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The CA Supreme Court upheld Prop 8. Now what?

*The Courage Campaign is asking you to be "fearless" and go on the offensive with them. Do so by clicking here.
*Join the Human Rights Campaign's "We Won't Back Down" effort by clicking here.
*Follow news coverage at Stop Prop 8 to find ways to push back by clicking here.

Quickie: Marriage Equality

From the Courage Campaign:

The Courage Campaign, along with other organizations committed to restoring marriage equality to California, is surveying our membership about going back to the ballot. We stand together, hopeful that the California Supreme Court will confirm that fundamental civil rights cannot be stripped away from a minority group at the ballot box. However, we must be prepared to go back to the ballot if the Supreme Court fails to overturn Proposition 8.

They are asking: "If the state Supreme Court upholds Proposition 8... should we support going back to the ballot to restore marriage equality to California in 2010 or 2012?"

Some arguments for placing a marriage equality initiative on the ballot in 2010:
We should take advantage of the powerful grassroots activism that has emerged following the passage of Prop 8 by going back sooner rather than later. That energy will dissipate if we wait until 2012.
By November 2010, we will have full marriage equality in Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, and very likely in New York and New Jersey. Given these developments, Californians should not wait beyond 2010 to try and restore the right to marry.

In November 2010, the top of the Democratic ticket -- the gubernatorial candidate -- will support overturning Prop 8 and restoring the right to marry. In 2012, it's questionable whether President Obama will take that position.

Some arguments for placing a marriage equality initiative on the ballot in 2012:
We have hundreds of thousands of voters to convince on the issue of marriage equality. Even if we work our hardest, it will take three-plus years to do that work.

On this issue, time is on our side. By 2012, an even greater number of voters will have come our way. So why risk it in 2010 when we probably have a better chance in 2012.

We will once again need tens of millions of dollars to run a strong campaign. Given the state of today's economy and the fact that people just gave so much to the No on 8 campaign, we should wait before going right back to the ballot.

So, go vote. You have until tomorrow, Wednesday May 20th, at 5pm.

Prop 8 Protest

Tomorrow, Saturday the 15th, is the day to protest against Prop 8. Click here to find protest events near you. Click here to read about upcoming events. As Dana from Mombian writes,

Whether you protest in a group or simply by talking with your neighbors, may these stories infuriate and motivate you.

Quickie: Repeal Prop 8

Yay! Go here to sign a petition with the Courage Campaign. Join the Facebook group. Donate to the Lambda Legal Defense Fund.



h/t Daily Kos

Yes we did!

Thank you.

The anti-choice ballot measures in Colorado, South Dakota, and California went down. As of this entry, however, Prop 8 in California and 102 in Arizona are winning. Ack! I'm hoping against hope that when all the dust settles these measures will also go down.

Don't Forget

Today is Write to Marry day. If you haven't blogged about gay marriage, equal rights for LGBT, and the evils of Proposition 8 in California yet, please do so now.

Thanks.

Write to Marry: October 29

Attention Bloggers: October 29 is Write to Marry Day. Please use your voice to blog for the basic human right of marriage for all. I will.

From Dana at Mombian:

The event will give bloggers a chance to voice their opposition to Prop 8 and highlight what they may have already done, online or off, to stop the measure. The campaign will also educate California voters of the need to “go all the way” down the ballot to vote on the proposition.

Mike Rogers of PageOneQ approached me last week to ask if I’d organize a blog carnival like Blogging for LGBT Families Day, but this time to help generate awareness and action against Prop 8. I readily agreed, and here it is.

To participate, post on your own blog against Prop 8 on or before October 29, 2008, then submit the link to your post by completing the form here. Links to your own videos on YouTube or other video sites are also accepted.

Many of you have already done much to try and stop Prop 8 in California, donating and raising money, blogging, and talking with friends and family. Please share your efforts and post about them for Write to Marry Day, or submit a link to a previous post. This will help us create a comprehensive view of bloggers’ efforts to stop Prop 8.

Please help spread the word and stop the hate.

Stop the (Anti-LGBT) Props

From Dana over at MotherTalkers and Mombian:

Florida's Prop 2, California's Prop 8, Arizona's Prop 102: These are the measures that could make marriage for same-sex couples unconstitutional under state law, and take away the existing right to marry for same-sex couples in California. Many people have already given money to fight them...

With two weeks to go now before the election, what else can you do, especially if you are a busy parent or don't live in one of these states, to stop any or all of these measures from passing? How can you keep informed and help spread the word? Here are some ideas, in no particular order. Please feel free to add more in the comments.

Click here to find out. Please. Do something. Anything. Now.

I beg of you

Please, especially if you live in California, do whatever you can to defeat Proposition 8. I just stumbled across this and am made ill by it:


Donate. Volunteer. Put up a yard sign. Slap on a bumper sticker. Talk to friends, neighbors, merchants. Write a letter to an editor. Do whatever you can do to stop this insanity.

As California goes, so goes the Nation.

h/t Daily Kos.

LGBT Stuff

Dana at Mombian does such a great job of keeping us up to date on all things LGBT. I love her site. Here's a snippet from the weekly political update:

The Personnel Subcommittee of the U.S. House Armed Services Committee heard testimony for and against the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. SLDN executive director Aubrey Sarvis notes the irony that this was the same day politicians gathered to honor the 60th anniversary of President Truman’s executive order that ended racial discrimination in the armed forces.

After meeting with HRC* (and perhaps feeling pressure from the blogosphere) the Mars candy company pulled a controversial ad showing an effeminate man being shot at with candy bars and told to “run like a real man.”

A proposed Arkansas ballot measure banning unmarried couples who live together from adopting or fostering children failed to collect the needed signatures, but received a 30-day extension under state law.

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Proposition 8 in California is currently losing in the polls. Yay! That does not mean, however, that we can be complacent. Fast and furious attack ads and hateful, ignorant disinformation abound. Click here to help financially support HRC's California Marriage PAC and here to sign a pledge of support for LGBT marriage with Equality for All.

Here is a list of the largest "Marriage Protection" idiot donors to date. Reigning from San Diego are these heavy hitters: Terry Caster, the owner of A-1 Storage, Doug Manchester, owner of the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and Carlsbad car dealer Robert Hoehn. Boycott them!



*For those of you who don't click links, HRC = Human Rights Campaign, not Hillary Rodham Clinton...