Prop 8 News from Stop8.org: December 2008

A Little Counterintuitive Thinking on Gays, Guns, and Dead Babies Tuesday, 12/30/08
Esquire

Not only have gay rights had no effect on constantly expanding population rates, but they've had no effect on traditional marriage in those European countries where they have the most extensive legal protections. Similarly, the legalization of gay marriage in Massachusetts hasn't changed a relevant fact: Massachusetts has one of the lowest divorce rates in the United States. This is relevant because divorce is the real threat to American families, having broken up more than fifty percent of all marriages since it achieved widespread acceptance.

[Read the article or read more articles from Esquire.]

The Office Pool: Gay Marriage in 2009 Monday, 12/29/08
Change.org

These five states are showing real grassroots movement and energy toward marriage equality, and may just emerge as the next states in the debate over same-sex marriage.

[Read the article or read more articles from Change.org.]

Couples registry assures visitation, promotes benefits Monday, 12/29/08
The Patriot-News

The ordinance creates a Life Partnership Registry that couples can use to document status to private employers in the city that provide health and similar benefits to unmarried couples. The ordinance doesn't give the city the power to require private employers to provide benefits to unmarried couples.

[Read the article or read more articles from The Patriot-News.]

Americans embrace gay-friendly proposals Monday, 12/29/08
Detroit News

What makes the Newsweek poll especially valuable is that the responses to its wide range of questions underscore that, other than on same-sex marriage, most Americans would embrace steps to pass laws to treat those of us who're gay equally.

[Read the article or read more articles from Detroit News.]

Judge: 2 adoptive dads belong on birth certificate Monday, 12/29/08
Washington Post

The facts are so clear that no trial is needed, U.S. District Judge Jay Zainey wrote.

[Read the article or read more articles from Washington Post.]

Florida high court to rule on same-sex adoption ban Monday, 12/29/08
Fort Myers News-Press

Florida does allow gay people to foster abused, abandoned and neglected children. The state is in need of more foster homes, including in this region.

[Read the article or read more articles from Fort Myers News-Press.]

Vegas Prop. 8 supporters outed Monday, 12/29/08
LA Times

Vegas resorts would love to get into the business of packaging and selling gay marriage events. And that point is made clear by the fact that one of the gay-friendly groups listed is the room-tax-supported Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, whose mission is to promote tourism in Nevada.

[Read the article or read more articles from LA Times.]

Gay marriage on NH agenda Monday, 12/29/08
Edge

New Hampshire's law gives couples in civil unions the same rights and responsibilities as married couples in all aspects but name, but that promise, though largely untested, has clear limits.

[Read the article or read more articles from Edge.]

You're Likable Enough, Gay People Monday, 12/29/08
NY Times

McCarthy added that it's also time "for President-elect Obama to start acting on the promises he made to the LGBT community during his campaign so that he doesn't go down in history as another Bill Clinton, a sweet-talking swindler who would throw us under the bus for the sake of political expediency." And "for LGBT folks to choose their battles wisely, to judge Obama on the content of his policy-making, not on the character of his ministers."

[Read the article or read more articles from NY Times.]

Donor Disclosure Has Its Downsides Friday, 12/26/08
Wall Street Journal

The question is not whether Prop. 8 should have passed, but whether its supporters (or opponents) should have their political preferences protected in the same way that voters are protected.

[Read the article or read more articles from Wall Street Journal.]

Let New Jersey's Couples Marry, All of Them Friday, 12/26/08
NY Times

As a parent, I find it extremely difficult to explain to my child why I cannot "get married." He does not understand what a "civil union" or "domestic partnership" means. He does not understand how politics work. He does not yet understand bigotry, bias and small-mindedness.

[Read the article or read more articles from NY Times.]

Brown's stand on Prop. 8 raises new questions Wednesday, 12/24/08
LA Times

California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown's decision to throw the weight of his office behind same-sex marriage has sparked debate over whether his arguments will actually do more harm than good for those hoping to overturn the initiative.

[Read the article or read more articles from LA Times.]

Diminishing Impact Tuesday, 12/23/08
The Stranger

Except for a small handful of protest junkies--constantly mistaking means for ends--marching isn't enough and it's not the point. People want visible results, observable change. Results, even if they're incremental, gives 'em--what's that word again? Oh, yeah: hope.

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Gay marriage in Oregon? Tribe says yes Tuesday, 12/23/08
Oregon Live

As a federally recognized sovereign nation, the tribe is not bound by the Oregon's Constitution. The tribe recently adopted a law that recognizes same-sex marriage and extends to gay and lesbian partners, at least one of whom must be a Coquille, all tribal benefits of marriage.

[Read the article or read more articles from Oregon Live.]

Join the (Diminishing) Impact Tuesday, 12/23/08
Poz & AIDS Meds

Momentum matters. The best way to maintain it is to set and achieve attainable goals (or mini-victories that push the ball forward towards a larger victory). Thus far, Join The Impact only seems to be playing variations on a theme, attempting to recreate new versions of their clear victory on November 15th.

[Read the article or read more articles from Poz & AIDS Meds.]

Gay couple won't let Proposition 8 steal their dream Sunday, 12/21/08
LA Times

"It just kind of pushed me over the edge," he said. "Somebody has to put their neck on the line, and I was willing to do it, I guess, this time."

[Read the article or read more articles from LA Times.]

Separate and Not Equal Saturday, 12/20/08
NY Times

The results are clearly visible in New Jersey, which continues to deny same-sex couples some of the tangible civil benefits that come with marriage.

[Read the article or read more articles from NY Times.]

Largest Study on Lesbian Parents Finds Children Healthy and Happy Friday, 12/19/08
New Parent

The NLLFS--the longest-running study ever conducted on American lesbian and gay families--finds the children as healthy and well-adjusted as children raised in heterosexual families.

[Read the article or read more articles from New Parent.]

Jerry Brown urges court to void Prop. 8 Friday, 12/19/08
SF Gate

In a dramatic reversal, Brown filed a legal brief saying the measure that amended the California Constitution to limit marriage to a man and a woman is itself unconstitutional because it deprives a minority group of a fundamental right. Earlier, Brown had said he would defend the ballot measure against legal challenges from gay marriage supporters.

[Read the article or read more articles from SF Gate.]

Big push for same-sex marriage coming in '09 Friday, 12/19/08
Minneapolis Star-Tribune

OutFront Minnesota, the state's largest group pressing gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender equality, says same-sex marriage will become its top priority next year.

[Read the article or read more articles from Minneapolis Star-Tribune.]

Geoff Kors: The Queerty Interview Friday, 12/19/08
Queerty

What remains troubling is that even as a member of the executive committee, Kors had little hard knowledge of what was going on in the campaign as it was going on.

[Read the article or read more articles from Queerty.]

Battle to reverse Prop 8 begins Wednesday, 12/17/08
365Gay

The group, GetToKnowMeFirst.org, said the spots will run in both urban and rural markets throughout California. They are currently being previewed on the group's Web site.

[Read the article or read more articles from 365Gay.]

Gays unite at 'town hall' event Wednesday, 12/17/08
Salt Lake Tribune

The forum was a rare opportunity for virtually every gay rights group, from Equality Utah and the Log Cabin Republicans to the Queer People of Color Network, to collaborate and solicit new ideas. The top priority: Equality Utah's Common Ground initiative, a collection of six bills aimed at the 2009 legislative session that would enhance legal protections offered to LGBT Utahns.

[Read the article or read more articles from Salt Lake Tribune.]

TV Ads Promoting Repeal of Prop. 8 to Hit California Wednesday, 12/17/08
Advocate

Part of an effort by the group GetToKnowMeFirst.org, the five 30-second spots will run in both rural and urban markets. The ads feature gay families describing their experiences and urging their neighbors to "get to know" them before judging them.

[Read the article or read more articles from Advocate.]

Connecticut Voters Back Same-Sex Marriage, Quinnipiac University Poll Finds; Rell Approval Holds As Dodd, Lieberman Scores Drop Wednesday, 12/17/08
Press Release

Connecticut voters support 52 - 39 percent, with 9 percent undecided, the State Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex marriage in the state, according to a Quinnipiac University poll released today.

[Read the article or read more articles from Press Release.]

Phoenix City Council Approves Domestic Partnerships Wednesday, 12/17/08
Box Turtle Bulletin

Equality Arizona just sent out an email announcing that the Phoenix city council approved a limited form of domestic partnerships. The only benefit enumerated in the new registry consists of hospital visitation rights...

[Read the article or read more articles from Box Turtle Bulletin.]

LOGO Joins Light Up the Night - This is HUGE Wednesday, 12/17/08
Join the Impact

As members of the LGBT community and allies gather across the nation, LOGO will keep its audience up-to-date that evening with an "on-air candle" directing viewers to the latest news from 365gay.com, the online source for the latest LGBT news, opinion, video blogs and streaming video news.

[Read the article or read more articles from Join the Impact.]

Vote for Gay Rights/LGBT Issues To Be On 2009 Agenda At MoveOn.org Wednesday, 12/17/08
Queers United

If you are a current MoveOn member, check your email and head to the site to vote, if not, please register and make your voice heard.

[Read the article or read more articles from Queers United.]

Request For "Common Ground" Between Mormons & Gays Wednesday, 12/17/08
Queers United

Sign on to HRC's letter to President Monson of the LDS Church - ask him to publicly support civil unions and other pro-equality legislation in the Church's home state of Utah.

[Read the article or read more articles from Queers United.]

Obama's choice of evangelical leader sparks outrage Wednesday, 12/17/08
CNN

Linda Douglass, a spokeswoman for Obama, defended the choice of Warren, saying, "This is going to be the most inclusive, open, accessible inauguration in American history." ... "The president-elect certainly disagrees with him on [Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender] issues. But it has always been his goal to find common ground with people with whom you may disagree on some issues."

[Read the article or read more articles from CNN.]

Typo In Proposition 8 Defines Marriage As Between 'One Man And One Wolfman' Wednesday, 12/17/08
The Onion

Bakersfield resident Patricia Millard--who is now legally banned from marrying her boyfriend, a human, non-wolfman male--claim it infringes on their civil liberties.

[Read the article or read more articles from The Onion.]

Gay marriage antagonists prepare for next battle Tuesday, 12/16/08
The Iowa Independent

"There is obviously a section of the population that has already made up its mind either for or against marriage equality," Lowery said. "But there are people who haven't. Those are the people we want supporters to reach out to and speak with. It's difficult to discriminate when you become personally involved -- when you are confronted with another human face that is attached to the issue."

[Read the article or read more articles from The Iowa Independent.]

LGBT protests met with dissent: Collin County gay-rights group isn't backing Cinemark rally in latest case of strategic differences Tuesday, 12/16/08
Dallas Voice

The Cinemark protest is the latest example of internal differences about what the LGBT community's strategy should be in the wake of Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage in California.

[Read the article or read more articles from Dallas Voice.]

Crowded marriage meeting yields no consensus Tuesday, 12/16/08
Washington Blade

Three gay activists on a panel leading the discussion and nearly all of the 25 audience members who spoke at the forum expressed support for moving ahead sometime soon with the bill, but no consensus emerged on the timing of a marriage bill.

[Read the article or read more articles from Washington Blade.]

Joint Chiefs chair preparing for possible 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' repeal Tuesday, 12/16/08
PageOneQ

Mullen has had "initial conversations" with top commanders about the issue, knowing that President-elect Obama plans to work towards the policy's repeal during his time in office.

[Read the article or read more articles from PageOneQ.]

LGBT bloggers get lessons in maximizing readership, impact Tuesday, 12/16/08
Pride Source

Bloggers, said one, can enable a minor event to "take on a whole new life" in the mainstream media by spreading news about it across 10 or 15 different blogs (the "blog swarm").

[Read the article or read more articles from Pride Source.]

Gay-marriage resolution in Sioux City is on hold Tuesday, 12/16/08
DesMoins Register

Mayor Mike Hobart said he pushed for the delay to allow for advice from the state attorney general's office "on whether we have the jurisdiction and authority to pass the resolution," which was proposed by City Councilman Brent Hoffman.

[Read the article or read more articles from DesMoins Register.]

Gay marriage debate at Big Bear school over anti-Prop. 8 shirt Monday, 12/15/08
LA Times

...attorneys for the ACLU have argued that schools cannot prohibit speech simply because it is controversial...

[Read the article or read more articles from LA Times.]

Proposition 8 foes launch group Monday, 12/15/08
Desert Sun

The coalition's Web site, www.desertnoh8.com, will list upcoming events and will link to the Marriage Equality Index -- a Web site listing valley businesses that donated to either the Yes on 8 or No on 8 campaigns.

[Read the article or read more articles from Desert Sun.]

Marriott and Milk Monday, 12/15/08
Huffington Post

My guess is that Bill Marriott, who is 76 and a political conservative, has come a long way on the issue of gay rights. But for all his talk about diversity, he has yet to take a position on gay marriage or Prop 8. He has no obligation to do so, but if you believe that gay marriage is a civil rights issue, just as interracial marriage was once a civil rights issue, silence or neutrality is unacceptable. On this point, Milk the movie and Milk the activist are unequivocal. Either you're for us or against us, Harvey Milk would have said.

[Read the article or read more articles from Huffington Post.]

Conservatives Use Proposition 8 To Continue To Foster Cult of Victimhood Monday, 12/15/08
California Progress Report

Margie Christofferson is not a sympathetic figure. She is someone in deep denial of reality, who is unwilling to reconcile her relationships with her own intolerance. It's not the rest of Los Angeles's job to play along with it, to enable it, to pretend as if it doesn't exist. Doing so merely continues the decades of injustice that comes when good people do nothing and discrimination is treated as normal.

[Read the article or read more articles from California Progress Report.]

Anti-gay violence feared rising Monday, 12/15/08
AP

...we are witnessing what appears to be an increase in both the occurrence and severity of violence motivated by racism, homophobia, and transphobia.

[Read the article or read more articles from AP.]

Gay marriage likely to return Sunday, 12/14/08
Kennebec Journal

The advocacy group Equality Maine is ramping up its game, after three years of a low-key public education campaign to highlight gay and lesbian issues. And in opposition, a new group, the Maine Marriage Alliance, is pushing for an amendment to the state constitution that would define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

[Read the article or read more articles from Kennebec Journal.]

Gay protesters outside Crist's wedding: When can I get married? Saturday, 12/13/08
Equality Network

Group members hoped to highlight what they consider the hypocrisy of Crist's marriage a month after the governor voted yes on Amendment 2, which changed the state's Constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

[Read the article or read more articles from Equality Network.]

Newsom seeks to get beyond Prop. 8 fiasco in quest to become governor Saturday, 12/13/08
Sacramento Bee

Even Newsom - who stirred legal and political battles over gay marriage by opening San Francisco City Hall for same-sex weddings in 2004 - ponders whether Californians will view him as anything more than a single-issue candidate.

[Read the article or read more articles from Sacramento Bee.]

Birth certificates to reflect NY gay-marriage move Friday, 12/12/08
AP

The decision, which echoes similar provisions in states that allow gay marriages or civil unions, is one of many changes since Gov. David Paterson ordered state agencies in May to respect out-of-state gay marriages.

[Read the article or read more articles from AP.]

Artist calls for boycott of LDS performances over same-sex marriage debate Friday, 12/12/08
KTVX

Jon Powell says, "They can't have it both ways. They can't say they love us and take away our rights."

[Read the article or read more articles from KTVX.]

John Dean on Prop 8 and the blame game Friday, 12/12/08
Pam's House Blend

I think this does make one lesson perfectly clear -- one to one outreach can make a difference, even more than a viral YouTube ad or even a TV commercial.

[Read the article or read more articles from Pam's House Blend.]

LGBTQ Homeless Youth Friday, 12/12/08
Change.org

The stats here are alarming, but there's definitely things we can do in order to help change this trend around.

[Read the article or read more articles from Change.org.]

Urban Outfitters Yanks Same-Sex Marriage T-shirt From Shelves Friday, 12/12/08
NY Magazine

Interesting where your money goes, isn't it? When a right-wing Republican is the one concocting your anti-Establishment image, you start to wonder if the entire hipster movement has been duped into becoming puppets of Hayne's billionaire income. Because if we're all suckers, that just sucks.

[Read the article or read more articles from NY Magazine.]

Jon Stewart Has 1 of his 10 Conversations Thursday, 12/11/08
Join the Impact

Over the next 10 months, JoinTheImpact will continue to encourage each and everyone of you to have 10 respectful and heartfelt conversations about equality.

[Read the article or read more articles from Join the Impact.]

West Virginia Lesbian Parents May Lose Child to "Traditional" Family Thursday, 12/11/08
Change.org

The details of this story are heart-breaking, and show why opponents of gay adoption simply do not have the best interests of children in mind.

[Read the article or read more articles from Change.org.]

NJ Governor Urges Action On Gay Marriage Report Thursday, 12/11/08
365Gay

Corzine said he agreed with the report and that the civil unions law "hasn't done enough to narrow the gap" with married opposite-sex couples.

[Read the article or read more articles from 365Gay.]

'Day without a gay' protest fizzles Thursday, 12/11/08
SF Gate

The day's events prompted a mixed response, which might indicate that the gay rights movement is still finding its voice.

[Read the article or read more articles from SF Gate.]

Prop 8 Town Hall Casts Blame For Loss Thursday, 12/11/08
WeHo News

As the meeting wore on, it became apparent that a consensus developed that the grassroots part of the movement had been used poorly, at best, and ignored completely at worst.

[Read the article or read more articles from WeHo News.]

Gay-rights group takes out Salt Lake Tribune ad in Prop 8 fight Thursday, 12/11/08
KUTV

A gay-rights organization said Wednesday that a group that ran an ad defending the Mormon church and others' right to support California's gay-marriage ban is lying about the nature of demonstrations against the ban.

[Read the article or read more articles from KUTV.]

Effort to get same-sex civil unions on Az ballot planned Thursday, 12/11/08
Tucson Citizen

Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix, said it's easy to come up with ideas for initiatives that would establish civil unions or give same-sex couples the right to marry; she said he hears those regularly. "The problem is they don't have the money or time to fund it," she said, estimating that would take $3 million to run a successful campaign.

[Read the article or read more articles from Tucson Citizen.]

Colin Powell Thinks DADT Should Be "Reevaluated"; Ken Blackwell Thinks He Knows Better Thursday, 12/11/08
Box Turtle Bulletin

But it's been 15 years and attitudes have changed and so I think it is time for the Congress, since it is their law, to have a full review of it, and I'm quite sure that's what President-elect Obama will want to do.

[Read the article or read more articles from Box Turtle Bulletin.]

California Cities and Same-Sex Couples Join SF's Prop. 8 Challenge Thursday, 12/11/08
SF Weekly

...the challenge now includes governments representing 17.2 million Californians.

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Gay soldiers (not) home for Christmas Thursday, 12/11/08
365Gay

...this added burden can bring anxiety, depression and an increased sense of isolation to servicemembers who already feel isolated.

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Prop 8 Campaign Failures Thursday, 12/11/08
Santa Barbara Independent

I was disappointed and puzzled about why the advertising did not highlight the hundreds of personal stories--the couples who have been together 20, 30, 40 years and the families they have so lovingly created in the midst of these strong bonds

[Read the article or read more articles from Santa Barbara Independent.]

Contra Costa won't fight to overturn Prop 8 Wednesday, 12/10/08
KGO

The Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors voted Tuesday in a closed session to not join the battle to overturn Prop 8.

[Read the article or read more articles from KGO.]

NJ Commission: Civil Unions 'encourage unequal treatment of same-sex couples and their children' Wednesday, 12/10/08
Pam's House Blend

While New Jersey Governor Jon S. Corzine is on record saying that same sex marriage "won't be on my agenda" for 2008, he also indicated that he would sign a law granting full marriage equality to same sex couples in New Jersey.

[Read the article or read more articles from Pam's House Blend.]

More on NJ Government Commission's report on the failure of civil unions Wednesday, 12/10/08
Pam's House Blend

"I'm a pro-life Republican and past Director of Gloucester County Right-to-Life," said Commission member AnnLynne Benson on the release of today's report, "so I know the diversity of this Commission. Our report demonstrates in exquisite detail why amending New Jersey's law to extend marriage to same-sex couples is a necessity."

[Read the article or read more articles from Pam's House Blend.]

On Homosexuality, the Vatican Sides with Sudan and Saudi Arabia Wednesday, 12/10/08
Change.org

Today, a group of faith leaders from some of the leading LGBT organizations in the U.S. put out a statement condemning the Vatican for siding with countries like Sudan and Saudi Arabia, where LGBT people are punished with prison or death.

[Read the article or read more articles from Change.org.]

EQCA establishes fund to protect brave leadership Wednesday, 12/10/08
California Ripple Effect

EQCA is raising money now to help protect these judges in case they--or any other public official--are targeted for doing the right thing.

[Read the article or read more articles from California Ripple Effect.]

Atticus Circle Urges You to Write a Straight Friend Today Wednesday, 12/10/08
Queers United

In honor of "Day Without a Gay". Atticus Circle is encouraging the LGBT and Straight community to write to at least one straight friend, neighbor, or co-worker and ask a straight person to take a public stand for LGBT equality, perhaps for the first time, by joining Atticus Circle.

[Read the article or read more articles from Queers United.]

Comment by Evan Wolfson, Executive Director, Freedom to Marry Wednesday, 12/10/08
Press Release

Leaders of established organizations who resist welcoming new energy, new creativity, new involvement make a mistake.

[Read the article or read more articles from Press Release.]

Gay Rights 2.0 Wednesday, 12/10/08
Newsweek

The protests organized by Join the Impact certainly inspired a turnout. But to succeed, veterans say they need a clear agenda. ... As Greg Varnum, the 25-year-old head of the National Youth Advocacy Coalition puts it, "I worry that if organizations don't offer up some kind of direction, this energy will be fleeting."

[Read the article or read more articles from Newsweek.]

The Changing Definition of Marriage in California Wednesday, 12/10/08
Mercury News

Marriage changed to support women's rights ... Marriage changed to support minority rights ... Will marriage change to support the rights of same-sex couples?

[Read the article or read more articles from Mercury News.]

Social conservatives worry about 'activist' justices in gay marriage case Wednesday, 12/10/08
The Iowa Independent

There is distinct frustration in the voices of Iowa social conservatives as they talk about the possibility of the Iowa Supreme Court striking down the state's 1998 Defense of Marriage Act and allowing same-sex couples to wed.

[Read the article or read more articles from The Iowa Independent.]

Gay Marriage Ban Inspires New Wave of Activists Wednesday, 12/10/08
NY Times

"I think we are demanding as a community that we democratize our processes and ensure we all have a voice," said Molly McKay, media director of the volunteer group Marriage Equality USA. "Because we are not a campaign. We are a movement."

[Read the article or read more articles from NY Times.]

Obama set to name first gay to Admin. Wednesday, 12/10/08
365Gay

President-elect Barack Obama has selected a deputy mayor of Los Angeles to lead the White House Council on Environmental Quality, transition officials said Wednesday. Nancy Sutley is the first prominent member of the gay and lesbian community to earn a senior role in the Democrat's new administration.

[Read the article or read more articles from 365Gay.]

Civil Unions Don't Work Wednesday, 12/10/08
Press Release

The failure rate of New Jersey's civil union law, in fact, is at least one in every five - and likely way worse because the ratio encompasses only the complaints that have come to Garden State Equality.

[Read the article or read more articles from Press Release.]

Few participated in 'call in gay' day to protest Prop 8 same-sex marriage ban Wednesday, 12/10/08
Mercury News

David Lang, 44, a San Francisco gymnastics coach who said he conceived of a similar idea right after the election, said he thinks a coordinated job action would have been more successful if organizers had enlisted support from sympathetic employers, labor groups and industries.

[Read the article or read more articles from Mercury News.]

Smith: Deal off with dissident NY Senate Democrats Wednesday, 12/10/08
Newsday

Smith said the three renegades were motivated by "personal interests." He also said he wouldn't subject civil rights issues to negotiation, referring to a proposal backed by many Democrats to legalize gay marriage.

[Read the article or read more articles from Newsday.]

TWO Calls Out Becket Fund in Full Page Ad Wednesday, 12/10/08
Box Turtle Bulletin

TWO responds by including some rather shameful anti-religious sputterings by three of the Becket Fund ad's cosigners:

[Read the article or read more articles from Box Turtle Bulletin.]

Prop 8 supporters set up legal defense fund Wednesday, 12/10/08
Bay Area Reporter

A Yes on Prop 8 campaign lawyer announced December 10 that a legal defense fund has been established to help prevent the measure from being repealed by the state Supreme Court.

[Read the article or read more articles from Bay Area Reporter.]

U.S. Catholic Groups To Hold Vigils At Cathedrals Wednesday, 12/10/08
Box Turtle Bulletin

Three Catholic groups which support LGBT equality have announced plans to hold vigils in five U.S. cities today to call attention to the Vatican's opposition to a U.N. resolution calling for the decriminalization of homosexuality.

[Read the article or read more articles from Box Turtle Bulletin.]

Demographic trends suggest Prop. 8 may have a short life Wednesday, 12/10/08
Capitol Weekly

According to the group Religious Tolerance, 90 percent of Americans disapproved of interracial marriage when it was first legalized by the California Supreme Court in 1948. Nineteen years later, when the U.S. Supreme Court legalized the practice, 72 percent of Americans still disapproved. The magical 50 percent threshold wasn't crossed until 1991-a change of 50 percentage points in 53 years. Coincidentally, people born in 1991 start voting next year.

[Read the article or read more articles from Capitol Weekly.]

Mark Leno on Day Without a Gay Wednesday, 12/10/08
SFist

He tells us that while he's all kinds of proud of gays and stuff, he isn't taking the day off.

[Read the article or read more articles from SFist.]

Attorneys conclude Supreme Court arguments in gay marriage case Wednesday, 12/10/08
DesMoins Register

Johnson criticized Polk County's arguments about possible long-term damage to marriage as "highly speculative," and cast the law as an intrusion on equal rights.

[Read the article or read more articles from DesMoins Register.]

Calling in 'gay' to work is latest form of protest Tuesday, 12/09/08
Seattle Times

Hetherington said he's been getting 100 e-mails an hour from people looking for volunteer opportunities, and that his "Day Without a Gay" Web site has gotten 100,000 hits since mid-November.

[Read the article or read more articles from Seattle Times.]

Fighting for Gay Marriage in Iowa Tuesday, 12/09/08
Huffington Post

Equal Protection is the next logical stop for legal protection in the marriage debate. But courts have determined that the judicial scrutiny provided for legislation that imposes sex discrimination does not apply to discrimination based on sexual orientation.

[Read the article or read more articles from Huffington Post.]

LA Episcopal diocese OKs gay bishops, unions Monday, 12/08/08
365Gay

The weekend vote means the issue will be brought before the Episcopal Church national convention in July.

[Read the article or read more articles from 365Gay.]

A Financial Upside to Gay Marriage? Monday, 12/08/08
About.com

The U.S. Congressional Budget Office (CBO) has estimated that if same-sex marriages were legalized in all 50 states and recognized by the federal government, the federal budget would gain almost $1 billion a year in new revenue.

[Read the article or read more articles from About.com.]

Why we're mad at the Mormon church Monday, 12/08/08
LA Times

While the backlash against the LDS Church has made some of its members uncomfortable, they have nobody to blame but their leadership who dragged them into this mess. ... Utah state Sen. Scott McCoy has introduced legislation that would provide gays and lesbians in his state with all rights that straight people enjoy except marriage. If the LDS Church were to support McCoy, it would show that it really does believe in love, compassion and equal rights. If it does not, the church's supposedly conciliatory stance would simply be one more obfuscation in support of truly bigoted intentions.

[Read the article or read more articles from LA Times.]

Six gay couples seek validation of their unions Monday, 12/08/08
Omaha World-Herald

"Right now, as far as the state's concerned, we're just two people living together," Olson said. "That's not what we are."

[Read the article or read more articles from Omaha World-Herald.]

Our Mutual Joy: Opponents of gay marriage often cite Scripture. But what the Bible teaches about love argues for the other side. Sunday, 12/07/08
Newsweek

In the Old Testament, the concept of family is fundamental, but examples of what social conservatives would call "the traditional family" are scarcely to be found.

[Read the article or read more articles from Newsweek.]

A Patronizing "Pastoral Message" Saturday, 12/06/08
Box Turtle Bulletin

This is not by any reasonable definition a "pastoral message". There is no recognition of the harm caused. There is no salve for the wounds in his flock. There is not even an admission that this polical endeavor had the slightest of negative consequences on gay people. There is only self-justification, lies about the intent and result of the campaign, and blame assigned to those who disagree with him - including those to whom this letter pretends to be addressed. I'm not a Catholic so I cannot speak for those who are part of the Church. But were I one of Mahony's flock, I would find his smarmy patronizing self-congratulatory "message" to be an offense to me, my family, my friends, my God, and all decent people everywhere.

[Read the article or read more articles from Box Turtle Bulletin.]

A Gay Marriage Surge Saturday, 12/06/08
Newsweek

One reason that tolerance for gay marriage and civil unions may be on the rise is that a growing number of Americans say they know someone who's gay. While in 1994, a NEWSWEEK Poll found that only 53 percent of those questioned knew a gay or lesbian person, that figure today is 78 percent. Drilling down a bit more, 38 percent of adults work with someone gay, 33 percent have a gay family member and 66 percent have a gay friend or acquaintance.

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United Nations Joint Statement on Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity Saturday, 12/06/08
Marriage Equality USA

With your help, we would like to encourage as many countries as possible to join the statement, making it the largest-ever UN statement addressing human rights based on sexual orientation and gender identity. It will also be the first to be delivered at the UN General Assembly, the United Nations's highest political body.

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The National LGBT Blogger and Citizen Journalist Initiative Saturday, 12/06/08
Pam's House Blend

Boots on the ground field work was absolutely necessary -- the Yes On 8 knocked on doors whereas No on 8 didn't.

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Iowa Supreme Court to hear gay marriage arguments Saturday, 12/06/08
Post-Bulletin

The Iowa case has spent more than three years wending its way through the legal system, and it could take a year or more for the supreme court to issue a ruling after hearing oral arguments Tuesday morning.

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Changing Tides in the Fight for LGBT Rights Saturday, 12/06/08
Huffington Post

We will need to continue to increase our visibility, make our voices heard, and work to translate this progress into policies and legal protections for LGBT people.

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Gay orgs cut staff to cope with recession Saturday, 12/06/08
Washington Blade

...a reduction in donations coupled with the nation's ongoing financial crisis meant that GLAAD had to make job cuts to stay within budget and prepare for 2009.

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Marc Shaiman on 'Prop 8 -- The Musical' Thursday, 12/04/08
NY Times

And of course this video is just a viral picket sign.

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No one could have predicted that the religious right hates gays and cares about gay marriage Thursday, 12/04/08
AmericaBlog

And now we're having "the day without a gay" and postcard campaigns to Obama (yeah, that'll get his attention) because we are a movement of aimless and energized followers with no real leaders.

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Aldermen support same-sex marriage Thursday, 12/04/08
The Carrboro Citizen

"It was just a couple of college towns when we started in on the civil rights movement in the late '50s and early '60s, and it was just a couple of college towns when we started the process of ending the war in Vietnam," he said.

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The Condescending Comments from San Francisco's Archbishop on Proposition 8 Thursday, 12/04/08
Change.org

So let me get this straight -- Bishop Niederauer REPEATEDLY tells his parishioners and Catholics throughout California that gay people are a threat to children. He works to get the Mormon Church involved in the efforts to campaign for Proposition 8. And he promises to provide cover to religious groups willing to condemn gay marriage.

And the Bishop now wants to tone down the rhetoric?

Hell no, buddy.

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Second wind for marriage movement Thursday, 12/04/08
Bay Windows

The goal of the campaign is to secure equal civil marriage rights for same-sex couples in the four New England states that have yet to grant them: Vermont, Maine, Rhode Island and New Hampshire.

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Why Are Mormons So Fucking Homophobic? Thursday, 12/04/08
The Stranger

Because, Alice Dreger argues, the Mormon "lifestyle" pumps out more gay boys while the Mormon religion pumps those gay boys full of self-hatred.

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Equality California Just Doesn't Get It - You Have To Say The Words Wednesday, 12/03/08
Pam's House Blend

Organizations like Equality California now need to use the words lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender when they want the LGBT community to mobilize over same-gender marriage.

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Your Handy Activist To-Do List Wednesday, 12/03/08
Advocate

...we asked five leading LGBT activists for their suggestions on what you can do personally to end your second-class status.

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Proposition 8 debate prompts discussion on marriage traditions Wednesday, 12/03/08
Guardian

From polygamy to interracial marriage, the notion of what marriage means - and who can get married - has gone through many permutations, say scholars who have studied the institution.

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Prop. 8 and filmmaking collide Wednesday, 12/03/08
Long Beach Press-Telegram

"When you are talking about Cinemark, I actually know some people who are high up there and are gay and lesbian and who are horrified with what happened."

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The Prop 8 Monologues, Vol. 1 of 2 - What Would Ronald McDonald Do? Wednesday, 12/03/08
Huffington Post

...here's the no-holds-barred truth about what legalized same-sex marriage has done to Canada: Not a whole heck of a lot. In fact, things are pretty much exactly the same as before the law was passed.

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Same-Sex Setback: Don't blame Mormons or black voters - the California activists who tried to stop Prop 8 ran a lousy campaign Wednesday, 12/03/08
Rolling Stone

"This was political malpractice," says a Democratic consultant who operates at the highest level of California politics. "They fucked this up, and it was painful to watch."

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A blog spotlights businesses that backed Proposition 8 Tuesday, 12/02/08
LA Times

The site is a community forum, identifying donors and helping viewers make informed decisions about conducting business, promoting tolerance and civil rights...

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Court preparing for big crowd at hearing on gay marriage Tuesday, 12/02/08
Radio Iowa

...the court will offer on-line streaming video of the proceedings...

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Today in Traditional Marriage Tuesday, 12/02/08
The Stranger

...the courts have declared that marriage is so fundamental a right that it cannot be denied to convicted rapists or to serial killers. But it's a right that's denied to me and my boyfriend. Because we're both men and that ain't right.

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On a Scale of 1 to 5... Tuesday, 12/02/08
New York Press

...we, as members of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) community need to keep having multiple conversations with our friends, family, co-workers and others in our circles about how the right to marry impacts us as individuals. We need to exercise patience and persistence, understanding that someone might need to hear from us four or five or 15 times before they can find common ground with your cause.

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Vatican attacked for opposing gay decriminalisation Tuesday, 12/02/08
Reuters

A strongly worded editorial in Italy's mainstream La Stampa newspaper said the Vatican's reasoning was "grotesque".

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Protest Against Irish Gay Marriage Ban Monday, 12/01/08
Gay Community News

The protest comes after recent threats by Cardinal Seán Brady of legal challenges to the recognition of gay and lesbian couples.

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Gay Marriage Amendment Ban Dead For This Session Monday, 12/01/08
Advance Indiana

A state law enacted by the legislature in 1995 already bans same-sex marriages, but proponents of the ban want to see it written into Indiana's Bill of Rights.

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Gays march in Haiti for first time Monday, 12/01/08
365Gay

In socially conservative Haiti, discrimination runs especially deep.

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Backlashlash? Monday, 12/01/08
Andrew Sullivan

Dale Carpenter thinks Prop 8's passage is stalling the momentum of marriage equality in New York and DC. There will, almost certainly, be a pause. But I don't see this as fatal or even that troubling.

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Prop 8 chilling SSM efforts elsewhere Monday, 12/01/08
Volokh

The passage of Prop 8 in California is hurting the prospects for gay marriage elsewhere.

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