Asian Americans and Hawaii residents sound off after a civil unions bill passed in the state House moves to Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle’s office for her signature.

By Nalea J. Ko, Reporter

Opponents of Hawaii’s same-sex civil unions bill are appealing to the state’s governor by the thousands less than a month after its passage in the House.

In a 31-20 vote the state House passed the bill on April 30.

Hawaii Gov. Linda Lingle will now determine the outcome of the civil unions bill, or House Bill 444. She has until July 6 to make a decision. Her options: sign it, veto or allow the bill to become a law without her signature.

Since the week of May 3 about 6,062 faxes, letters, e-mails and phone calls have been received at the governor’s office, according to Russell Pang, the chief of media relations.

Pang said 63 percent of the correspondence to date was against the bill, and 37 percent in favor.
If signed into law the bill would essentially extend to same-sex civil unions the “same rights, benefits, protections, and responsibilities” that are given to heterosexual married couples.

“This is an important bill about equality,” said Rep. Blake Oshiro, who introduced the bill, in a statement to the Pacific Citizen. “It has been mischaracterized as being about marriage and about religion, but that is inaccurate. It is simply about how the government treats its citizens and that it should not discriminate, regardless of gender or sexual orientation.”

Five other states — including California, Nevada, Washington, New Jersey and Oregon — have similar domestic partnership or civil unions rights. However same-sex marriage is not allowed in those states.

Same-sex marriage is legal in Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Iowa and the District of Columbia.

For those like Garrett Hashimoto, who oppose the bill, the outpouring of anti-HB 444 correspondences can be summed up in one word: vindication.

“I’ve always stated publicly that the vast majority of Hawaii’s populace are against this bill because they are against legitimizing homosexual behavior, especially when it threatens traditional marriage,” said Hashimoto, who is with the Hawaii Christian Coalition.

One proponent compared the deluge of opposition correspondence to the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II.

“I am sure the number of racist Americans who favored the internment of Japanese Americans during the 1940s was far greater than the number of bigots e-mailing our governor today,” said Kim Coco Iwamoto, Hawaii Board of Education member.

“Denying liberty and freedom from certain Americans because they are in the minority wasn’t the right thing to do then and it isn’t the right thing to do now.”

The final decision on the bill’s fate, Lingle said in previous interviews, will be based on what is right for Hawaii in the long term. The governor has not said whether or not she will sign the bill. But Lingle has said in the past that she would not veto legislation allowing domestic partnership.

This is not the first time same-sex legislation has been introduced in the Aloha State.

In 1993 the issue of same-sex marriage gained national attention when the constitutionality of limiting marriage to heterosexual couples was questioned in the Hawaii Supreme Court. Three years later Congress enacted the Defense of Marriage Act, defining marriage as a union between a man and woman.

The civil unions bill was first introduced in January of 2009. Oshiro revived it April 29. Opponents like Rep. Gene Ward said it was unfair to do so on the last day of session.

“Whatever Governor Lingle decides to do with HB 444 will have a huge impact on the 2010 elections in Hawaii,” said Sen. Mike Gabbard. “There are many extremely disappointed people who rightly feel the civil unions bill was snuck in at the last minute and is in direct conflict with the will of the people.”

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community members and supporters wearing rainbow lei quietly celebrated inside the legislature when the bill passed.

Outside they shared hugs, smiles and tears. Supporters said the news brought a sense of hope.

“We all walked out real slowly, silently. People were stunned. But the first reaction then was they started to cry,” explained Jo Chang, a Sansei and co-founder of the Da Moms, a LGBT support group. “I cried, everybody cried [laughs]. …We cried and then we smiled and celebrated.”

Other parents of children in the LGBT community said they are surprised at the sentiments expressed by those leading the opposition.

“I have a daughter who told us that she was gay in 1988, 22 years ago,” said Harold Kameya. “I am offended by people saying that she should have fewer rights than their children.”

But some opponents say the bill is not about equal rights, but biblical principles.

“My reaction to people that support this bill is also one of sadness, that they believe this bill is all about equal rights, when in fact it is about trying to make something acceptable to the public that should be kept private,” said Barbara Ferraro, director of Concerned Women For America.

Before this civil unions bill the Reciprocal Beneficiary Act was passed in 1997. It essentially extended to couples — which could not marry under state law — benefits allowed to heterosexual married couples.

“The fact is same-sex couples already receive survivorship benefits through our reciprocal beneficiary law,” Gabbard said.

“Marriage is not just a word — it’s the foundation, the bedrock of our society, the cornerstone of civilization and impacts every aspect of our lives.”

While public comments continue to collect at the governor’s office, some supporters of the civil unions bill are already thinking about what they will do if it becomes law.

“First thing we’ll do is change the deed to reflect our new status,” said supporter Valerie Smith, who was married to Nathalie Sowers in British Columbia. “We don’t need to be loved and accepted by everyone, and it is an impossible burden to expect us to appeal to the public’s support in such a way.”

“However, if the bill passes, we’ll at least have the confidence in knowing that anyone’s ‘disapproval’ remains just that — a sentiment — without any real power over our lives.”

Please contact me if I can help you. My phone is 586-6830 and e-mail is sengabbard@capitol.hawaii.gov. Mahalo for the privilege of serving you!