Please contact us using the information below
Mailing Address:
Barbara Gittings
Delaware Stonewall Democrats
PO Box 1024, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971
We often hear members of the LGBT community complain about how little President Obama has done for our Community. National Stonewall wanted you to know that the Obama campaign team has put together a truth team to counter the myths. Information about it is included below from National Stonewall. [...]
When Delaware Stonewall was established in 2003, we had as our prime missions, the support of pro-equality candidates for State office and the passage of pro-equality legislation. Since then, as you know, in coalition with other groups, our State Legislature has passed both non-discrimination and, as part of our 2011 legislative package, passage of the Civil Union bill.
The role we played in recent years, to assure the election of pro-equality legislators cannot be denied. [...]
The Dover Century Club auditorium was nearly full at the annual meeting of the Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats on Saturday, January 14th. President Mitch Crane deftly conducted the business of the annual meeting while inviting elected officials in attendance to give remarks as they appeared, allowing these busy people to move on to other appointments. In the business meeting, Norm Spector, of New Castle County, was elected Vice President-Development to fill the unexpired term of Betty Deacon, who resigned to dedicate her time to the upcoming elections. Executive Vice President Steve Kotrch guided to approval much needed by-laws amendments. Membership Vice President Larry Peterson reported on the progress of the "Trans Task Force" he heads-dedicated to gaining protection and rights for that important segment of our community. [...]
The 2012 Annual Meeting of the Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats will be Saturday, January 14th at the Century Club on The Green in Dover. The Board of Directors will meet at 11am and the General Membership at 1PM.
The membership will receive reports from BGDSD officers on 2011 activities and plans for the crucial 2012 elections. As always, key Democratic elected officials will be in attendance. [...]
Delaware State House Speaker Robert Gilligan was presented the Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats' LGBT Pioneer Award at Stonewall's annual fundraiser on October 1st. The award, presented by Stonewall Political VP Peter Schott, is in recognition of Gilligan's major role in guiding the recently-enacted civil union bill to passage in the state house. While formerly "moderate" Republicans fled from their history of support for progressive social legislation and voted against the Bill, or left the state to avoid voting, Speaker Gilligan delivered all but two members of the Democratic caucus and beat down all amendments designed to destroy the bill. Words of praise for Gilligan were also voiced by House Majority Leader Pete Schwartzkopf as well as Governor Jack Markell and United States Senator Tom Carper. Many members of the state legislature were also present to honor the Speaker and support Stonewall. [...]
The Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats will be holding our annual event/fundraiser on Saturday Oct. 1 from 4-6 PM at Mariachi's on Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth Beach. This event will be lots of fun with plenty of Mariachi's great appetizers and free flowing Sangria. We have confirmation the governor will attend and there will be plenty more elected officials there also- we will try to keep the speechifying to a reasonable time.
This has been a great couple of years for us Delawareans. We have a man in the governorship who has lived up to his word and delivered on his campaign promises to the GLBT community. We are honoring the Delaware Speaker of the House Bob Gilligan for his masterful management of the civil unions bill, as well as being a long time supporter. We have a great Majority Leader in Pete Schwartzopf who will also be there along with many statewide elected officials and candidates. We need to make sure we protect them and others in the house and senate who have supported us.
Just because we have accomplished a lot of our goals, the fight is not over. The money raised at this event will go to our PAC which will support those legislators, some of whom bravely put their careers on the line to support what is right. [...]
At its July Board meeting the Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats proudly joined the rapidly growing list of organizations and individuals who have endorsed Mitch Crane for Insurance Commissioner. Mitch is a citizen activist, former County Judge, and former Delaware Insurance official, who recognizes that in these tough economic times we need to elect someone who understands that the main function of the State Insurance Commissioner is to protect consumers from Insurance fraud, overpricing etc.
We urge our members to endorse Mitch, give generously, volunteer time, and get your neighbors involved in the campaign by going online at www.mitchcranefordelaware.com [...]
The Barbara Gittings Delaware Stonewall Democrats annual fundraiser will be Saturday, October 1st at Mariachi Restaurant, 14 Wilmington Avenue in Rehoboth. The event will celebrate the passage of Civil Union legislation in Delaware! Featured speaker will be Governor Jack Markell. The main honorees will be Democratic leaders instrumental in the passage of civil unions. Prime Sponsor, State Representative Melanie George is confirmed. Other federal and state elected officials have been invited and most will attend.
The event will commence at 4:00PM. Mariachi will provide a heavy assortment of its fantastic menu, along with wine and sangria. Tickets are $50/person with proceeds funding the Delaware Stonewall Political Action Committee. [...]
Even though we were successful in passing Civil Unions this year, and before that led the drive for passage of hospital visitation rights and non-discrimination our work at Barbara Gittings has not ended.
None of this would have happened if we had not worked to secure a legislative majority favorable to us. We will continue to support, both financially, through our PAC, and electorally, those who have been supportive of, and those [...]
On Thursday, April 14th, I had the honor of attending the hearings in the House on SB30 joined by my fellow Board members from Delaware Stonewall.
After a recess from presentations to former House members, the hearings got underway. As the amendments were brought up, read and discussed, I grew more and more anxious as to the outcome. First amendment – defeated. Second amendment – defeated. And so it went as one by one Representative George was able to pick apart the amendments and defeat them. Some of the amendments were just plain hateful and others were created simply to try and stall the bill. Nice try, didn’t work. Now came the big moment – the role call vote. [...]
SB 30 has made it out of committee. Senators Katz, Sokola and Blevins voted in favor of the Bill and Senator Marshall voted it out "on its merits." Bill supporters vastly outnumbered opponents at the hearing. Many opponents merely repeated the visions of devastation they predicted two years ago when SB 121- The Non-Discrimination Bill was debated.
The Civil Union Bill will NOT be a gateway to court suits demanding marriage. Unlike most other states, Delaware does not have an "Equal Protection" clause in its constitution. There would therefore be no legal argument that could be advanced by marriage proponents. [...]
Statewide Poll Shows Broad Support Among Likely Voters in
Delaware for a Civil Union Law
Measure Has Support of Most Voters Regardless of
Geography, Political Affiliation, Gender or Age
Equality Delaware, a non-profit, citizen-supported statewide organization that is advocating for a civil union law in Delaware, today released the results of a statewide public opinion poll which indicates there are twice as many likely voters in Delaware who support same-sex civil unions as there are voters who oppose civil unions. Most important, the poll shows that there is support for a civil union law among geographic, political, gender and age groups around the State.
The poll, which was conducted February 28 through March 6, 2011 by Lake Research Partners, shows [...]
United States Senator Chris Coons (D-Delaware) was the keynote speaker at the annual meeting of the Delaware Stonewall Democrats. Coons was elected to the senate seat in November, 2010 defeating tea-party supported Christine O'Donnell. Coons received an early endorsement from Delaware Stonewall.
In his remarks, Senator Coons thanked Stonewall for its support in the election and reiterated his strong support of equal rights for all Americans, including marriage equality. Coons detailed his involvement [...]
We are proud at Stonewall to announce that of the twenty-two legislative candidates we endorsed, seventeen won- 77.3 %. Of those other five only one had a reasonable chance of winning, according to pundits. The others were so good on issues of importance to the LGBT Community, that they warranted our support.
In the past we have heard several members of the General Assembly state that because they were in Conservative districts they could not support us. [...]
