Foes of Q2 get heavy support

Tuesday, Oct. 15, 2002 | 9:50 a.m.

Miss Nevada, Teresa Benitez, teamed up with two political powerbrokers Monday night in a grass-roots effort to defeat a ballot question seeking to guarantee marriage in Nevada can only be between a man and a woman.

Billy Vassiliadis, owner of R&R Partners, and Sig Rogich, owner of Rogich Communications -- two leading advertising agencies in Las Vegas -- said they are pushing an effort to defeat the ballot question because it would institutionalize hatred and discrimination.

They said the question is a moot point because Nevada law already spells out the definition of a marital couple.

"Sig and I are speaking out against Question 2 because hatred for the gay and lesbian community is one of the last institutionalized prejudices in this country," Vassiliadis said.

Instead of changing Nevada's Constitution, discussions about hospital visitations and partner benefits could be explored by the Legislature, Rogich said.

"In a small way, maybe we can draw attention to the issue," Rogich said. He noted that supporters of the question are opposed to educating students about AIDS or sex. "Who in their right minds would not be in favor of AIDS education or sex education?" Rogich asked.

Benitez, 24, said she had permission from the Miss American Pageant to speak out on the Question 2 issue.

"By speaking out, we are supporting this state as one of compassion and caring," Benitez said before performing an oratory she recited as her talent in the Miss America pageant. It consists of trial testimony of the father of Matthew Shepard, a gay University of Wyoming student who was beaten and left to die in 1998 tied to a fence on the side of a rural road.

"We must build a culture and climate of acceptance, tolerance and inclusion," she said.

Elizabeth Moore, leading Equal Rights of Nevada, said it was the first formal fund-raiser for the group.

By the end of August, the group had about $40,000, Moore said. Monday night's gathering was expected to bring in another $20,000, she said.

Backers of Question 2 are estimated to have $1 million for advertising, Moore said.