KnowThyNeighbor.org Expands to Oregon (Official Press Release)

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Tom Lang, Co-Director, KnowThyNeighbor.org (978) 335-0477
Contact: Aaron Toleos, Co-Director, KnowThyNeighbor.org (978) 821-4620

Oregon’s Anti-Gay Petitioners to Have Names Posted Online at KnowThyNeighbor.org

Manchester-by-the-Sea, MA, September 5, 2007 – KnowThyNeighbor.org, the gay rights organization that drew national attention for posting online the names of over half a million anti-gay petition signers in Massachusetts and Florida, announced today that it will be expanding its efforts to Oregon where anti-gay rights groups are seeking to overturn two new laws: one granting domestic partnership benefits to same-sex couples and the other expanding the state’s anti-discrimination laws to include sexual orientation.

The petitioners have until September 26 to collect about 55,000 signatures on each of two petitions.  If they are successful, the new laws will not go into affect as scheduled on January 1 and could be overturned by voters on the November 2008 ballot. KnowThyNeighbor.org will post the names of those that sign these petitions on their website sometime next month.

“This is about responsibility,” said KnowThyNeighbor.org co-director Aaron Toleos.  “Petition signers are making a choice to be directly responsible for a discriminatory and dehumanizing attack on fellow taxpaying citizens and should not be allowed to do so under the cover of darkness. Our website hopes to drive home the gravity of this situation and encourage potential signers to be fully connected to the very real and hurtful consequences their actions will have on gay individuals, couples, and their children.”

As in Massachusetts and Florida, KnowThyNeighbor.org expects that Oregon’s pro-equality citizens will visit the website, discover the names of people they know, and make an effort to confront those people about their actions. "These conversations can be uncomfortable for both parties,” explained Toleos, “but they are desperately needed if people are to understand how important these basic rights and protections are to the gay community."

Tom Lang, a gay married Republican, and Aaron Toleos, a straight married Democrat, founded KnowThyNeighbor.org in July 2005 to counter a proposed anti-gay marriage amendment in Massachusetts. That amendment was defeated with over 75% of the state legislature voting it down. The organization expanded to Florida in 2006 where it partnered with Christ Church of Peace in Jacksonville to post almost 400,000 names online. The Florida battle continues and another 300,000 names are scheduled to be posted in the next few months.

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Comments

[Lula]

PAUL:

"Do I have to open my etiquette school again?"

No, just your asshole...

to remove the stick.

[Jane Know]

Lula,
he comments here: http://opine-editorials.blogspot.com/2007/09/end-of-conversation.html

note Marty's message:

"No, he didn't. I was the first to ask him what a metaphorical lynching looked like, and he responded with that bit about wishing childlessness upon me.

I think I was mtaphorically castrated. :P

What a drama queen."

on second thought, maybe he was referring to Tom Lang's comments on the Opine site.

if so, my mistake.

i guess hate speech all sounds the same, no matter who it comes from.

[John]

Off topic totally random thought.

From Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance.

"You are never dedicated to something you have complete confidence in. No one is fanatically shouting that the sun is going to rise tomorrow. They know it's going to rise tomorrow. When people are fanatically dedicated to political or religious faiths or any other kinds of dogmas or goals, it's always because those dogmas or goals are in doubt."

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

Paul reminds me of that Adam Sandler movie where the little kid who puts on his sunglasses and becomes invisible. He is Frankenstein now... ;)

[John Hosty-Grinnell]

Jane Know, can you give us the link where this occured so that all the readers here can go see for themselves how he was posting under this "Marty" name? Thanks in advance.

[Lula]

Yes, Jane, please...and thank you.

[The Patriot]

Nice language

Keep it coming

And my name is Melvin

[Lula]

Oh, Paul.

Paul, Paul, Paul.

If only you knew what we know.

[ryan charisma]

Melvin, Paul, Patriot, whoever.

YOU ARE THE SAME PERSON

THE FACADE IS OVER,

AND THE FACT THAT YOU TRY TO CONTINUE IT

SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT YOUR HONOR AND

INTEGRITY. YOU HAVE NONE.

[Lula]

Ryan, it's pathetic.

He's not concerned with us, though...he's concerned with manipulating his newer "audience."

But, of course, as is the case with much of the opposition, his strategy is built on lies and deception.

Did you expect anything less?

[SarahG]

The bigots in Florida are still at it.

http://www.news-journalonline.com/NewsJournalOnline/News/Headlines/frtHEAD03POL090607.htm

Just a relevant aside. I hope the Florida site is still being updated.

[Lula]

Sarah, ya know...my mom really said it best:

"In this world where people are blowing up strangers and innocents every day, it makes no sense to fight people who wish to love...people suck."

[Lula]

RYAN:

"SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT YOUR HONOR"

Well, Ryan, Paul DOES put the "ho" in honor...

Indeed, he prostitutes themes like democracy, liberty, personal freedom, loyalty to country and to God...

all to advance his agenda of bigotry.

Yes, indeed, he puts the "ho" in honor.

[musclehippy]

I think he's now posting under the moniker of "jim bob" on the oregon site. Not sure if the URL's the same or not though. Can someone check it out for me. It shure sounds like this clown.

[Lula]

mh, as I said to you over there, "Gee, ya think?"

[Lula]

Listen, y'all...keep up the good fight...call the real liars on their BS, and enjoy the closeness to God that IS being an openly gay or lesbian person...

I'm off to meet my ex roomie Kathy (dead ringer for Jennifer Aniston...and I still came out of it gay?!) at the yodelaoke bar (it's like karaoke but with yodeling).

Have a good weekend, all!

[Paul Jamieson]

Lula - you are a fraud and a liar and a sad person. No guts. No Glory. Why not publish your name and address? Where is your courage? I am not The Patriot! I never have been the Patriot. And please tell me some more fantasies about what you know. This is the scary thing - the intimidation. You are unstable and are close to being shut down. If you aim to harm me or my family - you will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. And Jane whatever your name is,
It is very telling that you would come here and make accusations about someone you do not know. You are a sick person.

You see - you cannot harm me or my family. We are stronger than you and believe in freedom. You can never take that away. You can threaten me and try to bully me and publish my name and phone number accuse me of being a bad father, of my children being ashamed of me, of being molested as a child (how sensitive to people who really have been) call me a Nazi and bigot and homophobe, call me the Patriot or Jim Bob or Marty or whatever - but you will never take my right to vote or speak or worship or protest against people like you who are out to intimidate.

[John]

"This is the scary thing"

The patriot was scared a lot, too"

[musclehippy]

Poor poor victim paul. Wah,wah fuckin' wahhhhhh! LOL!

[Paul Jamieson]

LET THE PEOPLE VOTE!

[Paul Jamieson]

Don't believe Aaron Toleos for a minute. I am from Massachusetts and have personally been threatened and harassed because of signing the petition. Books ordered in my name, my phone number given out with the intent of calling my wife and children. Even People driving to my house and yelling names and swears as my children play in the yard. If this isn't intimidation - i don't know what is. Aaron Toleos lives down my street but still hasn't shown the courage or fortitude to come to my house for this "discussion". Know thy neighbor my foot. They will call you a Nazi, and a KKK man and demonize you if they don't agree with you. Yes go to the blog and see the hatred they espouse,

And Hosty was the one who published my PHONE NUMBER AND BEHOOVED PEOPLE TO CALL AND HARASS ME!!

ARE YOU GOING TO DENY THAT HOSTY YOU LIAR.

AND I GUESS AN INSULTING POST IS A SUBJECTIVE THING. ALL I HAVE BEEN SAYING IS "LET THE PEOPLE VOTE" AND THAT IS INSULTING TO HOSTY.

GIVE US A BREAK

So - Know Thy Neighbor Oregon has censored me from their blog. They had a link to this site which has mysteriously gone away - and the comment I posted today have been removed.

THEY DO NOT WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT PEOPLE REALLY ARE BEING HARASSED. pEOPLE WHO STAND UP TO THEM WILL BE CENSORED,

COWARDS.

[Scott]

Patriot Said:

"Prove to everyone that I am Paul Jamieson"

Response:

Seems more like "Sybel" to me.

[Scott]

Patriot Said:

"Prove to everyone that I am Paul Jamieson"

Response:

Seems more like "Sybel" to me.

[Paul Jamieson]

Uh that would be Sybil. But being a freshman in college, you wouldn't know how to spell.

I know who the Patriot is and have met with him. We share the same philosophy and point of view. But the notion that we are one and the same is preposterous and just another attempt by the radicals to try to demonize the opposition.

Have you ever noticed Hosty for instance when asked if he intentionally gave out my phone number and threatened me - his response is always to deflect, ie.. Were you molested? Are your children ashamed? etc etc. Its classic diversionary tactics. Just like their use of racial analogies to what they call a "struggle" for Civil rights. They cannot handle the fact that they cannot control your thoughts or opinions. So they resort to trying to intimidate people by "outing" them as "bigots. This is why we despise them, not because they are gay - but because they are trying to subvert the democratic process with intimidation and fear.

[John]

"So they resort to trying to intimidate people by "outing" them as "bigots"

They are bigots; I have no sympathy for the "outed" bigot.

And who outed them? They did it to themselves by publicly declaring their bigotry.

It is you, and you bigoted cohorts, who subvert our representative democracy by trying to resort to mob rule.