Jerry Brown Calls For A Judicial End To Prop H8TE

Early last year the California Supreme Court allowed gay couples to have the same marital rights as straight couples. That was followed by an ashamedly successful attempt at squashing those equal rights established by the state's Court. Now the issue is back at the CA Supreme Court because the constitutionality of the proposition is in question. During the process, California Attorney General Jerry Brown subtly took the side of equal rights proponents, but had to hold back because of his position within the government. Today he is pulling no punches as the Court considers to strike down Prop 8 and affirm their decision from last year.

From DailyKos:

The case touches the heart of our democracy and poses a profound question: can a bare majority of voters strip away an inalienable right through the initiative process? If so, what possible meaning does the word inalienable have?

The state faced a dilemma like this before. In 1964, 65 percent of California voters approved Proposition 14, which would have legalized racial discrimination in the selling or renting of housing. Both the California and U.S. Supreme Courts struck down this proposition, concluding that it amounted to an unconstitutional denial of rights.

As California's Attorney General, I believe the Court should strike down Proposition 8 for remarkably similar reasons – because it unconstitutionally discriminates against same-sex couples and deprives them of the fundamental right to marry.

Some vigorously disagree. That's the position of Ken Starr and those who argue that a simple majority can eliminate the right to marry. But such a claim completely ignores California's history and the nature of our constitution.

Fundamental rights in California are recognized and protected by our constitution, which declares in Article I, Section 1 that "all people are by nature free and independent and have inalienable rights" and "among these are enjoying and defending life and liberty, acquiring, possessing, and protecting property, and pursuing and obtaining safety, happiness, and privacy."

At the end of the day everyone's rights under the law must be protected, preserved and enshrined whether or not they love someone of the same sex or not. The Court understood the importance of liberty last year and it should not be any different in 2009. Tyranny by the majority is something that our country has fought against for centuries, slowly expanding fundamental rights to all citizens. That progress must not be impeded because a victory for equal rights would send a loud and clear message across the country.

Thou Shalt Not Lie Doesn't Apply To Mormon Church

I know there are a lot of good Mormons out there, but their administrative headquarters could care less about one of those ten commandments. "Thou shalt not lie" is null and void to the Church's leaders when fighting the rights of gay people are at stake.

A Must See: Prop 8, The Musical

If you could fit the issue of Proposition 8 into 3:15 minutes, this is the way to do it:

See more Jack Black videos at Funny or Die

Great musical and props to all that helped make this!

Dear Brother Newt

A friend of mine is closely related to a U.S. Senator and the stories I get to hear are very interesting sometimes. Though as much as Senator ______ interests me, I couldn't imagine the horrors of the Gingrich family. The once mighty Speaker of the House is trying to increase his power in the Republican party yet again but his sister has some choice words for her dastardly brother. Candace is a proud liberal, gay and not afraid to tell her big brother that the world isn't about the hatred and fear that he helps to provoke.

From The Huffington Post:

Dear Newt,

I recently had the displeasure of watching you bash the protestors of the Prop 8 marriage ban to Bill O'Reilly on FOX News. I must say, after years of watching you build your career by stirring up the fears and prejudices of the far right, I feel compelled to use the words of your idol, Ronald Reagan, "There you go, again."

However, I realize that you may have been a little preoccupied lately with planning your resurrection as the savior of your party, so I thought I would fill you in on a few important developments you might have overlooked.

The truth is that you're living in a world that no longer exists. I, along with millions of Americans, clearly see the world the way it as -- and we embrace what it can be. You, on the other hand, seem incapable of looking for new ideas or moving beyond what worked in the past.

Exactly, and so are many in his party. They are sticking to the success of their "Contract with/on America" years ago and refuse to wake up to how most Americans are looking at the state of their nation in 2008. As Candace points out to her brother, the change isn't going to stop, no matter how much fear and ignorance is used to prop up their litany of bogeymen. So skipping over the part of how great the progressive movement, I'd like to highlight Candace's simple piece of advice for Newt.

What really worries me is that you are always willing to use LGBT Americans as political weapons to further your ambitions. That's really so '90s, Newt. In this day and age, it's embarrassing to watch you talk like that. You should be more afraid of the new political climate in America, because, there is no place for you in it.

In other words, stop being a hater, big bro.

That is precisely what Newt is, a hater, nothing more, nothing less.

Protest Proposition Hate Tomorrow At City Hall

News coverage of California's prop 8 has continued for more than a week after the election and there's good reason to keep it going. It is absurd that we as a country are keeping other Americans from having human rights and equal treatment under the law, simply for their sexual orientation. Many of us outside of California and states with similar measures didn't have a chance to voice their opposition to these hateful ballot measures, but we can certainly protest it.

Tomorrow at City Hall in New York from 1:30 to 4:30 in the afternoon and at a City Hall near you if your at a computer outside the NYC area. Join the Impact has the details on where the local spot is to speak up for human rights! If there isn't one nearby, then start one really quick and tell the media. This isn't just an issue for Californians, it is a question for humanity and how we treat our fellow person. Enough is enough, it is time to let our elected officials know this is a serious problem and must be remedied.

So again, in New York City:

City Hall - 260 Broadway

New York, NY

1:30pm - 4:30pm

Bring an umbrella, your best protest voice and some signs if you got em' and we'll see you there. Fifteen thousand people showed up at Lincoln Center on a Wednesday night after work, so let's beat that on a Saturday afternoon!

NYC Turns Out Against Bigotry And The Mormon Church

Last night New Yorkers who support human rights for all came up to Lincoln Center to protest their neighbor across Columbus Avenue. Only a few hundred feet away from the best of the arts is a church that has rallied for stripping gays of their right to marry whomever they choose and spent millions to do it. The ballot initiatives may have been in California, Arizona, Florida and Arkansas (gay adoption ban in this one) but that doesn't mean protests against their hateful ways will stop across the country.

From The NY Daily News:

Thousands of human rights advocates massed outside the Mormon Temple on the upper West Side Wednesday night to protest the church's vigorous role in banning California's same-sex marriages.

After some speechifying, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn and entertainer Whoopi Goldberg led demonstrators on a flag-waving, drum-beating, slogan-chanting march to Columbus Circle.

The peaceful protest drew young and old, white and nonwhite, straight and gay, most of whom smiled and waved at spectators as they chanted things like, "Gay, straight, black, white, marriage is a civil right," and "separation of church and hate."

Officials at the Mormon Church feigned outrage at this and other protests outside their facilities. While they play "poor little me" the rest of us know and understand exactly how they put themselves into the public sphere and their actions that helped tens of thousands in California to lose their fundamental human rights. If they want to interject their hate and bigotry, they should understand they'll get a response.

Protest The Mormon Church Over Prop 8 Tonight In NYC!

The electoral battles over gay marriage and adoption were fought in several states outside of New York, but that does not mean the fight is over nor can New Yorkers do their part to protest for human rights and equality for all no matter what your sexual orientation. Tonight at the Mormon Church of New York City on Columbus and 65th from 6:30 til 8pm, hundreds if not thousands will come together to peacefully protest the Mormon Church's interference in the ballot issues and remind people of how they helped to curtail the rights of so many people that simply want the same treatment under the law as straight people.

Here's the organizer of the event, Corey Johnson to explain a few things about what this is all about (via Gothamist):

Apparently thousands are expected at tonight's protest. What do you have planned?
We can not emphasize enough that this is a peaceful protest. We will not respond to their hatred with hatred. There will be a picket line with signs and chanting and also speeches from community leaders.

Can you explain why Proposition 8 is hateful?
For the first time, a state Constitution has been amended to take away existing rights -- in this case, the right to marry. And this Prop. victory could invalidate more than 18,000 marriages that have happened in CA since June 17.

Why target the Mormon Church, rather than Catholics or other religious groups who oppose Prop 8?
The Mormon Church distinguished itself from all other anti-gay groups by getting their congregation to contribute more than $20 million in their campaign of homophobia which resulted in the passage of Prop. 8, thereby doing away with marriage equality for all.

There's a lot of anger at Mormons, do you think it's all justified?
The anger is not towards Mormons, but rather towards the leaders of the Mormon Church, who purposely spread lies about gays and lesbians to create an atmosphere of fear and hatred.

So yeah, it isn't about hating Mormons back for their church leaders' decisions. The protest is to create an awareness about what the church hierarchy's role was in all of this and to eventually get them out of the process where a tax-exempt religious institution infringes on another person's right to equal rights. Bigotry is ugly no matter where it pops up and where we see it, it is our duty to quash it. Today that is at the Mormon Church and that is where we'll go.

Olbermann On Prop 8: Why Would You Want To Deny Love?

Keith Olbermann always delivers on his special comments, whether it be about George Bush, Sarah Palin or some important news of the day. His critics assail him for being angry, godforbid someone show passion on live television. Last night though there was no outright rage, only bewilderment and sadness for California passing Prop 8 and denying people the right to marry another man or woman.

Prop 8 Goes To Court

Now that it is clear that a majority of voters in California have decided that gays in their state should have less rights then their heterosexual selves, the argument will go to the court that originally affirmed that such discrimination was unconstitutional. I am all for the will of the people to decide what policies to enact and not to, but the line gets drawn when the object is to deny people fundamental rights as human beings.

From The San Francisco Gate:

As the vote counting continued this morning, opponents of Prop. 8 filed a lawsuit directly with the state Supreme Court - whose May 15 ruling legalized same-sex marriage - asking the justices to overturn the measure.

The suit argued that Prop. 8 would change the California Constitution in such fundamental ways - taking important rights away from a minority group - that it amounted to a constitutional revision, which requires approval by the Legislature before being submitted to the voters. The case was filed by the American Civil Liberties Union, Lamda Legal and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

The same groups asked the court before the election to remove Prop. 8 from the ballot on those grounds. The justices refused, but left the door open for a post-election challenge.

"A major purpose of the Constitution is to protect minorities from majorities," said Elizabeth Gill, an ACLU lawyer. "Because changing that principle is a fundamental change to the organizing principles of the Constitution itself, only the Legislature can initiative such revisions."

I really can't say it better than Elizabeth did. America is all about expanding rights to its citizens and has done so consistently throughout her history. The country is a far different place than it was in the late 18th century and we have progressed to include everyone in our system of government, not just those that the majority have deemed their lifestyle "acceptable" according to their religion or belief system.

Why Gay Marriage Is Wrong

Here are ten top reasons why people oppose equal rights for the LGBT community with ten bitingly sarcastic responses to each.



If any of those apply to your reasoning process (don't worry I won't tell) and you realize that denying people the same rights as a straight person is wrong, then congratulations! Now go tell someone you know in California to vote NO on Prop 8.