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The so-called National Organization for Marriage has declared war on the judicial branch of America's government, in its neverending quest to shred the 14th Amendment's guarantee of equal protection under the law.
First, NOM attacked Judge Vaughn Walker's perceived sexual orientation. Then they organized a judicial jihad in Iowa, abusing the purpose of a retention vote to force three state Supreme Court justices off the bench for their historic unanimous decision to allow same-sex marriage.
Now, in the last 96 hours, NOM mobilized 300,000 members to attack one of the three appeals court judges who will determine the fate of Prop 8. Prior to today's hearing before the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, the "Yes on 8" attorneys attempted to disqualify Judge Stephen Reinhardt from the case. The reason? His wife works for an organization that opposes Prop 8.
Their weak legal motion was immediately denied, but that didn't stop NOM from mobilizing their members to crush the Ninth Circuit's phone lines in an egregious attempt to bully the court, to no apparent end. As Adam Bink wrote Friday on Courage's Prop 8 Trial Tracker web site:
"If a judge is about to do something that NOM doesn't like, NOM will viciously attack the judge on any grounds it can find -- judicial independence be damned."
With NOM declaring war on the judicial branch, it's up to you to stop them. That's why we launched the Prop 8 Trial Tracker -- to hold NOM and the Yes on 8 attorneys accountable for their outrageous attempts to undermine the case against Prop 8. But without donations from people like you, the site would not exist. To keep coverage going, we need your help urgently. Please show your support by contributing $25, $50, $100 or more right now:
http://www.couragecampaign.
Today, the Prop 8 Trial Tracker is the eyes and ears of marriage equality supporters, with more than 3.7 million views and 84,000 comments and counting. If you haven't been reading Prop8TrialTracker.com on a daily basis, you've missed some amazing moments.
The best part might actually be what's happening in the comment threads of each Prop 8 Trial Tracker post. The relationships that have formed in the comments -- and the discussions and debates that have developed -- are sometimes quite moving and emotional. Two people even met on the site and have been dating ever since.
Meanwhile, NOM is spending $10 million a year attacking LGBT families, while cultivating the animus and isolation that leads to tragedies like the recent spate of LGBT teen suicides. Right now, even with the Prop 8 case potentially on its way to the Supreme Court, NOM is moving to roll back marriage equality in New Hampshire and other states.
We can't continue to hold NOM accountable and bring you breaking news on the Prop 8 case if we aren't able to cover the costs of the Prop 8 Trial Tracker. To continue our relentless coverage, we urgently need your financial support. Please show your support right now by making a tax-deductible contribution of $25, $50, $100 or more today:
http://www.couragecampaign.
Thank you so much for supporting our work to hold NOM accountable and bring the case against Prop 8 into the lives of Americans. We can't do it without you.
Rick Jacobs
Chair, Courage Campaign Institute
The Courage Campaign Institute is a part of the Courage Campaign's multi-issue online organizing network that empowers more than 700,000 grassroots and netroots supporters to push for progressive change and full equality in California and across the country.
To support the Prop 8 Trial Tracker, please chip in what you can today:
