Opponents of equality are calling it a threat. But when more than 300,000 signed the Courage Campaign pledge to restore marriage equality, it wasn't a threat. It was a promise. A promise that we would not stand for anything less than equality for all. Whether it's in the courts or at the ballot box, whether it's repealing Prop 8 or defending judges who support equality, it's a promise that we'll be there, because equality is not optional.

Rick Jacobs recently laid it out in more detail, elegance and urgency:

"Because we fully expect to prevail in court, we expect that, at some point, we will need to defeat a ballot proposal by advocates of same-sex marriage. Our opponents have threatened such a proposal as early as 2010. We are already beginning the planning process to lay the groundwork to defeat a future proposed initiative that would legalize gay marriage." -- Ron Prentice, Chairman, "Yes on Proposition 8" campaign

It's not a threat, Mr. Prentice. It's a promise.

That's why 295,230 people have signed the pledge to repeal Prop 8, launched by the Courage Campaign and joined by CREDO Mobile and MoveOn. Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands are marching and organizing in cities across America to restore marriage equality to California.

Because of this unprecedented Marriage Equality Movement, Ron Prentice -- and his religious right-wing "prayer warriors" -- are now on defense in a two-front electoral and judicial war that will eventually determine the fate of Prop 8.

* Right now, gay and lesbian advocacy organizations like NCLR, Lambda Legal, and the ACLU are waging a critical legal battle to invalidate Prop 8 in court.

* On a parallel path, the Courage Campaign is launching a people-powered campaign to support the nearly 300,000 citizens calling for the repeal of Prop 8 by 2010.

Will you put your financial power behind the repeal of Prop 8 today? Inspired by Barack Obama's grassroots campaign for change, this new marriage equality campaign will be driven by you, neighbor-to-neighbor, across California.

To help the Courage Campaign put community organizers on the ground immediately, please contribute $25, $50, $500, $1000 or whatever you can afford right now:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/PowerTheRepeal

President-elect Obama's campaign empowered millions of Americans to engage their friends, family and neighbors in meaningful discussions about the future of our country, in every state in America.

And, with your support, that's exactly what we want to do for marriage equality in every county in California.

We will work with the LGBT community and our other partners -- such as MoveOn, CREDO, SEIU-United Healthcare Workers, and the Southern Christian Leadership Conference -- to conduct an innovative community-based campaign to change the conversation about marriage equality in California.

This new campaign to restore marriage equality is already being driven by you. Now we need to take it neighbor-to-neighbor, door-to-door, across California. Today, you have the power to get this unique campaign off the ground by contributing whatever you can afford, whether it's $25, $250, or $2,500 or more to repeal Prop 8:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/PowerTheRepeal

When this battle is engaged again, we know Ron Prentice and his right-wing crusaders will spend millions of dollars to scare Californians with deceptive and emotionally-charged TV ads.

But this time, the defenders of marriage equality -- straight and gay alike -- will be organizing in their communities to persuade their friends and family that separate is NOT equal, and it's definitely not American.

And, this time, we will win.

Thank you for everything you are doing to change California and the country.

Rick Jacobs
Chair

P.S. Next week, we will highlight the stories of newly energized activists, straight and gay, who are moving from the streets to strategy -- and how we will support them in organizing their communities.

For now, please spread the word about this unique campaign by asking five of your friends to invest any amount they can afford -- even $5 -- in our campaign to repeal Prop 8:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/PowerTheRepeal