This is an interesting idea. Let me mention a few things, though (the first two I am pointing out as chair of the steering committee; the third point is just a point I want to make personally): 1) We have voted to move the conference to Illinois (and away from FL) for 2011; we have not decided to never have the conference in FL again (or to not have the conference in FL until FL changes some of its laws). . Our intention was to consider rotating the conference through two or three locations. We may of course decide not to rotate it, or at least not to have that rotation include FL, but this would need to be decided by a vote of the membership. And, we will be hypocritical if we issue a statement and then four or six years down the road return to FL (even if the laws have not changed). 2) Even if we do decide not to hold the conference in FL again (or until the objectionable laws change), we would still need a vote of the membership to decide whether or not to issue a position statement (the APA does this when it issues such statements). 3) Of course I think the FL anti-gay laws are terrible (and my own family is vulnerable in FL because of these laws). But it is hard to be a a moral purist about anything like this, since there are many moral reasons to support/withdraw support from something (a state, an institution, etc). Anywhere we locate the conference, we will be compromising on something (e.g. we have chosen a hotel that pays its workers less well than the Sheraton Sand Key). So, are we choosing to prioritize condemning FL's anti-gay laws through our choice of venue, when there may be something else of equal or greater (or incommensurable) importance? It might be right to prioritize our condemnation of FL's anti-gay laws, but I am just suggesting that we should have a (difficult) conversation about FEAST's values and how to weigh them before we act automatically. Lisa On Oct 9, 2009, at 4:15 PM, Keller, Jean wrote: > FEAST steering committee and FEAST members, > Reading these articles makes me think, could/should FEAST write up a > position statement explaining our recent decision to no longer hold > our conference in the state of Florida, and point to Florida's anti- > gay policies as a prime reason for this decision (and refer to this > case). My thought is this statement could explain our principled > objections and also document the financial impact to the state of > Florida of our decision, and then send a copy of it as a letter to > the editor to some local Florida papers, chambers of commerce, > perhaps some key Florida legislators. > > It's perhaps a small way to weigh in on this, but if other groups > follow suit, it may have some impact. > > Jean > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: FEAST Members [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On > Behalf Of Claudia Card > Sent: Friday, October 09, 2009 10:30 AM > To: [log in to unmask] > Subject: Re: Kids and FEAST > > Thank you, Bonnie, Joan, and Alison. --Claudia > > Alison Jaggar wrote: >> Yes, you speak for me Joan. Even though I too have loved the beach. >> Thank you Bonnie. >> >> Alison. >> >> On Wed, Oct 7, 2009 at 2:36 PM, Callahan, Joan <[log in to unmask] >> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >> >> I'd like to thank Bonnie for bringing the Janice Langbehn/Lisa >> Pond case to the attention of FEAST-L subscribers. Over all these >> years I, too, have enjoyed the Clearwater location without really >> giving thought to Florida politics on the matter of gay families >> and the importance of attending to such politics in deciding where >> a group such as FEAST should meet. Bonnie has fought long and >> hard for this change, which is well justified on more than one >> ground. I, for one, am very grateful to her for sticking with the >> struggle. >> >> Joan >> >> On 10/7/09 11:47 AM, "Bonnie Mann" <[log in to unmask] >> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> wrote: >> >> Hey Everyone, >> >> Much appreciation to Zoe for writing. Maybe this will help her >> and the other kids feel better about the decision to move the >> location. For those of us who live at a great distance from the >> Florida location, bringing our children is not a possibility. I >> have four daughters, none of whom has ever been able to accompany >> me to FEAST because I could never afford the massive airfare costs >> from Oregon. So also from a kids perspective, this is an issue of >> fairness. The location (as does any location) makes things >> possible for families who live closer that are not possible for >> families who live further. I must also say that kids with >> adoptive lesbian parents are disadvantaged by the Florida >> location--and I know that many lesbians have brought their >> children to Florida. As an adoptive lesbian parent I would >> hesitate very much to bring my children to Florida. If that seems >> odd, just a reminder (below... I pulled it off a website) about >> what happened to Janice Langehn and Lisa P! >> on! >> d's children, who happened to be in Florida for a cruise when one >> of their mothers had a fatal stroke. I hope that the new site >> will be child friendly, but it is important to acknowledge that >> the old site was only friendly for some families and not for >> others. So my children, over all the years I've been attending >> FEAST (since early on, except for this year), have missed out. >> They've never been able to come. >> >> Florida Federal Court Dismisses Lawsuit of Lesbian Denied >> Information About and Visitation with Dying Partner in ER >> http://www.blogher.com/florida-federal-court-dismisses-lawsuit-lesbian-denied-information-about-and-visitation-dying-partne >> >> A few days ago, a U.S. District Court for Southern Florida >> dismissed Janice Langbehn's case against the Public Health Trust >> of Miami-Dade County, Jackson Memorial Hospital and 3 doctors. For >> those unfamiliar with, or don't remember Janice's story I'll give >> you quick synopses. >> >> In February 2007, Janice Langbehn, Lisa Pond, and their 3 children >> traveled to Florida for an R Family Cruise. But before the ship >> left port, Lisa collapsed and had to be rushed to a hospital. >> Janice and their children followed, arriving shortly after. The >> hospital refused to take information about Lisa's medical history >> from Janice, even after a copy of Power of Attorney had been faxed >> to the hospital. Janice and the children were not given any >> information about Lisa, and were denied visitation even after the >> doctor had indicated that there was no medical reason Lisa could >> not have visitors. In the mean time, other families, including >> children, were taken back to visit with patients in the trauma >> unit. The only visitation Janice was allowed in the ER, was 5 >> minutes while the priest to delivered last rites. At some point >> during the ordeal, Janice was told by a social worker that she was >> in an anti-gay state and city, and she would not be acknowledged >> as family. Apparently, t! >> ha! >> t went for their adopted children too. >> >> When Lisa was finally moved from the ER to a non-trauma room in >> the hospital, Janice was not notified. She had to find out from >> Lisa's sister, who was told by the hospital staff when she >> arrived. It was more than hour after Lisa had been moved. Yes, >> Lisa's sister had more rights than her partner of 18 years did. >> Later, Dade County Examiner and the State of Florida both denied >> Janice a death certificate, which she needed for life insurance >> and social security benefits for the children. >> >> The court ruling, says the trauma unit does not have and >> obligation to allow the patient's family, health care surrogate, >> or other visitors, access to the patient. And since she was >> allowed in for the 5 minutes of last rites, that's good enough (my >> words). The ruling found that since she was briefly consulted >> twice, the Power of Attorney had not been denied or ignored. The >> ruling also stated that there was not enough evidence to show a >> fiduciary relationship. This has some bearing as to why it's >> justifiable under the law to keep loved ones apart, but I don't >> understand why. Since I am not a lawyer, and all of this legal >> speak makes eyes glaze over, this is about as much as I got out of >> reading the ruling. For a more in depth discussion of the ruling >> and it's implications, check out Leonard Links post Federal Judge >> Dismisses Tort Claims Against Florida Hospital and Staff Who >> Failed to Accord Compassionate Treatment to Life Partner of Dying >> Lesbian. >> >> On Wed, 7 Oct 2009 08:58:54 -0400, Sally Scholz >> <[log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> >> wrote: >>> Thanks Zoe and Anna! For what it is worth, my two kids were >> similarly disappointed. The Florida location was a nice place to >> bring families. We are trying to keep an open mind and hoping that >> the Illinois location will also be a nice place for kids too. >>> >>> I was particularly delighted to see Zoe's letter-- I admire her >> courage and pluck in writing. >>> >>> -----Original Message----- >>> From: Feminist ethics and social theory >> [mailto:[log in to unmask] >> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>] On Behalf Of FEAST-L >> automatic digest system >>> Sent: Wednesday, October 07, 2009 12:04 AM >>> To: [log in to unmask] <mailto:[log in to unmask]> >>> Subject: FEAST-L Digest - 5 Oct 2009 to 6 Oct 2009 (#2009-147) >>> >>> There is 1 message totalling 53 lines in this issue. >>> >>> Topics of the day: >>> >>> 1. change of location for next FEAST >>> >>> >> >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> Date: Tue, 6 Oct 2009 14:22:15 -0400 >>> From: Anna Stubblefield <[log in to unmask] >> <mailto:[log in to unmask]>> >>> Subject: Re: change of location for next FEAST >>> >>> I want to thank all of the organizers for a wonderful FEAST a couple >>> of weeks ago! I enjoy this conference so much! >>> >>> My daughter, who accompanied me to FEAST this year and in 2007 is >>> very, very sad that the conference will not be in Florida again next >>> time. I tried to explain to her the political reasons behind the >>> decision to try a new location, as you will see from her message >>> below, although she does not yet grasp the implication of harm being >>> done that is not directly to an individual (we'll work on that). I >>> confess being very torn myself between loving the Florida >> location, in >>> part but not totally because it is a great place to bring my >> daughter, >>> and agreeing with the political concerns about where our money >> is going. >>> >>> Anyway, Zoë wanted to express her protest to the organization about >>> the change in location, and I certainly did not want to quash >> her urge >>> to do so, so I promised to pass on her message. Here it is: >>> >>> Dear Feast, >>> >>> I'd like to make a suggestion on account of the location of >> Feast. As >>> a ten year old girl, I'm sure you don't take me seriously. And I'm >>> sure you think I only want you to stay in Florida because I >> think it's >>> fun there. I can tell you it's fun for everyone involved in the >>> program and you are making a huge mistake. Florida may have homo >>> sexual issues and a bad environment, but they haven't done anything >>> wrong to the speakers or anyone involved, have they? I'm sure no one >>> there has given you a hassle about anything. Why move to a cold, 3 >>> star place when you can live in peace at a 5 star hotel, with a >> beach, >>> and a pool, and great places to visit?? If things have gone wrong, >>> notify me and I'll take back the comment. Just a suggestion. >> Thank you >>> for listening. >>> >>> Sincerely Yours, >>> Zoë Stubblefield >>> (Daughter of Anna >>> Stubblefield, Speaker >>> at Feast of 2009) >>> >>> >>> *********************************** >>> Anna Stubblefield >>> Chair, Department of Philosophy >>> Rutgers University-Newark >>> >>> ------------------------------ >>> >>> End of FEAST-L Digest - 5 Oct 2009 to 6 Oct 2009 (#2009-147) >>> ************************************************************ >> >> >> >> >> ------ End of Forwarded Message >> >> >> >> >> -- >> Alison M. Jaggar >> College Professor of Distinction >> University of Colorado at Boulder >> Philosophy and Women and Gender Studies >> Boulder, CO 80309-0232 >> 303-492-8997 (direct line) >> 303-492-6132 (dept. office) >> 303-492-8386 (fax) ------------------ Lisa Tessman Associate Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in Philosophy Program in Social, Political, Ethical and Legal Philosophy (SPEL) Binghamton University Binghamton, NY 13902-6000 Office phone: (607) 777-2269 Email: [log in to unmask] P Please consider the environment before printing this e-mail