The Prop 8 thread

[mshray]

Now that the election itself is concluded I thought we needed a thread just on this ongoing topic.

From Yahoo News today, on why 8 passed.  It's now becoming clear that increased turnout among blacks & hispanics - who overwhelmingly voted both for Obama & Yes on 8 - turned the tide. But in conclusion the analyst wrote:

Gays did win some victories yesterday. A new openly gay member of Congress, Jared Polis of Colorado, will go to the House in January. And thanks in part to the Cabinet, the group of elite gay political donors I wrote about recently, Democrats took the New York senate. The entire New York legislature is now in Democratic hands, and New York's governor, David Paterson, is one of the nation's most eloquent pro-marriage-equality representatives. He is also, by the way, African American. Perhaps he can help bridge the gap between gays and blacks that widened on Nov. 4.

This is a bridge that desperately needs to be built.  I'm daydreaming about what it would take to get Bishop Tutu & Nelson Mandela out here to explain to African Americans in CA why, though black South Africans largely hated the practice of gay marriage, they approved it anyway, because, as Desmond Tutu said, "Equality does not exist on a sliding scale."

[RGMike]

Now that the election itself is concluded I thought we needed a thread just on this ongoing topic.

From Yahoo News today, on why 8 passed.  It's now becoming clear that increased turnout among blacks & hispanics - who overwhelimngly voted both for Obama & Yes on 8 - turned the tide. But in conclusion the analyst wrote:

Gays did win some victories yesterday. A new openly gay member of Congress, Jared Polis of Colorado, will go to the House in January. And thanks in part to the Cabinet, the group of elite gay political donors I wrote about recently, Democrats took the New York senate. The entire New York legislature is now in Democratic hands, and New York's governor, David Paterson, is one of the nation's most eloquent pro-marriage-equality representatives. He is also, by the way, African American. Perhaps he can help bridge the gap between gays and blacks that widened on Nov. 4.

This is a bridge that desperately needs to be built.  I'm daydreaming about what it would take to get Bishop Tutu & Nelson Mandela out here to explain to African Americans in CA why, though South Africans largely hated the practice of gay marriage, they approved it anyway, because, as Desmond Tutu said, "Equality does not exist on a sliding scale."

Amen, brotha!

One of the more disgusting aspects of the 2004 election was the way Bush made inroads into the black community with his same-sex marriage Constitutional Amendment.  Lots of black churches let themselves be used by the Bush people.  So, um, you're getting in bed with an administration that DOESN'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS ABOUT YOU the rest of the year, over an issue that affects the quality of your life NOT ONE IOTA? Praise Jeebus!

ETA: it's been said many times: if all the gay people disappeared tomorrow, most black churches would suddenly find themselves without choir directors and half their choirs.

[mshray]

Now that the election itself is concluded I thought we needed a thread just on this ongoing topic.

From Yahoo News today, on why 8 passed.  It's now becoming clear that increased turnout among blacks & hispanics - who overwhelimngly voted both for Obama & Yes on 8 - turned the tide. But in conclusion the analyst wrote:

Gays did win some victories yesterday. A new openly gay member of Congress, Jared Polis of Colorado, will go to the House in January. And thanks in part to the Cabinet, the group of elite gay political donors I wrote about recently, Democrats took the New York senate. The entire New York legislature is now in Democratic hands, and New York's governor, David Paterson, is one of the nation's most eloquent pro-marriage-equality representatives. He is also, by the way, African American. Perhaps he can help bridge the gap between gays and blacks that widened on Nov. 4.

This is a bridge that desperately needs to be built.  I'm daydreaming about what it would take to get Bishop Tutu & Nelson Mandela out here to explain to African Americans in CA why, though South Africans largely hated the practice of gay marriage, they approved it anyway, because, as Desmond Tutu said, "Equality does not exist on a sliding scale."

Amen, brotha!

One of the more disgusting aspects of the 2004 election was the way Bush made inroads into the black community with his same-sex marriage Constitutional Amendment.  Lots of black churches let themselves be used by the Bush people.  So, um, you're getting in bed with an administration that DOESN'T GIVE A RAT'S ASS ABOUT YOU the rest of the year, over an issue that affects the quality of your life NOT ONE IOTA? Praise Jeebus!

You should talk to my dad - who spent nearly 30 years ministering to the black community in North St. Louis - about this.  Of course you'd be preaching to the choir, but he could tell you things that he has seen first hand from the black clergy that would just bowl you over.

[Gazoo]

Didn't Sylvester get his first fuck by a guy in his church?

Also worth noting is the amount of money the Mormons poured into the Yes side of that race - which has spawned a movement to demand that they lose their tax-exempt status.

My rage is focused on people like this - and I hope all five of their sons turn out gay.

http://www.sacbee.com/391/story/1308945.html

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.

"It was a decision we made very prayerfully and carefully," said Pam Patterson,
48. "Was it an easy decision? No. But it was a clear decision, one that had
so much potential to benefit our children and their children."

[RGMike]

FYI: Olbermann will be doing a Special Comment Monday nite on the subject of Prop 8.

[mshray]

Gaz, I've been reading that NY is likely to approve gay marriage now that the Dems took control of the state senate there to go along with a pro-gay marriage governor & a Dem-controlled state assembly (and neighboring CT already approved it).  What are you hearing?

[Gazoo]

Gaz, I've been reading that NY is likely to approve gay marriage now that the Dems took control of the state senate there to go along with a pro-gay marriage governor & a Dem-controlled state assembly (and neighboring CT already approved it).  What are you hearing?

I knew that Governor Paterson was an ally, but I haven't been hearing any conversation at all, actually.  Would be a phenomenal step - and a point of reassurance for one of my co-workers (who's too good to be a cow orker) who just got married in SF in September.

[RGMike]

FYI: Olbermann will be doing a Special Comment Monday nite on the subject of Prop 8.

Just saw it; it was excellent. Look for it on YouTube or the MSNBC website.

[ggould]

FYI: Olbermann will be doing a Special Comment Monday nite on the subject of Prop 8.

Just saw it; it was excellent. Look for it on YouTube or the MSNBC website.

I decided to just embed it in my blog; it's so good, it's so passionate.

http://ggould.blogspot.com/2008/11/keith-olbermanns-prop-8-editorial.html

[SFGuy]

I didn't know the Governor of California (or Calee-fornia) was against Prop 8.

[RGMike]

I didn't know the Governor of California (or Calee-fornia) was against Prop 8.

I didn't vote for him (twice) but Ah-nuld ain't so bad.

[RGMike]

Gaz, I've been reading that NY is likely to approve gay marriage now that the Dems took control of the state senate there to go along with a pro-gay marriage governor & a Dem-controlled state assembly (and neighboring CT already approved it).  What are you hearing?

I knew that Governor Paterson was an ally, but I haven't been hearing any conversation at all, actually.  Would be a phenomenal step - and a point of reassurance for one of my co-workers (who's too good to be a cow orker) who just got married in SF in September.

Check out this piece on a NY State Senator -- a Dem -- who's also a Pentcostal minister in the Bronx and (naturally) rabidly anti-gay:

http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2008/11/anti-gay_state_senator_chooses.html?f=most-commented-24h-10

[RGMike]

Can you work in musical theater and be anti-gay? Apparently:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2008/11/11/state/n103927S55.DTL&tsp=1

[RGMike]

Nearly forgot Jon Stewart's comment on Prop 8: He told his audience that while Calif voters banned gay marriage, they passed Prop 2, "which guarantees that chickens have enough leg room... so clearly Californians are amenable to some cock."

[ggould]

the musings of a religious person who did not go along for the Yes on 8 ride:

http://tcpc.blogs.com/musings/2008/11/civil-initiative-for-same-sex-marriage.html