Box Turtle Bulletin
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobby“Now you must raise your children up in a world where that union of man and box turtle is on the same legal footing as man and wife…”
News and commentary about the anti-gay lobbyPosts Tagged As: Proposition 8 (CA)
October 13th, 2008
PolitickerCA is reporting that LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is increasing his effort to oppose anti-marriage initiative Proposition 8.
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa jumped fully into the Prop. 8 fray Monday, sending out a statewide message via the Courage Campaign, a grass- and netroots activist organization, urging people to defeat the measure.
The popular Democratic mayor, who is thought to be actively considering a run for governor in 2010, also announced he was personally donating $25,000 to the effort directed at getting voters to reject the initiative that would permanently codify marriage in the California Constitution as being strictly between a man and a woman.
Thank you, Mr. Mayor for representing me and my fellow Angelinos in our efforts to retain our equality.
October 13th, 2008
The Sacramento Bee has an article today about the sacrifices that members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints have made so that they can take away the right to marry from same-sex couples.
Rick and Pam Patterson gave $50,000.
He drives a 10-year-old Honda Civic to his job at Intel. She is a stay-at home mom who makes most of the family meals and bakes her own bread. The couple, who have five sons between the ages of 3 and 12, live in a comfortable but modest three-bedroom home in Folsom.
David and Susan Nielson gave $35,000.
The couple will forgo a vacation for the next two years and make other sacrifices to pay for their donation, he said.
Yes, they are faithful members of their church. And while the couples deny that they were pressured to contribute, both couples did so after the June 29 letter came out from the First Presidency and the church leadership requesting that Mormons “do what you can”.
However, this sacrifice seems not to have extended to the leaders actually contributing from their own personal funds. A search of the contribution database listing all contributors of $100 or more yields:
Perhaps “our best efforts” means something different to the leaders than it does to the followers.
October 13th, 2008
This past week a parent of a first grader in San Francisco thought it would be a good and supportive act to have the children in the first grade class surprise the teacher by showing up for her wedding to her same-sex partner. The school’s interim director thought this was a good idea and a “teaching moment” and so they organized a field trip. In total, 18 children from the charter school participated and two families chose to have their children remain at school with another first grade class.
I do not think that first graders are too young to know about marriage. Nor do I think that same-sex marriage is any more shocking, confusing, or inherently controversial than a marriage between persons of the opposite sex. And I don’t think that an outing to the marriage of a teacher is an inappropriate excursion for school children.
But I do think that one must be aware of the ramifications of ones decisions and choose wisely.
It is three weeks before California voters will decide whether to take away the right from same-sex couples to marry. And those who support the anti-marriage amendment have decided that fears about children are their strongest argument.
Surely even the most obtuse of parents and administrators had to have been aware that their actions were tailor-made for use by anti-gay activists. I find it hard to understand what they were thinking.
I know that San Francisco is insular and a conservative is hard to find. All of their friends and acquaintances support marriage equality and no doubt they thought this was a brave show of support. But did they not see the potential for misrepresentation or were they truly naïve enough to believe that supporters of Proposition 8 would behave admirably?
This should not be an issue. The parents were the ones who decided to which marriages their children would be exposed. This is not an example of “gay marriage being taught to first graders” over the objections of parents.
And I truly do appreciate the attitude behind their choice.
But anti-gays have already begun to use this in their effort to deny me equality. And I find it frustrating and annoying that the actions of some presumably-heterosexual people in San Francisco may well provide the basis for some Californians to become afraid of treating me equally.
Think, people. Think.
October 12th, 2008
Coming out in opposition to Proposition 8, the Ventura Star says
The Star urges a “no” vote on Proposition 8, which would embed discrimination in the California Constitution.
Chief Justice Ronald M. George, writing the majority opinion, got it right in the May ruling: “An individual’s sexual orientation — like a person’s race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights.”
October 11th, 2008
Of the fifty largest newspapers in the nation, six are in California. And with the Sacramento Bee’s position on Proposition 8, they are unanimous in their opposition to the anti-marriage proposition. The Bee says:
Just as an individual’s sexual orientation is not a legitimate basis on which to deny housing or a job, it is not a legitimate basis on which to deny individuals the right to marry. Californians should reject the call to amend the state constitution to exclude some people from marriage. That would be a black mark on the constitution, just as past exclusionary acts remain a stain on California’s history.
Vote “no”
The six largest newspapers in California (and the US) are: The Los Angeles Times (4), the San Francisco Chronical (21), the San Diego Union-Tribune (26), the Orange County Register (36), the Sacramento Bee (37), and the San Jose Mercury News (49). See Newspapers Opposing Prop 8.
October 11th, 2008
Well, we knew it had to happen and finally it has.
Although there are a string of newspapers opposing Proposition 8 and although that list ranges from big city behemoths to rural community news sources, from liberal to conservative, English and Spanish, we knew that some day, somewhere, an editorial board would favor the anti-marriage proposition.
They came close with the Modesto Bee. Although the editors in Modesto discussed the proposition in terms of “defining marriage” rather than taking away the rights of citizens, they ultimately decided to leave it up to the voter and made no recommendation.
But now supporters of Proposition 8 have cause to rejoice. They finally have a newspaper endorsement, the Paradise Post.
The Paradise Post is the local newspaper for Paradise, a mountain town in Butte County, a conservative area that supported Proposition 22 by 69%. Paradise has a population of perhaps 30,000 and the Post has a circulation of about 8,000. It’s not much surprise that the supporters of the anti-marriage should have found an ally in this local paper.
The Post editorial goes on a bit about how they are not homophobic (“Nothing could be further from the truth”) but the bulk of their editorial is about “radical redefinition”, warnings about polygamy, and fear about the evil intent of “gay activists”. Their closing argument is a masterpiece in unintended irony:
Tolerance of homosexual couples is one thing. And we are certainly all for tolerance. But condoning, embracing, giving society’s official stamp of approval (which is precisely what legal gay marriage does) is quite another. Please vote YES on Proposition 8.
October 11th, 2008
Our friend Jeremy Hooper at Good-As-You is having his engagement party tonight. Jeremy and his husband-to-be, Andrew Shulman, wish to marry in California in April.
We appreciate Jeremy’s talents and his contributions to equality. He approaches the fight with humor and patience and has achieved the oddest of accomplishments: an ongoing communication with the Phelps family. For all he’s given us, consider a gift to him.
I’m sure they would be most appreciative of an early wedding gift in the form of a contribution in their name to No on 8. Let’s honor Jeremy and Andrew’s choice of venue and keep marriage legal in California.
October 11th, 2008
Following the lead of La Opinión, bilingual newspaper La Prensa has recommended a “No” vote on Proposition 8. La Prensa is a weekly newspaper out of San Diego with circulation of 40,000 and estimated readership of 180,000 weekly. Printing in English and Spanish, it targets a demographic, latino voters, that the anti-gay supporters of Proposition 8 are hoping will support their cause.
This proposition is nothing more than one group trying to impose their moral standards on another. Fortunately, the world is made up of many different people and you simple can’t contain all people in a single box. Instead we should celebrate our differences and work together to make our world a better place for all to live in happiness and in love.
We believe that if two people are in love and they want to get married, we as a State should not legislate against the happiness of these people. We Urge a No Vote on Prop. 8
Newspapers opposing Proposition 8
(hat tip Andres)
October 9th, 2008
The John and Ken Show is a Los Angeles radio talkshow on KFI 640 AM. Wikipedia says
The program is the most listened to local talk radio program in the United States: in the peak hour of their daily broadcasts, they draw an audience of one million listeners.
Perhaps best described as populist conservatives, the duo taps into the things that annoy and frustrate the common guy and are quick to attack perceived hypocrisy in politicians of either party or those who hide behind, as they call them, “spokes-holes”. Politically, they are very law-and-order, oppose tax increases, and lead the charge against illegal immigration. But they have little patience for religion-driven social conservatives who get their undies in a bunch over their gay neighbors.
The show has now posted THE JOHN AND KEN VOTER GUIDE! on their website.
Proposition 8. Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry: NO
October 9th, 2008
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has set up a website to provide inspiration to their members in their efforts to change the California State Constitution – through Proposition 8 – to be more in alignment with Mormon theology. Because Mormons have a unique understanding of The Divine Institution, their talking points are different than those for, say, an evangelical Christian or a Catholic.
At preservingmarriage.org, you can read a letter from the Prophet, check out an interview with Elders, listen to an Elder threaten young Mormons with a “decreasingly tolerant environment” from gays who “push at the edges of what is legally allowable”, read about the Divine Instition of Marriage and how the “course charted by Church leaders” is “the only course of safety for the Church and for the nation”.
The primary purpose of the site, though, is to provide young Mormons with a video to download to their personal websites or networking sites. It’s full of young faces repeating endlessly that they support Proposition 8 (though not much substance as to why).
What’s missing, however, is any reference to this being a Mormon video or that the pretty young people are all members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Nor do they admit that their support for the amendment is based in their church’s theology and unique beliefs about the nature of marriage. As apostle M. Russell Ballard said in a church broadcast this week:
We know that it is not without controversy, yet let me be clear that at the heart of this issue is the central doctrine of eternal marriage and it’s place in our Father’s plan.
Nope, they just slap this on their MySpace without explanation.
How very sad that a church has to specialize in secrecy and deception in order to try and influence the voters of California. I’ve lost a lot of respect for that denomination for their dishonesty in this campaign.
October 9th, 2008
The new ad from No on 8 confronts the blatant lies that the supporters of the proposition have been stating. Check out the new ad and while you are there make a contribution so that we can get our message out.
October 9th, 2008
The LA Times reports
Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina, Los Angeles Board of Education President Monica Garcia and state Assembly candidate John Perez opened the Cesar Chavez Avenue storefront office for the “No on 8” campaign, which will communicate with Latino voters across the state.
Perez, the cousin of LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, is gay.
October 9th, 2008
The nation’s largest Spanish language newspaper, La Opinión, is recommending a “NO” vote on Proposition 8.
The true threats to marriage are lack of communication, infidelity, domestic abuse, and economic pressures.
The driving force behind the measure comes from Evangelical, Catholic, Mormon, Baptist, Orthodox Jewish, and Adventist congregations, with money, sermons, prayers, fasting, and very respectable and respected opinions.
But that does not mean it is acceptable to impose these beliefs on all of society, and much less, change the State Constitution.
We recommend voting NO on Proposition 8.
Or, as most of their audience will read it:
Estamos con el NO a la Proposición 8.
See list of newspapers opposing the amendment here.
October 9th, 2008
In one of the most famous American defenses of religious freedom, Thomas Jefferson wrote: “[I]t does me no injury for my neighbor to say there are twenty gods or no God. It neither picks my pocket nor breaks my leg.”
We must say the same thing about same-sex marriage.
Growing up at the tip of the great Central Valley in Northern California, our local news source was The Redding Record-Searchlight. Much of my awareness of the world outside our community was from their pages.
Redding is a small city on the border of an agricultural valley and the Cascade foothills. With an economy tied to farming, lumber and tourism and a high level of retirees, the culture is a mix of liberals and conservatives with both groups leaning towards a ‘live and let live’ mentality. Highly religious, this is an area where residents are unlikely to favor same-sex marriages, but also often likely to ‘not notice’ that their neighbors are a long term same-sex couple.
There are no gay community services that I’m aware of but the population tends to support about two gay bars at any given time.
There is also a lack of organized anti-gay efforts. Perhaps the best known situation was in 1999 when two white supremacist brothers torched an abortion clinic and synagogues in Sacramento (two hours away) and shot to death a gay couple, neighbors of my father.
The Record Searchlight has now joined the growing list of newspapers, urban and rural, Northern and Southern, conservative and liberal, English and Spanish who agree that Proposition 8 is unnecessary, cruel and intrusive. They just don’t buy that scare tactics and outlandish claims of anti-gay activists.
October 9th, 2008
The Los Angeles Times is reporting that Californians Against Hate have come to terms with Bolthouse Farms and have agreed to call off their boycott of the juice maker.
The “Don’t Buy Bolthouse” campaign ended because the company’s chief executive “has provided us with a compelling perspective which clearly demonstrates the separation between Bolthouse Farms and . . . its founder, William Bolthouse,” Californians Against Hate said Wednesday in a written statement.
That perspective, the statement continued, “provides us with confidence that Bolthouse Farms is committed to working productively with the [lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender] community.”
The boycott had been originated because the company’s founder – who, though he sold the company still leases his land to them – had significantly financed the signature gathering for Proposition 8.
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