Prop 8 News from Stop8.org: August 2009

Slow start: No rush for same-sex weddings in Vt. Saturday, 08/29/09
Newsday

After the civil unions law took effect July 1, 2000, there were 1,704 civil unions established in the next six months, including 405 in July alone. Out-of-state residents accounted for 78 percent of them -- with most involving people from New York, Massachusetts and California, according to state vital records. Nearly 69 percent were between female partners.

The slow start to the same-sex marriage law may also be rooted in timing. When the Legislature adopted the law in April, it set Sept. 1 as the effective date, thereby missing out on the summer wedding season.

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

Mass. Case May Be Key in Taking Gay Marriage Fight to Supreme Court Saturday, 08/29/09
Law.com

While the high-profile, Ted Olson- and David Boies-managed legal fight against California's Proposition 8 captures headlines, a carefully planned case quietly under way in Massachusetts federal court could be the gay marriage test with the greatest national impact.

The challenge, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, is one of four lawsuits in different parts of the country that ask federal courts to strike down all or parts of the 1996 federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The suits, and the Gill case in particular, according to advocates and scholars closely watching their progress, are just the opening shots in a struggle destined for the U.S. Supreme Court.

"If you're looking to effect legal change, you're looking for plaintiffs who have been harmed, a lawsuit reasonably well-funded, and the legal expertise to take it up [to] the appellate process," said Arthur Leonard of New York Law School, an expert on gay and lesbian legal issues. The Gill case meets that description, he and others believe.

For the Obama administration, Gill and the three other suits present potentially treacherous legal and political waters. It has decided to defend the law in court even as it has stated publicly its plans to seek repeal in Congress. And its arguments in defense of the law, recently revealed in a California suit, have pleased neither opponents nor supporters.

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

Therapists push group to back same-sex marriage Friday, 08/28/09
Bay Area Reporter

Marriage and family therapists in California are continuing to urge their state association to take an official position in support of same-sex marriage.

At a town hall forum in San Francisco last weekend, officials from the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists heard from many therapists who were unhappy about the group's recent actions.

Those actions include publication of homophobic articles in the May-June issue of the association's magazine, the Therapist, that even Mary Riemersma, the association's executive director, now admits were "lame." She suspects the group's board will take a different position on marriage equality, perhaps as early as next month.

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

EQCA: Ripeness Is All Friday, 08/28/09
Bay Windows

Those who insist on returning to the ballot in 2010 should explain how EQCA's analysis is wrong, rather than merely serenade us with stirring rhetoric. Strategy is not a dirty word, and enthusiasm is not enough.

None of us with a stake in this fight wants to wait. Every day that I am separated from my own foreign partner is painful. Unfortunately, wanting is not having. There is a great deal of work remaining to overturn Prop. 8, not to mention the ballot fight looming this November in Maine, where our opponents hold a fundraising edge. Let us do the preparation needed to win a lasting victory in California, and not let our hearts rule our heads.

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

GAY MARRIAGE OPPONENTS WATCH AS THEIR RANKS DWINDLE Friday, 08/28/09
Kansas City Tribune

The culture has changed considerably since 1996, when a few state legislatures were beginning to seriously debate the concept of extending full marriage equality to gays and lesbians. That's when the GOP rushed to stoke its base of religious conservatives with a law that blocked that full equality. Where tradition (and law) had dictated that a marriage in New York or Hawaii must be recognized in Alabama or Wyoming, the Defense of Marriage Act allowed any state to deny the legitimacy of a same-sex marriage that had taken place elsewhere.

The bill's sweeping prohibitions also deny shared insurance and other work-related benefits to same-sex couples who work for the federal government, all so Congress could pose as the moral defender of traditional marriage. It was a strange pose, given that some of DOMA's staunchest supporters were divorcees and adulterers.

[Read the article or read more articles from Kansas City Tribune.]

Want an Active Role in a Marriage Equality Campaign? Learn How at OUT West's Campaign Boot Camp! Friday, 08/28/09
Unite the Fight

OUT West Campaign Boot Camp will train activists in fundamental campaign skills and offer them a campaign manager's view of how a solid campaign is run. Committed activists will gather for two days of training at USC in Los Angeles, CA that will prepare them to be leaders in the next campaign for marriage equality.

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

My top three questions about the Perry case Wednesday, 08/26/09
Hunter for Justice

Lastly, what will the impact be of Perry on the effort to repeal Prop 8? Emotions are running high and ragged in California about whether to put repeal on the 2010 ballot (a prospect that diminishes in likelihood every day) or whether to wait, presumably until 2012. But how - if at all - will the dynamics change if the trial court rules that Prop 8 is unconstitutional, maybe a year from now, in summer 2010? Or if the Ninth Circuit finds it unconstitutional in 2011? It takes time and money to put a question on the ballot. Will such rulings energize the repeal effort or the retention effort, or maybe both? What will be the impact if the federal courts uphold Prop 8, as the California Supreme Court did?e

[Read the article or read more articles from Hunter for Justice.]

After 5 Years of Legal Gay Marriage, Massachusetts still has the lowest state divorce rate and Western Civilization is intact Wednesday, 08/26/09
AlterNet

Provisional data from 2008 indicates that the Massachusetts divorce rate has dropped from 2.3 per thousand in 2007 down to about 2.0 per thousand for 2008. What does that mean ? To get a sense of perspective consider that the last time the US national divorce rate was 2.0 per thousand (people) was 1940. You read that correctly. The Massachusetts divorce rate is now at about where the US divorce rate was the year before the United States entered World War Two.

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

Gay Marriage Seems to be Helping Straight Marriage Wednesday, 08/26/09
Change.org

Well, five years after Massachusetts became the first state to legalize same-sex marriage, not only has none of these doomsday predictions come true, but Massachusetts ranks as the state with the lowest divorce rate in the entire country.

Now there's a talking point: gay marriage reduces divorce. And the evidence is there to back it up.

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

Anti-gay group to fight marriage efforts in D.C. Wednesday, 08/26/09
Washington Blade

In a little noticed development, a national organization credited with playing a lead role in persuading California voters to ban same-sex marriage through Proposition 8 moved its headquarters last month to Washington, D.C.

The National Organization for Marriage plans to use its projected 2009 budget of $6 million to, among other things, help ban same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia and prevent President Barack Obama and a Democratic-controlled Congress from repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, according to Brian Brown, the group's executive director.

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

Back to Square one for California DOMA Challenge Wednesday, 08/26/09
Leonard Link

This dismissal is merely a speed-bump, since clearly the federal district court would have jurisdiction over a case filed directly in that court. Furthermore, at the very least I think it should be possible for Smelt and Hammer to file a suit that appropriately alleges some deprivation of rights under federal law attributable to Section 3 of DOMA.

[Read the article or read more articles from Leonard Link.]

The 2010 campaign to repeal Prop 8 begins to form a campaign structure Wednesday, 08/26/09
Examiner

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) grassroots activists will reconvene to discuss the next steps to win back marriage equality. This will be the continuation of a previous meeting that was held in Los Angeles on August 9th where Steve Hildebrand, deputy campaign manager for Barack Obama urged the attendees to quickly establish a structure for the campaign.

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

Court Decisions and Trends in Support for Same-Sex Marriage Tuesday, 08/25/09
Polling Report

If current trends continue, a majority of Americans will support same-sex marriage by the year 2014. While majority support does not always lead to movement in policy, the tone of the national debate would likely change significantly if support for gay marriage can no longer be written off as a minority viewpoint.

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

California Senate Officially Calls for End to 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' Tuesday, 08/25/09
Equality California

The California Senate officially endorsed a resolution calling for the repeal of the discriminatory federal policy known as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell." Sponsored by Equality California (EQCA) and introduced by Senator Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego), the resolution calls on the United States Congress to pass and President Barack Obama to immediately sign the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2009, which would end the unfair policy and allow gay, lesbian and bisexual Americans to serve openly in the armed forces. The resolution passed the State Senate in a 23-16 vote. The resolution will go before the State Assembly in January.

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

Judge Dismisses DOMA Case Which Prompted Controversial Obama DOJ Brief Tuesday, 08/25/09
Box Turtle Bulletin

Judge David O. Carter dismissed the case on a technicality, ruling that that the suit had been improperly filed in state court before transferring to Federal Court. For the case to go forward, it must be re-filed in Federal Court. Plaintiffs' lawyer Richard Gilbert said he would re-submit the suit again.

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

Md. should be a leader on gay marriage Tuesday, 08/25/09
Baltimore Sun

So far, five American states have legalized gay marriage: four New England states - Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont - plus (more surprisingly) Iowa, heart of heartland America.

Why isn't Maryland, one of the nation's more progressive states, a member of this small but growing club?

The proximate reason is that the state judiciary has yet to rule in favor of gay marriage. In September 2007, the Maryland Court of Appeals, reversing an earlier decision by the Baltimore Circuit Court, ruled 4-3 to uphold the state's statutory ban on gay marriage.

The ultimate obstacle, however, is the state legislature, where the Democrats enjoy comfortable majorities in both chambers but conservative Democrats remain resistant. Demographically, they tend to be white legislators from the Eastern Shore, Western Maryland, parts of Southern Maryland and the Baltimore County suburbs, along with a significant contingent of African-American Democrats.

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

Group that backed Prop. 8 focuses on reinstating Iowa's gay-marriage ban Monday, 08/24/09
LA Times

The National Organization for Marriage, which was active in getting Proposition 8 approved by voters in California, sent out an appeal for donations to run advertisements on behalf of political candidates who oppose same-sex marriage.

It said the first ad would support Republican Stephen Burgmeier, who supports putting the issue of same-sex marriage to a vote in the Hawkeye State. He is up for election in less than two weeks.

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

Will The DNC Repeat Their Prop 8 Error With Maine? Monday, 08/24/09
Pam's House Blend

With the opposition stating they will need to raise $2 million or more, let's hope that the DNC can send a check quickly to prevent a repeat of last year.

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

NOM Skirts IRS Regulations on Disclosure of Tax Returns Monday, 08/24/09
Right Wing Watch

In the current issue of the Washington Blade, Lou Chibbaro interviews Brian Brown, the executive director of the National Organization for Marriage, the anti-gay group behind Proposition 8. The interview contains this gem:

"Brown promised to release to the Blade NOM's 2007 IRS 990 finance reporting form and said the group also would release its 2008 990 form as soon as it completes its processing. He said the group submitted the 2008 report to the IRS last Friday."

NOM's finances are a complete mystery, and the group seems intent on keeping it that way for as long as possible. But there's just one problem -- there's no such thing as a "processing" period.

[Read the article or read more articles from Right Wing Watch.]

NJ activists ready for battle over gay marriage Saturday, 08/22/09
Boston Herald

A bill that would allow gay marriage is expected to be debated in Trenton during the lame-duck period between the Nov. 3 election and start of a new legislative session in January.

In the fall, there probably will be television and radio ads on the issue. But for now, the focus is mostly on the faithful speaking to their representatives in Trenton.

In 2006, the state Supreme Court said that committed gay couples deserved the same treatment as straight married couples. The Legislature responded by making New Jersey the third state to offer civil unions, which give the same legal benefits the state offers to married couples, but not the title of marriage.

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

Wis. AG won't defend domestic partnership law Saturday, 08/22/09
AP

Wisconsin's attorney general says he won't defend a law that grants same-sex couples spousal benefits.

Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen said Friday that a law extending legal privileges such as hospital visitation and inheritance to gay and lesbian couples is unconstitutional.

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

Testimony from CA DOMA resolution committee vote Saturday, 08/22/09
California Ripple Effect

The following is from Frank and Joe Capley-Alfano, witnesses for AJR 19, the Resolution in Support of Repealing the Defense of Marriage Act. AJR 19 recently passed the California Assembly Judiciary Committee along with two other EQCA sponsored resolutions. All three pieces of legislation now move to the Senate and Assembly floors to await an official vote.

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

Action Alert: Maine Donor Increased Generous Offer! Friday, 08/21/09
Pam's House Blend

In less than 48 hours, you raised $16,098 through 354 supporters.

I just shared the news with our donor, who is so impressed with your initiative that he has doubled his challenge: he will now match every dollar up to $20,000 raised by midnight tonight.

That gives us less than 12 hours to raise $3,902.

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

Maine gay marriage foes estimate $2 million needed for campaign Friday, 08/21/09
Everyday Christian

The effort to block gay marriage from becoming law in Maine will likely cost more than $2 million. A referendum based on the state's "people's veto" provision has set up a Nov. 3 showdown over the state's gay marriage law approved by the legislature earlier this year.

[Read the article or read more articles from Everyday Christian.]

Equality Maine released first television ad today to protect marriage equality Thursday, 08/20/09
Seattle PI

"Stand for Marriage Maine's" website was the focus of an embarrassing controversy this week because of an alleged breach of contract with istock photo. They had to replace a photo of a family played by actors because it allegedly violated the terms of use. Check out the full story and the photos in question over at Good As You.

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

Prop 8 Deja-vu: Early Alarm Bells Ringing in Maine's Discriminatory Marriage Campaign Thursday, 08/20/09
San Francisco Appeal

Both ads are about "equality," which is a very nice word that everyone likes to say that they would vote for. But here's the problem with that: we're not voting for equality. We're voting against discrimination. We need a NO campaign, but what we're getting in Maine is a YES campaign.

Equality, fairness, smiling families, coming together, standing united, upholding tradition ... these are all lovely things! They make you feel good! Vote yes on them! Except, wait, don't vote yes, because those are not what Maine is actually voting on.

Maine is voting on withholding rights from committed families, and on refusing the recognize loving parents, and on arbitrary segregation of its citizens. When are we going to see an ad about that, with couples in peril and standing together against the measure?

[Read the article or read more articles from San Francisco Appeal.]

MEUSA split over Prop 8 repeal Thursday, 08/20/09
Bay Area Reporter

"It may appear to the untrained eye that these two organizations are totally divided," she said, referring to EQCA and Courage. "I don't think that is true and I think MEUSA, in partnership with other organizations, can continue to move forward in a productive and synergistic fashion."

"Everyone agrees we can't wait and should be in motion now to restore marriage equality," McKay added.

McKay believes there are two key areas where marriage equality proponents can work together, regardless of whether they favor a ballot measure in 2010 or 2012. Those are: establishing a coalition leadership structure and research and focus group testing to refine messaging and ballot language.

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

TV ads begin in gay marriage battle in Maine Thursday, 08/20/09
Boston Globe

The first television advertisements in an anticipated referendum on Maine's gay marriage law begin airing Thursday across the state.

Carisa Cunningham from Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders says the advertisements are airing in multiple markets in Maine.

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

Steve Chapman :: Townhall.com Columnist An Odd Silence on Gay Marriage Thursday, 08/20/09
Town Hall

But with the experiment looming, some opponents seem to be doubting their own convictions. I contacted three serious conservative thinkers who have written extensively about the dangers of allowing gay marriage and asked them to make simple, concrete predictions about measurable social indicators -- marriage rates, divorce, out-of-wedlock births, child poverty, you name it.

You would think they would react like Albert Pujols when presented with a hanging curveball. Yet none was prepared to forecast what would happen in same-sex marriage states versus other states.

[Read the article or read more articles from Town Hall.]

Request your ballot today Thursday, 08/20/09
No On 1 - Protect Maine Equality

Please fill out your information below to let us know that you will be voting NO on 1 early and we will direct you to the Maine Secretary of State's website where you can request your absentee ballot.

[Read the article or read more articles from No On 1 - Protect Maine Equality.]

Help Protect Marriage Equality Take a Volunteer-Vacation In Maine Wednesday, 08/19/09
No On 1 - Protect Maine Equality

During the month leading up to the election, the campaign will be hosting a team of highly motivated volunteers from around the country to serve as full-time volunteer campaign staff. In Maine voters will begin casting their ballots in October, so we are planning the Volunteer-Vacation to run during the entire month of October.

[Read the article or read more articles from No On 1 - Protect Maine Equality.]

Proposition 8 Lawsuit on a Fast Track - January 11 trial date set Wednesday, 08/19/09
Leonard Link

Of course, when one takes this together with the profile of Ted Olson published this morning in The New York Times, it is clear that the goal of this case is to establish that denying the right to marry to same-sex couples violates the 14th Amendment. If Olson and Boies can get the federal courts to hold that way, then all the state constitutional amendments and DOMA statutes - barriers to same-sex marriage that have been erected in about 40 states - become constitutionally suspect and the possibility of same-sex marriage being available and recognized throughout the United States becomes possible.

[Read the article or read more articles from Leonard Link.]

Olson / Boies Prop 8 Trial Date Set Wednesday, 08/19/09
Box Turtle Bulletin

Those concerned that the time is not right for this case to be tried before the SCOTUS may wish to consider how the referendum movement to overturn Proposition 8 could impact the case. It appears that this case could reach the Supreme Court between 2010 and 2012. Those who fear a loss at the top of the judicial system may find it beneficial to try and derail the case by reversing Proposition 8 before the case can be heard.

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

BREAKING NEWS: Federal Prop 8 Case Goes to Public Trial January 11, 2010; City of San Francisco Joins Plaintiffs Wednesday, 08/19/09
Unite the Fight

For federal timelines, this is breakneck speed, giving very little time for both parties to prepare for a full blown trial, including witnesses and expert accounts. However, a trial will a establish a solid record for appeals courts, where everyone expects this case to be headed.

Unlike for the LGBT legal organizations, Judge Walker ruled that the City of San Francisco can join the case as City Intervenor Plaintiffs, but only to assess Proposition 8's impact on local government.

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

California Legislature Advances Three Resolutions on Federal Policy Affecting the LGBT Population Wednesday, 08/19/09
Unite the Fight

Good news comes from the California state capitol today, where the Assembly Judiciary Committee passed three resolutions concerning federal laws affecting LGBT people by a margin of 6-3: a resolution urging the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA (AJR 19), a resolution in support of the Uniting American Families Act (AJR 15), and a resolution calling for the FDA to repeal the U.S. Blood Donor Nondiscrimination Resolution (AJR 13),

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

The Trial of the Prop 8 Campaign Wednesday, 08/19/09
Variety

What will be a dramatic component of a trial, if it proceeds that way, is an effort to put the campaign itself under scrutiny. The No on 8 side claimed often that ads aired by ProtectMarriage used scare tactics, like the threat that churches would be forced to perform same-sex marriages and teachers would have to somehow add it to their curriculum.

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

Maine: 'No' vote would uphold traditional Maine values Wednesday, 08/19/09
Portland Press Herald

Doctors, nurses, school secretaries - even IRS agents - don't get to decide which couples deserve to be considered married. Either they have a license or they don't, and if they do, they get to make medical decisions, pick a child up from school or file a joint tax return without facing any questions about their sexual practices. Basic fairness dictates that same-sex couples should be able to formalize their relationships without having to pass a moral test that is only imposed on them.

Without a doubt, this law represents a change from the way things were when most of us were growing up, but that's not reason enough to maintain the status quo. There is a cultural shift afoot, which is why polls show that young voters are much more comfortable than their parents with changing the marriage laws.

Sure, this is new. But the values behind it - fairness, privacy, tolerance of people who are different than you - are not new and have long traditions in Maine.

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

A Conservative's Road to Same-Sex Marriage Advocacy Wednesday, 08/19/09
NY Times

The Supreme Court has long recognized marriage between men and women as a right, most notably in a 1967 case overturning bans on interracial marriage. Since sexual orientation, unlike race, is not mentioned in the Constitution, the question is whether that right extends to gay men and lesbians.

The answer, in Mr. Cooper's view, can be found in a 1970 case, in which the Supreme Court refused to hear an appeal of a lower court ruling that marriage could be limited to men and women. But Mr. Olson points to two more recent Supreme Court cases.

The first is a 1996 decision in which six of the nine justices, citing equal protection grounds, struck down an amendment to the Colorado Constitution that stripped gay residents of existing civil rights protections. This, Mr. Olson argues, is similar to Proposition 8's negating the California Supreme Court decision that recognized the rights of gay couples to marry.

The second is the court's 6-3 decision in Lawrence v. Texas, striking down laws criminalizing sodomy in 2003. Not only did the majority find that Texas had no rational basis to intrude into private sexual behavior protected by the Constitution's due process clause, it also declared that gay men and lesbians should be free to enter into relationships in their homes and "still retain their dignity."

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

Preview of Today's Perry Parties Party Wednesday, 08/19/09
Law Dork

The most important thing already has been learned this week, and that is the lengths and depths to which the Proposition 8 proponents -- already permitted to intervene -- will go in defending against the challenge. In the Supplemental Case Management filings on Monday, Judge Walker's order has led to an early view of the arguments to be made in the case.

The most remarkable, and oddest, claim comes in the Proponents' discussion of "immutability," a portion of the examination into what level of scrutiny the court will use to examine whether Proposition 8 is valid.

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

Heads' Up: Maine Donation Matching Challenge! Wednesday, 08/19/09
Pam's House Blend

Can you believe in only 34 days, the people of Maine can start voting to protect marriage equality? I received a note today from a very generous anonymous Mainer who wants to challenge you directly.

Here's the deal - if we can raise $10,000 by Friday, he'll double it. That means we'll have $20,000 to protect marriage equality.

Donate today to double your impact.

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

Boies and Olson to go after 'Yes on 8′ Campaign Wednesday, 08/19/09
Box Turtle Bulletin

Today, all parties to the suit filed another round of "case management statements," proposals that outline what the trial will cover, what legal questions will be addressed, and which sort of evidence will be gathered and presented. What is interesting about these statements is that the case is shaping up to be much broader than the state challenge to Prop. 8, which hinged on the technical distinction between an "amendment" and a "revision."

Crucially, the plaintiffs plan to go after the Yes on 8 Campaign to show that they were motivated by anti-gay animus. This will involve having the Yes on 8 people testify and hand over documents relevant to the campaign.

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

Religious groups play major role in campaign to repeal Maine marriage law Wednesday, 08/19/09
Edge

The Roman Catholic Church and the Church of Latter Day Saints are pouring hundreds of thousands of dollars into Stand for Marriage Maine, the organization that has submitted more than 100,000 petition signatures.

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

Action Alert: Help Protect the Freedom to Marry in Maine Wednesday, 08/19/09
NCLR

Maine needs you now more than ever. Please donate to protect the freedom to marry for same-sex couples in Maine.

A victory in Maine is essential for marriage equality nationwide. We need to send a clear message that eliminating fundamental rights is no longer tolerated and that we will fight to ensure that our families are valued equally under the law.

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

State resolution urging marriage equality passes committee Wednesday, 08/19/09
Desert Sun

The Assembly Judiciary Committee today approved a resolution with a 6-3 vote to support the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

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

Marriage Equality In Maine! We Need The Netroots! Tuesday, 08/18/09
Daily Kos

Start talking about this issue. Health Care Reform is a huge deal, but we can walk and chew gum at the same time. Start mentioning this issue to your bloggy friends and writing about it in comments, if we mobilize, if the money comes in at the start not the end, then we can defeat the forces of intolerance. Maine can be the place where we show the nation that generational change is here, and we are not going to keep judging people on the least important thing about them, who they are attracted to sexually. This is a fight we can win, but we need your help!

[Read the article or read more articles from Daily Kos.]

The True Face Of Our Enemy Monday, 08/17/09
Penny Arcade

The incoherency springs from the fact that the spots themselves insult the target of their message, which might work to attract attention, but the actual payload of the spots isn't savage enough to kindle any kind of genuine analysis. They're trying to regulate jerks by being jerks, but they're not really jerks, so they can't carry it off. This is the danger of assuming that your opponent is anything like yourself. They need to give their actual hatred of this practice a voice, every moment they were compressed into some subset of themselves, every brutal act, every misshapen poem they were forced to write, and concentrate this into a fragmentary lozenge of spoken power.

No-one responds to this kind of diffuse scolding, least of all young men, least of all from strangers who present themselves as archwizards of prim speech and perfect morality. Bigots and stupid kids speak this way expressly to promulgate the root concepts or to provoke a reaction. Telling them to "knock it off," as this campaign hilariously does, is like exposing your belly to these wolves.

[Read the article or read more articles from Penny Arcade.]

The Government's New DOMA Brief Monday, 08/17/09
Leonard Link

In the original motion brief, they argued that DOMA was not discirminatory, but was merely an attempt by Congress to be "neutral" in the ongoing controversy over same-sex marriage. They no longer argue that DOMA is not discriminatory. That would be pretty hard to do when your supremo boss, POTUS himself, has said publically that DOMA is discriminatory. But they persist in arguing that in light of the raging debate over same-sex marriage, it was rational for Congress to maintain the "status quo regarding the distribution of federal benefits in the face of serious and fluid policy differences in and among the states." That strikes me as lame. Maintaining a discriminatory status quo calls for a justification, an affirmative reason why, as a matter of public policy, the federal government should disrespect marriages from some states and not from others.

[Read the article or read more articles from Leonard Link.]

DOJ Files Reply Brief In DOMA Challenge Case Monday, 08/17/09
Box Turtle Bulletin

This case particular case challenging the constitutionality of DOMA is considered by many legal experts as rather weak. Another case filed in Massachusetts by the Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defendersis considered a much stronger case. Last month, the Massachusetts Attorney General announced a second lawsuitto challenge DOMA's constitutionality.

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

Gay marriage supporters tangle over legal strategy Monday, 08/17/09
Mercury News

In court papers filed Aug. 7, lawyers for the two same-sex couples suing to block Proposition 8 asked Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker to bar the American Civil Liberties Union, Lamba Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights from being parties to the lawsuit. San Francisco city officials also are trying to intervene, but the plaintiffs appear neutral on whether they should be allowed into the case.

Walker is expected to decide the issue on Wednesday.

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

Outsmarting Proposition 8 Monday, 08/17/09
LA Times

Gay-rights activists must recognize that their lackluster campaign did little to sway the public, especially considering the misleading ads by gay-marriage opponents. So far, the Courage Campaign has not articulated a sophisticated strategy for changing this. Without other gay-rights groups by its side, its low chances are further weakened.

It's not as though waiting three years means idly letting injustice prevail. There is plenty to do between now and 2012 -- forging alliances with minority groups, lining up financial support and vetting the best campaign managers. Advocates of same-sex marriage already have a just cause; coupled with campaign smarts and money, they also will have voter support.

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

Why Adam Bouska's "NO H8″ Campaign Doesn't Stick Monday, 08/17/09
Homorazzi

There is no doubt that everyone involved in this project has only the best of intentions, and as long as you are making noise in the ether (including this article), you are doing something. Regardless of what I have written above, the only thing that matters is this: if his efforts have changed just one person's mind on the issue, or at the very least raised awareness, then it should be considered a rousing success. While the spread of Adam Bouska's NO H8 campaign cannot be denied and deserves accolade, it is disquieting to know that the efforts for this campaign could have been more focused to create change. Maybe it's time to rip off the duct tape, and sit down with people like the 7 out of 10 black voters, or my Mother.

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

EQCA Announces Matching Dollar Donation Challenge to Support Maine's NO on 1 Campaign Monday, 08/17/09
Unite the Fight

In an email sent out to its members today, EQCA's Executive Director Geoff Kors announced a matching-dollar fundraising drive to support the NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign.

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

Federal judge reviews arguments in Prop. 8 case Monday, 08/17/09
SF Gate

If Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker decides against a trial, some issues will be taken off the table, including any examination of the Prop. 8 campaign, its ads and ballot arguments, and the motives of its backers.

That could prove to be the critical issue in the case. The plaintiffs hope to prove that Prop. 8, promoted as a measure to preserve traditional marriage, was actually motivated by its backers' moral and religious disapproval of homosexuality. That's not a legitimate basis for a state law, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a Colorado case in 1996.

In addition, any ruling without a trial would carry little weight with higher courts, which are required to defer to Walker's factual findings but not his legal conclusions.

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

Gay marriage fight, 'kiss-ins' smack Mormon image Monday, 08/17/09
AP

National organizers say Saturday's broadly held gay rights demonstrations were not aimed specifically at the Mormon church. But observers say the church's heavy-handed intervention into California politics will linger and has left the faith's image tarnished.

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

The Fierce Urgency of Maine Monday, 08/17/09
Change.org

For our side, there are important steps we need to take now to win this campaign. First, early money matters. If you can give $5.00, $10.00, $20.00, $50.00, or whatever to help preserve marriage equality, please consider doing so now (via Act Blue). Second, talk to your friends (or friends of friends) who live in Maine. Third, consider traveling up to Maine for what marriage equality organizers are calling "volunteer vacations." Maine is one of the most beautiful states in the country during the Fall season. Why not spend some time up there vacationing and working for the rights of gays and lesbians?

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

UTF EXCLUSIVE: EQCA's Marc Solomon Talks About Juggling Plans for 2012 While Working With 2010 Supporters Friday, 08/14/09
Unite the Fight

"I don't view this as the end of discussion and conversation," Marc said about the announcement right off the bat. "We promised the LGBT community that we would let them know what we think the wisest course of action is. It's our responsibility. That's why we put something out today. But we're not saying that it's our way or the highway. We certainly can't force anyone to adopt our position."

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

Protector of traditional marriage Doug Manchester leaving wife of 43 years Friday, 08/14/09
San Diego City Beat

In July 2008, hotelier and developer Doug Manchester donated $125,000 to help gather signatures for a proposition that would ban same-sex marriage in California. The early money was crucial to getting the initiative--which ultimately passed--on the ballot. At the time, he told The New York Times that he made the donation because of "my Catholic faith and longtime affiliation with the Catholic Church," which preferred that marriage remain between a man and a woman. Indeed, the Catholic Church has vehemently opposed gay marriage. Then again, it's also not too keen on divorce.

[Read the article or read more articles from San Diego City Beat.]

Call to Action in California - How to Win Marriage Back Friday, 08/14/09
Straight Talk on Marriage

Equality California's plan to win is not a call to "wait." It is a call to action, and the work is at hand now. I hope that everyone committed to undoing Prop 8 and restoring the freedom to marry in California as soon as possible will seize this opportunity to sign up, join in, donate, contact friends and families, and be part of the early and sustained affirmative work to win every day between now and the vote in 2012.

And while we're on the subject of early action and sustained work, I hope everyone goes to http://www.mainefreedomtomarry.com and joins me in making (another) contribution to NO ON 1 / PROTECT MAINE EQUALITY to help avoid another Prop 8-style undoing of the freedom to marry we have won there. Let's win in Maine in November 2009, and take that momentum into the conversations to move more people and states to our side, including California in 2012.

[Read the article or read more articles from Straight Talk on Marriage.]

Caution on Fighting Marriage Ban Friday, 08/14/09
NY Times

One of California's leading gay rights groups, Equality California, said Wednesday that it would not seek to overturn the state's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage next year, even as another group advocating for same-sex marriage said 2010 was the right time to go back to the ballot.

Officials with Equality California had argued for a quick return to the polls to overturn Proposition 8, which California voters approved in November by 52 percent. But in a conference call Wednesday, the group's leader made it clear that they now preferred a more cautious approach, with November 2012 as a target.

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

VIDEO: Next Steps Working Meeting Creates 'Coalition for Marriage Equality'; Decides on San Francisco Convention to Determine Next Campaign Structure Friday, 08/14/09
Independent Gay Forum

The key next step that developed from the meeting was the decision to have a convention of delegates from different organizations statewide to come together and hammer out a campaign governing structure. The convention will take place August 22nd and will be hosted in San Francisco.

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

Why Gay Guys Are Churchier Than Their Straight Brethren Friday, 08/14/09
Politics Daily

A new survey of 9,000 gay, lesbian, and bisexual Americans from George Barna, a well-known evangelical pollster, showed that 70 percent of gay adults describe themselves as Christian and 60 percent say their faith is "very important" in their lives. Granted, those figures are lower than the population as a whole, which register 85 and 70 percent on those rankings, respectively. But Barna, himself a Bible-believing, born-again Christian, points out that the numbers demonstrate that "popular stereotypes about the spiritual life of gays and lesbians are simply wrong."

[Read the article or read more articles from Politics Daily.]

Maine Moves Into High Gear Friday, 08/14/09
Advocate

Marriage equality opponents led by Stand for Marriage Maine turned in 100,000 signatures -- 45,000 more than necessary -- at the end of July to qualify for the ballot. If they are certified by the state, as everyone expects they will be, Maine's vote on a so-called "people's veto" of the marriage law will be the first such vote on the right of gay couples to marry since California's highly contentious Proposition 8 showdown, which banned same-sex marriage there.

The Maine picture is rife with both similarities and differences to California: Like Prop. 8, analysts expect the battle to be the most expensive referendum campaign held in Maine, though totaling closer to several million dollars rather than the $85 million spent in the Golden State; while it is also a popular vote, Mainers will be weighing in on a law enacted by their legislature rather than a decision rendered by their high court; and although the same company that led the successful fight to ban gay marriage in California -- Schubert Flint Public Affairs -- is also running the opposition's show in Maine, the landscape is a bit different, dominated less by air space than by word of mouth.

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

Our Recommendations for Returning to the Ballot Friday, 08/14/09
California Ripple Effect

We can't afford to wait to start working toward this ambitious goal. We have an initial plan and are already on the ground across the state, but we need you. We're still listening and want to hear what YOU have to say about winning marriage back.

We are posting the plan here because this blog is a space for us to connect and talk. Please leave a comment to share your thoughts or ask any questions you have. We're eager to hear what you think.

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

Would Gay Marriage Not Being on the 2010 Ballot Help or Hurt Gavin Newsom? The Answer: Yes. Friday, 08/14/09
SF Weekly

When you boil it down, it was a simple decision. Less simple, however, is how this will affect the ongoing gubernatorial run of San Francisco's erstwhile mayor, Gavin Newsom. On the one hand, Newsom became a folk hero for many (and hamstrung his progressive critics for years to come) in 2003 when he unilaterally made San Francisco the Las Vegas of same-sex weddings. Yet on the other hand, his braying "whether you like it or not" soundbite formed the cornerstone of the ad campaign that allowed gay marriage opponents to win the day.

Would not having to focus on a looming same-sex marriage electoral showdown help or hurt candidate Gavin Newsom? That depends on whom you ask.

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

Equality California: We do not support returning to the ballot to repeal Prop 8 until 2012 Friday, 08/14/09
Rex Wockner

Kors: It's really important that resources get directed to Maine. ... We'll be sending field staff (to) Maine. It's a critical election for the entire community. Having our rights taken away in a second state ... would really be harmful to the movement. ... If we can get a victory in Maine, it will really show the tide turning.

[Read the article or read more articles from Rex Wockner.]

Judge orders new filings in gay marriage lawsuit Thursday, 08/13/09
SF Gate

U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker ordered new submissions with more details by Aug. 17.

Walker said the filings made last week "fail to get down to the specifics of how we are going to proceed in this case." He faulted lawyers on all sides, including those representing Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democratic Attorney General Jerry Brown.

The judge said Tuesday he wants detailed information about what effects Proposition 8 has on the couples suing as well as "opposite-sex couples and others not in same-sex relationships in California."

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

Key gay rights group backs 2012 repeal of Prop. 8 Wednesday, 08/12/09
SF Gate

Kors of Equality California, asked about those differences, said that "if people want to move forward with 2010, it's a democracy."

He called for all the groups "to unite and coordinate our work."

But he cautioned that in the fight for same-sex marriage, "we think we have one shot" at what will be a considerable political challenge. Same-sex marriage supporters need to "make the most strategic decision we can...it will all take time. ''

"It's not going to happen overnight ... another loss would drain incredible resources," Kors said. "To think that two years later we can come back and win ... I don't think we can risk that. I don't think we have the resources to do it."

Still, he acknowledged that a 2010 ballot measure could qualify as late as November and its supporters may have until April to collect enough signatures to get it on the ballot. If that happens, "we'd of course support that ... and try to see victory. Our goal is equality."

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

California Log Cabin Republicans Responds to 2012 Decision by Equality California Wednesday, 08/12/09
Republicans Against 8

We welcome the opportunity to spend more time building bridges to diverse communities across this state and we take our message of equality, a commitment to individual responsibility and a commitment to personal freedoms to rural communities, the communities of faith and color, and to continue our outreach efforts to the Republican Party. We must ensure that the foundation for our next fight at the ballot box is solid and the conditions optimal for victory.

[Read the article or read more articles from Republicans Against 8.]

Equal rights group will wait until 2012 to challenge Prop. 8 Wednesday, 08/12/09
Sacramento Bee

The leaders of Equality California, which calls itself the largest gay rights advocacy group in the state, said they won't try to qualify a measure on the subject for the 2010 ballot despite demands from many gay and lesbian activists seeking quicker movement on the issue.

That decision, however, hasn't stopped a liberal advocacy group, Courage Campaign, from collecting signatures for a 2010 ballot initiative on the subject. According to that group's Web site, it has already raised about $136,000 to "invest in research, polling and focus groups to repeal Proposition 8," the ballot initiative passed last year banning same-sex marriage.

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

Equal marriage group calls for 2012 ballot measure Wednesday, 08/12/09
OC Register

Equality California leaders said that while they initially favored a 2010 initiative, subsequent polling and other research showed that such a measure would have a better chance of passing in 2012.

"There's no question that the community is not united on when to go forward," said Marc Solomon, marriage director of Equality California. "But we have a responsibility to present the best information and research we've gathered to the LGBT community."

They say the time will allow more time to make their case to voters, and will also allow a new generation - who are more receptive to equal marriage - to reach voting age.

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

Equality California's Online Town Hall Wednesday, 08/12/09
Equality California

Find out more about EQCA's analysis and plan to build a state of equality and win marriage back. Please join us for our online town hall to discuss our position, outlined in Winning Back Marriage Equality in California: Analysis and Plan. We'll present our ideas for a few minutes and then open up both a web chat and a phone line for people to ask questions.

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

CA's Largest Gay Group Announces That They Will Fight At 2012 Ballot Wednesday, 08/12/09
San Francisco Appeal

WSJ asks if Courage Campaign's recent announcement that they have raised 100K for 2010 fight will impel EQCA to ask them not to move forward? "People are free to move forward, it's a democracy" says Solomon "if something qualifies, we will support it" he says, but argues that 2012 seems to be the most strategic decision from a campaign standpoint.

Frontiers LA asks for clarification on the 2010 "if something qualifies, we will support it" statement. Would you encourage donors to contribute? Donors want to see a campaign plan to victory. If this is a path to victory we will support it. EQCA also notes (sorry no names, none of them are IDing themselves before they speak) that they still feel Courage Campaign is a long way from the 1.1 million signatures required for 2010.

[Read the article or read more articles from San Francisco Appeal.]

Out of State Gay Marriage Recognition Does Not Necessarily Include Civil Unions and Domestic Partnerships Wednesday, 08/12/09
Gay Couples Law Blog

When it comes to out of state recognition of same sex relationships, names are important. Laws that recognize out of state "gay marriage" do not necessarily also recognize "civil unions" and "domestic partnerships."

Even when these unions and partnerships give gay couples everything but marriage in name, they are still at risk of non-recognition from other states because they are called something else.

[Read the article or read more articles from Gay Couples Law Blog.]

Courage Campaign States 60 Hours Are Left for a 2010 Fundraising Benchmark - Over Half of Goal Raised Tuesday, 08/11/09
Unite the Fight

If 1,000 more people can raise $41,967 by August 13, we will meet the time-sensitive $100,000 goal we set for the Courage Campaign community -- and half of the $200,000 needed to launch this mission-critical research as soon as possible.

We have less than 60 hours to raise $41,967 from Courage members. Will you help us get over the top by donating whatever amount you can afford -- $25, $50, $100, $500 or more -- by 11:59 p.m. on Thursday? Please make a contribution before time runs out.

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

What divides plaintiffs' counsel in the Perry case and allied interests seeking intervention? Different arguments reflect different strategic goals. Tuesday, 08/11/09
Prop 8 Legal Commentary

Why are the LGBT Groups and SF so concerned to develop the factual record about how and why Prop. 8 was adopted, while Boies and Olson prefer arguments to attack any ban on same-sex marriage? The former have a more limited goal. By examining how and why Prop. 8 was adopted, they can demonstrate that Prop. 8 was solely intended to express hostility and disapproval against same-sex couples, and that it therefore advances no legitimate government interest. Under their analysis, the failure to advance a legitimate government interest means that Prop. 8 can not survive even the weakest test of constitutional review. But their argument would be limited to attacking just Prop. 8, rather than any ban on same-sex marriage.

Of course, as their motions to intervene make clear, the LGBT Groups and SF contend that their unique litigation experience qualifies them to address not just the factual question of Prop. 8's discriminatory intent, but other of Judge Walker's factual questions. But if they have the opportunity to intervene, they can pursue a more limited goal for the litigation that, they think, increases the odds of success when the U.S. Supreme Court reviews the case. Otherwise, the lawsuit is "extremely risky" in just the way that preeminent constitutional law scholar, Laurence Tribe, described to the Los Angeles Times.

[Read the article or read more articles from Prop 8 Legal Commentary.]

A reader writes the Courage Campaign about a 2010 Prop 8 repeal fundraising letter Tuesday, 08/11/09
Pam's House Blend

I love the Courage Campaign, and I deeply support them; however I have a few questions about this call out for $200,000 and I was wondering if you guys might be able to help me better understand.

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

Equal marriage advocates debate next California move Tuesday, 08/11/09
Sacramento Bee

he finger-pointing continues with a very sharp internal argument over whether to seek Proposition 8's repeal in 2010, or wait until 2012 for a new ballot fight.

Sometime this week, it appears, that decision will be made by the myriad gay rights organizations because any attempt at qualifying a measure for the 2010 ballot must begin very soon.

The internal debate pits younger and more liberal equal rights advocates, who want to rejoin the battle with conservative anti-gay groups as quickly as possible, against older and more established equal rights leaders, who believe they need more time to set the stage for a successful repeal campaign and fear that losing a third time in California would be ruinous.

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

Oklahoma: Plaintiffs file complaint against equal marriage ban Tuesday, 08/11/09
Oklahoma Journal Record

Four Oklahoma women have filed a new complaint challenging federal and state laws banning equal marriage.

Their latest filing changes some aspects of the case, including which government officials are named as defendants. It also points out that two of the plaintiffs, Susan Barton and Gay Phillips, were married in California last Nov. 1, while the case was on appeal. Barton and Phillips have been together about 25 years. They were married in British Columbia in May 2005 and underwent a civil union in Vermont in August 2001.

Sharon Baldwin and Mary Bishop, the other couple in the lawsuit, have been in a committed relationship for more than 12 years. According to the legal filing, they participated in a commitment ceremony in March 2000.

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

When Should Gay Marriage Advocates Try to Reverse California's Prop 8? Tuesday, 08/11/09
Huffington Post

And so the question remains: When best to try to roll back the ultimate failure of 2008? In 2010 or in 2012?

The emotional answer is clearly the former. The more measured answer the latter. But politics frequently turns, for better or worse, on emotion.

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

Will the Repeal Prop 8 Campaign Look Like No on 8 After All? Tuesday, 08/11/09
Bilerico Project

Hildebrand was both inspirational and offered what he described as "tough love." Noting upfront that he is "an outsider" from South Dakota, not California, he said his 22 years of experience is largely with federal candidates. And he, like Jacobs, stressed the importance of winning the ballot initiative fight in Maine. (Jacobs called for an "October vacation in Maine" - though it is unclear if that is in addition to or instead of the Oct. 11 March on Washington.)

Hildebrand noted that "California is a tough state" and stressed that "if you walk into 2010 half-cocked, you will lose." From his outside perspective, he said, "you have to go in with guns blazing, showing great confidence.....I think you've got to go [in 2010] but go with great confidence or don't go."

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

Steve Hildebrand's Mission to Sell 2010 Tuesday, 08/11/09
Bilerico Project

I don't think the campaign should ever shy away from the fact that we're asking voters in this state to allow two men to get married, two women to get married or whatever combination thereof. I can't sit here and suggest what should be in television ads and what shouldn't be. But I would be disturbed, I guess, if the campaign shied away from the fact that this is about same sex marriage.

My point in describing it as civil marriage rights is trying to define it as a right that we're seeking from our government, not from anybody's church. So naturally when you talk about marriage in general, whether it's straight marriage or same sex marriage, there're visions in people's heads about ceremonies in churches or synagogues. And if that's going to be the image that's going to be in a majority of voter's heads as they go to the ballot box - I don't think we can win.

But if there's a distinction that specifically says this is about a marriage certificate from the government and that no one church will be forced to do anything they don't want to do regarding marrying people - then I think it's very winnable. So I'm not suggesting you shy away from same sex marriage or gay marriage as a definition, but I do think it's important that voters understand what the community is asking for - which is a civil marriage that is provided by our government.

This should be a government saying to its people we recognize all humans as equals and therefore will allow marriage rights to all people.

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

Are gay churchgoers more devout, more active? Monday, 08/10/09
365Gay

The survey indicates that not only do a majority of gay and lesbian Americans consider themselves Christian, but the pollster's anecdotal findings suggest that gays and lesbians who actively attend church may be more invested and committed participants in their church than their straight counterparts.

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

Professional Associations Back Gay Marriage Monday, 08/10/09
On Top Magazine

Both the National Education Association (NEA) and the American Bar Association (ABA) have adopted resolutions backing GLBT rights, including the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry.

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

Connecticut: AG Richard Blumenthal Urged To Defend State Law: Marriage Equality Monday, 08/10/09
Queers United

In addition to Attorney General Richard Blumenthal having a duty to defend state law, defending marriage equality just so happens to be the politically expedient thing to do as well. The majority of Connecticut citizens support marriage equality and those numbers continue to grow.

Actions to take during August 10th-14th:

Call: (860)-808-5318 & Fax: (860)-808-5387

Email: attorney.general@po.state.ct.us

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

NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality's Opposition Issues Condescending Response to Their Call for a Fair Campaign Sunday, 08/09/09
Unite the Fight

The NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign has been organizing way in advance of the opposition because they knew very well the potential for the new marriage equality law would be threatened by a "People's Veto" and they were right. They know their state well and will fight hard to protect the rights of LGBT to marry.

But they will need our help. Be sure to visit the NO on 1/Protect Maine Equality website and see what you can do to help.

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

Live Streaming of the Next Steps Working Meeting Sunday, 08/09/09
Unite the Fight

We know that it is not practical for everyone across the state to come in person to this meeting, but we do want everyone to have the opportunity to discuss, plan, join, and work on the next steps we need to take to gather the signatures this fall.

Therefore, we are looking for 3 locations that we can stream to. Activists who attend these streaming sessions can view the proceedings in L.A. and then discuss and plan among themselves, finally conveying a summary of their discussions to their counterparts in LA.

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

How Churches May Actually Help Gays Win the Marriage Fight Sunday, 08/09/09
AlterNet

Over 6,000 members of California's clergy currently stand opposed to Proposition 8. Their ranks stretch from Sacramento to San Diego and include Christians, Muslims, Jews and Buddhists.

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

Prop 8 Suit Plaintiffs Oppose Intervention of LGBT Groups, San Francisco Sunday, 08/09/09
Law Dork

Ted Olson, arguing on behalf of four people, whose legal bills are being paid for by a newly-formed organization whose board consists of six people (who themselves have several overlapping, sometimes indistinguishable interests), on Friday argued that the Our Family Coalition, Lavender Seniors of the East Bay, and Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays -- represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, Lambda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights -- had no legal right and should not be permitted to join a case to determine in federal court whether Proposition 8 is a violation of the United States Constitution.

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

Equality Forward - New Study Released on LGBT People of Color Saturday, 08/08/09
Queers United

Key findings of the report:

* Voices of LGBT POC are not at the forefront of groups fighting to end racial injustice as well as in LGBT equality groups.
* LGBT POC share the same concerns as the rest of the population and have broader issues beyond LGBT specific ones. They are concerned with health care and economic priorities.
* More than 50% of LGBT POC feels as though the Church treats them as outsiders and sinners and feel unwelcome at religious institutions.
* LGBT POC do not feel represented in media, often seeing a lack of LGBT characters altogether, and when present usually white.
* They feel that racism, sexism, homophobia and transphobia are issues that must be tackled to prevent violence, discrimination.

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

Courage Campaign Gives Deadline for 2010 Fundraising Benchmark, Marriage Equality USA Accepts the Challenge Saturday, 08/08/09
Unite the Fight

It will be interesting to see what other organizations join in on this tangible challenge. And now that there is a deadline, how quickly they and the community will hop on board with this goal.

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

Agenda for Next Steps Summit Released Saturday, 08/08/09
Unite the Fight

The logistics team for the August 9th Next Steps Summit, a working meeting in Los Angeles that will tackle actual next steps for an upcoming ballot initiative to undo Proposition 8, has released an agenda in advance. It is subject to change.

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

Prop. 8 foes clash over federal suit Saturday, 08/08/09
LA Times

Lamba Legal and the other groups have been careful and deliberate in challenging marriage bans, and they have a successful track record. They won the marriage case in the California Supreme Court -- which Proposition 8 partly overturned -- and helped win marriage rights in other states.

Fearing a defeat in the conservative-dominated U.S. Supreme Court, the groups have chosen to litigate in state courts. State high courts have the final word on whether marriage laws violate state constitutions. Proposition 8 amended California's Constitution.

Kate Kendell, head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said opposition to the groups' intervention, "given the enormity of what is at stake, is perplexing."

"This case is about our community and not any transient misunderstanding or disagreement among the lawyers," Kendell said. "The stakes of this case for the entire community are legendary, and this is an all-hands-on-the-deck moment."

The groups want to bring more members of the gay community into the case, which their detractors say would cost time. Olson hopes to get the legal challenge to the U.S. Supreme Court in two years.

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

Maine's Senators Stay Quiet on Marriage Ballot Initiative Saturday, 08/08/09
Change.org

Looking for two high profile politicians to come out against efforts in Maine to take away marriage rights for gay and lesbian couples? If you are, don't go looking to Senators Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins. So far both have decided to stay silent, while conservative activists in Maine ramp up their efforts to strip civil marriage rights away from same-sex couples.

Senator Susan Collins even went so far to say that the ballot initiative really wasn't any of her business.

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

Conflict between Liberty Counsel and Alliance Defense Fund: the flip side of affaire de American Foundation for Equal Rights Saturday, 08/08/09
Prop 8 Legal Commentary

In the Perry case, bloggers and the news media have followed recent tensions between the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER) - which funds the work of Ted Olson and David Boies - and several legal organizations at the forefront of gay rights advocacy.

I have, however, seen no discussion of comparable tensions between the legal organizations representing ProtectMarriage.com / Yes on 8 - whose motion to intervene Judge Walk granted - and the Campaign for California Families (CCF), whose motion to intervene remains pending.

[Read the article or read more articles from Prop 8 Legal Commentary.]

Eight Words and Phrases to Avoid in LGBT Communications Saturday, 08/08/09
Queers United

Language is key to our battle for equality and acceptance. Below is a list of eights words and phrases to avoid when discussing LGBT topics.

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

A Moral Crossroads For Conservatives: The genie that gay-marriage opponents still hope to stuff back into the bottle is out for good. Friday, 08/07/09
National Journal

Conservatives have a decision to make. They can continue pretending that the bond between Mike and Bill does not exist, is of no social value, or has no place on conservatives' agenda. Doing so would be of a piece with their retreat to economic Hooverism, their embrace of cultural Palinism, and, in general, their preference for purity over relevance.

Or they can acknowledge what to most of the country is already obvious: Whether the nation finally settles on marriage or on something else for gay couples, Bill and Mike are now in the mainstream and the Republican Party is not. If cultural conservatism continues to treat same-sex couples as outside the social covenant, the currents of history will flow right around it, and future generations of conservatives will wonder how their predecessors could ever have made such a callous and politically costly mistake.

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

Feingold lobbied to push DOMA repeal Friday, 08/07/09
Washington Blade

Equal rights activists in D.C. are lobbying a Wisconsin lawmaker to introduce in the Senate legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, according to the Human Rights Campaign.

Allison Herwitt, HRC's legislative director, told the Blade on Friday that her organization has been communicating with Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wis.) to introduce DOMA repeal legislation that would complement a similar bill expected in the House.

"Right now, I think Sen. Feingold is the senator that has been ... liaising most with us and the House people," she said.

Feingold is an attractive ally to introduce a DOMA repeal bill because he chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee's Constitution Subcommittee, which hold jurisdiction over DOMA, she said.

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

City Council rejects resolution in same-sex marriage debate Friday, 08/07/09
Porterville Recorder

The Porterville City Council on a split vote late Tuesday rejected a resolution in opposition of a state Senate bill that, if passed, would alter how the state views gay people from outside California.

The resolution drafted by Councilman Cameron Hamilton was in opposition to Senate Bill 54 by state Sen. Mark Leno, D-San Francisco.

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

All Eyes on Maine Thursday, 08/06/09
Advocate

As LGBT activists discuss how and when to restore the freedom to marry in California, dramatic events are unfolding on the other side of the country that will greatly affect our fight for marriage rights here and ultimately across the rest of America.

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

When Gay People Get Married: What Happens When Societies Legalize Same-Sex Marriage Thursday, 08/06/09
NYU Press

The evidence shows both that marriage changes gay people more than gay people change marriage. In the end, Badgett compellingly shows that allowing gay couples to marry does not destroy the institution of marriage and that many gay couples do benefit, in expected as well as surprising ways, from the legal, social, and political rights that the institution offers.

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

Hope and History Wednesday, 08/05/09
Advocate

He looked like a hero, and that was the problem. His apparent integrity frightened us at first. Then it became the reason we chose him. We voted for Obama because he appealed to our better angels, because we wanted to be better.

And it worked. One of the most profound and least remarked-upon effects of this presidency is the speed with which doubt that America was "ready" for a black president has come to seem absurd. That doubt, which was nursed by people of all races, has been exposed for what it is: a delicate hatred, or self-hatred, on its very best behavior.

We have him to thank for shattering that hatred, for showing us that, without knowing it, we were ready to do the right thing. Now it's our turn to return the favor.

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

ACTION: Defend the Law Campaign Urges Connecticut Attorney General to Sue Government Over DOMA Thursday, 08/06/09
Unite the Fight

Recently, Massachusetts AG Martha Coakley announced that her state would be filing a lawsuit in federal courts, challenging the U.S. government over the Defense of Marriage Act. Defend the Law has taken its cue from Coakely and is now setting its sights on Connecticut's AG Richard Blumenthal, whose state became the second to legalize marriage equality last year.

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

Equal marriage backers seek pledge of civility Thursday, 08/06/09
Portland Press Herald

Equal marriage supporters are calling on one of the leaders of a campaign to toss out Maine's equal marriage law to sign a pledge to conduct a civil campaign.

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

Courage Campaign Gives the Community a Challenging Fundraising Benchmark for a 2010 Ballot Initiative - You Game? Thursday, 08/06/09
Unite the Fight

Now this is something tangible that the community can get behind.

Part of the sound and valid objections to returning to the ballot in 2010 is that the economy will make fundraising extremely difficult and that donations will dry up. If the community can meet the goal of raising $100,000 through Courage Campaign, and $200,000 as a whole, then this could be a sign that the unity and commitment that is needed to win may just be growing.

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

From the Courage Campaign: 2010: It's time to make a decision Thursday, 08/06/09
Calitics

The first step in running a winning campaign is to ensure we use the most effective initiative language that a majority of California voters will support. This takes research - expert polling and focus group work that will help us gain the best understanding of the California electorate. And we must begin that research immediately.

Along with our allies, we need to raise $200,000 to conduct this research -- and we don't have much time to raise it. If the Courage Campaign can raise $100,000 and our partners and allies in the movement can raise another $100,000 -- for a total of $200,000 -- we can put the research effort in place and meet the late September deadline recommended by the Secretary of State for filing an initiative for 2010.

We are prepared to ask our members to raise $100,000 to meet our commitment to this goal. We are willing to ask the Courage Campaign community to make this commitment because they expressed their support for going to the ballot in 2010 by such an overwhelming margin.

If we can make this community fundraising goal, we can move forward. If we can't make this community fundraising goal, then we will have to accept that the movement is not ready to produce the funding and resources necessary to support a campaign to repeal Prop 8 in 2010. And we will have to wait until 2012 to bring marriage equality to the ballot again.

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A Concerted Effort to Sue the U.S. Government Over the Defense of Marriage Act Wednesday, 08/05/09
Change.org

Now, activists are hoping to jump on the momentum started by Coakley and urge other state Attorney Generals to follow a similar path. That's the motivation at least behind the Web site Defend the Law (defendthelaw.org), which announced a concentrated action alert this week to urge Connecticut's Attorney General, Richard Blumenthal, to challenge the U.S. government over DOMA. Last year, Connecticut became the second state to recognize same-sex marriage.

The site plans on hitting other states, too (which would now include Vermont, Iowa, Maine and New Hampshire) but is starting out with a focus on Blumenthal in Connecticut.

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Only The Right Kind Of Symbolic Sex Wednesday, 08/05/09
Andrew Sullivan

Beneath the elegant philosophical language is a blunter message to George's gay fellow human beings: be straight or go away. And since when is that a practical option in the 21st century?

I repeat to conservatives: we know what you're against, in healthcare, energy, counter-terrorism, taxation, gay rights, abortion. What are you actually for? How do you intend to actually address the questions of our time and place? And if conservatism cannot do that, what use is it?

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The Gay Agenda after Marriage Wednesday, 08/05/09
Independent Gay Forum

Some of my friends have been discussing what should be the "gay agenda"--or even if there needs to be such a thing--after we obtain marriage and military access. Well, yes, there are a number of concerns that will still need to be addressed, but I think the whole discussion is a little premature.

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Attitudes shift on abortion, same-sex marriage Wednesday, 08/05/09
SF Gate

In 1977, a Field Poll found that Californians opposed equal marriage, 62 to 31 percent; three decades later, the Field Poll shows they now support it, 49 to 44 percent.

In November, Proposition 8 - an initiative to amend the state Constitution to ban the recognition of same-sex couples - passed by a 52-48 percent vote. Supporters of equal marriage, however, have cited growing popular support for the issue while discussing efforts to bring the matter before voters again at the ballot box or to challenge Prop. 8 all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court.

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Congrats, Wisconsin Couples Tuesday, 08/04/09
Box Turtle Bulletin

This day is historic in that Wisconsin became the first midwestern state to grant recognition of same-sex couples by legislation and it is the first state with a clause banning "legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage" to offer any limited recognition at all.

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Marriage Equality USA Calls on Community to Open Hearts, Strengthen Ties and Forgive as Key to Future Campaign Tuesday, 08/04/09
Unite the Fight

"In the words of esteemed Christian theologian and marriage equality supporter, Lewis Smedes, 'When we forgive, we set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner we set free is us,'" said McKay. "We must forgive and release the past in order to create a new future. We need to learn from past mistakes, but more importantly we must create and foster an environment of trust between our allied organizations. We need to release the blame for losing Proposition 8 so that we can be open to creating new relationships, new possibilities, a new campaign team with everyone - old and new- at the table. We will also need to get grounded in a space where we are ready to go out and engage with people who didn't 'get it' the first time, without anger or judgment, and with an open heart and compassion for their conflicted feelings on the issue of marriage equality. This is challenging work - but it is critical to any successful campaign - be it public education or ballot measure."

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Equal Marriage Measure Passes House Without Debate Tuesday, 08/04/09
American Bar Association Journal

The ABA policy-making House of Delegates passed by an overwhelming voice vote a resolution calling on Congress to repeal a section of the Defense of Marriage Act that denies federal marital benefits and protections to lawfully married same-sex couples.

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Metroid's Samus Aran Speaks Out About Gay Marriage. Tuesday, 08/04/09
McSweeney's

I would flit between one relationship and another, hopping inside my gunship and speeding off to the next planet before things got too serious. Then the Mother Brain decided to outlaw same-sex marriage on planet SR-388. Planets Tallon IV, Aether and my birth planet K-2L followed suit. What year are we living in? Earth Year 2009? It's time for the universe to redefine its narrow concept of marriage.

The matter is being taken to the Supreme Council of the Galactic Federation, the highest court in the galaxy, for a decision in a few months. While I'm generally in favor of bold measures, this is the wrong way to approach the issue. I am calling for fellow gay rights advocates to take an incrementalist approach, beginning with small yet important steps, which I call Morph Laws. This trio of measures will set the stage for equal-rights amongst all homosexual species.

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The Grassroots Activist Organization Taking Shots at Equality California Tuesday, 08/04/09
Queerty

In an email sent out to supporters, EN co-founder David Comfort makes clear how his organization is not one of the establishment big boys on the block -- as a reason you should support it.

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Post-1980s Children of Gay Parents Thrive in School, More Open Society Monday, 08/03/09
ABC News

Less research has been done on children in families headed by gay men, but data collected as part of the National Longitudinal Lesbian Family Study have shown few differences in psychosexual development, psychological adjustment and overall well-being.

"Boys seem to do as well as girls," said Dr. Nanette Gartrell, associate clinical professor of psychiatry at University of California, San Francisco and principal investigator in the 23-year study.

"Most offspring of same-sex parents are heterosexual as adults," she told ABCNews.com. "By the time our study kids were 10 years old, they demonstrated a sophisticated understanding of diversity and tolerance, and an appreciation of the destructive effects of discrimination."

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Four-Part Series on Marriage Equality and Religious Liberty By Professor John Culhane: Part I: Defining the Conflicts and Issues Monday, 08/03/09
Prop 8 Legal Commentary

Dale Carpenter hasn't found a single reported case testing the religious freedoms of objectors against the rights of same-sex couples to marry or "civilly unite." That doesn't mean, of course, that conflicts haven't arisen, or even that the odd suit hasn't been filed. (Generally, only appellate cases are reported, and many cases of course settle even before trial.) But he's probably right that conflicts are rare, especially in the commercial realm.

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Protests as Australia Affirms Equal Marriage Ban Sunday, 08/02/09
NY Times

Equal marriage remains illegal in Australia, but the states of Tasmania and Victoria, and the Australian Capital Territory, all allow a form of civil union, which gives gay couples similar rights to married couples.

Labour promised to push for a national framework to register gay couples, but stopped short of endorsing their marriages. Rudd's government is also committed to ending all other discrimination on the grounds of gender.

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Madeline Koch: Wanted: GOP for the next generation Saturday, 08/01/09
Minneapolis Star-Tribune

First: We want equal marriage. Though we may not all be willing to march in the Pride parades or even send fiery letters to our congressmen about it, most of us believe that gay couples deserve the right to be legally wed. I can guarantee you this: The issue of equal marriage is not going to go away, and unless you start shifting within the Republican Party, you will not gain our support.

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Questions for Benjamin Todd Jealous: Race Matters Saturday, 08/01/09
NY Times

If gay rights groups want to change the opinion polls in the black community, they have to invest in it. It's a long-term conversation. The battle to oppose Prop 8 could have been much better run. They came to the black community late, with the expectation that they were going to get certain results.

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Senator Kirsten Gillibrand: Marriage Equality is the Equal Rights Battle of Our Generation Saturday, 08/01/09
Change.org

As you'll see, Sen. Gillibrand - who originally represented in Congress a fairly conservative district - has staked out one of the most progressive positions possible on the subject of marriage equality. It's the equal rights struggle of our generation, according to the Senator.

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