November 24, 2008
Thanks to Logan for alerting me to this Daily Kos blog post. A SurveyUSA poll entitled “‘No on Prop 8′ Protesters Have Not Changed Many Minds in California.” Reading further into the poll data shows that context is decisive:
Of the those adults who tell SurveyUSA they voted FOR Prop 8, 90% of them told us recent rallies held by “No on Prop 8″ protesters have not changed their minds about the issue. 8% say protesters have changed their minds.
From the post: “Turning eight percent of marriage equality opponents around in a few short weeks is remarkable, and likely stems people realizing what exactly they had voted for.
“Remember, the proposition lost by only three points. If eight percent of the 52.1 percent who voted for it have changed their minds, that’s a 4.2 percent swing in favor of equality. Or, put another way, you’re looking at a 52-48 vote in favor of gay marriage.
“I would say that thus far, the backlash against Proposition 8 has been wildly successful.”
November 24, 2008
The Oscar-winning, director and co-producer of “The Times of Harvey Milk,” Rob Epstein, talks about Harvey Milk and Proposition 8 in the Huffington Post:
“In light of the passage of Proposition 8, Harvey’s message of thirty years ago remains as vital today as it was then. It is our responsibility to let our loved ones, co-workers, friends, and neighbors know who we are, so that those who vote in favor of discrimination have our names and faces in their minds eye when doing so. Although Proposition 8 wasn’t exactly a re-make of Proposition 6, it’s the same disaster movie storyline pitch: any recognition of constitutional rights for gay and lesbian citizens will somehow destroy the natural order and as a result America’s institutions — be they schools or marriage–will crumble.”
Read the full article. Hat tip to Logan.
November 24, 2008
From Join the Impact:
On December 20th, we ask that you join us again for a demonstration that will make an impact on the private sector. Thanks to the great suggestion of one of our readers mixed with the brilliant ideas of the Civil Rights Front, we ask that you join us to Light Up the Night for Equal Rights.
- Please take to your local commercial district, be it a shopping mall, outdoor financial center, you name it and join your community and allies for one POWERFUL candlelight vigil in remembrance of the rights that once were for 18,000 marriages, and in honor of the rights that one day will be again – for EVERYONE. This will be a peaceful demonstration in the spirit of the holidays.
- We will stay silent unless asked a question, we will not yell, instigate, or bare signs. Instead, we will let our shirts do the talking and our candles pay our respects.
- We ask that everyone joining wear a shirt that says “2nd Class Citizen” and our allies wear one saying “My Friend is a 2nd Class Citizen” , “My Mother…” , “My Son…” etc. JoinTheImpact will be working with LGBTQ and allied retailers and designers to bring you these shirts, and you are also welcome to make your own.
- Work with your local organizer to determine which shopping center(s) and work with us to ensure this statement remains peaceful and sincere.
Visibility will keep this conversation going and during this important season of family and giving, we will continue to give you the opportunity to sit down and share your stories with those you love. Let’s all drive this important point home and work together so that one day, we can share the holidays with our legal spouse!
November 14, 2008
For those in San Francisco, please join this protest. There will be protest taking place all over the country tomorrow. Find out more here.
November 14, 2008
This is a very bare-bones description of what I have in mind. As part of a course called the Self-Expression and Leadership Program, offered by Landmark Education, I have created this blog, and will be creating a series of events to deal with the aftermath of the passage of Prop. 8 in California.
I took part in a protest last Friday here in San Francisco, and intent to continue participating in upcoming marches. My project is designed to be a next step — a way of channeling the hurt and frustration into a positive outlet.
The idea is simple. Many of us participated in phone banking either for Obama or No on 8. I intend to create a series of events, each hosted by a different leader in this project, similar to a phone bank. Rather than making calls, we will be authoring hand-written letters to relatives and friends. These are people to whom we may already be out, but with whom we haven’t shared the importance of marriage equality in our lives.
If you’re interested in participating in or hosting one of these events, please contact me at xtianlaw at gmail dot com.
