Prop 8 News from Stop8.org: July 2009

60,000 Mainers sign on to defend marriage equality Friday, 07/31/09
Bay Windows

Marriage equality organization Maine Freedom to Marry announced today that 60,000 Mainers have signed pledges defending the state's marriage equality bill.

"Volunteers, ready and willing to go door to door and speak neighbor to neighbor to protect marriage equality, are the fuel of our campaign to defeat Question 1," Jesse Connolly, Campaign Manager of Maine Freedom to Marry, said in a statement today.

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

Quakers to allow equal marriages Friday, 07/31/09
BBC

One of the UK's oldest Christian denominations - the Quakers - looks set to extend marriage services to same-sex couples at their yearly meeting later.

The society has already held religious blessings for same-sex couples who have had a civil partnership ceremony.

But agreeing to perform equal marriages, which are currently not allowed under civil law, could bring the Quakers into conflict with the government.

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

Despite what Church Says, Many Catholics Support Same-Sex Marriage Friday, 07/31/09
Change.org

The bishops have campaigned long, loudly and clearly against same-sex marriage but the Catholic Church also offers a pervasive message of social justice, an umbrella many liberal Catholics stand under when they argue for marriage equality or life issues such as abortion, contraception and end-of-life decisions.

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

The Unnoticed Power Player at the Repeal Prop 8 Leadership Summit Thursday, 07/30/09
Bilerico Project

It goes without saying that marriage equality is the life force of the LGBT movement today. We clearly have two different tracks going on in our community. We have the track that's typically guided by the professionals that looks at the polling data and sees 2012 or 2014 as far better opportunities for us. And then we also have this grassroots groundswell, which is angry and emotional that wants us to go as soon as possible meaning 2010.

[Read the article or read more articles from Bilerico Project.]

Repeal Prop 8 Leadership Summit: The Expert Point of View Thursday, 07/30/09
Bilerico Project

The real problem, from my perspective, is that right now - and for the past seven months - the acrimony among institutional leaders and grassroots activists is only deepening. It's as if all the 8hate has been turned inward - we are the enemy, anyone who is not immediately, completely, absolutely with us now and forever more.

The rivers could part and a charismatic general who meets everyone's leadership criteria could emerge carrying unlimited funds and access to the latest technology and voter data bases - and still we'd fight and hurl nasty invective at our LGBT enemy in public - and do it with a self-satisfied sneer.

I was disappointed that no one during the entire seven hours talked about how the issue of marriage is "different" from any other social issue - different enough to enable a constitutional scholar such as Barack Obama to deny his previous belief in full equality and now embrace separate-but-equal civil unions because "God is in the mix." But one principle that both sides called for and all the consultants cited as necessary to win - was unity.

It seems to me that the first step to winning back marriage equality is finding a mediator who can help this community find common ground and learn to keep our eye on the prize so we can move forward together. There are now so many LGBT folk who want to be leaders - let this be their first real test of leadership: find a way to bring us together.

[Read the article or read more articles from Bilerico Project.]

Los Angeles: Repeal Proposition 8: Signature Gathering Summit Thursday, 07/30/09
Eventbrite

* Ballot language: we intend to decide on a few options, and plan polling/testing of the options.
* Fundraising: we'll form a committee to begin the fundraising process, especially in the small-donor arena as we begin.
* Signature gathering logistics: we'll talk about deadlines and auditing to create a workable roadmap for success within the narrow window required to gather 1,000,000 names.
* Messaging: we'll brainstorm messaging for many different communities to ensure that signature gatherers are armed with appropriate responses to questions about this repeal effort.
* Technology: we'll start a wishlist for what we want to see in a technology solution to help us carry-out this campaign. This list will then be the starting point for a design team.

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

Gays squabble over Prop 8 repeal debate Thursday, 07/30/09
Bay Area Reporter

Asked about what the discord said about the community's ability to pull together as a mid-September deadline for November 2010 ballot language nears, Solomon suggested it's time to get to work.

"I think it's incumbent on groups like Equality California now and others to step up and to offer a vision and a plan for the community and rally support behind it," said Solomon, who came to California from Massachusetts, where he helped with the successful effort to secure same-sex marriage several years ago.

"My view now is that the community is looking for that. I don't know if the people will say that, but my view is the community at large is looking for leadership," said Solomon.

In a message to marriage equality advocates, Solomon wrote, "We've got to pull this ship together, and fast, if we stand a hope of winning in 2010, 2012, or any time."

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

Human Rights Campaign President and Prop. 8 Architect Become Friends Thursday, 07/30/09
U.S. News and World Report

Neither Solmonese nor Garlow said his mind was changed by the meeting. But both said they're interested in sitting down again. "I don't know how we can hope to change people's views if we don't keep the dialogue open," says Solmonese. "We need to take the time to engage religious leaders and see if there is any opening or any possibility of finding common ground."

[Read the article or read more articles from U.S. News and World Report.]

Can Minorities Derail the Equal Marriage Express? Wednesday, 07/29/09
Washington Post

At the end of the day, what may very well stop the equal marriage agenda in its track, will not be the efforts of repackaged Falwells, Reeds or Robertsons. The equal marriage train may not reach the station of National and Federal acceptance because it did not count with the fact that along the way it needed to pass by the Garcia, Rivera, and Jackson stops.

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

2010 Prop 8 Repeal Effort Up in the Air Wednesday, 07/29/09
Edge

Now the heads of the various organizations represented at the meeting will need to present the question to their groups; organizational structure will need to be developed and implemented; funding strategies will need to be developed, and plans laid for training volunteers to help move the process along.

All of that has to happen starting now, even if the initiative doesn't get onto the ballot until 2012; the ballot initiative that rescinded marriage rights for gay and lesbian families in California last year involved a bruising campaign battle and about $80 million dollars, half of which was raised by anti-gay activists.

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

U.S. DOMA Repeal Would Include Recognizing Out-of-State Gay People Wednesday, 07/29/09
Edge

The effort to repeal the federal ban against equal marriage will not include extending rights to LGBT couples in domestic partnerships or civil unions, the Bay Area Reporter has learned. But it will include a "certainty provision" requiring states to recognize marriages performed in other states.

Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-New York), in an exclusive interview with the B.A.R. while attending the annual Human Rights Campaign gala in San Francisco Saturday, July 25, ruled out including anything other than legally recognized marriages in the legislation he plans to introduce either this week or once Congress returns from its August recess.

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

2010? 2012? The Fight in California Continues Wednesday, 07/29/09
Advocate

Despite a weekend summit that brought together more than 150 marriage equality activists, consensus over the timing of an attempt to repeal California's Proposition 8 at the voting booth remains elusive. But that hasn't stopped some gay groups from preparing for the earlier option.

Reactions to the heated LGBT Leadership Summit, organized by Marriage Equality USA and held in a San Bernardino, Calif., church, ranged from "pretty good" to "utter failure." A straw poll conducted at the end of the summit favored a 2010 ballot initiative 93-49.

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

MUST-READ: Oh California! Wednesday, 07/29/09
David Mixner

The room was intense and packed. Angry people from both sides stood up to give righteousness to their view on rather we should fight the ballot initiative coming up. Major donors said it couldn't be won and they wouldn't finance it. The leader of The Advocate said if they attempted to go for it he would destroy those who wanted to proceed. Polls showed that we couldn't win and the focus groups weren't much better. Those who wanted to proceed were neophytes and didn't understand politics. The overall tone in the opposition was that we can't win, "Not Now. Oh, Lord Not Now."

No, that wasn't this weekend's meeting in San Bernardino, California of activists discussing whether to place a repeal of Proposition 8 on the ballot in 2010. It was 1978 and it was whether to fight Proposition 6 (the anti-gay school teachers initiative) in California. Sounds familiar doesn't it?

[Read the article or read more articles from David Mixner.]

What Really Happened at the Repeal Prop 8 Leadership Summit Wednesday, 07/29/09
Bilerico Project

A blog for the San Francisco Chronicle came out fairly quickly after Saturday's statewide LGBT "Leadership Summit" in San Bernardino, California with the results of a non-binding straw poll about when the LGBT community wants to return to the ballot to repeal Prop 8: "93 people voted to go in 2010, 49 in 2012 and 20 undecided."

I was there. The count's accurate but it's far from the whole story.

[Read the article or read more articles from Bilerico Project.]

Recipe for Disaster? Wednesday, 07/29/09
The New Civil Rights Movement

The major conflict in the room was between those groups that felt it imperative that the community go back to the ballot in 2010 to repeal Prop 8 and those groups that feel it is better to wait until 2012 or later. Numerous blogs and letters have been circulating in the California LGBT community in recent weeks advocating one of these positions - and the rhetoric has led many to worry that infighting will sink the cause before it gets started.

But when the time came for both camps to present their perspectives, a wonderful and strange thing happened. With only a single exception, the audience listened with respect. The questions were thoughtful and intelligent. There was no name-calling, arguing, or disrespect! Wow.

[Read the article or read more articles from The New Civil Rights Movement.]

Analysis of Polling Data Finds Growing Support for Equal Marriage Wednesday, 07/29/09
Columbia University

According to a comprehensive new analysis of public opinion surveys conducted over the last 15 years, support for the legalization of equal marriage has grown substantially in the United States. Among other conclusions, two political science professors at Columbia University found reluctance among state and local policymakers to expand equal rights laws and protections even where majorities of voters support them.

[Read the article or read more articles from Columbia University.]

MUST-READ: Four Principles for a United Movement Tuesday, 07/28/09
Courage Campaign

1. Our campaign to win must begin now, regardless of when the movement decides to place a marriage equality initiative on the ballot.

2. To unite the strength of activists across California, the campaign must be independent, accountable, and not dominated by any one organization.

3. To gain the trust and full commitment of supporters, the campaign needs a representative and functional governance structure.

4. Victory on election day requires a strong, experienced campaign manager who understands California politics and has won battles like this before. Our opposition is well-organized, and we need exceptional leadership on our side to prevail.

[Read the article or read more articles from Courage Campaign.]

Unite the Fight: CA Marriage Equality Leadership Summit an Utter Failure - Shame On All of Us Tuesday, 07/28/09
Unite the Fight

Our community has splintered into factions lead by no one, going in all different directions with various agendas, some with good intentions, but many motivated by egos in attempt to out maneuver the other, causing us to fight each other instead of those who have taken away our rights. And why? Because our leadership once failed us in a disastrous campaign which ended not with rights being denied us, but rights we enjoyed being stripped away from us, leaving us naked and exposed. And now we're so anti-leadership, we have spiraled into a quagmire of anarchy with no visible way out.

[Read the article or read more articles from Unite the Fight.]

The Elephant In The Room Monday, 07/27/09
Pam's House Blend

So, if you wonder what's next for marriage equality in California? Work. It's time to get to work, California. The campaign to win your rights back starts today. Already there are groups canvassing across the state, some on a weekly basis. Groups like Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA), Courage Campaign, and Equality California (EQCA) have structures in place for canvassing and phone banking. Join a local canvassing team or get the information and resources from local representatives and start your own street team! Help build this campaign yourselves. No one else is going to build it if we don't -- and the statewide group is being politicized through stalling tactics.

Now is the time we have been waiting for. Now is the time to do the one thing we all agree needs to be done: restore marriage equality in California. The time for talk is over; the time for action is now.

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

California Activists Not Going to Bother Overturning Prop 8 Next Year Monday, 07/27/09
Gawker

Last year, a well-funded, well-coordinated campaign to ban gay marriage in California won by a slim margin, partly because opponents forgot to organize and campaign until after the vote. Now they are not going to bother trying again next year.

Why? Because since last year's vote, in the absence of a campaign of any kind, polling on gay marriage hasn't shifted. So it's not even worth it to try to overturn the ban in 2010, gay marriage inactivists say.

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

Backers of Gay Marriage Rethink California Push Monday, 07/27/09
NY Times

Sarah Callahan, chief operating officer of the Courage Campaign, a 700,000-member advocacy group in Los Angeles, told the gathering on Saturday that the two critical elements to persuade donors were organization and a winning plan. "No one is going to invest in chaos," Ms. Callahan said, adding, "The money will come if you can show you can win."

With less than 16 months until possible voting in 2010, Mr. Solomon said several major donors seemed skeptical that there was enough time.

"And we know without significant investments early on, its going to be extremely difficult to move people," he said.

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

LA Times Interview with Theodore Olson Sunday, 07/26/09
LA Times

A woman came up to me in our library in our law firm and said, "You and I haven't worked together, but I'm a lesbian. My partner and I have two children." And she burst into tears. I put my arm around her and she put her arms around me. This stands for what we're trying to accomplish here. It's a principle, but it's a principle that deeply touches human beings. If we're successful, we can help the lives of literally millions of people. And what a great service that would be.

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

Pro-LGBT Republicans come out of the closet in Blue states Sunday, 07/26/09
Pam's House Blend

While this is all well and good to diversify in a party in disarray that has lost big, the cautionary note in the column is that the "pro-gay" party in name only, the Democrats, are doing the flip side in the South by throwing us under the bus, trying to craft wins by fielding anti-gay, forced-birth advocate candidates who do a lot of bible-quoting and family values shilling.

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

MUST READ: Thoughts on Tomorrow's Summit (by EQCA's Marc Solomon) Saturday, 07/25/09
California Ripple Effect

My deepest hope for tomorrow is that we listen to one another, and that we hear one another. We can put our best efforts forward, but only if we battle one another less and respect and listen to one another more (even through some real disagreements). The meeting will be much more effective if we are not so locked in to our positions that we cannot hear and appreciate what the other is saying.

I've been working in and around LGBT marriage campaigns for nearly a decade now, both as a volunteer and as full-time staff. And I know one of our tendencies as LGBT people--a group that has had a rough go at it--is to strike out against one another, rather than focus on who our real opponents are and operate under the assumption that we are all doing the community's work in the way we each think is best.

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

Unite the Fight to Provide Live Stream of Tomorrow's CA Leadership Summit on Marriage Equality Saturday, 07/25/09
Unite the Fight

Unite the Fight will provide a live stream of tomorrow's Leadership Summit in San Bernardino, CA. The summit will be a large gathering of California LGBT organizations' leaders, individual activists, community organizers and allies. Many items will be discussed, but most prominently, next steps towards winning marriage equality back in California. (I will provide an agenda once it becomes available.)

[Read the article or read more articles from Unite the Fight.]

While San Fran Attempts to Butt Into Legal Challenge to Prop. 8, Pair of Gay Supe Hopefuls Plead for Patience Friday, 07/24/09
SF Weekly

Is 2010 too soon to change public opinion? Will the issue go stale by 2012, with voters even more entrenched in their views?Two openly gay politicos who've registered their intent to run for supervisor in District 8 -- home of the liberal Castro and Inner Mission where moderate Bevan Dufty currently reigns -- nibbled on the question, and came to, more or less, the same conclusion: Wait.

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

Moreno: History Is on My Side on Proposition 8 Friday, 07/24/09
Law.com

Asked if Prop 8 would have been upheld if it banned interracial marriage, he said "clearly not." The court, he said, would have been obliged to follow Loving v. Virginia , 388 U.S. 1 , the U.S. Supreme Court's 1967 ruling that ended anti-miscegenation laws.

"Even if looking at the California Constitution, race is a protected class," Moreno said. "So under state or federal law, this kind of discrimination would be unlawful."

But didn't the California Supreme Court in In re Marriage Cases , 43 Cal.4th 757, find sexual orientation a suspect class?

"That was my dissent," Moreno said, noting that he "relied heavily on language in the marriage cases affording specific protections against discrimination."

Moreno, who classifies himself as a moderate, is up for retention on the 2010 ballot along with Chief Justice Ronald George and Justice Ming Chin. He said he doesn't expect any major challenges.

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

Terry Stewart: Oh, Now You Want a Gay-Marriage Factual Record ... Friday, 07/24/09
Legal Pad

San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Kramer let the city submit its factual record, but wound up deciding the case without using it.

So when Walker made it clear earlier this month that he wanted a record -- on such things as whether sexual orientation can be changed or whether gay marriages destabilize straight ones -- it was a hallelujah moment for Stewart and her colleagues.

"I'm not afraid of what the other side will try to prove," she said today. "We know what it is" and, she added, it will be easy to debunk.

[Read the article or read more articles from Legal Pad.]

Speaking to the Experts: Courage Campaign's Sarah Callahan Takes on 2010 and 2012 and Beyond Friday, 07/24/09
Unite the Fight

In a combination of emails and phone calls, Unite the Fight was able to get from Sarah a broad glimpse of the campaign to come, who characterized its complexity as "threading a needle" by being "super, super targeted" or by "micro-targeting", which she described as ID'ing the voters and where they stand on marriage equality, finding out what messages resonate with them, breaking that information down, then going back and persuading them to vote in our favor.

[Read the article or read more articles from Unite the Fight.]

http://www.davidmixner.com/2009/07/observations-from-turkey-hollow-on-the-lgbt-civil-rights-movement-part-four-what-now.html Friday, 07/24/09
David Mixner

There are so many options an individual, straight or gay, can put their time and resources toward. Some might chose the political path, others the grassroots and others work within the legal system. They all are needed and appropriate places for one's time. However we choose to participate we should always have foremost in our minds - "Is this good for the community or am I doing this to please others?" or "How has this worked in the past and can I learn from history?" and finally, "Will the gift of my talent be used effectively and wisely?"

[Read the article or read more articles from David Mixner.]

Observations from Turkey Hollow on the LGBT Civil Rights Movement: Part Two: Learning from History. Friday, 07/24/09
David Mixner

The community should not waste time and resources attempting to stop those with whom we tactically disagree. Celebrate our differences! If you don't think someone is proceeding in the right fashion, stop attempting to bring them to a halt and create your own way if you feel it would be better.

Embrace and acknowledge that we are indeed in the midst of the greatest civil rights battle of this generation and we are not a fringe issue, a special interest group or on some politicians list of 'things to do'. Until we fully realize this, we can't expect our allies to do the same.

[Read the article or read more articles from David Mixner.]

San Francisco wants a say in Prop. 8 lawsuit Friday, 07/24/09
SF Gate

The city would add "a unique local government perspective" to the case, along with its extensive legal experience in defending gay and lesbian rights, if allowed to intervene, City Attorney Dennis Herrera's office said in court papers.

The city and leading gay-rights groups have been allowed to file written arguments supporting the challenge to Prop. 8. But only the plaintiffs -two couples and an organization represented by attorneys Theodore Olson and David Boies, adversaries in the 2000 Bush vs. Gore presidential election case - have the right to direct the case, negotiate with defenders of Prop. 8 and file appeals.

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

CA Grassroots Organization "Love Honor Cherish" Releases Blueprint for Successful 2010 Campaign to Repeal Prop 8 Friday, 07/24/09
Unite the Fight

Love Honor Cherish, a California LGBT grassroots organization known for its strong support for a 2010 campaign to repeal Prop 8, has released a 21-page outline of a future campaign entitled "Blueprint for Equality: How We Will Restore the Right to Marry in 2010."

The Blueprint shows how activists can gather the 1 million signatures needed to place a new ballot measure on the November 2010 ballot and then prevail at the ballot box. It projects that, over the next 15 months, a winning campaign will need to enlist 12,500 volunteers and raise $31.3 million to repeal Prop 8, which passed last November with 52% of the vote.

[Read the article or read more articles from Unite the Fight.]

Maine campaign heats up Thursday, 07/23/09
Bay Windows

The Gill Action Fund, a Colorado-based LGBT political action fund that, according to the Los Angeles Times, contributed more than $350,000 to California's failed "No on Prop 8" campaign, has not yet contributed to Maine Freedom to Marry. Joanne Kron, spokesperson for Gill Action Fund, said the fund does not comment on its donations to state campaigns.

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

NAACP weighs support of gays who want to marry Thursday, 07/23/09
SF Gate

The NAACP, the nation's oldest civil rights organization, today will consider approving a task force's recommendation to support gays who want to marry, a step that one national board member hopes could move the group toward supporting equal marriage.

President Obama's speech at the NAACP's national convention, which ends today in New York, will be a headline-grabbing emotional moment for the nation's first African American president and the organization.

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

San Diego, Why Don't You Come To Your Senses? Wednesday, 07/22/09
The Post-Game Show

In 2008, Doug Manchester donated $125,000 to the successful effort to strip California of same-sex couples with Proposition 8. For the past 12 months there has been an organised boycott of Manchester's three hotels - the Grand Hyatt and the Grand del Mar in San Diego, and the Whitetail in McCall, Idaho. The boycott does not apply to other Hyatt-operated hotels.

Labour leaders and equal rights groups have backed the boycott.

The comic industry does not.

[Read the article or read more articles from The Post-Game Show.]

Observations from Turkey Hollow on the LGBT Civil Rights Movement: Part One "Oh Lord Not Now!" Wednesday, 07/22/09
David Mixner

The cabal of powerful decision makers wants everything to be safe, clean and perfect before moving. Don't upset anyone, don't jump ahead of ourselves and most of all don't deviate from a well-laid plan that hopefully will eventually lead to victory. Every one of our allies has to be comfortable, the polls have to show us way ahead, and proof of victory has to be assured before trying anything new. The unpredictable grassroots could be destructive and create instability.

Sounds pretty good doesn't it? Except that it doesn't fit any model of success that I have seen in my near 50 years of organizing. In fact, my journey has proven to me that the unpredictable often is just the stimulus that movements need; victory often comes from an unplanned event that organizers could not have pulled off if they had worked years to do it. Most candidates would never be elected to office if they waited for their turn, had hard proof of victory and listened to the political pros. Our own current president is a perfect example of this fact.

[Read the article or read more articles from David Mixner.]

Yes on 8 Organization Canvassing Same Areas as LGBT Organizations, Actively Countering Our Efforts Wednesday, 07/22/09
Unite the Fight

Protect Marriage, the group behind Proposition 8, have been out canvassing in the same areas that many LGBT organizations have begun going door-to-door, holding conversations with those who voted in favor of Prop 8. They will be focusing their teams in the Bay Area, Los Angeles and the Central Valley.

[Read the article or read more articles from Unite the Fight.]

California legal newspaper reports on attempt by gay rights groups to intervene in Perry v. Schwarzenneger; San Francisco may file motion to intervene Wednesday, 07/22/09
Legal Commentary on Proposition 8 and the Right to Marry

Mike McGee of The Recorder covers what is by now familiar ground. But he also reports on something new:

Chief Deputy City Attorney Therese Stewart confirmed Friday that San Francisco is contemplating intervention and likewise wants to ensure a complete factual record. She said it's in the city's interest to ensure stable families that don't wind up on the public fisc.

[Read the article or read more articles from Legal Commentary on Proposition 8 and the Right to Marry.]

From the field: Sacramento field office opening Wednesday, 07/22/09
California Ripple Effect

Win Marriage Back, Make it Real is now in full force here in Sac. Our office opening took place on Friday, July 17th and was a HUGE success!

Coalition partners from EAN, Sac NOW, Courage Campaign, CA Faith for Equality, Sac Transgender Coalition and more showed up to give thanks.Take a look at some pictures below.

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

Councilmen waver on new equal marriage bill Wednesday, 07/22/09
Porterville Recorder

Porterville city councilman rehashed a contentious issue Tuesday night -- equal marriage.

At their regular city council meeting, former mayor Cameron Hamilton proposed that they show adamant opposition to a bill circulating among state senators. The bill, No. 54, proposes that same-sex couples married outside the state and before the passage of Proposition 8, are warranted the equal recognition as married spouses in California.

This time the vote was not unanimous. By a sliver, they allowed Hamilton to draft a resolution to approve, or disapprove, at a future meeting.

[Read the article or read more articles from Porterville Recorder.]

All Hands on Deck in the Prop 8 Litigation Wednesday, 07/22/09
Huffington Post

I was one of those voices that raised questions about timing and strategy when the federal lawsuit was filed. I am willing to admit that I may have been wrong, and that the Olson-Boies team may prove to have been visionary. Only time will tell. Our goal right now must be to ensure the best possible outcome for this lawsuit.

We all agree: Proposition 8 is an unconstitutional and discriminatory denial of equal rights, under any legal standard. With the full participation of Lambda Legal, the ACLU, NCLR, and the community organizations they represent, we will present a united front in advancing the compelling evidence and making the case to the federal courts.

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

Prop 8's Not Ready for 2010 Tuesday, 07/21/09
WeHo News

Given the experiences of the "No on Eight" effort, it should have been rather obvious that 2010 was never a realistic option.

Our efforts last year were hampered by disorganization, indecisiveness and lack of a consistent and coherent message, all compounded by the compacted time frame in which campaigns are waged.

A thoughtful and coherent strategy needs to be in place way before the electioneering actually starts. In our last effort our team was reactive and unsure of our own message. We cannot have a replay of the Proposition 8 campaign.

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

MUST-READ: Seven Out of Seven Political Consultants Advise Against a 2010 Initiative to Repeal Prop 8, But David Mixner Says Don't Wait Tuesday, 07/21/09
Unite the Fight

On Monday, Marc posted the consultants' responses to the 2010 vs. 2012 question, and even addressed concerns about using consultants at all (and directly responded to Unite the Fight under our comments section) saying, "I understand, following the No on 8 loss, the skepticism that many people have about [consultants]. I get it. At the same time, it can be helpful to at least consider the thinking of those who have been the most successful at running state-wide initiative campaigns in California and elsewhere."

Late into the night, I read each of the consultants responses to not only the Binder/Simon polling funded by a large LGBT coalition called Poll 4 Equality, but also past polls to help project what 2010 or 2012 and even beyond may hold for us, and what year may be the best to return to the ballot. (They even acknowledged the skepticism of their participation.)

Here are key excerpts of what they had to say.

[Read the article or read more articles from Unite the Fight.]

Going back to the ballot: top political consultants give their perspectives Tuesday, 07/21/09
California Ripple Effect

We asked the consultants to give us their best advice, free from any pressure to choose one year over another. I asked a representative group of seven to write up what they were telling me, and why. I wanted our community to hear and benefit from what they have to say.

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

Go Team Win: an update on EQCA's field program Tuesday, 07/21/09
California Ripple Effect

Our program is based on the two concepts that--in our experience - are most effective in moving voters our way:

1. Personal persuasion. Sharing why we support marriage equality, face-to-face, person-to-person, in a way that engages people and draws them in.

2. Organizing locally. Having conversations where people are (at their doors, at local festivals, etc.), preferably from people who live in or near their communities.

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

Equal Marriage and the Constitution Monday, 07/20/09
Wall Street Journal

Gays and lesbians are our brothers and sisters, our teachers and doctors, our friends and neighbors, our parents and children. It is time, indeed past time, that we accord them the basic human right to marry the person they love. It is time, indeed past time, that our Constitution fulfill its promise of equal protection and due process for all citizens by now eliminating the last remnant of centuries of misguided state discrimination against gays and lesbians.

The argument in favor of Proposition 8 ultimately comes down to no more than the tautological assertion that a marriage is between a man and a woman. But a slogan is not a substitute for constitutional analysis. Law is about justice, not bumper stickers.

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

IMPORTANT NEWS: POC LGBT Organization has confirmed that it will come on board if majority decides to go in 2010! Saturday, 07/18/09
SoCal Voice

Of course we'll come on board and help with the 2010 Campaign if that is what the majority decides. It's never been a matter of if but a matter of when for us. We just wanted to make sure that we're at our best before we proceed with the Campaign to win back marriage in California.

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

Meghan McCain Will Be Heard Friday, 07/17/09

But it's her position on equal marriage that has garnered McCain the most attention. In a speech to the Log Cabin Republicans, she said that "old-school Republicans" were "scared shitless" of the future and retreating further and further into an ultraconservative crouch. In late May, a week after the New York State Assembly passed a bill that would legalize equal marriage, she penned an open letter to New York Republicans in the Daily News, which said that GOP support for the bill "will leave a legacy that will make us all proud."

Inequality is Messy Business Friday, 07/17/09
California Progress Report

The rights of same-sex couples should not depend on whether they married before or after a particular date. Moreover, whether or not a couple is entitled to have their marriage respected by the government should not depend on whether they married before or after a certain date. We cannot have one set of laws for some Californians, and another set of laws for others. It is nonsensical that some same-sex couples are recognized as married in every respect, including their formal legal status, and others can only be given the rights and responsibilities of marriage but not the designation of "married." This is an extremely confusing and demeaning situation, and one that should make all Californians ashamed of the mess we have created in this state by denying equality to some families. We are better than this.

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

Equal Marriage in Ten Years? Thursday, 07/16/09
Independent Gay Forum

The epoch of the cultural wedge issue is ending, says Democratic political analyst Ruy Teixeira, in his new report, "The Coming End of the Culture Wars" (PDF). And equal marriage will soon lose its political potency. It's baked in the demographic cake.

That's because of generational change, as culturally progressive Millennial voters surge into the electorate. It's also, more immediately, because of the decline in the number of white working-class voters. And the fastest growing religious group is not evangelicals but seculars, who tend to be very culturally progressive.

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

Maine: Equal-marriage foes take early lead in fundraising Thursday, 07/16/09
Kennebec Journal

The coalition seeking to overturn Maine's equal marriage law with a people's veto has raised more than $343,000 to date, according to papers filed with the state Wednesday, much of it going to professional signature gatherers.

The group fighting the people's veto has raised $138,640, including $50,000 from a Harpswell woman, according to filings with the State Ethics Commission.

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

Report from the SF "Get Engaged" townhall meeting Thursday, 07/16/09

So, I went to the "Get Engaged" meeting at the LGBT Center on Tuesday night. It was part of a statewide series of town halls, designed to show off the data being gathered to fight Prop 8. A good time was had by all.

Here, I think, was one of the more interesting findings: the room was surveyed both before and after the meeting to see what year everyone preferred. In both surveys, the room heavily favored 2010. After the meeting, though, there were fewer undecideds -- so the meeting did help people make up their minds. But the newly-decided people were pretty evenly split between 2010 and 2012, so the data and arguments did not skew people towards one year or the other.

The other interesting point: EQCA and Courage Campaign collaborated with David Binder on collecting tons of useful data. It's very encouraging to know that this is happening -- it'll form the basis of the campaign in 2010 or 2012 or whenever. We can't move forward without it so I'm glad to see it.

None of the findings were surprising:
- CA is split 50-50 on equal marriage
- Crucial: win not just swing voters but also those currently opposed
- Effective messages: couples, personal stories. heart stuff.
- Ineffective messages: rights, fairness. mind stuff.
- Groups we must win over: religious, elderly, conservative. Race debunked as major factor -- religiouness much more significant.
- Adding provision to ballot that clarifies religious liberty significantly increases support.
- Estimate: to change enough minds, we'll have to knock on 90,000 doors. Molly says: "that's steep, but not impossible."
- Leadership summit on July 25 (Inland Empire) will answer question "what's the plan for 2010 or 2012?"

I spoke to a bunch of people after the meeting. Everyone was wavering on the arguments between 2010 and 2012 -- we all could see the arguments for and against both years, and even the people leaning toward one year or another seemed like they could be convinced. I didn't get the impression that anyone was really strongly committed to either year.

What people DESPERATELY wanted, however, was a plan. This is totally consistent with what I'm hearing elsewhere: most folks are saying, "I'll go with either 2010 or 2012, whichever year has a plan behind it." Hopefully that plan will start to come together at the July 25th summit.

MUST-READ: Going Back to the Ballot--Update from Marc Solomon Wednesday, 07/15/09
California Ripple Effect

In late May, we told the community that, preliminarily, based on all we knew at the time, we believed we should return to the ballot in 2010. We also promised that we would not go back to the ballot on our own, but only together with coalition partners. And we said that, before we concluded what the right timing was, we would perform extensive "due diligence," speaking with and listening to our coalition partners, volunteers in the field, donors, political consultants, pollsters, and many others.

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

When Do We Go Back to the Voters to Repeal Prop 8? Tuesday, 07/14/09
ACLU

Those initiative campaigns convince us that rather than asking what year we should go back to the ballot to repeal Proposition 8, we should be focusing on where we need to be with the voters to stand a solid chance of winning. We should, we believe, go to the ballot when we've established the predicates we need to win, and not a moment later or sooner.

We think that we haven't established the predicates we need for winning yet.

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

Courage Campaign Statement on "Prepare to Prevail" Letter Tuesday, 07/14/09
Courage Campaign

Back in May, we asked our members to vote on which year -- 2010 or 2012 -- the Courage Campaign should support going back to the ballot to restore marriage equality. The response was overwhelming -- 82.5% expressed support for a 2010 ballot measure.

The Courage Campaign is doing its part by helping to build an electoral road map to victory, as are several other organizations that are laying the groundwork necessary to win back marriage equality. It is our responsibility to our members, who overwhelmingly told us that they want to go to the ballot in 2010, and it is our responsibility to the marriage equality community.

That's why the Courage Campaign announced support for a 2010 initiative in May. While we respect other organizations discussing and deliberating this very important question, we have been building the infrastructure to win marriage equality rights at the ballot box sooner, rather than later. Our members are ready to do the hard work needed to win.

[Read the article or read more articles from Courage Campaign.]

Equal-rights coalition urges measured pace on equal marriage amendment Tuesday, 07/14/09
LA Times

"There is a majority of the community . . . that favors going forward in 2010," said John Henning, executive director of the pro-equal-marriage group Love Honor Cherish. "The fact that some favor waiting should mean only one thing: They can wait, if they need to wait, but we are going to go ahead."

Henning said his group along with a coalition of others is exploring introducing ballot language that could be filed with the secretary of state's office in the fall.

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

MUST-READ: CA Gay Groups Advise Waiting, Waiting Tuesday, 07/14/09
Box Turtle Bulletin

I'm not saying that we should have committed huge sums or that we should have exhausted our resources, but we should have made the citizens of those states face this question for the rest of their long-lasting lives until they tired of their own bigotry and - faced with scorn from their children - reversed their position and removed discrimination from their constitution.

Had we been battling in other states, I believe that the tide would have already turned. And Proposition 8 would never have happened. They would never have dared attack us in California. And faced with the prospect of voting until equality wins, Californians would have voted for an end to the war.

We should go back to the ballot in 2010. And should we fail, go in 2012. And if that doesn't work, we're back in 2014.

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

2010 vs. 2012: The Brewing Debate In California Over When to Go Back to the Ballot Boils Over Tuesday, 07/14/09
Unite the Fight

But something smells bad here. Though many of the points in the "Prepare to Prevail" statement are extremely essential and must be discussed and met, the statement's timing and how it was released couldn't be more divisive and is being seen as attempt by the major LGBT organizations to wrestle back control of a movement moving beyond them.

[Read the article or read more articles from Unite the Fight.]

LGBT coalitions of color - forego 2010 Prop 8 repeal initiative; need more time to secure votes Tuesday, 07/14/09
Pam's House Blend

If we have POC groups, communities where outreach was poor, ineffective or non-existent the last time around concerned that the train is leaving the station too soon, I think it's time to listen to the full rationale for holding off until the ducks are in a row.

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

Prop. 8 Challenged In Court...And At The Voting Booth? Sunday, 07/12/09
The Atlantic

No single entity or oligarchy is in charge of the gay equality movement in California. Conference calls and discussions between groups now focus on how a decision will eventually be made on whether or not to put equal marriage on the ballot--a framework for making the call.

"It's a process of trying to figure out what a campaign structure would look like, and how we should decide whether to launch a campaign," Pizer said.

To Pizer, the legal and political fights are connected.

"I think success in the trial court in this litigation would be very motivating for people, and it probably would spur some of the outreach and educational work in a positive way, because it buoys people's spirits," Pizer said.

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

Gay legal groups want in on Calif court case Friday, 07/10/09
AP

But the newly formed political group funding the case, the American Foundation for Equal Rights, is opposing the request. The foundation scored a public relations coup when it persuaded the high-profile lawyers who squared off over the disputed 2000 presidential election to take on the lawsuit.

In a letter to the legal groups sent Wednesday, board president Chad Griffin, a Los Angeles-based political consultant, said the show of solidarity was coming too late since the same groups originally criticized a federal civil rights claim as premature.

"You have unrelentingly and unequivocally acted to undermine this case even before it was filed. Considering this, it is inconceivable that you would zealously and effectively litigate this case if you were successful in intervening," Griffin said. "Therefore, we will vigorously oppose any motion to intervene."

Getting more lawyers involved also would delay and unnecessarily complicate the proceedings, Griffin wrote. He said the public interest groups were welcome to continue participating as consultants.

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

The National Education Association Passes Resolution Supporting LGBT Equality Wednesday, 07/08/09
Unite the Fight

One of the major reasons Prop 8 passed here in California was the lie that the Yes on 8 campaign told in that children would be taught about same-sex marriage in schools, even worse, without any say from the parents. This was the turning point in the campaign which led to Prop 8 passing.

Do you think the NEA's resolution could backfire on us by giving more fodder for opponents to twist and lie about?

[Read the article or read more articles from Unite the Fight.]

Maryland: O'Malley open to recognizing equal marriage in MD Tuesday, 07/07/09
WTOP

"I think that it's very difficult to deny equal rights to people when it comes to rights that are disbursed by a government rather than a faith or a church," O'Malley said Monday on WTOP's Ask the Governor Program. "If the person has these rights under another state, I think we're sort of pressed to deny those rights. So, yes, we probably should respect those rights."

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

Senator Leno Announces Bill Clarifying Rights of Same-Sex Couples Married Outside of California Tuesday, 07/07/09
NCLR

The bill confirms that same-sex couples married outside of California before the passage of Proposition 8 on November 5, 2008, are entitled to full recognition as married spouses in California, regardless of whether they married in-state or out-of-state. That rule is consistent with existing law, including the California Supreme Court's prior holding in In re Marriage Cases that California cannot treat marriages differently based on whether they were performed in-state or out-of-state.

The bill also confirms that same-sex couples married outside of California after November 5, 2008, must be given all of the rights, protections, and responsibilities of spouses under California law, with the sole exception of the designation of "marriage."

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

Obama--Ask For Equal Rights for Gays Monday, 07/06/09
The New Republic

According to Gallup, 69 percent of Americans believe gays should be able to serve openly. To put that number in perspective, it is 25 points higher than the percentage of Americans who endorse Obama's handling of health care, 19 points higher than the percentage who currently support the war in Afghanistan, and 18 points higher than the percentage who approve of the administration's economic policies. Obama is not afraid to push health care reform, send more troops to Afghanistan, or stand by his stimulus program--nor should he be. But why, when it comes to the far less controversial cause of gays serving in the military, is he apparently willing to punt?

And so, the Pentagon continues to expel gay troops. The Defense of Marriage Act continues to wreak havoc on the lives of gay families. And we fail to perceive "equality" or "dignity" or "respect" in any of this.

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

Steps to Take to Protect Marriage in Maine Sunday, 07/05/09
Queers United

Just a few months ago the state of Maine made history by legalizing equal marriage, but right wing opponents are ready to bring the issue to a vote on the ballot come November. Mainers are equally split similarly to how the voting turned out in California's proposition 8 on whether same-sex couples should have the right to marry.

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

Long, but a MUST-READ: 5 easy steps to marriage freedom Saturday, 07/04/09
Sacramento News and Review

I tracked down a number of people in the Sacramento region who are concerned with marriage rights--not all of them gay, not all of them activists, but all of them committed to seeing GLBT people treated equally. I asked them about what they thought went wrong last time, and how we might win next time, whenever it comes.

They had plenty to say, and their suggestions break down into five simple categories:

1. Reach out to other minority groups.
2. Work closely with religious groups.
3. Be clear about the difference between civil marriage and religious marriage.
4. Put gay and lesbian faces out front.
5. Keep the message simple.

[Read the article or read more articles from Sacramento News and Review.]

Equal marriage case will go to Supreme Court: attorney Friday, 07/03/09
Reuters

The attorney representing two same-sex couples who were denied a right to wed in California said on Thursday he expected the case to end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, which has yet to hear a case on the equal marriage issue.

"When it does get to the United States Supreme Court, we expect to win," Theodore Olson, who was solicitor general under former President George W. Bush, told reporters after the first hearing on federal lawsuit that was filed in May.

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

MUST READ: July 2nd Could Spell The Beginning of the End for Prop 8 - The Team Behind the Case Thursday, 07/02/09
Pam's House Blend

There's been a lot of talk about the case reaching the U.S. Supreme Court, but I wanted to know what had to happen first before it got there. Boutrous helped break it down for me.

First, the case must be heard in the North California U.S. District Court by Judge Vaughn Walker. As mentioned, the hearing begins on July 2nd, and on this day, Judge Walker and the attorneys on both sides of the issue will determine how to "proceed expeditiously to trial."

Second, most likely either side will appeal the ruling if it goes against their liking. In this case, it will then reach the United States Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

It will only be after that ruling will either side appeal to go to the U.S. Supreme Court. But even then, the high court may not hear it. They will have to decide whether or not to take the case certiorari, which is the decision of the court to review a lower court's opinion by "rule of four." This means, four Supreme Court justices have to agree to hear the case.

Though one could never predict how the Supreme Court justices will decide, one major deciding factor tends to be whether or not the lower courts have made opposing decisions favoring one side or the other.

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

Equal marriage stalls as RI lawmakers wrap up Wednesday, 07/01/09
Boston Herald

The lack of Statehouse action on gay equality means that Rhode Island is unlikely to allow equal marriage anytime soon, despite decisions this year by lawmakers in New Hampshire, Maine and Vermont joined Connecticut and Massachusetts in legalizing equal marriage.

"I was hoping the momentum that was going around New England and the support we had in the House would get enough representatives to ask for it," said Rep. Frank Ferri, D-Warwick, who is gay and sponsored same-sex marriage legislation. He and his partner wed in Canada.

[Read the article or read more articles from Boston Herald.]

New Orleans same-sex couple sues for marriage license Wednesday, 07/01/09
New Orleans Times-Picayune

Kristoffer Bonilla and John Thomas Wray argue in a lawsuit that the state has "permanently deprived them of the ability to sanctify their committed relationship and to exercise all of the rights and benefits attendant to marriage."

The couple was turned away by officials at the Orleans Parish marriage license office on April 2 solely because both were men, the lawsuit says.

"We just want a marriage license, " said Bonilla, a law school graduate who is not yet a practicing lawyer. "The people at the office were extremely nice. The cab driver who took us asked to be invited to the wedding."

[Read the article or read more articles from New Orleans Times-Picayune.]