The "Christian" right is energized by their victories

[Rick336]

From 365gay.com News:

(Los Angeles, California) Energized by a comeback win, conservative activists want to apply the same formula they used to outlaw same-sex marriage in California to prevent other states from recognizing gay unions and President-elect Barack Obama from expanding the rights of gays and lesbians.


Read more of the story here --->http://www.365gay.com/news/gay-bans-embolden-conservative-religious-groups/


Rick

[Zerbie]

We need to hit these groups in the pocketbook.

Any ideas?

[Zerbie]

I'm still considering what I think of the effectiveness of this idea, but it has been suggested to boycott Utah's tourism industry. One commenter was ticked off by the Utah suggestion but did suggest we all boycott CA.

I don't know about boycotting CA. It's not the voters we have to affect, it's the church leaderships who funded the props, and provided volunteers, etc. Churches cannot function as campaign headquarter buildings, but from what I have been given to understand, a great many churches have played that role this summer and fall.

For your consideration, the idea is here:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j3xrKGCR3_Lr31cirVMS_5fY_8igD94ADR9G0

[Rick336]

We need to hit these groups in the pocketbook.

Any ideas?

I don't know. Boycotts sometimes work, but sometimes they don't.

The more I think about the four defeats on LGBT equality last Tuesday the angrier I get. I hear about the big protests going in California today but I'm way on the other side of the country.

Lesbian activist Robin Tyler tried to organize a national march on Washington for LGBT Rights that was supposed to take place this year. But her idea was shot down by other leaders in the community who believed it was not needed. Really? I wonder what they're thinking now.

So here we sit in front of our PCs, pissed off at the huge losses of last Tuesday and nothing to do with this anger. California LGBT people get to shout in the streets, but what about the rest of us? What are we supposed to do? Sit here and take our frustrations out on a computer keyboard? That doesn't work!

At this very moment there's a busload of thirty Equality Riders criss-crossing the South protesting LGBT injustice. I wish I was on that bus. Maybe next year instead of thirty Equality Riders there should be 300. You can bet your behind that that would get the attention of the news media.

And what about the American Family Outing? What impact would it have if we did that on a much larger scale? Instead of a handful of brave people, what about hundreds of brave people? We need to go to the places of worship where our opponents are meeting and make some noise.

Remember the Soulforce protest demonstration a couple of years ago at Focus on the Family? It drew dozens of participants. Was that just a one time thing? Why did that stop? We should keep doing that. But instead of dozens of people, imagine the same protest drawing thousands of people.

We can do this. We NEED to do this. It's time to let the other side know that we are not going to take this bullshit sitting down. We need a brave leader who can stand up and say, "Follow me!!!"

Robin Tyler? Mel White? Ellen DeGeneres? Joe Solmonese? There’s a lot of very pissed off people out here. Tell us what to do!!!


Rick

[pnggrad79]

I would participate in a protest in Washington, and in one in Los Angeles or Sacramento. I am hoping Obama institutes or pushes forward on his promise to extend us civil rights-civil unions or civil marriages. I hope the federal level supercedes the state level. Wait, wasn't this the issue with slavery a century or more ago? Hmm, this ugly issue has reared its head again. Let's chop it off and march for freedom of marriage to gays and lesbians. :smashy::smashy::smashy::unhappy::unhappy:

[tdogg]

First, we need to get our voices heard. We need to NOT go away in a week or two. We need to strengthen our actions, expand our numbers. We need to do this in California, but also in others states and more importantly, in DC. No matter what, we cannot afford to be meek and mild and way too nice any longer. It's time to take control of our own equality efforts, use the words discrimination and gay, and reach out to people on a national level. The No on 8 campaign was weak, too nice and obviously not effective enough. It's time to quite listening to others on how to proceed and get our message out. Let our voices be heard. Be out and proud and fight for our equal rights.

The demographics of the yes voters is only relevant to prepare for outreach and protest activities. There is no use in laying blame, I blame myself for not doing enough. We need to learn from this, because as week as our fight was, we barely lost. If we strengthen the message and increase our activists, just think what we can do. We need to organize and act on a national level.

We need to get in touch with the folks who thought about a national action and backed down. Now is the time, after the new president takes office and before too much time passes in 2009. Let's get it done. Anyone interested in organizing at the national level, please PM me. Let's brainstorm. I'm willing to buy a plane ticket and take time off work. I'm willing to devote myself to fighting for equality.

I read an excellent article at Daily Kors (I believe it was this past Wednesday). We have to get everyone off their duff (GLBT and allies) and act NOW. PM me, I'll give you my email and phone number. If we start now, maybe we can do a march this spring. If we can get in touch with people who have widespread influence, just think of the numbers of people we can get together.

[Rick336]

First, we need to get our voices heard. We need to NOT go away in a week or two. We need to strengthen our actions, expand our numbers. We need to do this in California, but also in others states and more importantly, in DC. No matter what, we cannot afford to be meek and mild and way too nice any longer. It's time to take control of our own equality efforts, use the words discrimination and gay, and reach out to people on a national level. The No on 8 campaign was weak, too nice and obviously not effective enough. It's time to quite listening to others on how to proceed and get our message out. Let our voices be heard. Be out and proud and fight for our equal rights.

The demographics of the yes voters is only relevant to prepare for outreach and protest activities. There is no use in laying blame, I blame myself for not doing enough. We need to learn from this, because as week as our fight was, we barely lost. If we strengthen the message and increase our activists, just think what we can do. We need to organize and act on a national level.

We need to get in touch with the folks who thought about a national action and backed down. Now is the time, after the new president takes office and before too much time passes in 2009. Let's get it done. Anyone interested in organizing at the national level, please PM me. Let's brainstorm. I'm willing to buy a plane ticket and take time off work. I'm willing to devote myself to fighting for equality.

I read an excellent article at Daily Kors (I believe it was this past Wednesday). We have to get everyone off their duff (GLBT and allies) and act NOW. PM me, I'll give you my email and phone number. If we start now, maybe we can do a march this spring. If we can get in touch with people who have widespread influence, just think of the numbers of people we can get together.

Great advice Tdogg. I absolutely agree with you about a national effort. I have not seen a defeat of our rights on this scale since the Anita Bryant campaign 30 years ago. It's unbelievable.

As far as a national march, I would suggest contacting Robin Tyler. She was involved in the 1979 national march and tried to get a march organized for 2008. She was involved in the "No on 8" campaign and is a veteran activist.


Rick

[Gennee]

I am curious as to how the prop 8 position was presented to those who were deciding how to vote? I ask the same question about Arizona and Florida.

One ad I heard was that Obama was against same-sex marriage ( a position he has publicly stated). However he aslo said that he was AGAINST the ban, something that was NOT brought out in the ads by the anti-gay forces (can you say misinformation). Sadly, blacks are being blamed for the yes vote but it was much money being poured in by the Mormon church and many affluent whites who contributed to Prop 8's passage.

We don't need the blame game, something our opponents want to see happen. I still believe that there are a lot of people who were confused by the issue because of how it may have been presented in the ads. This also adds to the fact that some probably did not do their homework. couple that with people's preconceived notions and biases and it is a recipe for confusion and bigotry, though maybe not intentionally.

We still need to educate legislators (new and old) and the public because there's many who have no conception of what it is to be discriminated against.

Gennee

[tdogg]

It's the Christian 'wrong'. Yes, they have much to be proud and ecstatic about. Prop 8 was passed because the campaign used lies, deceit and scare tactics in their ads and phone calls. They used Obama, they exploited minor children in an ad against the express wishes of the parents. The used a trip organized by parents for the children to attend the teacher's 'gay' wedding, and two children didn't go because the parents opted them out (which the yes on 8 campaign conveniently failed to say in the ad).

Yes, the religious wrong can be very proud of their victory. They can hold their heads up high and thank their God. If I were them, I would be hiding in shame and hoping God doesn't find out. But in my experience, people like this are hypocrites with shame, and there is nothing Godly in or about them. It's all about the money and the power. The Christ must be appalled that they call themselves Christian.

Eventually we will overcome their lies and deceit. For, history has proven that over time, justice, truth and love will always win out over discrimination, llies and hate.

[keltic63]

yep, they're getting bold: http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/briefs/x711126896/W-Va-Southern-Baptists-call-for-gay-marriage-ban

[pnggrad79]

Unbelievable! I didn't have to vote on straight marriages, why do they get to vote on ours? There is so much inequality in this whole thing. I thought it was funny that the marriage ban proponents said something to the effect that,"This issue has thrown people together (Mormons, Hispanics, etc) that normally we wouldn't share a table with..." To me this says, that we like you as long as you play like we do. Other than that, they would have nothing in common. Does this sound like the love of Christ to you? It doesn't sound like anything of the sort to me.

Someday over the rainbow.....

[nmwolfboy]

Hitting the foes of our civil rights in the pocketbook need not be through boycotts, etc. Look at the recent announcement by FOTF of layoffs for an example. Somehow as a community we need to make their fight against our equal rights a costly undertaking in & of itself.

As the regular pew-warmers of these groups feel the bite of the current economic crisis, i hope they'll be less & less likely to continue funding such a money-draining campaign. After all, despite their claims, their impetus for continuing the fight against our rights cannot have anywhere near the commitment we have to gaining & preserving our equality.

So far as strategies to combat their intent to spread the battle, i think they're quite clear. First, there needs to be more recognition of the strengths/limitations of (and partnership between) LGBT rights organizations and grass roots/street activists. It looks like there was no small disconnect between the top-down 'professional' folks running the No on 8 campaign and the traditional grass-roots activism within our communities. We need both approaches, working in a complementary way.

We also need to build coalitions with other groups to whom civil rights are an important issue. We need to educate & illustrate how our rights are tied to their rights. We need to demonstrate that our commitment to civil rights encompasses a commitment to their civil rights as well.

But those are just my thoughts this morning, before coffee. :eek:

Pax et bonum,
scott

[CaptainSnoopy]

I used to work in computer security. When one is looking to breach security, you exploit the weakest point. The weakest point is the biggest funder of prop 8. The Latter Day Saints.

You do not have to disrupt their services, you do not have to shout.

Expose their historical and current policies of racism towards black people.
http://www.christiandefense.org/mor_black.htm

Also do a little research of the LDS issues on spousal abuse and child abuse prevalent in their subculture.

Then draw the correlation of evangelicals and conservatives partnering with such an organization to preserve the family when they do not respect the family and they would call our current president a Son of Cain and question if he even has a soul.

The LDS is the weakest link in this mess. While standing for your rights...a good ol Mormon education campaign may be in order. A financial boycott will never work with them. But they always do the two step when put in an uncomfortable PR position.

Just a thought.

[Petrese]

I would hope they 'awoke a sleeping giant' by all their work to get H8 passed and in doing so shot themselves in the foot. The recent protests and overall positive news coverage of them indicates that at least people are waking up just a little. I really hope that the California courts overturn H8 and send a further message. Plus it would be really laughable to think of all those bigots who spent all that money and effort to get that passed and then have it taken away, LOL, money down the drain, oh that would be sweet.