Full Page Signature Ads in Gay Press
November 4, 2008
Activists Step Up Campaign
Against Award to “America’s #1 Hater of Gays”
CHICAGO – The November 8th visit of Focus on the Family’s James Dobson to this city is being met with a wave of revulsion from a who’s who of local gay organizations and activists, with the three main LGBT papers in the city running full-page signature ads against Dobson in this week’s editions.
The Chicago Free Press, Windy City Times and Gay Chicago each have ads denouncing Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications for honoring Dobson with an award on November 8th. The signatories encourage the LGBT community and its allies to protest at 5:30 PM that night in front of the building where the award will be given, the Chicago Renaissance Hotel, 1 W. Wacker Drive, Chicago.
“It is unconscionable that any public institution would honor someone who has devoted his life to denying a whole section of the community legal equality, and promotes slanders against that community,” said Bob Schwartz of the Gay Liberation Network, which along with TruthWinsOut.com, are the principal organizers of the protest. “Someone who does that is a hater, pure and simple, no matter how much they try to excuse their pro-discrimination rhetoric with so-called ‘Christian’ rationalizations.”
A pdf of the ads can be found at the following URL:
http://chicago.indymedia.org/newswire/display/84402/index.php
For more information about the ads, call the Gay Liberation Network (www.GayLiberation.net) at 773.209.1187 More information can also be found at www.DumpDobson.com and www.TruthWinsOut.com
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Here is the text of the ads, with signatories at the bottom:
Keep Focus on the Family’s
HATE
Out of Chicago
An Open Letter to Members and Friends of the LGBT community
Many have worked towards making the Chicago area a better place for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people.
Unfortunately Chicago’s Museum of Broadcast Communications proposes to stain this record of progress on Saturday, November 8 by honoring one of the nation’s leading haters of LGBT people ― Focus on the Family’s James Dobson.
Here is a sample of Dobson’s hate expressed in his own words:
“For more than 40 years the homosexual activist movement has sought to implement a master plan that has had as its centerpiece the utter destruction of the family.” March 24, 2004 Focus on the Family radio broadcast
“Homosexuals are not monogamous. They want to destroy the institution of marriage. It will destroy marriage. It will destroy the Earth.” The Daily Oklahoman, Oct. 23, 2004
And James Dobson is not a lone, deranged hater crying in the wilderness. He is a dangerously powerful person who controls a broadcasting empire with over 3000 outlets, 1300 employees, and a $150 million annual budget. He uses this empire to advocate the denial of our equal access to employment, housing and public accommodations.
These attacks are the centerpiece of a concerted drive to rollback all of our gains of the last four decades. For example, an offshoot of Focus on the Family is the leading organization pushing a referendum to overthrow marriage equality in California.
Focus on the Family controls the nation’s highest profile “ex-gay” ministry, which futilely tries to “convert” LGBTs to straight by “praying away the gay.” In so doing, they reinforce self-hate and psychologically harm the very individuals they claim to help. Such “ex-gay” programs are roundly condemned by every respected medical and mental health organization in America.
After years of gradual progress in public acceptance of LGBTQ people, Dobson’s long-standing campaign against us may soon start to get much greater traction. The US economy is tanking, people are worried about losing their life savings, and the search for scapegoats may begin to be the order of the day, generating higher waves of hate and violence against us.
In this context, it is foolish for anyone concerned about LGBT freedom to be complacent about the danger that Dobson represents.
What you can do
1. We encourage all readers of this ad to contact the Museum of Broadcast Communications and ask them to rescind this award to one of America’s leading haters. Send the message that it is irresponsible for any institution to promote a scapegoater of any minority. E-Mail the Museum of Broadcast Communications‘ Bruce Dumont: brucedumont@museum.tv
2. Express your 1st Amendment rights by protesting this disgusting award. The protest will be:
5:30 – 7:30 PM
Saturday, November 8th
at the Renaissance Chicago Hotel, 1 W. Wacker Drive (Wacker & State)
Jeanne Adams
Amigas Latinas
APOC: Autonomous People of Color, Chicago
Marshall Arnold
Association of Latino Men for Action
Michael Bauer
Wayne Besen
Robert Castillo & John Pennycuff
Char Cepek
John Cepek, National President, Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG)
Chicago Coalition of Welcoming Churches
Chicagoland Pride At Work
Andrew Ciscel
Peter Alex Dreier
DumpDobson.com
Equality Illinois
Edward Farnham
Mel Ferrand
Sam Finkelstein & Mark Banashak
Jeff & Libby Frank
Roger & Patricia Fraser, GLN
Scott Free
Katherine Freeman, Mother of 4, Proud Lesbian Woman
Dan and Jackie Frett, PFLAG Hinsdale
Rick Garcia
Gay Liberation Network
Chris Geovanis
Thomas Goree
Jeff Graubart
Art Gursch
William W. Greaves
Jan Grillos
Janice Grimm
Rep. Greg Harris, 13th District
Brent Holman-Gomez
Nilsa Irizarry
Cat Jefcoat
Art Johnston
Danny Kopelson
June LaTrobe
Catina Lowery
Michael Maltenfort
Deborah Mell
Ellen A. Meyers
Joe Murray
Ifti Nasim
Darlene Nava Munoz
Renae Ogletree
Orgullo en Accion
Rep. Harry Osterman, 14th District
George Pappas
Rev. Thom & Joan Parrott-Sheffer, Burr Ridge, IL
Nicole Perez
PFLAG Aurora
PFLAG Glenview
PFLAG Hinsdale
PFLAG of Woodstock / McHenry County
Rainbow Sash Movement
Dick Reilly
Dean Richards
Carol Rogers, Past President, Chicago Gender Society
Bob Schwartz & Ruffin Robinson
Caroline Staerk
Craig Teichen
Andy Thayer
Truth Wins Out
Bonnie Wade
Tom & Toni Weaver, PFLAG
Chad Weiden
Rich Wilson
Women & Children First Bookstore
Guy Zakrzewski
GLAAD Calls on Media to Investigate Anti-Gay Crimes on College Campuses in Washington and Idaho
November 4, 2008
GLAAD CALLS ON MEDIA TO INVESTIGATE ANTI-GAY CRIMES
ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES IN WASHINGTON AND IDAHO
Los Angeles, CA, October 31, 2008 – The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is urging media outlets in Washington and Idaho to draw attention to hate motivated harassment and violence against gay and transgender students at universities in these states. This follows a series of incidents involving anti-gay and anti-transgender harassment and violence at Washington State University in Pullman, Wash. and the University of Idaho in Moscow, Idaho.
Between Sept. 29 and Oct. 20, five attacks have targeted the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities of Washington State University and the University of Idaho:
- Sept. 29: University of Idaho student Korey Larabee finds anti-gay vandalism and a death threat written on his door.
- Oct. 12: A gay Washington State University student returns to find his door vandalized with anti-gay slurs.
- Oct. 15: An openly gay student is physically assaulted by another individual while walking on Washington State University’s campus.
- Oct. 18: An openly gay student is physically assaulted by a group of three people wearing Halloween masks at Washington State University.
- Oct. 20: A transgender student is knocked to the ground and kicked while attackers yell anti-transgender slurs in a Washington State University parking structure.
The attacks and intimidation of the last few weeks are part of disturbing nationwide trend of a rise in anti-gay and anti-transgender motivated crimes. This month, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) released 2007 Hate Crimes Statistics, which revealed a 6 percent increase in anti-gay violence from 2006 to 2007. Earlier this year, the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs (NCAVP) found that the number of individuals that were harassed or assaulted because they were perceived to be gay or transgender rose by 24 percent from 2006.
“We urge media in Washington and Idaho to report on these incidents of anti-gay and anti-transgender violence,” said Neil G. Giuliano, President of GLAAD. “These media outlets have the chance to play a vital role in determining community and law enforcement responses to these crimes and to advocate that campus administration take steps to prevent future incidents from occurring.”
While investigations into these incidents as possible hate crimes are still in process at both campuses, GLAAD urges the media to investigate the increase in anti-gay and anti-transgender violence as well as the community’s response to it. The media can play a vital role in determining community and law enforcement response to hate crimes as well as motivate local law enforcement and campus administrators to more strongly and transparently address these incidents.
Media Resources
For more information about terminology and other recommendations when covering hate crimes, journalists can view GLAAD’s In Focus: Hate Crimes on our website as well as the rest of the GLAAD Media Reference Guide.
Equal Rights Washington
Josh Friedes
(206) 324-2570
Idaho Equality
Rachel Greer
(208) 331-7028
About GLAAD
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) is dedicated to promoting and ensuring fair, accurate and inclusive representation of people and events in the media as a means of eliminating homophobia and discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation. For more information, please visit www.glaad.org.
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NO on Proposition 8 Asks Grassroots Supporters to Move Video Through Groundbreaking Online Community
November 4, 2008
NO on Proposition 8 Asks Grassroots Supporters to Move Video
Through Groundbreaking Online Community
Largest online community created in California Political History
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – 11/02/08 – In a final request to the enormous Web-based community that’s skyrocketed around opposition to the discriminatory Proposition 8, the NO on 8 campaign today launched a 30-second video and called on supporters to share it widely with friends and family online.
The video, called “Parents,” accurately portrays the conversations that have encircled this unfair initiative from the beginning. Says one mother: “I don’t want my kids to grow up with discrimination. Or thinking it’s okay to take away peoples’ rights.”
The online community response to defeating Proposition 8 has created the largest grassroots movement in California political history. Consider these facts:
- The NO on 8 Facebook page now has more than 129,000 supporters over the course of less than a month when it was launched.
- The NO on 8 online community has contacted more than 100,000 friends and family.
- There have been more than three million views of NO on 8 videos online, with over one million from our YouTube channel.
- Yesterday, YouTube ranked the NO on 8 channel as 41st in viewer hits, even eclipsing the Obama channel, which was ranked 47th.
- In terms of online financial support, more than 72 percent of the donations to NO on 8 have come from California.
- More than 60 percent of those 96,000-plus online contributions have been $100 or less.
In an email accompanying the video to supporters, Geoff Kors of the NO on 8 Executive Committee wrote: ”This 30 second video speaks about what Prop 8 is really about: what kind of world we want each person and our children to live in — one that is free from discrimination and intolerance. Everyone you know needs to see this video.”
The text of the video follows:
AD SCRIPT: PARENTS
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VISUAL |
AUDIO |
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Shot of mother with baby, NO on 8 |
First mother: “I don’t want my kids to grow up with discrimination. Or thinking it’s okay to take away people’s rights.” |
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Cut to mother, NO on 8 |
Second mother: “I want our kids to know that discrimination is wrong. And that Prop 8 is wrong.” |
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Cut to family in playground, NO on 8 |
Father: “I want our kids to know that we don’t pass laws that treat people differently.” |
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Cut to close-up of mother, NO on 8 |
Third mother: “I want them to know that we vote against intolerance. Because California is better than that.” |
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Cut to close-up of first mother with baby, NO on 8 |
First mother: “and that we never, ever discriminate.” |
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Cut to close-up of third mother, NO on 8 |
Third mother: “That’s why we’re voting NO on Prop 8.” |
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Cut to father of family in playground, NO on 8, disclaimer |
Father: “NO on 8.” |
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Cut to first mother with baby, NO on 8, disclaimer |
First mother: “NO on 8.” |
To view the ad, go to http://www.noonprop8.com/.
Television producers and reporters looking for a broadcast quality version of the advertisement can go to:
FTP Site Information:
Cut and paste https://mail.perrycom.com:440/
You will see a certificate error. Click “Continue to this website (not recommended)” to proceed. The next window you see will ask for the “User:” and “Password:”
User: prop8public
Password: pub!2008
(type in password rather than cut and paste)
Upon entering the login information, select the prompt for the Basic Web Client and click “ok.”
Click on “TV” then “Parents” to see the ad. You will need to have Quicktime installed on the computer you are using to view the files.
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Yes on 8 supports are horrific. Vote No on 8 for Equal Rights.
November 3, 2008
It is pretty sick that the Yes on 8 supporters say they’re trying to protect children, but they’re actually the ones that are using them. It’s quite terrifying how abusive they are, and hopefully the majority of the state will take over and give those socially and morally repressed sickos a good swift in the ass.
If you look at the Yes on 8 supporters to begin with, they all have this distinct look to them. They are full of hate and venom first of all. I’ve seen them in droves. They’re wacked out sickos with nothing else better to do. This is one of the most disgusting displays of human behavior that has ever happened in this country.
Yes on 8 supporters are Un-Amercian. They lie. They are just like the KKK and all those groups like it. They are no better than Hitler. They are responsible for the current decline in humanity. They are responsible for putting this country in the most despicable place that it is in today. There is no good amongst Yes on 8 supporters. They should all be shot dead. I have nothing but disgust and hate for them. I don’t even feel sorry for them. I think they’re hideously ugly first of all. If they’re not old and white, or white to begin with, they are dumb and black and mexican. They are unemployed. They contribute nothing to humanity in positive way. They are vile human beings. They are poisonous and they take up space. They contribute to hate crimes and after this hate crimes agains all humanity is going to rise no matter which way the proposition goes. Yes on 8 supporters have fucked up this state and this country. They have no love for their fellow man. They’ve blown over 25 million on pushing for discrimination when children are hungry, have no food, or dying of AIDS on the streets of Africa because no one will help them. And this filthy group of Yes on 8 supporters put their money in the wrong place to push for hate and discrimination, instead of helping the children that really need it. Man that is pretty fucking sick. I can’t wait to watch them all burn in hell.
If you believe that every citizen of the United States should be treated equally in this country that belongs to every single one of them, then you VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 8 on November 4, 2008.
Yes on 8 supporters are UN-AMERICAN!
Yes on 8 supporters want to hurt your children!
Yes on 8 supporters want this country to belong to them and no one else.
VOTE NO ON 8!
President Sarah Palin is indeed OUR GREATEST FEAR
October 30, 2008
It would be like giving a child matches. If elected, John McCain has an unacceptably high chance of NOT completing his term. This would leave President Sarah Palin as the leader of the most powerful country in the world. Check out her own views, in her own words – you will find not a reformer or a maverick but an opportunist, a vengeful power-hungry politician, an uninformed extremist, and a religious fanatic who believes that Armageddon will occur in her lifetime…. and who would have the power to actually make that happen!
These are extremely dangerous and critical times for us at home and abroad, times that call for a president we can trust, who can lead with a calm, steady hand.
President Sarah Palin is indeed OUR GREATEST FEAR.
Paid for by OurGreatestFear.Org,
419 N. Larchmont Blvd., #154
Los Angeles, CA 90004
and not authorized by any candidate or candidate’s committee.
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Yes on 8 Supporters Are Sleazy
October 30, 2008
Yep, you heard it here, they are sleazy, the latest they tried to do is bring down the No on 8 site. They’re so desperate to take over that they have their street slum do their dirty work. Hey, wasn’t the KKK the same way with the Blacks? Ya know, disguising themselves and committing little crimes like this to win? I don’t know, just saying, it harks back to those good ol’ days, which dumb red neck religious idiots know a lot about.
Today the NO on Prop 8 campaign’s Web site (http://www.noonprop8.com/) was the victim of what appears to be a coordinated attack designed to bring the system down. According to http://www.calitics.com/, the denial-of-service attack (DoS) on the NO on Prop 8 website occurred before 11:30pm, Wednesday, October 29th and coincides with a similar attack on Florida’s NO on 2 campaign, the Constitutional Amendment Against Marriage Equality.
According to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in a denial-of-service (DoS) attack, an attacker attempts to prevent legitimate users from accessing information or services. By targeting a computer and its network connection, or the computers and network of the sites, an attacker may be able to prevent someone from accessing email, web sites, online accounts (banking, etc.), or other services that rely on the affected computer. The most common and obvious type of DoS attack occurs when an attacker “floods” a network with information.
The NO on Prop 8 campaign will provide additional details as they become available. # # #
NO on Prop 8 to Air Two Spots Produced by Supporters for YouTube
October 30, 2008
NO on Prop 8 to Air Two Spots Produced by Supporters for YouTube
Campaign will Become First to Borrow YouTube Talent and Air It
SACRAMENTO, Calif. – 10/29/2008 – In a first for an American political campaign, the NO on Prop 8 campaign will pay to air two spots that were originally produced and uploaded to YouTube by supporters completely independent of the campaign.
“We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of talent and creativity that has just exploded on the Internet,” said Patrick Guerriero, NO on 8 campaign director. “People just can’t believe how unfair and wrong this initiative is and they’re creating innovative Web-based viral spots to get the word out to vote NO on Prop 8. We thank everyone who has put their talent and time in spreading the word about the importance of opposing Prop 8.”
The independently produced spots have been a huge hit on the Web. There have been more than 3 million views of videos that appear on the campaign’s YouTube channel. Several spots in the channel have been ranked as “#1 Most Viewed” and “#1 Most Discussed” in the Nonprofits and Activism Category. The channel has consistently been ranked in the top 100 Most Watched Channels.
“The power of all of these YouTube videos is that they represent a chorus of voices, a community of people who may never have met or spoken but share the same passion that discrimination is wrong. They have immediate credibility,” said Chris Maliwat, the campaign’s web strategy director.
Late last week, the NO on Prop 8 campaign approached the producers of two of the spots and asked them to pare down their Web videos into 30-second commercials. The ads, entitled “Constitution” and “Moms,” will begin running statewide tomorrow. During the summer, in a completely organic and grassroots fashion, people independently produced their own messages and uploaded to YouTube.
Background on “Constitution” (www.noonprop8.com/videos)
In a homage to the very popular “Mac vs. PC” ads, this ad features characters that portray “NO on 8,” “Yes” and the “California Constitution.” With a dry comedic edge and perfect timing, the ad successfully gets across the point that amending the California Constitution to eliminate rights is wrong.
A few months back, a number of friends were sitting around wondering how they could influence Californians, in an impactful and respectful fashion, to vote NO on 8. Their answer was to collaborate on a spot that has become one of the most popular on YouTube. The cast and crew donated their services.
Collaborators: Andrew Oldershaw, Dayna Frank, Todd Shotz, Courtney Sexton, Angel Lopez (executive producers); Chris Panizzon (producer); Ray Lancon (writer); Jonah Markowitz (director); and Rachel Morrison (Director of Photography).
Background on “Moms” (www.noonprop8.com/videos)
Moms of all ages and ethnicities, from all over state, speak from the heart and call on California voters to reject the lies, to say NO to discrimination and to vote NO on Election Day. All of the moms are real, none are actresses and all are straight women.
The spot arose out of the collaborators’ frustration over the way in which proponents were targeting women voters with lies and scare tactics. The cast and crew donated their services so there were no expenses associated with this spot.
Collaborators: Yashar Hedayat (executive producer); and Michelle Jackino (executive producer/writer); Pablo Proenza (director); and Ellen Dimler (editor).
Television producers and reporters looking for a broadcast quality version of the advertisement can go to:
FTP Site Information:
Cut and paste https://mail.perrycom.com:440
You will see a certificate error. Click “Continue to this website (not recommended)” to proceed. The next window you see will ask for the “User:” and “Password:”
User: prop8public
Password: pub!2008
(type in password rather than cut and paste)
Upon entering the login information, select the prompt for the Basic Web Client and click “ok.”
Click on “TV” then “Conversation or Moms” to see either ad, you will need to have Quicktime installed on the computer you are using to view the files.
The ad can be viewed at www.noonprop8.com.
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Top Yes on 8 Donors Written Up in Home Town Papers John Templeton, Jr. – $1 Million & Elsa Prince -$450,000
October 29, 2008
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News Alert
Contact: Fred Karger 619-592-2008
October 29, 2008 |
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Top Yes on 8 Donors Written Up in Home Town Papers John Templeton, Jr. – $1 Million & Elsa Prince -$450,000
LOS ANGELES, CA – Californians Against Hate would like to share some excellent news coverage on two of the top four largest individual contributors to California’s Yes on Proposition 8 campaign. John Templeton. Jr. of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, who together with his wife contributed $1,000,000 to the campaign to take away same-sex marriage in California, were the subject of a big feature story in yesterday’s Philadelphia Inquirer by David O’Reilly http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20081028_Bryn_Mawr_couple_back_Calif__gay-marriage_ban.html
The Templetons have given more money to take away marriage equality in a state 3,000 miles away from their’s than anyone with the exception of California’s Howard “Howie” Ahmanson of Newport Beach. These two are ranked #1 and #2 on the “Dishonor Roll” posted on Californians Against Hate web site. The “Dishonor Roll” lists all 741 contributors of $5,000 and more to the Yes on 8 campaign as of October 18th http://www.californiansagainsthate.com/
John Templeton, Jr. of Bryn Mawr, PA
In the last week, Elsa Prince of Holland, Michigan who gave $450,000 to the Yes on 8 campaign had two big stories written about her in prominent Michigan newspapers. The first appeared in the Detroit Free Press in the paper’s leading political column, Politically Speaking on October 22nd http://www.freep.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20081022/NEWS15/810220314/1008/NEWS06
The story covered her mega contribution of nearly half a million dollars, and also the commercial that Californians Against Hate produced starring an Elsa Prince look-alike. The commercial was produced by John Keitel and his Shelter Productions and is appearing on Current TV. It depicts a little boy playing her grandson, who looks up innocently and asks her, “Why did you give so much money, Grandma?” http://current.com/items/89433673_baseball_boy_2008
Aunt Paula playing Elsa Prince in the commercial
In yesterday’s Grand Rapids Press, there is also a feature story on Mrs. Prince by Ted Roelofs http://www.mlive.com/grpress/news/index.ssf/2008/10/local_money_fights_gay_marriag.html The story covers Mrs. Prince’s $450,000 contribution to Yes on 8 and her son-in-law Dick DeVos’ $100,000 contribution to Florida’s Amendment 2, which would also prohibit same-sex marriage in that state. DeVos is the son of Amway co-founder Richard DeVos and was the unsuccessful Republican candidate for Governor of Michigan in 2006. Elsa Prince’s son, Erik is the most famous family member. Erik Prince is best know as the founder and head of Blackwater Worldwide, the highly controversial private defense firm hired by the US Government in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“These out of state mega donors sure don’t like gay marriage,” said Fred Karger, Campaign Manager of Californians Against Hate. “It seems like there are far more important causes to give their millions of dollars to instead of sending it all the way to California to hurt so many people in our state, whose only crime is wanting to get married just like they can.”
Californians Against Hate began in July of this year, and its mission is to let the world know who are the major contributors to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign.
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ACLU Executive Director Makes Personal Plea Opposing California Proposition 8
Ballot Initiative Would Outlaw Same-Sex Marriage
NEW YORK – Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, sent a personal plea Tuesday urging people to encourage their friends and family in California to fight the passage of Proposition 8. The ballot initiative on the California general election ballot on November 4 would amend the state constitution to strip same-sex couples of the right to marry.
In the note, Romero describes his personal journey coming out as a gay man and his, and the ACLU’s, mission to fight discrimination. The note says: “We recognize that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere … Given what’s at stake in the outcome of this election, I am personally appealing to you for help to fight the forces of intolerance from carrying the day in California next Tuesday.”
The full letter is as follows:
Dear ACLU Supporter,
I’m angry and heartsick about what may happen in California on November 4th.
In the most personal way possible, I’m writing to ask you for a favor: help us ensure that gay couples all across California keep their fundamental right to marriage — the basic right to be treated just like anybody else.
I hope you will forgive the indulgence when I speak from the heart and tell you my personal story.
You see, I grew up in a loving and supportive household, where my family believed I could be anything I chose — anything except being an openly gay man. Neither of my parents finished high school, and yet, they believed I could accomplish all I set out to do as I went off to Princeton University and Stanford Law School.
They got me through the toughest of times, scrimped and saved, and always believed that failure wasn’t in the cards for me. They had more faith in me than I often had in myself. Whenever my parents visited me at Princeton, my Dad would slip a $20 bill in my pocket when my Mom wasn’t looking. I never had the courage to tell him that the $20 wouldn’t go very far towards my bills, books and tuition. But, it was his support and belief in me that sustained me more than the tens of thousands of dollars I received in scholarships.
When I finished college, they were hugely proud of my — and their — accomplishments. That was until I told them I was gay and wanted to live life as an openly gay man.
Though I always knew I was gay, I didn’t come out to them for many years, as I was afraid of losing the love and support that had allowed me to succeed against all odds. When I did tell them, they cried and even shouted. I ended up leaving their home that night to spend a sleepless night on a friend’s sofa. We were all heartbroken.
When my Mom and I spoke later, my Mom said, “But, Antonio (that’s the name she uses with me), hasn’t your life been hard enough? People will hurt you and hate you because of this.” She, of course, was right — as gay and lesbian people didn’t only suffer discrimination from working class, Puerto Rican Catholics, but from the broader society. She felt that I had escaped the public housing projects in the Bronx, only to suffer another prejudice — one that might be harder to beat — as the law wasn’t on my side. At the time, it felt like her own homophobia. Now I see there was also a mother’s love and a real desire to protect her son. She was not wrong at a very fundamental level. She knew that treating gay and lesbian people like second class citizens — people who may be worthy of “tolerance, ” as Sarah Palin asserts, but not of equality — was and still is the last socially-acceptable prejudice.
Even before I came out to them, I struggled to accept myself as a gay man. I didn’t want to lose the love of my family, and I wanted a family of my own — however I defined it. I ultimately chose to find my own way in life as a gay man. This wasn’t as easy as it sounds even though it was the mid-1980s. I watched loved ones and friends die of AIDS. I was convinced I would never see my 40th birthday, much less find a partner whom I could marry.
As years passed, my Mom, Dad and I came to a peace, and they came to love and respect me for who I am. They even came to defend my right to live with equality and dignity — often fighting against the homophobia they heard among their family and friends and in church.
The right to be equal citizens and to marry whomever we wish — unimaginable to me when I first came out — is now ours to lose in California unless we stand up for what’s right. All of us must fight against what’s wrong. In my 43 short years of life, I have seen gay and lesbian people go from pariahs and objects of legally-sanctioned discrimination to being on the cusp of full equality. The unimaginable comes true in our America if we make it happen. But, it requires effort and struggle.
One of the things I love about the ACLU is that it’s an organization that understands we are all in this together. We recognize that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Given what’s at stake in the outcome of this election, I am personally appealing to you for help to fight the forces of intolerance from carrying the day in California next Tuesday.
If you have friends and family in California, please contact them right now, and ask them to vote NO on Proposition 8. You can send them a message here.
We need to make sure people keep in mind that gay people are part of every family and every community — that like everyone else, gay people want the same rights to commit to their partners, to take care of each other and to take responsibility for each other. We shouldn’t deny that, and we shouldn’t write discrimination into any constitution in any state. Certainly, we can’t let that happen in California after the highest court in the state granted gay and lesbian people their full equality.
Unfortunately, due to a vicious, deceitful $30 million advertising blitz, the supporters of Prop 8 may be within days of taking that fundamental right away.
To stop the forces of discrimination from succeeding, we have to win over conflicted voters who aren’t sure they’re ready for gay marriage but who are also uncomfortable going into a voting booth and stripping away people’s rights. With the ACLU contributing time, energy and millions of dollars to the effort, we’re working hard to reach those key voters before next Tuesday.
If you have friends and family in California, please contact them right now, and ask them to vote NO on Proposition 8. Share this email with them. Call them. Direct them to our website for more information.
Don’t let other young people grow up to be afraid to be who they are because of the discrimination and prejudice they might face. Let them see a future that the generation before them couldn’t even dream of — a future as full and equal citizens of the greatest democracy on earth.
As Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” As we strive to defeat Prop 8 and the injustice it represents, the ACLU is trying to make that arc a little shorter.
On behalf of my Mom and family, and on behalf of all the people who will never face legally-sanctioned discrimination, I thank you for being part of this struggle and for doing everything you can to help.
It is a privilege and honor to have you as allies in this fight for dignity and equality.
With enormous appreciation,
Anthony D. Romero
Executive Director
ACLU
P.S. All the polls show that the vote on Prop 8 could go either way. By making just a few calls or sending just a few emails, you could help make the difference. Please, don’t let this fundamental right be taken away. Send an eCard to everyone you know in California.
This letter from Anthony D. Romero can also be found on the ACLU Blog of Rights at http://blog.aclu.org/2008/10/29/please-fight-proposition-8s-assault-on-same-sex-marriage/.
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ACLU Executive Director Makes Personal Plea Opposing California Proposition 8
Ballot Initiative Would Outlaw Same-Sex Marriage
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 29, 2008
CONTACT: ACLU Media, (212) 549-2666; media@aclu.org
NEW YORK – Anthony D. Romero, Executive Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, sent a personal plea Tuesday urging people to encourage their friends and family in California to fight the passage of Proposition 8. The ballot initiative on the California general election ballot on November 4 would amend the state constitution to strip same-sex couples of the right to marry.
In the note, Romero describes his personal journey coming out as a gay man and his, and the ACLU’s, mission to fight discrimination. The note says: “We recognize that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere … Given what’s at stake in the outcome of this election, I am personally appealing to you for help to fight the forces of intolerance from carrying the day in California next Tuesday.”
The full letter is as follows:
Dear ACLU Supporter,
I’m angry and heartsick about what may happen in California on November 4th.
In the most personal way possible, I’m writing to ask you for a favor: help us ensure that gay couples all across California keep their fundamental right to marriage — the basic right to be treated just like anybody else.
I hope you will forgive the indulgence when I speak from the heart and tell you my personal story.
You see, I grew up in a loving and supportive household, where my family believed I could be anything I chose — anything except being an openly gay man. Neither of my parents finished high school, and yet, they believed I could accomplish all I set out to do as I went off to Princeton University and Stanford Law School.
They got me through the toughest of times, scrimped and saved, and always believed that failure wasn’t in the cards for me. They had more faith in me than I often had in myself. Whenever my parents visited me at Princeton, my Dad would slip a $20 bill in my pocket when my Mom wasn’t looking. I never had the courage to tell him that the $20 wouldn’t go very far towards my bills, books and tuition. But, it was his support and belief in me that sustained me more than the tens of thousands of dollars I received in scholarships.
When I finished college, they were hugely proud of my — and their — accomplishments. That was until I told them I was gay and wanted to live life as an openly gay man.
Though I always knew I was gay, I didn’t come out to them for many years, as I was afraid of losing the love and support that had allowed me to succeed against all odds. When I did tell them, they cried and even shouted. I ended up leaving their home that night to spend a sleepless night on a friend’s sofa. We were all heartbroken.
When my Mom and I spoke later, my Mom said, “But, Antonio (that’s the name she uses with me), hasn’t your life been hard enough? People will hurt you and hate you because of this.” She, of course, was right — as gay and lesbian people didn’t only suffer discrimination from working class, Puerto Rican Catholics, but from the broader society. She felt that I had escaped the public housing projects in the Bronx, only to suffer another prejudice — one that might be harder to beat — as the law wasn’t on my side. At the time, it felt like her own homophobia. Now I see there was also a mother’s love and a real desire to protect her son. She was not wrong at a very fundamental level. She knew that treating gay and lesbian people like second class citizens — people who may be worthy of “tolerance, ” as Sarah Palin asserts, but not of equality — was and still is the last socially-acceptable prejudice.
Even before I came out to them, I struggled to accept myself as a gay man. I didn’t want to lose the love of my family, and I wanted a family of my own — however I defined it. I ultimately chose to find my own way in life as a gay man. This wasn’t as easy as it sounds even though it was the mid-1980s. I watched loved ones and friends die of AIDS. I was convinced I would never see my 40th birthday, much less find a partner whom I could marry.
As years passed, my Mom, Dad and I came to a peace, and they came to love and respect me for who I am. They even came to defend my right to live with equality and dignity — often fighting against the homophobia they heard among their family and friends and in church.
The right to be equal citizens and to marry whomever we wish — unimaginable to me when I first came out — is now ours to lose in California unless we stand up for what’s right. All of us must fight against what’s wrong. In my 43 short years of life, I have seen gay and lesbian people go from pariahs and objects of legally-sanctioned discrimination to being on the cusp of full equality. The unimaginable comes true in our America if we make it happen. But, it requires effort and struggle.
One of the things I love about the ACLU is that it’s an organization that understands we are all in this together. We recognize that injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
Given what’s at stake in the outcome of this election, I am personally appealing to you for help to fight the forces of intolerance from carrying the day in California next Tuesday.
If you have friends and family in California, please contact them right now, and ask them to vote NO on Proposition 8. You can send them a message here.
We need to make sure people keep in mind that gay people are part of every family and every community — that like everyone else, gay people want the same rights to commit to their partners, to take care of each other and to take responsibility for each other. We shouldn’t deny that, and we shouldn’t write discrimination into any constitution in any state. Certainly, we can’t let that happen in California after the highest court in the state granted gay and lesbian people their full equality.
Unfortunately, due to a vicious, deceitful $30 million advertising blitz, the supporters of Prop 8 may be within days of taking that fundamental right away.
To stop the forces of discrimination from succeeding, we have to win over conflicted voters who aren’t sure they’re ready for gay marriage but who are also uncomfortable going into a voting booth and stripping away people’s rights. With the ACLU contributing time, energy and millions of dollars to the effort, we’re working hard to reach those key voters before next Tuesday.
If you have friends and family in California, please contact them right now, and ask them to vote NO on Proposition 8. Share this email with them. Call them. Direct them to our website for more information.
Don’t let other young people grow up to be afraid to be who they are because of the discrimination and prejudice they might face. Let them see a future that the generation before them couldn’t even dream of — a future as full and equal citizens of the greatest democracy on earth.
As Martin Luther King, Jr. reminded us, “The arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends toward justice.” As we strive to defeat Prop 8 and the injustice it represents, the ACLU is trying to make that arc a little shorter.
On behalf of my Mom and family, and on behalf of all the people who will never face legally-sanctioned discrimination, I thank you for being part of this struggle and for doing everything you can to help.
It is a privilege and honor to have you as allies in this fight for dignity and equality.
With enormous appreciation,
Anthony D. Romero
Executive Director
ACLU
P.S. All the polls show that the vote on Prop 8 could go either way. By making just a few calls or sending just a few emails, you could help make the difference. Please, don’t let this fundamental right be taken away. Send an eCard to everyone you know in California.
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This letter from Anthony D. Romero can also be found on the ACLU Blog of Rights at http://blog.aclu.org/2008/10/29/please-fight-proposition-8s-assault-on-same-sex-marriage/.
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