In the immediate wake of Prop 8's victory in California, much of the conversation in the blogosphere was dominated by anger – real and perceived – by some gay activists toward African Americans, acrimony grounded in eventually refuted claims that black voters provided the margin of victory. While Prop 8 opponents were understandably frustrated, the way some lashed out at African Americans was counterproductive at best. Although the Right is still trying hard to drive a wedge between blacks and gay rights activists, the broader conversation has mostly moved on.

This weekend's historic grassroots protests against Prop 8, organized via Join the Impact, have people thinking about the future again. And that's where our focus belongs. Prop 8's supporters have the past on their side, but we have the future. My advice to the marriage ban supporters is to savor their victories now because they're going to find out what it's like to be on the wrong side of history.

Even in defeat we can see the signs of victories to come. According to a CNN exit poll, 61% of voters aged 18-29 opposed Prop 8, while 61% of 65 and older voters backed it. That tells you where we're headed, especially if you compare those results to 2000, when according to an LA Times exit poll 18-29 year old voters supported the anti-gay Proposition 22 by a margin of 58-42. The final vote tallies tell a similar story. Prop 22 passed in 2000 with 61% of the 7.5 million votes cast, but Prop 8 passed with just 52% of the 12 million votes cast. Prop 8 was also defeated across a much broader area of the state than Prop 22 (results by county for Prop 22 & Prop 8).

As I see it, the biggest story about Prop 8 is the California electorate's strong shift in favor of marriage equality in just a matter of years. A majority of white voters backed Prop 22 but opposed Prop 8. We'll be able to say the same thing about African Americans and Hispanics in the future if we commit ourselves now to doing the necessary outreach, education, and relationship-building activism – something our opponents have been doing for years.

The Religious Right is the real obstacle to equality. They bankrolled Prop 8 and led an aggressive and misleading campaign that convinced many voters that voting 'yes' on Prop 8 was a vote to protect their religious freedom and their children. There are millions of voters, of all races and ethnicities, many of whom are religious, who might vote today to support a marriage ban, but only because they've heard the lies spread by opponents of equality, and haven't had the opportunity to have a real conversation about the impact of discrimination on same-sex couples and their families.

We may have history and momentum on our side, but as we saw on November 4, progress is not inevitable, especially when the Right is willing to do and say anything to prevent it. It's time to learn our lessons, revise our strategies, and commit ourselves to strategic, respectful outreach to those Americans who need to hear from us.

Kathryn Kolbert is president of People For the American Way

Download | Play    Download | Play (h/t Heather)

Keith Olbermann asks those who voted for California's Proposition 8 how in the world it should affect them whether gay couples wish to legalize their relationship.

If you voted for this Proposition or support those who did or the sentiment they expressed, I have some questions, because, truly, I do not... understand. Why does this matter to you? What is it to you? In a time of impermanence and fly-by-night relationships, these people over here want the same chance at permanence and happiness that is your option. They don't want to deny you yours. They don't want to take anything away from you. They want what you want -- a chance to be a little less alone in the world.

Only now you are saying to them -- no. You can't have it on these terms. Maybe something similar. If they behave. If they don't cause too much trouble. You'll even give them all the same legal rights -- even as you're taking away the legal right, which they already had. A world around them, still anchored in love and marriage, and you are saying, no, you can't marry. What if somebody passed a law that said you couldn't marry?

On a related note, California Governator, Arnold Schwarzenegger expressed his disappointment in the passage of Proposition 8, and cheered protesters up and down the state by telling them the "fight isn't over" and said he hoped to that the California Supreme Court overturn Prop. 8.

Transcripts below the fold

Continue reading »

Pam's House Blend:

Hypocrisy much? The Church of Jesus of Christ of Latter-day Saints is unhappy about the fact that the media spotlight is trained on its participation in making Prop 8 happen.

In an official statement on the church's web site, bearing false witness and hypocrisy is the order of the day.

It is disturbing that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is being singled out for speaking up as part of its democratic right in a free election.

Members of the Church in California and millions of others from every faith, ethnicity and political affiliation who voted for Proposition 8 exercised the most sacrosanct and individual rights in the United States - that of free expression and voting.

While those who disagree with our position on Proposition 8 have the right to make their feelings known, it is wrong to target the Church and its sacred places of worship for being part of the democratic process.

Once again, we call on those involved in the debate over same-sex marriage to act in a spirit of mutual respect and civility towards each other. No one on either side of the question should be vilified, harassed or subject to erroneous information.

Bzzt. Wrong answer. The people protesting the church's significant role in an another state's democratic process -- members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave millions of dollars to remove the civil rights of human beings -- are merely exercising their right to free speech to highlight that role.

And what is this "erroneous information"? Who knows, the church doesn't say. [..]

And the Catholic church is also lying baldly:

Meanwhile, the Roman Catholic Church was also a target for supporting Proposition 8.

"Proposition 8 is not against any group in our society. Its sole focus is on preserving God's plan for people living upon this earth throughout time," Cardinal Roger Mahony, archbishop of the Diocese of Los Angeles, said in a statement Thursday.

WTF? Wait a minute. Prop 8 just removed an existing right from one specific group of people. There's no way to whitewash this. There's no spin that takes away the fact that religious institutions that backed Proposition 8 did so because of their faith -- interfering with the laws of California.

Sorry, LDS and Catholic Churches, let me pull out my tiny violin for you. You have used the tenets of your faith to infringe upon my secular government to take away rights from people, and I'm supposed to feel bad that protests are targeting you? I just don't think so. Remember Pastor Martin Niemöller? You have targeted the LGBT community today, but what happens when someone targets any faith, because it's not the "right" faith? What if they target you? Inequality is inequality and it should never be tolerated.

(full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign)

"Home Invasion" was produced by two of our friends in the progressive movement -- netroots activists and brothers Dante Atkins and David Atkins. This 60-second ad satirically skewers the Mormon Church's dictation of public policy to Californians. We will be airing on CNN, MSNBC and Comedy Central in selected markets on Election Day.

Let's just say, the Mormon Church is not pleased and the Salt Lake City media is all over this ad. They are uncomfortable being in the spotlight, which they richly deserve for being the biggest force behind the Yes on 8 campaign. BTW they have been planning a fight like Prop 8 since 1997. Dante Atkins (hekebolos) has an internal document from the Mormon Church up on Daily Kos.

Here is the statement they have released in response to the ad.

“The Church has joined a broad-based coalition in defense of traditional marriage. While we feel this is important to all of society, we have always emphasized that respect be given to those who feel differently on this issue. It is unfortunate that some who oppose this proposition have not given the Church this same courtesy.”

We respect that you feel differently about this issue, but rather than respecting our differing positions, you have attempted to impose your position on all of California. That is what we are responding to and why we are fighting so hard to keep our rights that you are trying to take away.

If you are in CA and can volunteer tomorrow, call your local No on 8 office. If you like our ad, contribute to help get it up on the air.

And here is the big one. Make sure that everyone you know makes it to the polls tomorrow and votes all the way down the ballot. Even if Obama is looking good and numbers are coming in from the East Coast, we need to make sure people go vote. So spread the word! No on Prop 8.

Let's annoy the Mormon Church even more with a victory tomorrow.

(full disclosure: I proudly work for the Courage Campaign)

Frankly, I am not surprised in the least that they went there. African-Americans tend to be more conservative on GLBT equality issues than much of the rest of the Democratic coalition. The Yes on 8 campaign is fighting for every vote and thought that they could gain from misrepresenting Obama's position on Prop 8.

Barack Obama and Joe Biden both oppose Prop 8. The Yes on 8 campaign sent a mailer above to untold thousands of African-American voters in California, featuring large pictures of Obama and the quote that "I'm not in favor of gay marriage..."

The quote is real, Obama and Biden oppose marriage, BUT refuse to take away rights from Americans. Here is the statement they released in reaction to the mailer:

"Senators Obama and Biden have made clear their commitment to fighting for equal rights for all Americans whether it's by granting LGBT Americans all the civil rights and benefits available to heterosexual couples, or repealing 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell.' While Senators Obama and Biden oppose same-sex marriage, they support civil unions," said a statement issued by campaign spokesman Ben LaBolt. "Senator Obama has already announced that the Obama-Biden ticket opposes Proposition 8 and similar discriminatory constitutional amendments that could roll back the civil rights he and Senator Biden strongly believe should be afforded to all Americans."

Now the question is will more people hear about Obama's real position on Prop 8 than will read the mailer? It is up to us to help spread the word.

I am sitting in the No on Prop 8 headquarters in San Francisco. This place is just buzzing with energy and flooded with volunteers. There were 300-400 people here for just one of four trainings that will be held here this weekend (see pic below). Mayor Gavin Newsom choked up when he spoke to the volunteers. This is the final few days of a battle he helped start four years ago and one we can finally win on Tuesday.

BTW my colleague Lucas is at "The Call" the supposedly huge gathering of evangelicals in San Diego against Prop 8 (and 4 for that matter). They were talking about getting 71,000 people in Qualcomm stadium. Lucas says it looks like about 7,000 people are there and a steady stream are heading for the exits.

You can help us win. Respond to the mailers by making sure we have the cash to get the message out to voters that Obama opposes Prop 8. Donate via ActBlue now.

Sign-up here to volunteer. We need every single person that can help talk directly to voters. There is a special netroots sign-up form. Don't forget to say that Crooks and Liars sent you.

The ACLU has put together this video to help get across the importance for Californians to reject Proposition 8, which will change our state constitution to write in discrimination for citizens because of their sexual orientation.

We're still looking for your help. Please donate to No On 8, even if you're not a Californian. The precedent set in this state will be used in others.

Samuel L. Jackson narrates a video by the No on 8 campaign about the history of discrimination in California and how we cannot allow it to happen again.

Calitics has some insight that may give some hope, but don't think the fight is over.

(cross-posted from Calitics)

Yes, he went there at an official Sacramento Yes on 8 rally yesterday. This is Brad Dacus, an official Prop 8 spokesperson speaking. He is the President of the Pacific Justice Institute, a religious-right lawyers 501c3 organization.

Here is the transcript:

"There was another time in history when people, when the bell tolled. And the question was whether or not they were going to hear it. The time was during Nazi Germany with Adolf Hitler. You see he brought crowds of clergy together to assure them that he was going to look after the church.

And one of the members, bold and courageous, Reverend Niemand (sp?) made his way to the front and (inaudible) said "Hitler, we are not concerned about the church. Jesus Christ will take care of the church.

We are concerned about the soul of Germany." Embarrassed and chagrined, his peers quickly shuffled him to the back.

And as they did Adolf Hitler said, "The soul of Germany, you can leave that to me." And they did, and because they did bombs did not only fall upon the nation of Germany, but also upon the church and their testimony to this very day.

Let us not make that mistake folks. Let us hear the bell! Vote on Proposition 8!"

Dacus is the guy who was the chief architect of the movement to get an opt-out law for parents to take their child out of any school activity that violates their religious or moral beliefs. Like say, if a charter school asks the parents if they want to take their kids on a field trip to celebrate their teacher getting married. You know, the one they are conveniently forgetting about and then lying in their ads about education and teh children.

Heck, you can even find instructions on how to get an opt-out form on his organization's website. This is the guy who is comparing me to Hitler in an attempt to take away my rights.

The best way you can answer back to Dacus is to get out this weekend and election day and volunteer for the No on 8 campaign. There is a special netroots volunteer sign-up form. Fill it out and tell them you came from Crooks and Liars.

The Gitmo trails are beginning to assume the appearance of an Oscar Wilde farce.

Ali Hamza al-Bahlul, facing a possible life sentence, sat mutely at the defense table. His lawyer announced the prisoner was boycotting the trial because he did not want a military attorney and because the judge had denied his repeated requests to represent himself.

The appointed defense attorney, Air Force Maj. David Frakt, asked to be relieved in deference to his client's wishes, but the judge refused. Frakt then said he could not participate either.

"I will be joining Mr. Al-Bahlul's boycott, sitting silently at the table," said Frakt, who then refused to respond to several questions from the judge.

The judge, Air Force Col. Ronald Gregory, said Frakt was obligated to participate and that both the lawyer and defendant, despite their wishes, would be required to attend the hearings — even if they stay silent.

"The commission will not proceed with an empty defense table," Gregory said.

This is only the second tribunal to actually convene, out of around 80 trials of detainees expected (from 255 still held). What's it going to be like by the time the 20th, 40th rolls around? And what about the other 170+ detainees?

It's quite clear the process is deeply flawed - so flawed that in a real court some very bad people would walk free because their trials are contaminated by tortured evidence and official interference in due process that, in truth, are just as much war crimes as the offenses detainees are accused of. Despite the howlings of the rabid Right, though, that's the way the civilization cookie should crumble. If they wanted it otherwise, the Bush administration's actions were entirely the wrong way to go about it.

Amy Goodman talks to Michael Ratner of the Center for Constitutional Rights about Gitmo

Crossposted from Newshoggers

(full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign)

Last night, news broke that the the Prop 8 campaign -- after first denying it -- admitted to sending certified letters to companies that donated to "No on 8" and Equality California (one of the major funders of the No campaign) demanding that the companies provide a matching donation to Yes on 8, or they would be "outed."

ProtectMarriage.com, a group that includes Mark Jansson, a self-described member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints:

sent a certified letter this week asking companies to withdraw their support of Equality California, a nonprofit organization that is helping lead the campaign against Proposition 8.

"Make a donation of a like amount to ProtectMarriage.com which will help us correct this error," reads the letter. "Were you to elect not to donate comparably, it would be a clear indication that you are in opposition to traditional marriage. ... The names of any companies and organizations that choose not to donate in like manner to ProtectMarriage.com but have given to Equality California will be published."

Ballsy no? And verging on illegal. Unfortunately, it is just the latest in a series of lies, smears and distortions from the Prop 8 campaign and in particular the Mormon Church.

The story broke just hours after the Courage Campaign launched a petition to Church of Latter-day Saints President-Prophet Thomas Monson to cease funding the misguided "Yes on 8" campaign.

The Mormon Church has spent the last three months intimidating their members into giving money to "Yes on Prop 8" -- which would take marriage rights away from same-sex couples -- telling Mormon families that their "souls will be in jeopardy" if they do not contribute portions of their income.

Members of the Mormon Church have contributed a whopping $8 million to the "Yes on 8" campaign -- about 40% of the total amount raised as of October 13 -- to pass a ballot measure that removes basic civil rights from our state constitution.

And what has this money bought? A pernicious pack of lies, broadcast dozens of times a day into California homes. A church whose ninth commandment reads "thou shalt not bear false witness" is helping fund false ads that claim California parents do not have the right to remove their children from sex education classes -- a right they have and that courts have repeatedly confirmed.

Yesterday, California State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jack O'Connell expressed his strong opposition to Prop 8 in a hard-hitting TV ad, emphatically reminding voters that "our schools aren't required to teach anything about marriage." In fact, every education authority in the state has rejected the lies and distortions of the Prop 8 campaign, including the California Teachers Association and the California School Boards Association.

It's time for Californians to fight back against these dishonest attacks by the religious right. On Tuesday, we will deliver a letter to President-Prophet Thomas Monson at the Los Angeles Mormon Temple, demanding that his church stop funding the blatant lies of the "Yes on 8" campaign.

Please show your support by signing onto our letter right now.

(h/t Debra C for first picture)
WCBS-TV:

They're ads you may have seen around New York City. They're supposed to be promoting storage, but they have a political and comical edge to them.

But their latest ad doesn't have too many people laughing.

Its billboards have always been edgy, but has Manhattan Mini Storage gone over the edge?

The ad causing controversy depicts a coat hanger and takes a stance on abortion, along with the slogan: "Your closet space is shrinking as fast as her right to choose."

Needless to say, it didn't take long for the backlash to come.

"These billboards, we think they're absolutely disgusting," said Kiera McCaffrey of the Catholic League. [..]

Manhattan Mini Storage often uses liberal messages in its billboards, reflecting the politics of a city in which three-quarters of voters picked John Kerry over George Bush in 2004.

Their latest ad, as shown in a NYC subway station shows a woman's body, wearing a Palin-esque suit with a button that says "Choice" with a circle and a line through the word, with the ad line, "What's more limited, your closet space or her experience?"

Personally, I like the coathanger ad. I think that image is a stark reminder of the dangers of letting the government take choices away from women. Abortions will not decline if they repeal Roe v. Wade, they'll just become more dangerous.

(full disclosure: I work for the Courage Campaign, a No on Prop 8 coalition member)

Two anonymous donors have offered to match dollar for dollar every donation that comes in to the No on Prop 8 campaign, to protect marriage rights for everyone in California up to $500,000. Below are 8 things that should motivate you to help us meet the match.

You can contribute directly to the campaign via ActBlue here.

8. John McCain can look Ellen Degeneres straight in the face and reject her right to marriage.

7. Luckily, the big donors behind Prop 8 don't think stoning gays is a "necessity."

In 2004, Howard F. Ahmanson -- who gave $900K to the Yes campaign -- told the Orange County Register: "I think what upsets people is that Rushdoony seemed to think –- and I'm not sure about this –- that a godly society would stone people for the same thing that people in ancient Israel were stoned. I no longer consider that essential. It would still be a little hard to say that if one stumbled on a country that was doing that, that it is inherently immoral, to stone people for these things. But I don't think it's at all a necessity."

6. "Yes on 8" supporters are emptying out their savings accounts to defeat "teh gays"
"Pam and Rick Patterson have always followed teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and tried to live within their means. 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. It's a traditional lifestyle they believe is now at risk. That's why the Pattersons recently made a huge financial sacrifice – they withdrew $50,000 from their savings and donated it to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign, the ballot measure that seeks to ban same-sex marriage."

5. They are gracious enough to remind us that it's not about intolerance.
"Proposition 8 is NOT an attack on gay couples" --www.Protectmarriage.com "In August [2008], the prophets added pages of elaboration: 'The Church has a single, undeviating standard of sexual morality: intimate relations are proper only between a husband and a wife united in bonds of matrimony.'"

4. They value America's workers.
"The (one million) YES on Prop 8 yard signs have been delayed in route from China."

3. Mormons love gays so much, they have pressured their 770,000 members to donate millions of dollars to pass Prop 8 and eliminate marriage rights:
If you're not listed on the massive searchable donor spreadsheets publicly available on this site, you must not be a good Mormon.

2. Their spokespeople want to extend the "equality" to elderly and sterile couples!

And, the #1 reason why you should donate to defeat Prop 8:

1. Religious wingnuts are packing Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego on November 1. And they are mobilizing millions across America at "TheCall.com" (MUST-WATCH VIDEO AT THE TOP).

http://www.thecall.com/

There are at least two anti-choice ballot initiatives this year, Prop 4 in California and Prop 11 in South Dakota. One expects a great many propositions on the always enormous California ballot, but the South Dakota proposition is pernicious, since South Dakotans voted on this issue (and turned down radical restrictions on reproductive choice) just two years ago.

The South Dakota Campaign for Healthy Families is at the forefront of proving just how intrusive and illogical these measures, which are purely an imposition of one religious position onto every citizen, can be.

h/t Beautiful Day Rule.

The recently married Ellen DeGeneres paid out of her own pocket to make an ad urging Californians to vote No on Proposition 8. And with good reason. Thanks to the deep out-of-state purses of the Mormon church, focusing exclusively on fear-mongering over children and schools (not marriage itself), encouraging members to volunteer time and money, they have been able to spread their message far and wide.

You can help. You can volunteer on for No on 8 Campaign. There are a few supporters who have offered to match dollar-for-dollar donations this weekend, so if you afford to do so, please donate money. Kossacks are on the case as well.

Lane Hudson has written an Open Letter to Dianne Feinstein, the former SF Mayor and current California Senator to remember her roots in supporting the gay community and forcefully voice her opposition to Proposition 8.

Continue reading »

As a writer with openly progressive opinions living overseas, I would be surprised if my emails and telephone calls to Our Kid – a poli-sci professor who studied in Madrid and wrote her PhD on Spanish terrorism – have not been monitored by the US government. It’s been a long-standing joke between us to wave hello to the lonely NSA guy in the basement listening in on our conversations. But a new ABC report confirms what has long been suspected – it’s no joke. NSA officials have intentionally intercepted, listened to and passed around the phone calls of hundreds of innocent U.S. citizens working overseas, including journalists and international aid workers including the International Red Cross and Doctors Without Borders, even when it was definite the calls were not related to anything to do with national security, while the government misled the American public about the scope of its surveillance activities. But rather than listening for possible connections to suspected terrorists, it seems what really interests those NSA guys with headphones down in the basement is… sex.

According to Adrienne Kinne and David Murfee Faulk, two former military intercept operators who worked at the giant National Security Agency (NSA) center in Fort Gordon, Georgia, for years intercept operators listened in on hundreds of phone calls from American soldiers in Baghdad’s Green Zone as they talked to their spouses, girlfriends, and family about ‘personal, private things with Americans who are not in any way, shape or form associated with anything to do with terrorism.’ Intercept operators assigned to a special military program at the NSA's Back Hall at Fort Gordon would routinely share salacious phone calls that had been recorded, and gossip about it during breaks. ‘ “Hey, check this out, there's good phone sex or there's some pillow talk, pull up this call, it's really funny, go check it out.” It would be some colonel making pillow talk and we would say, “Wow, this was crazy”.’

‘The American public is led to believe that the NSA is eavesdropping on calls where one party is a member of al Qaeda, but in reality the NSA is monitoring and collecting the personal communications of innocent Americans,’ said James Bamford, who first interviewed the former intercept officers for his book, ‘The Shadow Factory,’ due out next week. ‘What's worse, once a telephone number or e-mail address gets picked up, it stays in the system. Every communication from the number or address is picked up, monitored and stored permanently.’

Continue reading »

(full disclosure: I proudly work for the Courage Campaign, a No on 8 coalition member)

You guys are amazing! Between C&L readers giving via my post Thursday and kossacks from kos's post over $34,000 has come into the No on Prop 8 campaign to preserve equality for all.

The blogosphere is stepping up for marriage equality in California in a big way and it could not come at a more important time. That is especially true with the great news from the Connecticut Supreme Court on marriage equality today. Losing here in CA would just embolden the right in CT to try and take away rights there. We can't let that happen.

The Yes on 8 campaign honestly surprised us with the strength of their fundraising. For a while, we weren't quite sure how much they were up on us, because they broke the Secretary of State's reporting system. Their report was too large for it to handle. The reporting system is fixed, but the numbers are still jaw-dropping.

They have raised $24.3 million to our $15.4 million.

A lot of that has come in from small donors. LAT:

But the "Yes on 8" campaign also is particularly successful at mining small donors. It raised $4.5 million in increments of less than $1,000, and $8.6 million in donations of less than $10,000. That works out to about 46% of its money.

We are $34,000 closer to matching them thanks to the netroots response in the last 24 hours. But we still need your help.

The No on 8 campaign is fighting the right's lies with the new ad, just released yesterday. We need your help to get the word out to voters about their lies. They are flooding the airwaves and we need to answer back. That takes money. So, give what you can. Remember, ballot campaigns in California have no contribution limits. Large and small donations add up and -- to get our message out and win this battle for equal rights -- we need those donations in a big way ASAP.