 | |
Dear Daniel,
Just when you thought they couldn't stoop any lower... At one of 20 rallies on their anti-equality summer tour, the president of the far-right National Organization for Marriage (NOM) had the gall to compare their bigoted cause to that of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. "What if Martin Luther King, Jr. would have listened to those who tried to silence him and tell him that his faith has no place in the public square?" he asked. He then told the crowd they were "part of a new civil rights group." It's revolting. But last week's ruling that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional has them angrier than ever, and they'll only ratchet up their hypocrisy as the 2010 election approaches. The next big fight for marriage is on, and they know it. So do we. That's why we're well on our way to raising $100,000 by Wednesday for a campaign to beat back the right-wing challenge by voting out NOM's cronies. Can we count on you at this pivotal moment? Groups like NOM have a new strategy: to cloak their bigotry in the guise of a "civil rights" movement – to claim that they're being persecuted for their views, and saying they're for "fairness" and "equality." Just look at the photo below from the same NOM rally in New Jersey where they invoked Dr. King's legacy:  Unless we're there to answer every charge and expose every shred of propaganda, we give them the upper hand. And then everything we've fought for is in jeopardy.Here's just one example of how HRC's rapid-response team and our huge grassroots force can make a difference. When Target and Best Buy (despite their solid records as leaders in workplace equality) donated to support a rabidly anti-equality candidate, we ran a full-page ad and mobilized almost 100,000 people asking them to make it right. This campaign is one of the most urgent we’ve undertaken. The 2010 election will have a major impact on every single issue we work on – not just marriage and relationships, but our efforts in the workplace, schools, hospitals, houses of worship... Your donation today could make the difference. We're well underway, with staff already placed in key states and volunteers trained and mobilized. And throughout the lead-up to the election, we’ll be firing on all cylinders, funding full-time grassroots organizers, supporting door-to-door programs and phone banks, turning out volunteers, running ads, and striking back against right-wing lies. The outcome in November will be with us for years, perhaps decades: Equality or discrimination. Dignity or denigration. Which will it be? The weight of history is on our shoulders. Thank you for doing your part. Sincerely,  Joe Solmonese President P.S. If you've recently donated through the mail or by any other means, please disregard this message and accept our sincere thanks. If not, I hope you'll donate now and support this fight.  This link is specific to you, so please make your own gift before you forward to your friends. Having trouble clicking on the links above? Simply copy and paste this URL into your browser's address bar to reach the donation form: https://secure3.convio.net/hrc/site/Donation2?df_id=5581&5581.donation=form1 |
Monday, August 9, 2010
Via HRC:
Sunday, August 8, 2010
Via Bill Moyers: What's Next in the Marriage Wars: Olson and Boies on Prop 8
What's Next in the Marriage Wars: Olson and Boies on Prop 8
In February 2010 Bill Moyers talked with lawyers Ted Olson and David Boies. Once adversaries in 2000's Bush v. Gore Supreme Court case, now two of the nation's premier lawyers -- one conservative and one liberal -- teamed up to make the constitutional case for same-sex marriage. The duo has just finished presenting their arguments to the court against California's Proposition 8 -- the 2008 ballot initiative that put an end to same-sex marriage in that state. Find out what brought these two together over the issue and more about the case below. Also, in a Web exclusive, Olson and Boies talk about Bush v. Gore. and Citizens United v. FEC.
jump here to watch Bill: http://www.pbs.org/moyers/journal/blog/2010/06/whats_next_in_the_marriage_war.html
MarriageTrial.com
After the Supreme Court prevented video of the trial from being distributed on the internet, two filmmakers hired actors to reenact the entire trial transcript, and posted the videos and the original transcripts.
Perry et al v. Schwarzenegger et al
The American Foundation for Equal Rights hosts all related documents and transcripts of the case on their Web site.
American Foundation for Equal Rights
The group that has brought the lawsuit challenging Proposition 8.
ProtectMarriage.com Action Fund
A group formed to promote and defend Proposition 8.
Coverage of the Case
"CA gay marriage trial to resume after long break," Lisa Leff, AP, June 12, 2010. California gay marriage trial ends dramatically, Reuters, Peter Henderson, June 16, 2020.
"A Risky Proposal: Is it too soon to petition the Supreme Court on gay marriage?"
By Margaret Talbot, THE NEW YORKER, January 18, 2010.
"Boies At Play"
By Margaret Talbot, THE NEW YORKER, January 26, 2010.
Special Report: Same-Sex Marriage
The SAN JOSE MERCURY-NEWS provides full coverage of Proposition 8 and the trial. Free subscription required to view some articles.
Additional Background on Same-Sex Marriage
"Amid Small Wins, Advocates Lose Marquee Battles" By Kate Zernike, THE NEW YORK TIMES, December 2, 2009.
"The High Price of Being a Gay Couple"
By Tara Siegel Bernard and Ron Lieber, NEW YORK TIMES, October 2, 2009.
Via JMG: Ted Olson On Fox News Sunday
Ted Olson appeared on Fox New Sunday this morning to defend Judge Vaughn Walker against the tired old claims of "judicial activism." Watch as Olson schools host Chris Wallace on the Constitution and the Supreme Court's history on marriage cases. "Would you like Fox News' right to free press put up to a vote?" ZING.
ViaSacbee: Justice Kennedy's the one to watch in Proposition 8 case
WASHINGTON – Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy will have something to say about California's gay marriage ban.
That's when the landmark case will really get interesting.
Kennedy's the one to watch, even if his name appears nowhere in a trial judge's 136-page opinion issued Wednesday striking down California's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriages.
That's when the landmark case will really get interesting.
Kennedy's the one to watch, even if his name appears nowhere in a trial judge's 136-page opinion issued Wednesday striking down California's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriages.
Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2010/08/08/2944686/justice-kennedys-the-one-to-watch.html#ixzz0w2dNmOi2
Todays Best Repost:
Charter for Compassion
The principle of compassion lies at the heart of all religious, ethical and spiritual traditions, calling us always to treat all others as we wish to be treated ourselves. Compassion impels us to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the centre of our world and put another there, and to honour the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.It is also necessary in both public and private life to refrain consistently and empathically from inflicting pain. To act or speak violently out of spite, chauvinism, or self-interest, to impoverish, exploit or deny basic rights to anybody, and to incite hatred by denigrating others—even our enemies—is a denial of our common humanity. We acknowledge that we have failed to live compassionately and that some have even increased the sum of human misery in the name of religion.
We therefore call upon all men and women ~ to restore compassion to the centre of morality and religion ~ to return to the ancient principle that any interpretation of scripture that breeds violence, hatred or disdain is illegitimate ~ to ensure that youth are given accurate and respectful information about other traditions, religions and cultures ~ to encourage a positive appreciation of cultural and religious diversity ~ to cultivate an informed empathy with the suffering of all human beings—even those regarded as enemies.
We urgently need to make compassion a clear, luminous and dynamic force in our polarized world. Rooted in a principled determination to transcend selfishness, compassion can break down political, dogmatic, ideological and religious boundaries. Born of our deep interdependence, compassion is essential to human relationships and to a fulfilled humanity. It is the path to enlightenment, and indispensible to the creation of a just economy and a peaceful global community.
Quote of the Day
"Freedom from discrimination based upon sexual orientation is surely a Fundamental Human Right in any great democracy, as much as racial, freedom from religious, gender, or ethnic discrimination." -- Coretta Scott King | ||
Saturday, August 7, 2010
PRESS ADVISORY - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
SAME SEX COUPLES MAKE WEDDING PREPARATIONS IN HOPE OF JUDGE LIFTING STAY OF PROP. 8 RULING
Media Contacts:
Molly McKay, Media Director (510) 332-0872, media@marriageequality.org
Molly McKay, Media Director (510) 332-0872, media@marriageequality.org
Pamela Brown, Policy Director (510) 384-3655, policy@marriageequality.org
Oakland, California: Same-sex couples are making preparations this weekend to tie the knot on Monday if Judge Vaughn Walker lifts the stay of his historic ruling finding Proposition 8 unconstitutional. Couples are busy picking out wedding rings, planning ceremonies and celebrations, and filling out marriage license applications.
Eric Ross, who hopes to marry his fiance, said, "We are shopping for wedding rings this weekend that will symbolize our love and commitment to each other. We are very hopeful that the Judge will lift the stay."
Vanessa Judicpa, will exchange vows with her partner Maria Ydil in a long-planned wedding ceremony with friends and family on Sunday evening. She and Maria had hoped to marry immediately after Judge Walker's decision was issued and received an application prior to the Stay being issued. She hopes to be able to marry Maria legally on Monday. "Our dearest family and friends will join us Sunday to celebrate our lives together. Maria and I could imagine no better wedding gift than to marry legally in California on Monday."
Teresa Rowe, and Kristen Orbin, from Solano County will receive a blessing of hope that they can marry soon from MCC Church in San Francisco where they are regular attendees. MCC Church is located at 150 Eureka St in San Francisco and services are at 11am. "We will head straight to City Hall the second the stay is lifted but it is really important to us to also have a ceremony at our church afterwards. We thought for a second the stay might be lifted this weekend and my entire retail store where I work was ready to shut down and go with us."
Thom Watson, who hopes to legally marry his life partner Jeff Tabaco next week, stated, "Last year we had what otherwise would have been a perfect wedding celebration at the historic Cliff House, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, but we couldn't marry legally because of Proposition 8. This weekend we are filling out our marriage license application so if the stay is lifted we can have a fully legal marriage just as everyone else can."
There are several more couples available to share their lives and speak to press as well.
"My wife, Davina and I have enjoyed wedded bliss for the last two years of our 14 years together- it was awful when Proposition 8 slammed the door behind us. We are so happy that all couples who are ready to make the commitment of marriage will be able to legally marry again in California and don't have to fly to Iowa or Argentina to be married. We are so grateful to our Governor and our Attorney General for encouraging Judge Walker to lift the stay of his ruling quickly so that all loving, committed couples in California can live out their dream of legally marrying the one they love," said Molly McKay, MEUSA Media Director, "It's great being just an old married couple."
"Marriage is a fundamental right and while everyone is free to express their personal opinion, no one should ever be able to vote to take that fundamental right away," said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. "Eighteen thousand same-sex couples married and the defense presented no credible evidence to show the State suffered any harm as a result, because only good comes from allowing loving couples the right to marry. As we wind through the lengthy legal process, same-sex couples should not have to continue to suffer the denial of this fundamental right. Let freedom ring and let marriage equality return."
Eric Ross, who hopes to marry his fiance, said, "We are shopping for wedding rings this weekend that will symbolize our love and commitment to each other. We are very hopeful that the Judge will lift the stay."
Vanessa Judicpa, will exchange vows with her partner Maria Ydil in a long-planned wedding ceremony with friends and family on Sunday evening. She and Maria had hoped to marry immediately after Judge Walker's decision was issued and received an application prior to the Stay being issued. She hopes to be able to marry Maria legally on Monday. "Our dearest family and friends will join us Sunday to celebrate our lives together. Maria and I could imagine no better wedding gift than to marry legally in California on Monday."
Teresa Rowe, and Kristen Orbin, from Solano County will receive a blessing of hope that they can marry soon from MCC Church in San Francisco where they are regular attendees. MCC Church is located at 150 Eureka St in San Francisco and services are at 11am. "We will head straight to City Hall the second the stay is lifted but it is really important to us to also have a ceremony at our church afterwards. We thought for a second the stay might be lifted this weekend and my entire retail store where I work was ready to shut down and go with us."
Thom Watson, who hopes to legally marry his life partner Jeff Tabaco next week, stated, "Last year we had what otherwise would have been a perfect wedding celebration at the historic Cliff House, overlooking the Pacific Ocean, but we couldn't marry legally because of Proposition 8. This weekend we are filling out our marriage license application so if the stay is lifted we can have a fully legal marriage just as everyone else can."
There are several more couples available to share their lives and speak to press as well.
"My wife, Davina and I have enjoyed wedded bliss for the last two years of our 14 years together- it was awful when Proposition 8 slammed the door behind us. We are so happy that all couples who are ready to make the commitment of marriage will be able to legally marry again in California and don't have to fly to Iowa or Argentina to be married. We are so grateful to our Governor and our Attorney General for encouraging Judge Walker to lift the stay of his ruling quickly so that all loving, committed couples in California can live out their dream of legally marrying the one they love," said Molly McKay, MEUSA Media Director, "It's great being just an old married couple."
"Marriage is a fundamental right and while everyone is free to express their personal opinion, no one should ever be able to vote to take that fundamental right away," said Pamela Brown, MEUSA Policy Director. "Eighteen thousand same-sex couples married and the defense presented no credible evidence to show the State suffered any harm as a result, because only good comes from allowing loving couples the right to marry. As we wind through the lengthy legal process, same-sex couples should not have to continue to suffer the denial of this fundamental right. Let freedom ring and let marriage equality return."
Founded in 1998, Marriage Equality USA is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation. For more information go to www.marriageequality.org
50 pts to Mrs Boxer!
Dear Friend,
On Wednesday, in a long-awaited and historic decision, Judge Vaughn Walker struck down Proposition 8, ruling that the Constitution protected the fundamental right of marriage for all couples in California.
When Judge Walker's ruling was announced, Barbara Boxer declared:
"This historic decision is a step forward in the march toward equal rights and reflects a growing legal consensus that marriage equality is protected by the U.S. Constitution."
But we know that there is so much more work to do to ensure equality.
Thank you for standing with me and supporting marriage equality in California.
Via Belirico: The War on Intellectualism
It seems there is a new threat to our country- an insidious danger that is seeping into our homes and everyday lives that must be stopped at any cost. That threat is intellectualism.
We have heard some of the buzzwords of this political season- Folksy, Joe Six-pack, Elitist, and Arugula Eating. It seems the new "culture war" or wedge issue is intelligence. The Vice-Presidential debate only solidified the lines in this war. On one side, you had Palin- full of "folksy charm" and "you betcha" language. Then you had Biden, who had a command of the issues, but was called "boring" and (gasp!) "professorial" by the pundits.
We have heard some of the buzzwords of this political season- Folksy, Joe Six-pack, Elitist, and Arugula Eating. It seems the new "culture war" or wedge issue is intelligence. The Vice-Presidential debate only solidified the lines in this war. On one side, you had Palin- full of "folksy charm" and "you betcha" language. Then you had Biden, who had a command of the issues, but was called "boring" and (gasp!) "professorial" by the pundits.
Via Belirico: Will Judge Walker's Decision Hold Up In the Supreme Court?
As has been reiterated by every single commentator on this case, ad nauseam, Judge Walker's decision is the first step on a long road that will culminate in the United State Supreme Court. 
But no one is taking much of a position on the real question: Will Judge Walker's decision hold up in the Supreme Court?
That's a question that requires a crystal ball, but there are some indicators that we can use to try to begin to get a handle around this question.
I distrust any analysis that is based solely on the perceived political preferences of the Justices.
While the politics of a judge is one factor to be considered, legal analysis is much, much more than that.
Continue reading "Will Judge Walker's Decision Hold Up In the Supreme Court?" »
But no one is taking much of a position on the real question: Will Judge Walker's decision hold up in the Supreme Court?
That's a question that requires a crystal ball, but there are some indicators that we can use to try to begin to get a handle around this question.
I distrust any analysis that is based solely on the perceived political preferences of the Justices.
While the politics of a judge is one factor to be considered, legal analysis is much, much more than that.
Continue reading "Will Judge Walker's Decision Hold Up In the Supreme Court?" »
via JMG: Target Gets 240,000 Boycott Petitions
From this clip's description:
Irate activists visited Target HQ to extend the boycott of Target Stores for the $150,000 contribution the corporation made to a group supporting Republican Tom Emmer. Emmer is seen as an enemy of LGBT people, immigrants and other groups. Randi Reitan, the woman seen on YouTube last week cutting up her Target charge card to protest Target's action was joined by her husband Phillip and Son Jacob to deliver signatures of 240,000 people across the nation to the Target CEO. Target security blocked the public skyway entrance leading to the 2nd floor lobby forcing the group to deliver their petitions to the foot of the frozen escalator. Later, a Minneapolis police Lt said that Target was very happy to have you here.
Via SacBee: Schwarzenegger urges judge to let gay marriages resume at once
In a surprising court filing, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked Friday that gay marriages be allowed to resume immediately in California after a federal ruling that the state's voter-approved ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. - Read More
Friday, August 6, 2010
A Message from Marriage Equality USA
Dear Love Warriors -
Woo hoo - what a WEEK! Now we march gaily forward as the sun comes out from behind the clouds and Prop 8 is declared unconstitutional!
As Karen Carpenter sang "We've Only Just Begun"
SAVE THE DATE SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2010 FOR TWO MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA EVENTS
1. Marriage Equality USA Wedding March Across the Golden Gate Bridge - Sunday September 26, 2010, 9am - Noon
2. Marriage Equality USA VIP reception with Margaret Cho and Cho Dependent Show at Uptown Theater in Napa - Sunday September 26, 2010, 6:30pm -10pm
Woo hoo - what a WEEK! Now we march gaily forward as the sun comes out from behind the clouds and Prop 8 is declared unconstitutional!
As Karen Carpenter sang "We've Only Just Begun"
SAVE THE DATE SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 26, 2010 FOR TWO MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA EVENTS
1. Marriage Equality USA Wedding March Across the Golden Gate Bridge - Sunday September 26, 2010, 9am - Noon
2. Marriage Equality USA VIP reception with Margaret Cho and Cho Dependent Show at Uptown Theater in Napa - Sunday September 26, 2010, 6:30pm -10pm
Wedding March across Golden Gate Bridge - SF
Please join us for our annual SF Wedding March across the Golden Gate Bridge on Sunday, September 26, 2010 - this is a fun, upbeat, social event for the whole family (including parents, kids and brave doggies) that raises awareness and funds for the cause. We meet at the Western End of Crissy Field and walk together across the bridge. We ask for a $25 contribution that gets you a Marriage Equality USA t-shirt to walk in - and/or invite you to make this a walk-a-thon event to raise funds for our critical grassroots work. Go to www.firstgiving.com/meusa and create your online fundraising page for the Wedding March at the Bridge - feel free to cut, paste and modify the text from www.firstgiving.com/mollyanddavinaanniversary and send it out to your friends and encourage them to do the same. But if you only have the time and not the money -come anyway and we are happy to have you with us.
Margaret Cho VIP Reception and Show - Napa
That evening, we have 48 tickets left for the Cho VIP event and Cho Dependent Show on Sunday, September 26, 2010 in Napa. The VIP tickets are $115 each and include excellent seats to the show and a small VIP gathering with Margaret Cho. The regular ticket price for the show is $72 - so for an additional $38 tax deductible donation to MEUSA you meet Margaret in a small gathering and get great seats for the show - what a deal! The VIP Cho tickets can be purchased on-line at www.marriageequality.org. Many of us are going to the Wedding March in the morning then caravaning to Napa for some lunch/wine tasting before the reception so join us for one or both if you can!
Viva Maria Shriver!
Shriver against a ban on gay marriage
California's first lady says she is voting against a ballot initiative that would prohibit same-sex couples from getting married in California.
Maria Shriver said in an interview with KNBC-TV in Los Angeles that she is voting no on Proposition 8.
Shriver said, "I believe in people's right to choose a partner that they love, and that's a decision that I have come to, and I have felt that way for a long time."
an OMG via JMG!
BREAKING: Schwarzenegger Files Motion To Immediately Resume Gay Marriages
WOW. The governator has totally done the unexpected.
In an extraordinary court filing, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger asked Friday that gay marriages be allowed to resume immediately in California after a federal ruling that the state's voter-approved ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional. The Republican governor filed his brief with U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn R. Walker before a Friday deadline to submit arguments on whether to continue a stay of Walker's decision against Proposition 8. "The Administration believes the public interest is best served by permitting the Court's judgment to go into effect, thereby restoring the right of same-sex couples to marry in California," wrote Kenneth C. Mennemeier, an attorney representing Schwarzenegger, in the brief. "Doing so is consistent with California's long history of treating all people and their relationships with equal dignity and respect."UPDATE: Attorney General Jerry Brown has filed a motion opposing an extension of Judge Walker's stay.
2010.08.06 AG. Opp to Def Mtn for Stay
UPDATE II: Shannon Minter of the National Center for Lesbian Rights has posted the below explanation of what might happen next.
Minter notes that several California counties have indicated their readiness to begin issuing marriage licenses and performing civil ceremonies at once.via sacbee:
Let gays begin marrying, Schwarzenegger urges - Sacramento News - Local and Breaking Sacramento News
www.sacbee.comRead Sacramento news, including local and breaking Sacramento news at The Sacramento Bee
Via EQCA:
August 6, 2010 |
 |
Dear Daniel,  Moments ago, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown filed motions opposing a stay of Judge Walker’s decision to overturn Prop. 8.This is the kind of extraordinary leadership we need from the next governor and attorney general—the kind Jerry Brown and Kamala Harris will deliver. Thank you to everyone who has signed our petition to Meg Whitman and Steve Cooley, urging them not to defend Prop. 8 in Court. If you haven’t yet, please sign our petition. Demand they refuse to defend Prop. 8 in court. And urge everyone you know to do the same. www.eqca.org/dontdefend8 Having a governor and attorney general on our side is critical to restoring the right to marry for same-sex couples—either in court or at the ballot box. In solidarity,  Geoff Kors Executive Director Equality California  |
VIA HRC:
 |
| Dear Daniel, Our community is the target of many hateful laws and policies, but one law has come to symbolize the anti-gay cause at its most crass, ruthless and dishonest: Proposition 8. That showdown in California in 2008 pitted a right-wing lie machine against ordinary couples who just wanted to stay married. The lies won out that day. In fact, months later polls would show that many voters still believed them. Proposition 8 was built on lies. This week, United States District Judge Vaughn Walker issued a ruling concluding that California has no legitimate basis for denying marriage to same-sex couples. The court concluded that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. This ruling followed a trial during which every false justification for Prop 8 came under scrutiny. The opinion ticks through each false premise-same-sex couples are not good parents; marriage equality threatens opposite-sex couples-and rejects them all. In the end, all that is left is truth: "plaintiffs ask California to recognize their relationships for what they are: marriages." We are all grateful to the brave couples, their acclaimed counsel and the American Foundation for Equal Rights for standing up for equality. Of course, our opponents at the National Organization for Marriage were screaming injustice before the ink on the decision had dried. The group, which is already on a 20-city tour to argue against our equal rights and to prove that they are persecuted (really), has a new message: this court has threatened the voting rights of every American. That’s right-if the gays can get married, then you are disenfranchised. It makes sense if your idea of "right to vote" is "right to discriminate." Good luck with that, NOM. Our opponents do have one thing right: our right to vote is important. Legislators enact the laws that protect us or those that restrict our rights. Some have the power to set public workplace policies and others are responsible for appointing and confirming judges. That’s why HRC works in state and federal elections. It is also why we spoke out again this week against Target and Best Buy-100% CEI companies-who donated an astonishing $250,000 to a political committee that supports a rabidly anti-equality candidate for Minnesota governor. Over 100,000 of you responded to our call to action, asking the companies to make it right. Target's CEO has issued an apology, but has not yet indicated how the company will rectify the situation or prevent future donations to anti-LGBT candidates. When anti-LGBT lawmakers take office and our opponents get laws like Proposition 8 on the books, the federal courts can bring justice and prevent the majority from trampling minority rights. HRC has long been involved in promoting a fair-minded judiciary. Most recently, we endorsed Solicitor General Elena Kagan's nomination to be the 112th justice of the United States Supreme Court. On Thursday, the Senate confirmed her by a vote of 63-37. In the judicial nominations process, you always hear the refrain "elections have consequences." This thoughtful proponent of equal rights is a welcome consequence indeed.  Joe Solmonese President, Human Rights Campaign  |
Via JMG: Who At Target Donated To Yes On 8?
Abe Sauer writes at The Awl: The truth is not that Target and its leadership have suddenly turned on their commitment to gay rights. It's more that it never really existed to begin with. Further research shows that Target has funneled significant funding to the most socially conservative of Republicans and that it boasts a frightening culture of anti-gay candidate support from Target's own stable of top executives. We have already noted that CEO Gregg Steinhafel and his wife both maxed out their personal contributions this year to Michele Bachmann and Tom Emmer. But Steinhafel is just the captain of the crew. Target's current group of top corporate officers have supported a murderers row of anti-gay politicians. Even more confusing, some of those anti-gay candidates supported by Target's PAC and its executives don't even represent Minnesota.Read Abe Sauer's complete expose.
reposted from Joe
Via JMG: Will The GOP Turn Prop 8 Into A Midterm Election Wedge Issue?
Probably not, at least according to some GOP flacks speaking to the New York Times.
Republicans said that dwelling on the issue could become a distraction in the effort to win back the House or Senate from Democrats this fall. At a meeting of the Republican National Committee in Kansas City, Mo., several party leaders and strategists said it would be a mistake for the midterm election campaign to suddenly become focused on gay marriage, immigration or other hot-button issues. The only path to winning control of Congress, they said, rested on making an economic argument. “This election needs to revolve around five issues: taxes, spending, the economy, jobs and debt,” said Ron Nehring, chairman of the California Republican Party. “That doesn’t mean that other issues aren’t important — they are important — but the first issue on the minds of people is the economy.”Also quoted in the above-linked article is NOM's Brian Brown, who vows to make Prop 8 an election issue whether the GOP likes it or not. "I definitely think it’s going to have an effect on the 2010 elections. You’re going to see ads, you’re going to see folks standing up on this issue, and the people that support Walker’s decision are going to pay a price."
Likewise, Murray Clark, chairman of the Indiana Republican Party, said Republicans were acting at their own peril if they suddenly starting focusing on the ruling. A protracted discussion about social issues, he said, could play into Democratic hands. “Can we declare a truce on some of the other issues unrelated to the economy?” Mr. Clark said in an interview in Kansas City, Mo.
reposted from Joe
Via SacBee: Irate Prop. 8 backers say gay judge not impartial
Via California Ripple Effect:
Our Constitution Is a Living, Breathing Document
By Marc Solomon, EQCA Marriage Director, Crossposted from the Bilerico ProjectReading the words of Judge Walker moves me deeply. Once again, our constitution is a living, breathing document, and today it protects our gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people, just as it should protect all people and peoples when the government treats them unequally because of who they are.
Our community should take great pride in this ruling--all of us. For while the ruling is the direct result of a wise judge and a skilled legal team, the conditions that enabled this ruling are the result of the brave, courageous, and hard work of so, so many, in California and elsewhere. Equal protection and due process are abstract legal concepts until we, individually and collectively, bring them to life. Only nine years ago, in 2001, when I first got involved in the fight for marriage equality in Massachusetts, there were many--including a large number in our own community--who argued that asserting the right to marry would hurt our cause dramatically, even leading to the reversal of the most basic civil rights laws protecting our community.
But those fears did not prevail because same-sex couples and LGBT individuals--and those who love and care about them--knew what was right, and stood up and made strong, brave and compelling cases for their own love and dignity. It's not that they weren't afraid--many who I knew, in Massachusetts, California and elsewhere--were frightened about speaking out authentically about their lives. But they did it anyway, because they knew of its fundamental importance. And not one person that I know regretted afterwards having done so.
When I think about today's ruling, I think about Tom and Ron in Indio, CA who met when they were 19 and 23, who served their country in the military, and who have been together through thick and thin now for 57 years and are facing, together, the challenges of growing old. I think about Jill in Riverside, who married her partner of 23 years last year, only to lose her to breast cancer this past April, and who is now raising three kids on her own. And I think of the Moyas from Marino Valley, a hard-working Latino couple who have just adopted their third child. All of these people have been speaking up, in their communities, in the press, and with their families about their lives together, their commitment to one another and to their family. They and so many like them are the ones who have made marriage real for their neighbors, community, and ultimately for judges and voters.
One final thought about today's ruling. This story is far from written--and it's a story we get to write. Just as our community's hard work led to today's victory, if we are to see full marriage equality in California and throughout the country, we must stay at it. The writing of this human rights journey does not stop with any individual court ruling, powerful though it may be. Wins can be just as ephemeral as losses, and so that means that we must continue to make our case, tell our stories, share our lives.
We've all seen the power of a loss, and the powerful, complicated, and often inspired energy that results from it. My greatest hope from today's win is that--at a time when our community has seen too many disappointments both in Washington and in California--we use this win to catalyze, rejuvenate, and redouble our work. Let's use today's win to remember that it's working--our stories are working--and that there's still much more work to do.
Let's start simple--pick out a line or two from today's opinion that inspires you, and share it along with why marriage equality matters to you, with friends and family members. Then join us in going door to door and telling our stories.
The path to victory is winding and in some ways complicated, but in other, more fundamental ways, it's simple--telling our stories, sharing our lives, demonstrating our humanity.
Learn more information about Prop. 8 on trial >
Read more....
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