Combined Gay News Headlines (T5T-1)

Q Of The Day: Are You Sending Any More Money To The California Campaign(s) For Marriage Equality?

The Los Angeles Gay And Lesbian Center  has a press release out entitled L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's www.InvalidateProp8.org Distributes Funds Raised to Protect Marriage Equality.  They're talking about donations of nearly $60,000 (made by 2,300 donors) via the InvalidateProp8.org website in an effort to overturn Prop 8:

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center announced today that its InvalidateProp8.org Web initiative has raised more than $60,000 to support the effort to overturn Proposition 8. More than 2,300 postcards, one for each donation, are being sent to Mormon church President Thomas Monson, acknowledging that a donation has been made in his name to invalidate Prop. 8 and restore fundamental civil rights to all Californians.

The Center launched the initiative at a news conference in front of the Los Angeles Mormon Temple, three days after the election, to not only support the work to invalidate Proposition 8, but send a message to the leaders of the Mormon church that no one's religious beliefs should be used to deny fundamental rights to others. At the urging of church leadership, Mormons contributed more than $15 million to fund the deceitful advertising campaign that resulted in the initiative's passage by a small margin.

"It is a travesty that the Mormon church bought this election and used a campaign of lies and deception to manipulate voters in the great state of California," said L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief Executive Officer Lorri L. Jean. "People from all over the world are sending a message to President Monson that we will not tolerate being stripped of our equal rights in the name of religious bigotry. They're entitled to their beliefs, but not to impose them upon the constitution or laws of California."

On this Saturday of national protesting on unequal marriage rights, I'm finding I'm not inclined to donate to any money to organized Repeal Prop 8 related campaigns in their current forms. And, that's specifically because the current organized fundraising campaigns are ran by the same organizations that orchestrated the very recent, unsucessful, No On Prop 8 Campaign. In my mind, you don't do the same thing again -- or in this case support the same strategizers again -- and expect different results.

Frankly, I personally believe the coalition ran an horribly ineffective, flawed, No On Prop 8 Campaign that didn't come close to reflecting the grassroots or the diversity of the LGBT community. Frankly, I don't want to send any more money to any of these organizations until they clean out their individual organizations' leadership to better reflect the grassroots and the diversity of the LGBT community.

And, more top down thinking and top down campaigns by LGBT "leadership" just isn't going to cut it for me anymore.

Hell, we're talking here too about a media release on marriage equality from the Los Angeles Gay And Lesbian Center -- why, in 2008, doesn't their organization have a Bisexual and a Transgender in their organization's name? I think after ENDA in the 110th Congress and now Prop 8 in California, inclusive names matter a hell of a lot more to me than they used to.

If an organization identifies itself as an LGBT civil rights organization, then I want to see an LGBT inclusive name. By the same token, the HRC has a broad enough name for me as an LGBT civil rights organization, but not a trans inclusive enough political agenda for me to get my financial support. For me, that's the way it just is going to go from now on.

So what are your thoughts on all this? Especially if you previously donated to the official No On Prop 8 Campaign, are you going to donate any more money to same organizations that ran that No On Prop 8 Campaign to overturn Proposition 8? Why or why not?

Q Of The Day: Are You Sending Any More Money To The California Campaign(s) For Marriage Equality?

The Los Angeles Gay And Lesbian Center  has a press release out entitled L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's www.InvalidateProp8.org Distributes Funds Raised to Protect Marriage Equality.  They're talking about donations of nearly $60,000 (made by 2,300 donors) via the InvalidateProp8.org website in an effort to overturn Prop 8:

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center announced today that its InvalidateProp8.org Web initiative has raised more than $60,000 to support the effort to overturn Proposition 8. More than 2,300 postcards, one for each donation, are being sent to Mormon church President Thomas Monson, acknowledging that a donation has been made in his name to invalidate Prop. 8 and restore fundamental civil rights to all Californians.

The Center launched the initiative at a news conference in front of the Los Angeles Mormon Temple, three days after the election, to not only support the work to invalidate Proposition 8, but send a message to the leaders of the Mormon church that no one's religious beliefs should be used to deny fundamental rights to others. At the urging of church leadership, Mormons contributed more than $15 million to fund the deceitful advertising campaign that resulted in the initiative's passage by a small margin.

"It is a travesty that the Mormon church bought this election and used a campaign of lies and deception to manipulate voters in the great state of California," said L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center Chief Executive Officer Lorri L. Jean. "People from all over the world are sending a message to President Monson that we will not tolerate being stripped of our equal rights in the name of religious bigotry. They're entitled to their beliefs, but not to impose them upon the constitution or laws of California."

On this Saturday of national protesting on unequal marriage rights, I'm finding I'm not inclined to donate to any money to organized Repeal Prop 8 related campaigns in their current forms. And, that's specifically because the current organized fundraising campaigns are ran by the same organizations that orchestrated the very recent, unsucessful, No On Prop 8 Campaign. In my mind, you don't do the same thing again -- or in this case support the same strategizers again -- and expect different results.

Frankly, I personally believe the coalition ran an horribly ineffective, flawed, No On Prop 8 Campaign that didn't come close to reflecting the grassroots or the diversity of the LGBT community. Frankly, I don't want to send any more money to any of these organizations until they clean out their individual organizations' leadership to better reflect the grassroots and the diversity of the LGBT community.

And, more top down thinking and top down campaigns by LGBT "leadership" just isn't going to cut it for me anymore.

Hell, we're talking here too about a media release on marriage equality from the Los Angeles Gay And Lesbian Center -- why, in 2008, doesn't their organization have a Bisexual and a Transgender in their organization's name? I think after ENDA in the 110th Congress and now Prop 8 in California, inclusive names matter a hell of a lot more to me than they used to.

If an organization identifies itself as an LGBT civil rights organization, then I want to see an LGBT inclusive name. By the same token, the HRC has a broad enough name for me as an LGBT civil rights organization, but not a trans inclusive enough political agenda for me to get my financial support. For me, that's the way it just is going to go from now on.

So what are your thoughts on all this? Especially if you previously donated to the official No On Prop 8 Campaign, are you going to donate any more money to same organizations that ran that No On Prop 8 Campaign to overturn Proposition 8? Why or why not?

Mormon Church Issues "Statement on Democratic Process"

And what a load of horse puckey it is. Here's my impertinent response to the high muckety-muck priesthood holders. 

First Presidency Urges Respect, Civility in Public Discourse

Since the people of California voted to reaffirm the sanctity of traditional marriage between a man and a woman on November 4, 2008, places of worship have been targeted by opponents of Proposition 8 with demonstrations and, in some cases, vandalism.  People of faith have been intimidated for simply exercising their democratic rights. These are not actions that are worthy of the democratic ideals of our nation.  The end of a free and fair election should not be the beginning of a hostile response in America.

Uh, Tom [Monson], Henry [Eyring] and Dieter [Uchtdorf] (I can call you that, right?), when you take away someone's civil rights, people do not take real kindly to that. You should have expected that there would be trouble. Don't you pay PR people big bucks to advise you on this stuff? From my reading of the proposition, your actions in promoting Yes on Proposition 8 FORCIBLY DIVORCED 18,000 couples. Not only that, people I know who had planned to get married in California now cannot do so. And you expect those people to just roll over and play dead? Dream on.  

(more after the jump)

The Church is keenly aware of the differences of opinion on this difficult and sensitive matter. The reasons for this principled stand in defense of marriage have already been articulated elsewhere. However, some of what we have seen since Californians voted to pass Proposition 8 has been deeply disappointing.

Don't try to dignify what you did with the idea that it was "principled." NO, it was accomplished through lies and in some cases, attempts at intimidation. I myself gave money to No on Proposition 8 after the Yes people (made up primarily of Latter-day Saints, I might remind people) sent out blackmail letters to businesses that had given money to No on 8. As for the protests, when you run a campaign such as this, enlist all your footsoldiers, hold satellite conferences, call people to positions, shake down members for money, and basically go out and campaign both in church and out to pass this proposition, you should (AGAIN) not be surprised at the reaction. Of COURSE people are going to gravitate to the brightly lit, white buildings where the Church performs marriages that cannot be observed by non-members. It's a big, well-lit target. Again, why should you be surprised?

Attacks on churches and intimidation of people of faith have no place in civil discourse over controversial issues. People of faith have a democratic right to express their views in the public square without fear of reprisal. Efforts to force citizens out of public discussion should be deplored by people of goodwill everywhere.

You know, up until today, when I read an article in Meridian magazine (an LDS magazine) by one Gary Lawrence, who was a hotshot in Yes on 8, I would have said, yeah, getting onto small individual donors like the manager of El Coyote is not a good idea. Then I read Mr. Lawrence's article (here: http://www.meridianmagazine.com/ideas/080711war.html ) and, frankly, it stinks. This man compared those of us who did not support Yes on 8 to those of Heavenly Father's children in the pre-existence who decided to follow Satan in the War in Heaven. That's just sick, twisted and demented. And that's just ONE example of the kind of rhetoric that's been brought to my attention. I'm sure there are many, many others, including the stuff said over the pulpit in hundreds of Mormon wards in California over the past several months.

 

We call upon those who have honest disagreements on this issue to urge restraint upon the extreme actions of a few that are further polarizing our communities and urge them to act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility towards each other.

Yeah, the asshats who sent white powder to the temples are no better than terrorists and should be prosecuted. (Similarly, people who send white powder to abortion clinics should also be prosecuted.) However, people exercising their civil rights to protest (you know, the one you haven't gotten a chance to take away yet through initiative and referendum) are not going to be silenced by this faux plea. You, Tom, Henry, Dieter and the rest of the Council of Twelve, the General Authorities of the Church and the people who follow you unquestioningly, you brought it on yourself.

I'm going to tomorrow's protest. I haven't decided on my signs, but I'm leaning towards "Let's Vote On Your Marriage Next" and "Keep Your Doctrine Off My Covenants." In short, gentlemen, you brought this on yourself and, as the guy who forwarded your statement to me said, you made me angry all over again. You are either clueless or venal and in this moment I can't decide which.

--mirele

heterosexual female

former Mormon, resigned 9 Nov 2008  

 

LGBT Civil Rights Orgs' Leadership Give Forecasts For LGBT Civil Rights In The Obama Era

DC's Metro Weekly come a Q&A with a number of LGBT Civil Rights organizations' Executive Directors. Some of the questions from MW were:

- From your perspective, what is the most immediate effect of the presidential election on the GLBT community?

- Since the 1990s, a small number of GLBT issues have consistently emerged at the federal legislative level: ''Don't Ask, Don't Tell'', ENDA, partner immigration, hate crimes and marriage equality. With a Democratic Congress and president, which of those issues do you believe should be prioritized?

- How do you believe the landscape will change for GLBT federal workers under the new administration? Will Obama's pledge to extend domestic-partner benefits to federal workers come through?

And, the one I'm really interested in:

- Will Congress be able to pass a trans-inclusive ENDA?

Not a surprise in one sense...only 3 of the 7 executive directors that answered any of the questions for this survey were quoted answering that particular ENDA question at all -- and 1 of those 3 quoted as answering that question was Mara Keisling of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE).

I'll hazard a guess as to why only 3 of 7 were quoted: My guess would be that the 4 of the 7 orgs that didn't answer that question either on their survey because they either didn't want to be on record on this subject, or didn't have very positive thoughts on the subject.

Of course, 1 of the 7 organizations whose executive director's answered questions for MW but didn't have an answer for the ENDA question was the soon to be the soon ex-executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, Patrick  Sammon. So, there's no surprise that there's no trans-positive statement coming from him -- I don't recall ever seeing a trans-positive statement from his organization.

Call me a today's pessimist on a fully inclusive ENDA for the 111th Congress. I hope it's just my angst over the No On Prop 8 campaign failing to win on election day that's fueling today's pessimism on my part -- hopefully, I'll be more optimistic on ENDA during 2009/2010's Congress.