The Greatest Gift of All

(Originally posted at The Liberal OC)

Love. Love is a many splendid thing. Love is awesome. Love feels good.

But what if you couldn't be with the one you love? What if you couldn't have the one you love? What if you weren't allowed to love the one you love?

Think I'm crazy?

If we allow discriminatory initiatives like California's Prop H8, Arizona's Prop 102, and Florida's Amendment 2 to stand, it would only be the start. It would start a new effort to attack the LGBT community and the rights we have. But you know what's even worse?

The forces behind H8 don't really care about "protecting marriage". They mainly want to "divide and conquer" the progressive coalition that elected Barack Obama as our next President & sent more Democrats to Congress. They want to rekindle "the culture wars" and make LGBT people into just another "wedge issue".

But you know what? Our love isn't a "wedge issue"! People's civil rights shouldn't be a petty political game. It's high time we say "Enough!" to this attempt to make equality into some ugly "culture war".

That's why I'm giving the gift of equality to everyone I love. Because after all, isn't this about the right to love? And what better gift can I give than the right to live and love?

And yes, the beautiful struggle for the right to love goes on. We have a strong case in the California Supreme Court to overturn H8, as the forces behind this initiative didn't actually follow the constitutional guidelines to try to revise the state constitution. And no matter what happens in court next spring, we'll be prepared to win marriage equality on the California ballot in 2010. And believe me, we're not giving up on Arizona or Florida or any of the other states with marriage bans to repeal.

Hey, isn't love worth fighting for? That's why I'm giving to my friends and family the gift of a strong Courage Campaign effort to repeal H8. Meanwhile, a couple friends are giving me a great Lambda Legal effort to fight for our rights in court.

Love isn't cheap, but love is so worth it! So please, please give the gift of equality to the ones you love. Trust me, this will be a holiday present that your loved ones will absolutely love!