Yes! On Equality - Repealing Prop 8 in California

OMG!

They actually use the word "gay" on their website!

The Yes campaign breathes new life into California Gay Marriage.
How? By bringing the campaign to the people and giving them a voice.

 

Why Support Gay Marriage?

The question, 'Why Gay Marriage?' is commonly asked. Simply put, we all deserve the right to marry. Why should one group of people be treated differently from the rest? By renaming Gay Marriage and calling it a civil union, a legitimate set of people and their relationships are subject to unjust discrimination.

This form of discrimination should not be taken lightly. The Los Angeles Times noted, "The very act of denying gay and lesbian couples the right to marry - traditionally the highest legal and societal recognition of a loving commitment - by definition relegates them and their relationship to second class status." The truth is, this form of segregation is wrong.

Overcoming Myths and Stereotypes

There are many myths and misconceptions about gays, some of which suggest that gays are different form the rest of society. Reality is, we comprise nearly 10% of the population; we're your banker, doctor, lawyer - people that lead ordinary lives, people just like you. Why then, should who we decide to spend the rest of our lives with, be the concern of everyone else? What makes us so special or different that we can't make that decision for ourselves?

Perhaps one of the greatest myths of all is that of gay marriage and education. Proponents of Proposition 8 used scare tactics that wrongly proclaimed that gay marriage will be taught in schools. However, California law prohibits teaching children matters of health and family issues at school that parents are opposed to.

Maybe they stand a chance of getting it right this time.

They need to show gay and lesbian couples though. This type of image is ridiculous:

A rainbow nebula and safe group shots won't work. Lay it all out there. Have some freakin' balls!

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 08:33:02 AM CST

I agree, that image looks like...

it properly belongs in a college catalog. It's almost as if it's a closeted campaign(like many of the No On 8 commercials). Put the issue out there, swing voters appreciate the willingness to be upfront.

I've looked at the Yes! On Equality website and it looks OK. Like S1, I want to hold back on the money for a bit just to see where this effort is headed.

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by: kevinchi @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 10:41:45 AM CST

[ Parent ]

They need a photo like this one...

When you look for the bad in mankind, expecting to find it, you surely will.

- Abraham Lincoln.

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by: Fritz @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 11:45:07 AM CST

[ Parent ]

adorable!

vanhattan

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by: vanhattan @ Fri Jan 16, 2009 at 01:36:20 AM CST

[ Parent ]

imo

we need to do this in EVERY state.. including the ones that already have a ban on them from allowing civil rights for all. There's not any harm in getting a referendum put into the legislature. However.. It still scares me that people care more about their religious faith than people's happiness.  

"It's hard to free fools from the chains they revere." ~ François Marie Arouet.

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by: TSinGarnNC16 @ Wed Jan 14, 2009 at 18:58:08 PM CST

The problem is

that people have been encouraged (by the churches, the courts, and the GOP) to think of their religious freedoms as meaning they have an absolute right to treat other people any way they want to.  It's rubbish, politically, philosophically, historically and any other way you want to look at it.  But it's what we have to live with in the Land of the Free.

Cynic, n.  A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.  
-Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary

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by: QScribe @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 10:04:33 AM CST

[ Parent ]

I'm a little confused

I got the following email from Courage Campaign.  It appears to also be preparing an anti-Prop 8 campaign.  Does anyone know if/how they, Yes! On Equality and other orgs are coordinating efforts?

Courage Campaign

Dear Friend,

I have some big news.

More than 50 labor organizations, representing more than 2 million Californians, have submitted a friend-of-the-court brief in support of the three major lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of Prop 8.

Organized labor is the most powerful single political force in California. With major labor organizations like the California Labor Federation going on record with the state Supreme Court favoring equality for all, the movement to restore marriage equality to California just got a tremendous boost.

But that's not the only exciting news related to same-sex marriage rights and the California labor community.

To help us build a well-trained grassroots army to repeal Prop 8, our labor movement friends at United Healthcare Workers (UHW) and the California Nurses Association (CNA) are also stepping up to help us fund Camp Courage trainings across California. UHW and CNA have pledged to contribute $5,000 each if we can meet our $25,000 Camp Courage Challenge by this Friday, January 16.

We don't have much time. So far, we've raised $14,639. To make this mission-critical match, we need to raise $10,361 by 11 p.m. on Friday. Please donate $25, $250, $2,500 -- or whatever you can afford -- before time runs out on this urgent Friday night deadline:

http://www.couragecampaign.org...

No matter what happens in the Supreme Court, we need to be prepared to defend marriage equality from the religious right -- to repeal Prop 8 or stop the "Yes on 8" cabal from waging another campaign to enshrine discrimination into our constitution.

As UHW President Sal Rosselli said on a conference call yesterday with major labor leaders, overturning Prop 8 is the "first step in building a permanent progressive majority" in California. That's why we are kicking off 2009 by building a grassroots army to restore marriage equality to our state, door-to-door, neighbor-to-neighbor, across all 58 counties of our state.

Our first Camp Courage will be in Los Angeles on January 25. We also intend to schedule Camp Courage trainings in places like Fresno, San Diego, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo and San Francisco. But, the reality is that we can only make these trainings possible with your support -- matching the generosity of our friends at UHW and CNA and people like Dr. Bill Resnick and Dr. Doug Cordell.

Time is running out. We just need $10,361 to make the challenge match by 11 p.m. on Friday so we can provide the kind of training and tools that will grow a grassroots army to repeal Prop 8. Will you help us make the $25,000 match by donating $25, $250, $2,500 -- or whatever you can afford -- before Friday's 11 p.m. deadline?:

http://www.couragecampaign.org...

Your financial support is vital to the movement to repeal Prop 8. And so is the financial support of your friends, family and neighbors -- anyone who cares about marriage equality as much as you do.

Please contribute what you can afford today. Then forward this request to your friends, so we can make the $25,000 match by Friday and put on Camp Courage trainings in communities across California.

Together, with our friends in the California labor movement, we will restore marriage equality and build a permanent progressive majority in our state.

Rick Jacobs
Chair

..............

Courage Campaign Issues is part of the Courage Campaign's online organizing network that empowers nearly 400,000 grassroots and netroots activists to push for progressive change in California.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 08:57:36 AM CST

This is part of the Prop 8 lawsuit

currently under consideration with the State Supreme Court.

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by: Karen in Kalifornia @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 11:38:56 AM CST

[ Parent ]

it goes beyond that though.

the fundraising plea is to raise money to "grow a grassroots army to repeal Prop 8".

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 11:51:43 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Good News, But

I'm glad to hear this.

But I'll hold off on supporting this effort until I see who's in charge. If it's the same bunch on inept amateurs that botched the fight against Prop. 8, I'll save my money for lottery tickets or something else that has a better chance of not wasting money.

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by: S1 @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 09:07:19 AM CST

There are great opportunities in a campaign like this

To get our message out, in a debate where we can set the medium.

In some states, even if we just get the amendments winnowed of the civil unions clauses, that will be steps forward.

But marriage is still the big prize, so let's show ourselves as couples who are committed to each other.

Hate stops a beating heart.

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by: KarenS @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 09:58:38 AM CST

I will add further...

It is not enough to repeal prop 8.

However this initiative is written, it must address specifc language to religious freedom. (Not that I believe that ever actually an issue here-- just a diversion).

If it doesn't do that, those asshats will use the same arguments to convince the same people to vote against us again.

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by: Ben in Oakland @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 09:59:18 AM CST

agreed. it is sad

that pro-equality legislation has to restate the 1st amendment, but voters ARE ignorant.  looks like maine is doing the same thing cali did and has included a "freedom of religion" affirmation in its marriage equality bill to head the ignorant off at the pass.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 10:44:07 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Either way they will claim it as an attack,

,,,on their religious freedom.  The Fundies are LIARS, through and through.  Look how they spoke about the Matthew Shepard Act and ENDA. The writting is right their for all to see.

 Problem is they believe everyone will act as they do, DISHONESTLY. Just wait to hear them scream over DADT.

If I make sense? it was quite by accident.

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by: HappyCat @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 11:26:07 AM CST

[ Parent ]

Thank you so much...

...for using 'asshats' in your comment.  It is my favorite word.

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by: jenrink @ Fri Jan 16, 2009 at 18:07:12 PM CST

[ Parent ]

it doesn't matter if they claim it is an attack

What matters is that the language is there. That way, if they do claim it as an attack, reasonable people can see that that is a lie, and will vote accordingly. Those are the people we need to reach.

Thre people who are irretrievably poisoned by hate, fear, stupidity, or religion-- or any combination thereof-- are generally speaking not reachable in any case. Energy directed towards them is mostly a waste of time.

As i have written and said repeatedly-- an honest campaign showing who we are, standing up for ourselves as ourselves, is the only thing I will support with time, energy, or money. Anything else-- that is to say, that whole stpuid campaign that we had no reason to lose other than a shame-and-closet based mentality-- I have no interest in supporting.

I would rather lose because we told the truth, than lose because we told a lie. And more and more, I would rather never win than support a campaign which is a lie.

Enough of the closet!!!

 

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by: Ben in Oakland @ Thu Jan 15, 2009 at 13:14:34 PM CST

Not so fast...

You said, "Despite the passage of Proposition 8 in November, 2008 - which effectively banned gay marriage in California and outlawed an estmated 18,000 same-sex marriages?"

i would just like to point out that my wife and i were married in CA the end of October. We are part of that estimated 18,000 same-sex marriages WHO ARE IN LEGAL LIMBO. It has not been decided yet if the estimated 18,000 same-sex marriages are indeed outlawed. It is in the courts now. So, this is my understanding of our situation.

Could you please follow-up and see if you are accurate? If not, can you please correct this. Thank you.

Warm Regards,

Existential Punk

Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from a religious conviction.
- Blaise Pascal

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by: Existential Punk @ Fri Jan 16, 2009 at 01:06:39 AM CST

i think you're correct.

until the court rules, we won't know if your marriage is valid in california any longer.  however, i was under the impression that since it was legally enacted, it will remain valid wherever ssm's are recognized.

Click HERE and sign up: Campaign For Military Partners.

Lurleen on Twitter.

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by: Lurleen @ Fri Jan 16, 2009 at 20:20:28 PM CST

[ Parent ]

The start of "Plan B"

I gave $$$ to the last doofus', so I certainly get not wanting to hand over money just yet.  All these guys are doing is collecting signatures.  There's no point in anybody else doing that now.  As for who ends up running the initiative campaign once it is qualified for the 2010 ballot, that's a long way down the road and hopefully a road we won't have to go down at all.

Whoever they are, they came out of nowhere and beat everybody else to the punch.  For me, that already makes them look sharper than anyone from EQCA or NoOn 8.

btw, I posted on their Facebook wall yesterday, had a response within hours and got a phone call this morning.  These guys are workin'!

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by: jenrink @ Fri Jan 16, 2009 at 18:11:29 PM CST