Email from the AMSA LGBT Listserve on Proposition 8

I think this email was very well written and since I don't think I could do a better job, I've copied the email for you all to read:

"Dear Friends,

Like many of you, I’ve been captivated by the excitement of this year’s presidential race. What some of you may not be aware of is that another measure will be put to the voters on November 4th, one of utmost importance to the nation. I am speaking of Proposition 8 in California, the proposition which will write discrimination into the California State Constitution, eliminating the right of same-sex couples to marry.

As many of you know, gay marriage became law in California on June 16, 2008, when the Supreme Court of California overturned the ban on same-sex marriage. In his ruling, California Chief Justice Ronald M. George (who happens to be Republican and first-appointed by Ronald Reagan) said:

“retaining the designation of marriage exclusively for opposite sex couples and providing only a separate and distinct designation for same-sex couples may well have the effect of perpetuating a more general premise – now emphatically rejected by this state – that gay individuals and same-sex couples are in some respects "second-class citizens" who may, under the law, be treated differently from, and less favorably than, heterosexual individuals.”

It was this same court that first overturned the ban on interracial marriage in 1948 in the Perez v Sharp case – a case the held that “marriage is a fundamental right in a free society.” At the time, that decision was labeled as an act of “judicial activism” and was overwhelmingly unpopular in public opinion polls of the day. Yet, 60 years later, the idea of a ban on interracial marriage is inconceivable
to the average American.

Many of us (myself included) have assumed a discriminatory effort to deny gays and lesbians a basic right, like Prop 8, would be easily defeated. Confident in the progressive politics of California, I’ve focused on the horse race of the presidential election.

Meanwhile, the extreme religious right has identified Prop 8 as THE MOST IMPORTANT ELECTORAL ISSUE THIS NOVEMBER. Funded largely by the Mormon Church in Utah, a massive national fundraising campaign has been organized with one purpose: to distort public perception about what Prop 8 means. The airwaves and billboards are flooded with deceiving ads about children being forced to learn about gay sex in school, churches losing their tax exempt status, and the “degradation of our society” that will ensue if Prop 8 is not passed. To date, this campaign
has raised $25 million from over 60,000 contributors – most of whom live outside of California. We are $10 million dollars behind and will surely lose this election without at least matching them dollar for dollar.

While initial polls showed the voters were likely to defeat Prop 8, the religious right’s campaign of hate is working. Public opinion polls have shown increasing support for Prop 8 (the most recent showed
47% in support, with 42% opposed), and its passage looks increasingly likely.

But the battle is still winnable.

Right now there are many resources needed to fight this battle. Equality California has challenged fair minded people to raise $1 million dollars by Sunday at midnight. Philathropist Steve Bing will match dollar for dollar every contribution up to a total of $1 million dollars.
www.eqcapac.org/challenge Even $20 will make a difference.

Also,volunteers are needed to phone potential voters, and you don’t have to live in California to participate. You can find out more at www.eqca.org and www.noonprop8.com.

Think about it. This is the moment that will define the LGBT civil rights movement for the next 50 years. If Prop 8 is defeated, the people of the most populous state in the Union will have upheld the right of same-sex couples to marry. The inevitability of equality begins with the defeat of Prop 8.

In twenty years, how will you answer the question, “what did you do to help defeat Proposition 8?”

Please spread the word and pass this on to your fair-minded friends and neighbors."

Jason Kauffman
Bryan Hopping