http://www.couragecampaign.org/page/community/tag_rss/Prop_8 A year ago I knew what went wrong and I knew how to fix it. A year later, I don't know what went wrong. I don't know how to fix it. We had the money. We had a stable campaign. We had the a robust well-oiled field campaign. We had a strong campaign manager. We had the turnout we wanted. We had great coordination between the netroots and the campaign. We had a not particularly religious state. We neutralized the church issue. We had a manageable voter universe. We had an opposition with an inferior media and field operation. We had TV ads with gay people in them. We responded to their attacks swiftly. And we still lost. Our campaign wasn't perfect. But it was damn good. And that's why this loss is so hard. The lessons to be learned are not as obvious. Not knowing how to fix it makes it tempting to throw our hands up in the air and say at 0-31 we just can't win marriage rights at the ballot box. Or we have to wait a decade until we can. But that would be letting them win. That would be giving up. That would be accepting inequality. We can't. I won't. We need to learn how to neutralize the schools issue better than we did this time. We must continue telling our stories, one by one, person by person, door by door. Nate Silver as usual has some smart thoughts: I certainly don't think the No on 1 campaign can be blamed; by every indication, they ran a tip-top operation whereas the Yes on 1 folks were amateurish. But this may not be an issue where the campaign itself matters very much; people have pretty strong feelings about the gay marriage issue and are not typically open to persuasion. There's going to be an effort by many on the left to blame Barack Obama for his lack of leadership on gay rights issues; I think the criticism is correct on its face, but I don't know how much it has to do with the defeat in Maine. A more popular Democratic governor, for instance, who had been a bit quicker on the trigger in his support of gay marriage, might have helped more. Persuading voters to change their minds about marriage equality is extremely difficult, but it is possible and it happens every single day. It just takes a lot of resources and is most effective on a one-to-one level. That means we must continue to invest in grassroots organizing, training new leaders to work in their communities and supporting their efforts over time. We need to continue to build connections and relationships with faith communities. We can organize in churches. We can even organize in Mormon Temples and Catholic Churches. It has happened. It is happening. There are lessons to be learned out of Maine and the No on 1 loss. We know that we can build a massive GOTV operation. We know how to build a model where a campaign invests in the netroots and reaps the rewards. The church issue can be neutralized. It's possible to set aside differences and focus on a common goal. We can build a campaign to be proud of as a community. What we can do now is have experts in Maine politics analyze the results to understand better how we lost. We need talk to the No on 1 campaign leadership/consultants to get their advice like they did from our Prop 8 loss. We can win marriage back in California. We will win marriage back in California. We can win marriage in Maine. We will win marriage in Maine. I am not quitting. You better not be either. This weekend I am picking myself back up and getting right back to work, training hundreds of activists in Sacramento how to organize at Camp Courage . They will and I will come in with heavy hearts, but leave empowered. We will leave and fight the next fight together. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2ZN http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2ZN/commentary#comments Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:18:37 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2ZN Julia Rosen, Online Political Director http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/0ca8c47d776c223f85_zb4mv24s8.jpg Julia Rosen, Online Political Director 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2ZN/ Doug Manchester played a relatively unsung role in qualifying Prop 8 for the ballot. His $125,000 donation came in at a critical time when the proponents were running out of cash during the signature gathering process. It is conceivable that Prop 8 would not have made it on to the ballot if it were not for Doug Manchester. In response to that donation and the poor treatment of his workers a boycott of his hotels was established a year ago, and has now cost Manchester upwards of $7 million in canceled reservations. He has hired gay heavyweight PR crisis man Howard Bragman to respond to the boycott. Their genius idea was to offer up $100,000 in hotel credits and a $25,000 contribution to any 501c3 organization that supports civil unions. It was a cynical attempt to try and buy-off and divide the LGBT and labor communities. And it's not working. No way. No how. Today, the Courage Campaign, Equality California, UNITE HERE and Californians Against Hate have teamed up to launch the "Say No to Manchester" website , asking our members to sign a pledge to uphold the boycott of the Manchester Grand Hyatt and Grand del Mar Resort. It's a relatively unique campaign with labor and LGBT organizations coming together to support workers rights and equality. Flip it for the email we sent out to our members today. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2v8 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2v8/commentary#comments Tue, 22 Sep 2009 14:37:09 PDT http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2v8 Julia Rosen, Online Political Director http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/0ca8c47d776c223f85_zb4mv24s8.jpg Julia Rosen, Online Political Director 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2v8/ So here's the deal. I created an art piece that uses Yes On 8 propaganda, mixed with pages torn from the Bible and Book of Mormon....and it is now headed to the California State Public Employees convention in Los Angeles to be shown by the Human Rights committee. Every now and then I hear that I am so going to hell for making this piece, but you know, sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do. Some activists walk the neighborhood collecting signatures, others use bumper stickers to express which side of the debate they are on, but I do art. Don't ask why. There are just some things that, when you feel the urge, you gotta do them. Details of the piece and pics can be viewed at http://www.scottterryprojects.com/Prop8.html http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/scottterry/C2ry http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/scottterry/C2ry/commentary#comments Mon, 10 Aug 2009 18:42:43 PDT http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/scottterry/C2ry User from San Leandro, CA User from San Leandro, CA 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2ry/ Check the flip for the email Charlize Theron just sent to our members asking everyone, no matter their sexual orientation, to come to Fresno for Meet in the Middle for Equality . The whole Courage staff will be there this weekend. Are you coming? Are you bringing a carload of your best friends and favorite family members? Please join us for this historic event. 1 pm this Saturday at the Fresno City Hall. RSVP now . There is a great line-up of speakers and there will be a bunch of tents, including a blogger tent for the netroots' finest. So come one, come all to Fresno! http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2tB http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2tB/commentary#comments Thu, 28 May 2009 12:29:32 PDT http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2tB Julia Rosen, Online Political Director http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/0ca8c47d776c223f85_zb4mv24s8.jpg Julia Rosen, Online Political Director 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2tB/ As we recover from the unjust decision handed down by the California Supreme Court yesterday, we are reminded of our determination, forged in the angry days after the passage of Prop 8 in November, to restore marriage equality at the first available opportunity. Now that the California state courts have closed themselves to the cause of equal rights, it's time we dedicate ourselves to organizing to win. We will win in 2010. And if we don't, we'll win in 2012. And if we don't, we'll win in 2014. Courage Campaign Managing Director Eden James explained this to the crowd in an inspirational rallying cry of a speech at the rally in San Francisco last night: We reinforced this message in the following email to our members yesterday: http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2cp http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2cp/commentary#comments Wed, 27 May 2009 06:53:38 PDT http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2cp Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/8e501f6005c216fc9b_j8m6b99j3.jpg Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2cp/ With the truly odious decision upholding Proposition 8, three things are now very clear: 1. California no longer recognizes equal rights. 2. California's constitution is totally broken. 3. It is time for ALL of us to fight back. The Courage Campaign , where I work as Public Policy Director, exists to respond to all three of those things. We are going to work with our partners in the marriage equality movement in the effort to repeal Proposition 8 at the ballot box. We are going to restore equal rights to *all* Californians. And we're going to fix our broken constitutional system to ensure this kind of thing *never* happens again. Below I explain what you can do to help. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2cG http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2cG/commentary#comments Tue, 26 May 2009 10:36:46 PDT http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2cG Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/8e501f6005c216fc9b_j8m6b99j3.jpg Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign 3 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2cG/ We finally have a day for the Prop 8 decision from the Supreme Court. They just announced that they will rule on Tuesday. Here are a couple of important links as we all get prepared for D-Day and beyond. 1) Day of Decision rallies will be held in dozens of cities across California and beyond. Go here to find one near you . 2) Meet in the Middle for Equality will be held in Fresno on May 30th, at 1 pm in front of the city hall. Go here to find out more and RSVP. 3) Do you know anyone who wants to get an alert the moment the Supreme Court rules? Tell them to sign-up to get an email , as soon as the court issues their decision. For more info flip it to see the email we sent out to Courage members earlier today. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2cC http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2cC/commentary#comments Fri, 22 May 2009 08:40:34 PDT http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2cC Julia Rosen, Online Political Director http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/0ca8c47d776c223f85_zb4mv24s8.jpg Julia Rosen, Online Political Director 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2cC/ My blog post from www.libertyhill.typepad.com on May 11, 2009 Like many of you, I go to several fundraisers per month.  I receive dozens of direct mail pieces.  All have a common message in the last six months. "Times are difficult but we'd appreciate it if you can find a tiny morsel more for our important cause."  Ok, so maybe not that timid, but you get the point.  Everyone feels obligated to somehow acknowledge the economic situation before asking for money for critically important work. I'm a progressive working for economic and racial justice.  I'm a gay man fighting for marriage equality. The need for social change after 8 years of the Bush Administration has never been more dire. And the political opportunity with progressives in power from City Hall to Sacramento to the White House has never been greater.  This is not the time for us to cut back our giving out of fear of what may happen or because our investments are down.  If we are employed or still have accumulated assets (admittedly somewhat less of them), this is the time to give and give more generously than ever.   If not now, when?  As Angelenos who count immigrants both documented and undocumented amongst our friends and neighbors and The White House is calling for true immigration reform, if not now, when? When more people than ever need access to affordable housing due to high unemployment, if not now, when? When the basic civil right of marriage for gay and lesbian Californians can be won, if not now, when? I will not give less in these hard times and I will ask you to join me in stretching further than ever.  The time is now.  Not two years from now when our investments bounce back.  Not six months from now when our property values rebound a little.  "Change will NOT come if we wait for SOME OTHER PERSON OR SOME OTHER TIME " --Barack Obama Not some other person or some other time .   It's you .  It's me .  Today is our day .  We need to dig deep and give our time and our money.  We will never see a bigger return on our investments in social change than investing big. Today. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/darrelltucci/C2WD http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/darrelltucci/C2WD/commentary#comments Wed, 13 May 2009 05:01:02 PDT http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/darrelltucci/C2WD DevoPro http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/ed7ea701393ec9c9a5_jovgmvkr6.jpg DevoPro 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2WD/ Academy Award-winning actor Charlize Theron asked us to share an important message with the Courage Campaign community and the progressive movement in California. Her message has been quoted all over the place from E! Online to the LA Times . Here it is in its entirety. Please help us spread the word about Meet in the Middle for Equality by forwarding on the link to everyone you know. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2WH http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2WH/commentary#comments Thu, 07 May 2009 06:10:11 PDT http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2WH Julia Rosen, Online Political Director http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/0ca8c47d776c223f85_zb4mv24s8.jpg Julia Rosen, Online Political Director 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2WH/ Lets be honest, the Supreme Court is demographically opposed the the overturning of Prop 8. With 6 Justices appointed by Republican Governors and only one by a Democrat, the conservative viewpoint is politically/likely going to be upheld. I am obviously not an attorney. I never spent a day in law school. I have no respected role in law. What I do know is logic: - The courts today wasn't fought over the humanity of encroaching on civil rights it, as in all Supreme Court cases, was fought over precedence of other decisions. If the courts vote in favor of Prop 8, they will be voting in favor of this idea, "The public's vote has precedence over all else." In the short term this is scary, it is scary because we lost the Prop 8 fight and gay marriage in CA will be lost...for now. The long term is this: http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/ALogicalCase/C2nv http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/ALogicalCase/C2nv/commentary#comments Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:31:02 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/ALogicalCase/C2nv User from Elmwood Park, IL User from Elmwood Park, IL 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2nv/ Today we are proud to debut "Fidelity", to put a face on the 18,000 couples facing potential forcible divorce. On December 19, 2008, Ken Starr and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund filed legal briefs defending the constitutionality of Prop 8 and seeking to nullify the 18,000 same-sex marriages conducted between May and November of 2008. The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in this case on March 5, 2009, with a decision expected within the next 90 days. Watch the video and then go sign the letter to the State Supreme Court , telling them to invalidate Prop 8, reject Ken Starr and the Prop 8 Legal Defense Fund's case, and let loving committed couples marry. A special thanks to Regina Spektor for giving us permission to use her song "Fidelity". Flip it to see the email we sent out to Courage Campaign members earlier today. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2CQ http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2CQ/commentary#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 21:28:28 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2CQ Julia Rosen, Online Political Director http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/0ca8c47d776c223f85_zb4mv24s8.jpg Julia Rosen, Online Political Director 24 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2CQ/ I really appreciate the "Fidelity " movie. It is important for many citizens to see gay people getting married and to understand the fact that we have families just like everyone else. The movie is a great educational tool for that purpose. I am extremely concerned about the legal battle that will ensue as a result of Ken Starr's legal initiative. Who is building the civil rights case in favor of same sex marriages. We need a really great team of well funded lawyers to do all the work that needs to be done. How is that proceeding and who will take the case to the Supreme Court? http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/akaradraper/C2CK http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/akaradraper/C2CK/commentary#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 15:38:59 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/akaradraper/C2CK User from Santa Cruz, CA User from Santa Cruz, CA 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2CK/ In response to the dialogue and actions regarding same sex marriage, I posed the question 'is gay marriage different" to friends that celebrated their first anniversary in August ....Here's their response: "Nothing - except the partnership and love between two men or two women who have endured the ignorance of society for too long. When we were married here in Canada last August on the 30th anniversary of our meeting, forming our arts/theatre company, and what would have been the 101st anniversary of my dad's birth, some one asked if we felt any different, i could only say, "We walk a little taller'. it gave us the right and responsibility to be whole, to be ourselves openly, to be acknowledged as part of the human race with equal footing, to be legally recognized, to share the same rights of dignity, self-respect that have been so generously established for heterosexual couples for centuries who have just as often and just as long abused their own flesh and blood for being different." Think carefully. Isn't that what our humanity should be about? Why do some feel threatened by same-sex marriage? And why chose to live by biblical rules thousands of years old and outdated by customs of an evolving world community? The Bible isn't the only path, yet you are finding isolated quotes that you feel give divine authority to justify your belief. Perhaps you should consider Jesus' request to just love one another....... How do you even think you have the right to deny someone else's happiness, security, and human rights to be just who they are? Why do you choose mean-spirited responses and then say it's the word of God? When a society prohibits something - voting rights, integration, alcohol - it becomes more of a problem than less so. This has been proved time and time again. To deny love and caring and responsible commitment of others is to deny yourself -- and to set examples that are neither right nor helpful to the development of the community as a whole. There are examples on both sides that are despicable and there are examples that are truly remarkably wonderful. Everything in nature is in balance - only ignorant attitudes have unbalanced our world - morally, educationally, physically, spiritually - ethically. When there is an opportunity to right a wrong, it always amazes me that people take so long to adjust what they consider to be the status quo for fear of changing something they recognize and with which they feel comfortable - even if it means someone else dies or is brutalized by their injustice. and, oddly enough, change is the only thing that is unchangeable and happens even when we resist it. Throughout history, homosexual and lesbian life-styles have not only been tolerated in some and destroyed in others, but throughout it all, they have bettered our world with inventions, ideas, art forms, even military solutions. The majority have truly nothing to fear but their own fears which need to be explored and exposed to the harsh light of re-education. Accepting human nature, human experiences, and human awareness is the true basis of tolerant and even compassionate understanding among peoples and cultures. So, what makes 'gay' marriage different? Nothing, but the attitudes that surround it, condemn it, defy it, demean it or would never let it be. In a world that is faced with the effects of intense hatred, stupidity, greed, corruption, arrogance, small-mindedness - all in the name of preserving social norms and religious beliefs and political/economic power - why and how can anyone deny anyone the right to love, be loved and share love? Explain to me how that destroys any form of real marriage, of any kind of true commitment or how that destroys our world, our nation, our society, our cultures. We affirm our humanity when we acknowledge that of others..... http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/arleenlindstedt/C2Cb http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/arleenlindstedt/C2Cb/commentary#comments Thu, 05 Feb 2009 13:46:12 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/arleenlindstedt/C2Cb User from Redwood City, CA User from Redwood City, CA 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2Cb/ Last week we asked our members to match a $25,000 donation from Dr. Bill Resnick and Dr. Doug Cordell to fund our Camp Courage training this Sunday in Los Angeles, and they came through big time. Courage Campaign members raised $68,000 online - most of it from small donors giving under $100. And that stunning display of support has inspired our friends at MoveOn.org to support Camp Courage as well, joining SEIU-United Healthcare Workers West and the California Nurses Association as major organizational sponsors of these training events. Because of that incredible financial support, we are asking our members to help decide where to schedule at least 3-5 more Camp Courage trainings across California, as we work to give thousands of activists the tools they need to repeal Prop 8. These votes will help our staff make some tough decisions on where to locate our Camp Courage trainings in the months ahead. We will weigh many factors, including prioritizing trainings in communities that will likely not receive as many votes as major metropolitan areas. Ultimately, we want to make strategic decisions and pick locations that will help build the Marriage Equality Movement across California. Click here to vote - and help build progressive power in California. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2xs http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2xs/commentary#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 16:41:14 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2xs Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/8e501f6005c216fc9b_j8m6b99j3.jpg Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2xs/ This post is a reprint from my blog Uncle Fatlips . It's actually titled: Manson’s Helter Skelter Revisited: Only 57% Of Blacks Voted In Favor Of Prop 8   On Tuesday the Advocate magazine (the nation’s largest gay publication) released a startling analysis of the final voting numbers concerning Proposition 8. California blacks were found to have voted 57% in favor of Proposition 8, not 70% as previously believed. The study also concluded that race was not the most significant factor affecting people’s vote for or against marriage equality. Not only that, it revealed that age, religiosity, party identification, and ideology had more of an effect on whether voters backed Prop. 8 than any other factors. For instance, the rate of support for the initiative among African Americans and whites was nearly the same for those who attended church services regularly. This is big news. And it makes me angry. All this time many African American supporters of No On 8 have been putting themselves on the line including myself— risking all kinds of retaliation in our own communities because were led to believe that an overwhelming black majority had voted in favor of oppression of another minority group who were fighting for their civil rights. Now we find out that this wasn’t the case—-at all. Nowhere near the case, in fact. While 57% in favor of Prop 8 is still a little over half, that number is a helluva lot different than 70%. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/renwl/C2xD http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/renwl/C2xD/commentary#comments Wed, 14 Jan 2009 14:44:42 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/renwl/C2xD User from Los Angeles, CA User from Los Angeles, CA 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2xD/ As I warned everyone about last month , the Yes on 8 campaign - Ron Prentice and ProtectMarriage.com - have filed suit against California campaign disclosure laws : The Proposition 8 campaign has filed a federal suit challenging the constitutionality of California's campaign finance laws that compel disclosure of personal information by campaign donors who they said have been threatened and harassed. The suit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Sacramento, cites numerous examples of menacing e-mails, phone calls and postcards, including death threats, allegedly made by opponents of the November ballot measure that banned same-sex measure in the state. "This harassment is made possible because of California's unconstitutional campaign finance disclosure rules," Ron Prentice, chairman of the Yes on 8 campaign, said in a prepared statement. Prentice noted that as applied to ballot measure committees, "even donors of as little as $100 must have their names, home addresses and employers listed on public documents." It ought to be noted, for the record and in every media account on this story, that Ron Prentice signed his name to an effort to blackmail No on 8 donors back in October. One wonders if they're going to use themselves as an example of why the laws should be tossed. Further, in *yet another* act of hypocrisy, the very people claiming that courts should not overturn "the will of the voters" are suing to undo the outcome of the Political Reform Act of 1974 - which, you guessed it, was passed by voters that year as Proposition 9. It would be laughable if the attack wasn't such a dangerous threat to our democracy. If they are successful, the anti-marriage forces will be able to raise FAR more money than they did this year. Companies that rely on same sex marriage supporters for their profits could take that money, give it to the haters, without the public knowing or being able to take their business elsewhere. It could provide their side with a significant financial advantage over ours in a future ballot campaign. And it also opens the door other abuses of the initiative process, enabling it to be even more dominated by money than it already is as the true sources of large donations could more easily be masked - especially from corporations. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2xb http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2xb/commentary#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 19:17:48 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/roberticruickshank/C2xb Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/8e501f6005c216fc9b_j8m6b99j3.jpg Robert Cruickshank, Courage Campaign 1 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2xb/ Let me preface this by saying that I'm a straight male who was born in Texas and raised in Indiana. While normally I wouldn't define myself by my sexuality or my residency I think it has to be done to give credence to the plan that I hope to outline. Overturning Prop 8 won't be easy, we are kidding ourselves if we think we can simply walk to the polls in 2010 and have enough voters to overturn it. This is uncharted territory not just for California, or just the United States but it is uncharted for the entire free world. The world is watching. Here are my proposed steps: 1. Let the lawyers do their job. This nation is ripe with intelligent lawyers who see the injustice behind Prop 8. We need to rally and unite them under a common belief and clear goals. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/ALogicalCase/C2xX http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/ALogicalCase/C2xX/commentary#comments Mon, 29 Dec 2008 18:55:25 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/ALogicalCase/C2xX User from Elmwood Park, IL User from Elmwood Park, IL 0 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2xX/ Infamous prosecutor Ken Starr has filed a legal brief -- on behalf of the "Yes on 8" campaign -- to nullify the 18,000 same-sex marriages performed in California between May and November of 2008. Yes, they really did go there after promising repeatedly not to do this. It's time to put a face to Ken Starr's shameful legal proceedings. To put a face to the 18,000 couples facing forcible divorce. To put a face to marriage equality. Because, gay or straight, YOU are the face of the Marriage Equality Movement. The Courage Campaign just launched "Please Don't Divorce" a community photo project. They will break your heart and have made me cry on more than one occasion. Please click through the photos in the slideshow below and then submit your own photo, as an individual, a couple or in a group (perhaps with your family over the holidays). Take a picture holding a piece of paper that says "Please don't divorce us," "Please don't divorce my moms,""Please don't divorce my friends, Dawn and Audrey," "Please don't divorce Californians" or whatever you want after "Please don't divorce..." and send it to: pleasedontdivorce@couragecampaign.org . http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2x5 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2x5/commentary#comments Tue, 23 Dec 2008 16:58:45 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/juliarosen/C2x5 Julia Rosen, Online Political Director http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/profile_picture/0ca8c47d776c223f85_zb4mv24s8.jpg Julia Rosen, Online Political Director 1 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2x5/ I watched a very interesting movie tonight, Gandhi, My Father. It is the tragic story of Harilal Gandhi who could not please his father and died a beggar, a drunk, a widower who left his children. No matter how much we might elevate M.K. Gandhi, he was just a man whose vision operated within the confines of his exquisite lens. Harilal wanted everything his father had and had the luxury to renounce. Bapu, the Father of India, was strict, unforgiving and could not let his son drink deeply from life to make his own decisions on what to embrace or renounce. It was as if Gandiji expected his son to merely adopt his hard-earned lessons; rather than learn them himself. He seemed to think that since he learned something, Harilal could/should just accept the outcome without learning it himself. But make no mistake, Harilal wanted father-love, mother-love, wife-love, child-love ~ family. He wanted family. I wonder if children of famous people might really find this story maddening ~ not comforting at all. In the light of the news today I cannot help but make layered parallels with that of the gay son or daughter wanting father-love, mother-love, a lover, children ~ family. Isn't that really what all of the prop 8, Rick Warren, gay issue is about? There is a group of people who want to just be welcome at the table of humanity. They want to have a partner, children, dinner, a productive life (could I be so deliberate as to say a "purpose driven life"?). And there is push back from people whose tables have no room for difference. Gandhi named the unwanted Indians, the lowest caste, the harijan ~ the children of god. He inversed their fate of being born as an untouchable, not welcome at any table but their own, by naming them god's favored. Rick Warren's Saddleback Church is that table which wants no harijan. Homosexuals may not join. Does he really think that his god will not invite homosexuals to the heavenly banquet? If Rick does have some inside line on that, I am certain that lots of people would not want to be at that table by their own choice. My own seeking soul has traveled the world through a library card; searched religions, faiths, beliefs, for years and years. If Barack had asked me, or YOU had asked me, who would be a great choice to offer the invocation at this historic inauguration, I would have answered to chose someone whose table is wide, magnetic, inviting, universal and, most importantly, excludes no one. The Tao Te Ching states that beginnings set the pace for all that unfolds in its wake. Please do not give up asking that Rick Warren be replaced as the international bell ringing in the Obama years. It could not be more important. http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/onlinewithzoe/C2xM http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/onlinewithzoe/C2xM/commentary#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 12:39:01 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/onlinewithzoe/C2xM User from Newport Beach, CA User from Newport Beach, CA 1 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2xM/ It's not just wrong. It's dangerous. Every time homophobia is left unchallenged, it sends the message to people struggling with their identity that there's something fundamentally wrong with them. It's heartbreaking, it's frightening, and it's flat out dangerous. And while I can't come up with any satisfying justification for Obama inviting Rick Warren to the Inauguration, the fact is that Rick Warren will still be preaching intolerance, hate and ignorance whether he goes to the Inauguration or not. But here's the thing. Whenever Warren is pushed to discuss his views on homosexuality- whether in a friendly forum like Beliefnet or a more critical setting like Larry King Live , he demonstrates that his views are harmful and seriously out of step with reality. Which is why we at the Courage Campaign think it's high time for him to put up or shut up. Does he have the courage and the chops to debate Rev. Eric Lee about gay marriage? Sign the petition challenging him to make his case and let's find out. If you don't know Rev. Lee yet, all I can say is...Bring it Rev. Warren. Let's just see what you've got. Earlier today, Rick Jacobs emailed our members about our challenge, highlighting some of Warren's recent outrageous statements in the process: http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/lucasoconnor/C2xg http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/lucasoconnor/C2xg/commentary#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 13:12:06 PST http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/post/lucasoconnor/C2xg Lucas O'Connor, Courage Campaign Lucas O'Connor, Courage Campaign 13 http://couragecampaign.org/page/community/comment_rss/C2xg/