California is and has for quite some time been a bit of a foregone conclusion at the Presidential level. It's led a number of people to focus on Western swing states for their volunteering. But while Prop 8 has started to bring people's attention back to California, the fight over parental-notification via Proposition 4 is still often getting lost in the shuffle.

So when everyone's favorite Sarah Palin came to Southern California recently, it was an opportunity to remind folks of the stakes when we hit the polls in a few days. We sent Todd Beeton down to check things out, and yesterday he shared his report:



Did you know that Proposition 4 -- the ballot measure mandating that teens seek parental consent for abortion -- is leading in the polls, 49 percent to 41 percent, according to the most recent Field Poll of likely California voters?

Californians have defeated these "parental notification" ballot measures twice before, recognizing the danger they posed to teen safety, especially in abusive family situations. There are only two weeks left before Election Day, but we can defeat it again if we spread the word to vote "NO ON 4" as soon as possible.

Driven by pro-life extremists, the "Yes on 4" side is doing everything they can to spread the word about Prop 4 -- or what they are calling "Sarah's Law". It's not about Sarah Palin, but it might as well be.

That's why, with your financial support, we rented an airplane to fly a banner reading "Sarah Palin - Thanks, But No Thanks! No on Prop 4" over a Palin rally in the Los Angeles area on October 4. Palin and her supporters couldn't miss our plane. And neither could millions of Los Angeles voters that day.

Click here to watch a short YouTube video of the Palin rally that I narrated, including reactions from rally participants to our plane flying overhead and one particular man who had something very specific to say about "liberals." We hope you watch this video and then prove him wrong by spreading the word to your friends to vote NO ON 4:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/NoOnProp4

As you can see, the right-wing is alive and well in California and they are passionate about Sarah Palin. While Palin may not be able to persuade most Californians about social issues, her fervent followers may be able to pass two far-right ballot measures on November 4 in California:

Proposition 4: the third attempt by right-wing extremists to pass a "parental notification" law that would endanger at-risk California teens.

Proposition 8: a Mormon-led attempt to eliminate the equal rights of Californians to marry the person they love.

As I spoke to person after person at the Palin rally, it became crystal clear to me just what we're up against.

You can see what we're up against for yourself in this YouTube video we put together from the Palin rally. Please pay close attention to the man at the end of the video. It's up to you to prove him wrong on Prop 4 by spreading the word to your friends, family and neightbors:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/NoOnProp4

If I took one thing away from the Palin rally, it was the determination not to become complacent about the initiatives on the ballot this year. Supporters of Prop 4 aren't sitting on their hands -- and at-risk California teenagers can't afford for us to sit on our hands either.

Please vote NO on Props 4 and 8 and spread the word by forwarding this message to your friends. And, if you need extra motivation, all you need to do is listen to what this one Republican says about "liberals" at the end of our video.

Let's prove him wrong.

Thank you for helping us change California and our country.

Todd Beeton
Online Organizer

P.S. Of course, Props 4 and 8 aren't the only initiatives on the November ballot. To find out more about the other 10 propositions, check out the Courage Campaign's "2008 Progressive Voter Guide" we distributed to our members last week:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/2008VoterGuide