Hi. I'm sure if you're reading this site, your e-mail box must be stuffed by now with pleas to volunteer for the election. But I want to let you know about one more volunteer opportunity that I think is really important, just in case it's a good fit for you.
I volunteer with Equality California, the group trying to repeal Proposition 8 and bring marriage equality back to California. I want to let you know that every weekend until the election Equality California will be holding phonebanks at each of its statewide offices doing get-out-the-vote calls for pro-LGBT candidates like Jerry Brown and Kamala Harris-- and we have a huge need for volunteers right now.
(A hearty welcome to EQCA - promoted by Brian Leubitz)
By Chris Moore, Deputy Director of Political Affairs, Equality California
Last night's elections were invigorating! The outcomes are generally very favorable for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Californians and could prove to be history making. There are, however, some dangerous candidates on the horizon that will require our community to be energized and cohesive in order to beat them.
Nearly every single EQCA endorsed candidate won their primary yesterday, and we were hard at work helping to make that happen. Our Political Action Committee and its many donors directly contributed to candidates' campaigns. Our volunteers and staff made over 20,000 phone calls to urge support of our candidates and to get out the vote. We sent over 140,000 pieces of mail to every corner of the state. And to ensure that our candidates succeeded, we closed our offices yesterday and our 44 staff spent the day working on the most critical campaigns.
I am thrilled to be going, not to watch history being made, but to watch a history finally start to be written that includes LGBT people, their lives, their stories and their achievements.
Harvey's nephew Stuart Milk will attend the ceremony on behalf of his uncle, along with family members of Mayor George Moscone, Assemblymember Tom Ammiano and Senator Mark Leno. The Hall of Fame exhibit at the California Museum will be toured by scores of California students who will finally get in touch with a key piece of LGBT history. Also, one of the winners of this year's California Dreamers Challenge, a scholarship for high school students, will be announced tonight who is a gay youth who was inspired by Harvey Milk.
EQCA worked hard to pass a bill in 2009 creating Harvey Milk Day in California to commemorate Milk's legacy across California and in our schools, but we still need you to help make it happen. Leading up to the first official Harvey Milk Day on May 22, 2010, EQCA plans to work with local groups and educators to develop educational materials and plan appropriate commemorative events across the state (May 21 and 22 in San Francisco, May 22 in Los Angeles and May 23 in Palm Springs). Every child should grow up knowing they are valuable.
Watch out for our organizing kit, prepare to attend one of our events across the state, and start talking to people you know about why Milk's legacy matters.
LOS ANGELES, CA - The Courage Campaign today called for more research and time to change hearts and minds before returning to the ballot to restore marriage for gay and lesbian couples in California. At least one initiative to restore same-sex marriage is currently circulating that, if it qualifies, would appear on the November, 2010 ballot...
"For months, we have laid out the criteria for moving forward. Like the Obama Campaign, we understand that we need a combination of powerful and clear research that informs an expertly run campaign, an unstoppable movement that harnesses the new energy we have seen since the passage of Prop. 8 and the connections through personal stories and outreach in order to win at the ballot box," said Rick Jacobs, the Courage Campaign founder and Chair. "We are taking the lessons learned from last year's Prop. 8 campaign, the campaigns in Maine and other states to understand the fundamental work that must be done before moving forward in California. We also must come together as a community to create a broad coalition and governance structure, put in place a strong manager and secure the resources to win. Right now, the pieces are not all in place to do so confidently."
I am understanding this to mean that the Courage Campaign is no longer on board with a 2010 campaign and will be shifting their resources to a 2012 effort (although the language is oddly vague-- if any Courage Campaign people are reading this, any clarification would be appreciated greatly). At a minimum the clear message of this release is that Courage Campaign does not at this time support the specific 2010 ballot filing by Love Honor Cherish, which they reference in the first paragraph.
Courage Campaign is currently soliciting volunteers for their Prop. 8 repeal and "Equality Team" efforts here. EQCA is also soliciting volunteers to canvass for their 2012 repeal campaign here.
Doug Manchester played a relatively unsung, but crucial 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. These types of coalitions are crucial for building progressive power here in California. Any repeal of Prop 8 will need support from our brothers and sisters in labor and they need our help on their organizing efforts for workers' dignity and rights.
Boycotts don't always work, but this one has been effective, though not perfect. Unfortunately, the California Bar Association has refused to move their annual. Jenny Pizer from Lambda Legal:
"The bar associations recognize that many of their members will not feel comfortable attending conference activities at the Manchester Hyatt given its owner's extraordinary personal support of the campaign that made gay people and their families unequal under law, and undermined the basic rights of all minority groups in California," she wrote.
Of course, Bragman tries to wedge labor and LGBTs.
Bragman added that the boycott was less about LGBT rights, and more about the hotel workers trying to unionize. "The union issues and the boycott and the GLBT issues are apples and oranges," he said. "They are two separate issues. We frankly have a boycott that is being funded and designed by people who have motives other than the GLBT community in an effort to unionize the properties."
Is it inconceivable to Bragman that LGBTs care about workers rights AND their own rights, not to mention the fact that shocker of all shockers, there are LGBT hotel workers? Like I said earlier, we are unified and will not let Manchester divide us, try though they might.
Flip it for the email we sent out to our members today.
While I'm not a fan of some things that Equality California could probably have been done better, lobbying and legislative work is really their strong suit.
Well, right now the gang at EQCA are focusing on Mark Leno's Harvey Milk Day bill. It's been passed by both houses of the Legislature, but is currently awaiting the Governor's up or down.
He vetoed the bill last year, but EQCA is pushing to reverse that. In his veto message, he said that Milk was a local figure. Things have clearly changed since then. Specifically, Milk was the subject of a major motion picture and the recipient of the Presidential Medal Freedom. Perhaps it will become clear to Arnold what progressives, and the LGBT community in particular, has known since Milk's assasination: Harvey Milk is more than a local celebrity who was murdered.
Harvey Milk is a symbol of the fight for civil rights for all Americans. He is a symbol of equality. He should be honored as such.
If you want to encourage the Governor to sign the bill, call 916-445-2841 or tweet @schwarzenegger.
We are writing to inquire about the recent fundraising activities of EQCA. In early July, it was brought to our attention that EQCA had hired a professional fundraising corporation known as Grassroots Campaigns Inc (www.grassrootscampaigns.com). Since then, we have heard numerous reports that this money was being raised with a script promoting 2010 - Several people on this list, including Stacey Simmons and Robert Polzoni can attest to this. On August 5th, Melissa Staten, a director for Grassroots Campaigns, confirmed that her organization has raised $530,000 in the San Francisco Bay Area and over $ 1 million dollars statewide for EQCA's "repeal of Prop 8 in 2010." We have a few questions as it relates to the money for 2010 and EQCA's announcement later today:
A) Should EQCA announce that they are supporting and/ or in favor of 2010, will a portion of this money be used to pay for the additional research? The Courage Campaign, along with Winner & Mandabach, have stated that we need to raise nearly $200,000 to conduct additional polling, research, and focus groups to solidify ballot language and a campaign plan.
B) On August 11th, 2009 at 2:31pm, Becky - director of the San Francisco office of Grassroots Campaigns Inc. (415-447-9396) - confirmed that money being raised is for 2010. If EQCA announces 2012, we have two questions: 1) will the money that was raised using a script for 2010 be given to support the efforts of the grassroots moving forward or 2) will this money be refunded? At the very least, people should be able to request a refund, if they wish, as numerous individuals were assured that their money was being used for 2010.
C) In addition to the million-plus dollars EQCA has raised since May, the Courage Campaign has raised over a $100,000 in a week's time. Regardless of a particular campaign date, it has become evident that significant funds can be raised at the grassroots level, despite major donor's reluctance.
Our final question: what systems are in place to assure accountable and transparent use of funds being raised? Perhaps this is a question better suited for the August 22nd campaign structuring meeting - but it is a question that the community should ask nonetheless.
By now, most of us have seen the despicable ad unleashed in several key states this week in response to our two historic victories in Iowa and Vermont.
It was commissioned by the National Organization for Marriage (but only if you’re straight) whose website reveals some of their misleading tactics, thoroughly dissected on Pam’s this morning.
What strikes me most is their desperation. Turning themselves into victims is the only weapon the anti-LGBT industry has left. Yes on 8’s Frank Schubert himself has said that attacking LGBT folks directly doesn’t work anymore. We can be thankful for that, but must we must learn to effectively respond with the truth to this new tactic.
To succeed, opponents of the freedom to marry must convince moderates that loving, married same-sex couples somehow pose them a risk. They must stir up enough fear and doubt that otherwise fair-minded people will err on the side of discrimination.
They claim this is not just about marriage. They’re right.
LGBT people face unique and severe challenges in the prison system, including serious threats to their safety.
I am thrilled to report that The LGBT Prisoner Safety Act, AB 382, came one step closer to becoming law yesterday, passing the Assembly Public Safety Committee with a unanimous 7-0 vote, winning the endorsement of the entire committee, including five Democrats and two Republicans. Sponsored by EQCA and introduced last month by Assemblymember Tom Ammiano (D-San Francisco), the bill is designed to prevent violence against LGBT people in the state prison system.
The legislation promotes safety for and prevents abuse and assault against LGBT people in the prison system by including sexual orientation and gender identity on the list of factors that should be considered when classifying and housing prisoners. The current list of factors includes age, gender, type of offense, and prior time served.
If you compare theirs to ours, you’ll notice that both rate the legislators based on their performance on key votes. EQCA only endorses candidates who score 100% on our scorecard, which means they support the entire LGBT community 100% of the time—they go all the way on the freedom to marry and trans inclusivity.
Even though we refuse to compromise, we’ve still managed to get 100% scores for 61 legislators on our last scorecard. The Capitol Resource Institute only gave 18 legislators a 100% score.
Now Announcing… Capitol Resource Institute versus EQCA!!
Arch-conservative anti-LGBT lobbyist Capitol Resource Institute is all in a tizzy over EQCA-sponsored legislation. Their Legislative Scorecard is much like EQCA’s own guide.
But it’s an uncanny mirror image in terms of values and priorities, scoffing at the real needs of our community and describing LGBT people in offensive, retrograde terminology.
Their framing is really quite breathtaking in its bald defamation.
I already posted on one of the more interesting events of the Equality Summit from Saturday, the election/past year review. I wrote it at the event so memory was a bit fresher. If you haven't had the chance to read that, it might be worth a read. If you'd like to relive the whole experience, EQCA has made everything available on Google Video. Here's Part 1 and Part 2 of the Election Review. You'll find other videos along the Google sidebar from the plenary meetings. Part 2 has the very insightful Marriage Equality USA presentation and the David Binder presentation. I think the one thing that I hope people took away from Binder's presentation, if they took nothing else with them, is that phone calls don't work. It's something that most field organizers can tell you. But it's cheap and easy, but sometimes you get what you pay for.
There was a bit of fun to be had afterward with Asm. Tom Ammiano's take on the situation. After all, it's pretty hard not to have a smile on your face after 10 minutes of his jokes. But what I got out of the review panel, and from the speeches of Ammiano and many other leaders that were outside of the campaign was something more basic. Simply, don't hide the ball. Marriage equality is about love. It is about two people who want to spend their lives together. No matter how much spin you put on it, if we win an election any other way, it is a hollow victory indeed.
Xposted on mydesert.com, the online edition of the Desert Sun
Rally this afternoon in Palm Springs and tomorrow afternoon in Beaumont to protest the unconstitutional removal of 'fundamental right to marry' for gays and lesbians:
(Xposted at www.mydesert.com as BluePalmSpringsBoyz)
I just received this Press Release from Equality California regarding an effort of the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) and the Advocates for Faith and Freedom (AFF) to prevent the enforcement of the Students Civil Rights Act (SB 777) that protects students from discrimination, harassment, and bullying in publicly-funded schools.
As a member of the Palm Springs Unified School District board of directors whose leadership is now in question due to the possiblity that the PSUSD and the school board may face sanctions due to their inability to meet academic standards, Gary Jeandron, must make his stand known regarding the enforcement of SB 777 and regarding discrimination, harassment and bullying of students.
Jeandron is also a declared candidate for the Republican nomination for the CA 80th Assembly District. His website indicates that as a member of the School Board of Directors, Jeandron supervises a district with 22,000 students and an annual budget of $191 million. Unfortunately, he did not use his position as a member of the Board to help students achieve academic standards or was unable to influence the Board in order to implement any plan that he formulated. Now, the pressure is on Jeandron to indicate where he stands regarding SB 777 and its implementation.
AFF's website states: "WHEN YOU PUT ON YOUR JESUS GLASSES, YOU CAN SEE THE TRUTH!" The AFF is a non-profit law firm whose goal is 'protecting our religious liberty in the courts." In other words, AFF's intent is to help to implement a theocratic state where religion, their religion, dictates school policy. Implicit in AFF's policy statement is also the fact that they want their religious liberty protected and not the religious liberty of those who have differing faiths. Great, faith-based law now.
The ADF is another so-called Christian organization that purports to defend Religious Freedom, Sanctity of Human Life, and Family Values. Again, clearly a reference to what they perceive to be religious freedom, sanctity of human life, and family values. They presume that only their view on these issues is the correct one and should be the prevailing one. I thought that the religious culture wars ended centuries ago in Europe!
So, will Jeandron appeal to his radical right base and support the efforts of the AFF and the ADF and their attempts to develop a theocratic state based on their views of so-called Christian principles or will Jeandron support the right of students at every grade level to attend school and to live their lives without discrimination, harassment, and bullying? Will Jeandron take a leadership stance that protects elementary, middle, and secondary school students from discrimination, harassment, and bullying because of perceived or actual sexual orientation.
Is it a family value that an elementary school student should continue to suffer discrimination because someone perceives that he or she might be gay or lesbian in the schools? This is not my family value or that of a majority of Palm Springs residents. Is it a family value that a middle school student should continue to suffer harassment because he or she is gay or lesbian? That is not my family value and it is not the family value of most Palm Springs residents. Is it a family value that a high school student is prevented from doing well academically because he or she is bullied at school and in the school yard because he or she is gay? That is not my family or community value. What are Jeandron's family values and are they diametrically opposed to those of most Palm Springs residents? Does Jeandron believe that students ought to be able to study and to achieve academically without a hostile environment?
Seems like AFF and ADF fall into the category of bullies. I wonder what the members were like on the school playground. Just sayin'.
What follows if the Press Release from Equality California (EQCA) and the Gay-Straight Student Alliance Network (GSA):
The House of Representatives the week passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R.3685), which prohibits employment discrimination against an individual on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation. This is landmark legislation that advances the core values that America stands for and it's long overdue.
I'm also glad to see that David Dreier (CA-26) voted for the legislation, after many years of voting against equal rights for gay and lesbians. I hope this represents a permanent change in Mr. Dreier's views and not simply an election-year tactic to move toward the center.
Congressman Dreier has had an extensive anti-gay voting record, having voted against the Hate Crimes Prevention Acts of 1997, 2005 and 2007, and having supported legislation that allowed federally funded charities to discriminate against gays and lesbians. He also voted for the Marriage Protection Act in 2004, which would not only have prohibited gay couples from marrying but also stripped the judicial branch of it's essential authority to review the law.
I hope that this week's vote marks a turning point in the long campaign by Congressman Dreier and the Republican Right to deny gay and lesbian citizens their inalienable rights.
For my part, I will continue to fight for full civil rights for all Americans, including those who happen to be gay. And I will press Mr. Dreier to do the same.
I suppose the Right would call this post "Gay rights Update", but as they aren't anything special, IMHO, "equal rights" is a better term. So, anyway, it seems the right is hard up for cash. From the newly free Capitol Alert, we learn that the push to repeal SB 777, the Sheila Kuehl bill to stop discrimination based on sexuality in the schools, is flailing. It's running low on cash, and is getting desperate:
Not so much for the Capitol Resource Institute, the conservative Christian group that is trying to launch a referendum on recently passed anti-discrimination legislation for gay and lesbian students.
"The Save Our Kids campaign is running out of money," Karen England, executive director of the group, pleaded to supporters in an e-mail late Wednesday. "We cannot print or mail any more petitions without financial support." (Capitol Alert 11/8/07)
That noise your hearing? It's that "Waa, waa, waa" sound on the Price is Right. It's kind of hard to reproduce in text.
In other news, Randy Thommason is angry. I know, I know, it's something akin to saying it's sunny in Death Valley, but you know this time it's about Rudy Guiliani. It seems he's angry about Pat Robertson endorsing Rudy. So mad, that he sent out a press release with a link to the YouTube video here. Ah, well, it's funny stuff at least. (More props to Capitol Alert.)
Finally, just as an optimistic note: Of the 10 bills sponsored by Equality California, 9 passed. The one exception? Marriage Equality, which was vetoed by the Governor.
They say history is written by the victors. Well, tonight we should all feel victorious as 