of the homosexual community taken as fact and the laws changed to infringe upon our rights as Christians and to further their agenda of presenting their lifestyle as just a 'safe, alternative.' We did have "encouraging" news as we were told the Governor has not said he will sign the bill as gay activists claim -- BUT he has not yet decided to veto it either. So those phone calls must still be made! At this point, H.B. 1493 has been sent back to the Rules Committee. On speaking with representatives we found that an attempt is being made to have an amendment attached to the bill in the Rules Committee. If this happens, it will automatically be sent back to the Senate where it will go to a Conference Committee. There the differences between the House version and the Senate version would be "ironed out." But because there are only a few days left in this Session, there's no time. Thus this would effectively kill the bill. Pray for an amendment! Other sources have said the bill is scheduled for a vote on Monday, November 25, but more likely Tuesday, November 26. Whatever the case, our job IS NOT FINISHED! ACTION NEEDED: 1.) Continue praying for our elected officials AND state government employees who work at the Capitol as they struggle to make the decisions they feel are right. 2.) Pray that an amendment will be added to the bill in the Rules Committee, sending it back to the Senate and effectively killing the bill. 3.) Governor Schweiker's office needs to continue hearing from us. As the indications were that he is undecided as to whether he will veto or sign the bill, please ask him not to sign H.B. 1493, if it reaches his desk. Call at 1.717.787.2500 AND e-mail 4.) Continue contacting House Majority Leader John Perzel and ask him not to bring the bill to the floor for a vote. His number is 717.787.2016 AND e-mail 5.) Your state reps need to continue hearing from us. Go to our website for contact info. Even if you have contacted the above three everyday for the past week, it is of the UTMOST importance to continue calling AND e-mailing until this bill dies. 6.) Please feel free to forward this e-mail to other concerned Pennsylvanians. I believe that we all left that meeting yesterday with a feeling that we had been well-received and permitted to voice our concerns. We know there are definitely people in the Governor's office who are "on our side." But we MUST do our part in praying for them and becoming involved, they cannot do it alone! We must be strong, yet compassionate, in our efforts to counter this agenda that seeks to reshape this nation. In His service, Diane Gramley President, AFANWPA