Walking for Equality

(Proudly cross-posted at OC Progressive)

Last Saturday, I had the privilege to do Orange County's first Courage Campaign Equality Team canvass. We met. We prepared. And then, we went out and talked with voters. Yes, we really did go door to door to talk with voters in our area.

And guess what? We made change.







In all the conversations we had with our neighbors on Saturday, we persuaded about 5% of the voters we talked with. At first, this number may seem small. But guess what? If this results in just 5% of voters changing their minds on marriage equality throughout Orange County and all over California, we go from narrowly losing to winning a majority in favor of equal marriage rights for gay & lesbian families. 5% may seem small, but that much change in the vote can result in massive change in policy.

And in addition to the people we persuaded our way, we actually found far more people who were already open to undoing the damage of H8. I was surprised when I found out that we had picked up a total of 146 pledges to repeal H8 on Saturday! People throughout the battleground areas of Irvine and Costa Mesa, cities where we narrowly won (even in neighborhoods where we lost!), told us that they were appalled by Prop H8's assault on LGBT civil rights and understood how the attack on our rights threatens everyone.

We're not hopeless. We have far more support than we think. And if we simply talk to our supporters, let them know they're not alone, and let them know what they can do to help our cause, we can make significant progress in preparing to win our next campaign coming soon regardless of what happens in court.

Sooner or later, we'll see marriage equality come to California and arrive nationwide for good. So why not make it sooner in the nation's most populous state? Voters may be ready to undo the H8 next year, so why not build up an army for civil rights to go out, share our stories, and open up a whole lot of hearts and minds? That's what Courage Campaign is doing, and that's why we need to support them.

So if you're in Cali, why not consider joining your local Equality Team? If you're not, why not join local activists in your area? And no matter where you are in the nation, you can help Courage keep the momentum going in our direction?

We can do it. I know we can.

Why I Still Hope

(Proudly cross-posted at OC Progressive)

Right after the last election, I was devastated. I thought we had won, but instead I lost my fundamental rights and felt like garbage. I didn't know what do to next.

So what did this po' lil' queer kid do to start recovering what H8 stole away? I joined the impact. I put love into action. I didn't let homophobes like Rick Warren take my hope away. I looked back, then started thinking ahead. And lately, I've been waiting for our day of justice.

So what now? It's time to move on. It's time to start kicking some radical right ass and secure equality for all once and for all!

As we've talked about before, there's no way to really know how the California Supreme Court will rule in the Prop H8 lawsuits. They may issue a verdict we don't like, or they may issue a verdict that immediately reinstates marriage equality in the nation's most populous state. But either way, we must prepare for something else historic. We must prepare for the campaign afterward to secure our civil rights.

No matter what the court decides, we will likely see reaction to the ruling lead to action at the ballot box. Either the radical right will further try to erode LGBT rights and/or we will work for an initiative to secure marriage equality in California for good. So in order to prepare for the inevitable continuing campaign, we must ensure we build the strongest campaign possible. And no, I don't just mean raising money or putting up media ads. While we do need both, the inept and failed No on H8 campaign proved that those weren't enough to win.

We must knock doors. We must make calls. We must talk to our neighbors. We must register voters. We must reach out in our community and build those personal connections necessary to make a real impact and change people's hearts and minds.

This is why I've been so impressed by Courage Campaign. They get it. They realize how important grassroots community action is, so they're willing to help build local networks statewide like the one I'm working on in my hometown, Orange County. Without them, I don't know how I'd be able to prepare for our upcoming community outreach walks in Irvine on April 4 and Dana Point on April 18. Without their help in finding other local activists to help me do all this organizing, I don't know how I could have done this all on my own.

So if you're in California, please consider joining Courage Campaign. Give of your time if you can. Give of your money if you can. If you care about our civil rights, just give what you can and join our movement for equality.

And if you're not in California, you can still help us out here. But more importantly, go find your local LGBT activist network and join them. We need to see progress in all 50 states to build our way up to a nationwide tipping point for equality.

We're so close. I'm so fired up. I still have my hope, and no court or fundie wingnut can take it away from me.

Day of Justice

Find more photos like this on Orange County Equality Coalition


Today is the day I've been waiting for quite some time. The California Supreme Court hears oral arguments on the lawsuits that will force the judges to decide whether it's OK to treat millions of people, people like me, as "second-class citizens" simply because of who we love. Can this possibly be allowed? I hope not, and I renew my vow today to work my hardest to ensure it's not allowed.

So what's at stake today? Here's an idea.



OK, so that's the human element... But what about the legality? It's not as "cut and dry" simple as the pro-H8 forces want us to believe. Believe it or not, the judges must ultimately decide on their own relevance. Does the court's interpretation of the constitution still matter?

What’s really at stake in the Prop 8 case – and what will probably be the real deciding factor in the California Supreme Court’s decision – is the power and prestige of the California Supreme Court itself.

Prop 8 aims to overturn the California Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision in The Marriage Cases (2008), where the Court held that “the substantive right of two adults who share a loving relationship to join together to establish an officially recognized family of their own — and, if the couple chooses, to raise children within that family — constitutes a vitally important attribute of the fundamental interest in liberty and personal autonomy that the California Constitution secures to all persons for the benefit of both the individual and society,” and that “in view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples.”

If this decision of the California Supreme Court, based on what it described as a “fundamental constitutional right,” can be overturned by a simple majority of voters in a ballot proposition, then the purportedly “fundamental” state constitution carries no more weight than a simple statute — and arguably even less weight, since a statute requires either the approval of a majority of the legislature and the signature of the governor or a two-thirds vote of the legislature.

And since appellate judges see themselves first and foremost as guardians of the constitution, if the constitution is diminished, then the judges are correspondingly diminished as well.

And this is what scares me the most about Prop H8 if it were left to stand! It could very well undo all of California's pioneering ventures to advance civil rights simply because any electoral majority can vote away any "protected" minority group's rights. It could very well reduce the value of our state's constitution to nothing more than scrap paper worth trashing. It could very well undermine the importance and the independence of the judiciary system by refusing to let them do the job they're supposed to do in interpreting the constitution!

This is what should scare all of us today, scare us all into action. Do we want the nation's most populous state reduced to ridicule? Do we want to see people's fundamental rights stripped because of certain churches' religious doctrines? Do we really want a "tyranny of the (bare) majority" where a 52% election win can render the entire judiciary meaningless?

This is what keeps me going. I just can't imagine this happening. And frankly, I don't want to.

LGBT families deserve better. All people who've had to endure unjust discrimination deserve better. And ultimately, all Californians deserve better. Hell, all Americans deserve better!

But as I've said before, this matter doesn't end once a decision is announced. If the court allows H8 to stand, we have no other choice but to go back to the ballot to win back our equal rights. But if the court does the right thing and overturns H8, we must be vigilant in defending them from the coming radical right attacks and ultimately stopping the radical right from playing any more political games with our lives.

After all, these people hurt by H8 deserve their day of justice.



Ultimately, we all need our day of justice. Let's hope we see it coming today.

My Birthday Wish

In case you didn't know, my birthday is tomorrow. Yay. When I was little, I'd always be excited about a day full of celebration, gifts, and sheer bliss. Now, I just notice myself getting older... And hopefully a little wiser with each passing year.

I guess one reason why I haven't been excited about my upcoming birthday is that I have far too much on my mind to be caught up in any self-celebration. I have personal and family issues to deal with. I have to think about how President Obama's economic recovery package will affect my family and how to take advantage of that. Oh yes, and there's that other issue... The issue of my own civil rights.

Yes, that's right. The oral arguments for the Prop H8 lawsuits are this Thursday, just two days after my birthday. Strange timing, isn't it? Can it be a good sign of what's to come? I hope so. But whatever happens in court, we need to be ready to keep working.

If the court upholds H8, we can't just walk away in sorrow. We must work our hardest to win back our civil rights. The vote last November was close, so all we need to do is gain 4% to literally reverse the results and win 52% for marriage equality in California. And with all the new enthusiasm building up in the LGBT rights movement, I know we can channel all this good energy into a winning campaign.

But of course, I'm personally hoping that the California Supreme Court pays attention to what our side's lawyers say and finds that Prop H8 truly is unfair, unconstitutional, and a dangerous precedent that could undo all the advances made in civil rights for LGBT people, ethnic minorities, religious minorities, disabled people, and women if allowed to stand. And while there isn't direct precedent in the court overturning this exact type of initiative, they have in the past overturned other "constitutional amendments" that they've found to be in direct contradiction of the state constitution's guarantee of equal rights for all. So really, we're not hopeless this week.

But again, we need to be prepared to keep going regardless of how the court decides. If the justices punt this issue back to the voters, we need to make our large minority for equal marriage rights into a real voting majority. If they decide to undo the damage of H8, we need to reassure people that this is the proper role of the judiciary, to ensure that our highest expression of the will of the people, the constitution, is being protected.

So please, if you can, support the good people working hard to protect our constitutional rights. If you're in California, support Courage Campaign and their brand new Equality Hub that's here to help us organize for equal rights, as well as groups like Equality California that are working hard in the courtroom, in the capitol, and on the streets to fight for our rights. And no matter where you are in the nation, please support groups like NCLR and ACLU that are in the courts and on the ground across the nation to defend and protect our constitutional rights.

Yeah, yeah, my birthday is tomorrow. If you'd like to help me celebrate my big day, please do so by supporting the cause of equality for all. And even if you don't give a damn about my birthday, please support the cause nonetheless because it's the right thing to do.

We can't allow any of our citizens to be treated as "second-class" simply because of who they are. No matter their race, gender (including gender identity), religion, or sexual orientation, all our citizens should be treated equally under the law. So please help us take a major step in this direction by making victory happen in California... And making my birthday extra happy this year. Thanks.

Tell President Clinton to Stop Supporting H8

This pains me. It really does. As much as I love President Clinton, I deplore that he's considering betraying his labor and LGBT supporters to speak at the "crown jewel" hotel owned by the notoriously anti-worker H8-monger Doug Manchester. We need to speak up NOW to tell him to reconsider!

If you have some free time this weekend, please consider writing your own letter to President Clinton and emailing it here. Otherwise, please sign this Courage Campaign petition. Thanks.

After Prop H8: Looking Back, Thinking Ahead

(Originally posted at The Liberal OC)

In a typically rare occasion, I had to cross "The Orange Curtain" last weekend to attend two major LGBT civil rights events in Los Angeles, Equality Summit and Camp Courage. And even though I hardly got any sleep Saturday night, I'm glad I did both. One helped me understand what went wrong with the No on H8 campaign in California last year, while the other helped me realize what needs to be done to make it right in 2009 and 2010.

On Saturday, I attended Equality California's Equality Summit in Downtown LA. I didn't quite know what to expect when I first stepped in the Convention Center. But once the summit began, I quickly realized what this was becoming.

When the leaders of the No on H8 campaign began speaking, anxiety was already beginning to fill the room. And when some of them didn't really want to answer the questions on what went wrong, the anxiety quickly turned into anger. The election may have been nearly three months ago, but that doesn't mean LGBT people aren't still hurting after losing fundamental rights at the ballot box. People wanted accountability, but the campiagn leaders still seemed afraid to own up to what happened.

Well, not everyone was afraid. Some, like EQCA's Geoff Kors, actually seemed open to learning from mistakes. And better yet, the folks from Marriage Equality USA seemed ready to undo the damage. However, others just preferred to shift blame to someone else. Fortunately, the lovely Eva Patterson of Equal Justice Society was able to calm the crowd after a storm of fury. She broke to us the hard fact that we'll eventually need to forgive and move on if we intend to build a strong coalition.

After the venting was done, we were then able to engage in some constructive dialogue. David Binder, one of the Obama Campaign's pollsters, gave some definitive answers on what went wrong in the Prop H8 vote. Also at the summit, I was able to meet with local leaders to talk about preparing a winning plan for OC. All in all, I found good use out of Equality Summit.

If Equality Summit was about dealing with the past, then Courage Campaign's Camp Courage seemed all about preparing for the future. I could feel something different in West Hollywood yesterday as I stepped in the auditorium. Instead of the soul searching and frustration I had witnessed the previous day, this event would be more upbeat and action oriented. But hey, what should I have expected from an event modeled after Camp Obama?

I'll be brutally honest, the "Fired Up! Ready to Go!" and "Yes We Can!" chants seemed a little creepy at first. As someone who supported Hillary Clinton in the Democratic Primary (before moving to Barack Obama for the general election), I was starting to feel uncomfortable. But once the program got rolling, I was blown away... In a good way.

We had "old school" civil rights activists, like Lisa Powell and SEIU's Liz Moore, train us on telling our stories and persuading voters. We also had newer activists, like Calitics blogger & Courage organizer Julia Rosen, train us on new tools like Courage's Equality Hub. All in all, I felt like I was actually being empowered to undo the damage of H8 at Camp Courage yesterday.

And ultimately, this is why I'm glad I did both. This is why the LGBT community needs to have both experiences. The marriage equality battle has been tough, and numerous mistakes have been made in the past, so we need to vent and scream and shout and forgive and understand and ultimately learn from our mistakes. And then, we need to move on and start figuring out what we must do now and in the future to succeed in the beautiful struggle for equality.

But hey, this doesn't come cheap. EQCA can't do this alone, and neither can Courage Campaign. We need to support these California groups that are working hard in court and on the ground to overturn H8. Oh yes, and let's not forget the local groups that are doing the same here in my area and in yours. We need to look back, look ahead, and ultimately get to work to make equality happen.

Why I Hope

(Originally posted at The Liberal OC)

"Marriage isn't a special right. Marriage is a civil right." - Robin Tyler, one of the plaintiffs in the Prop H8 lawsuit currently before the California Supreme Court

Yesterday, something amazing occurred. On a beautiful and sunny Sunday in Southern California, people came to speak up, speak out, come out, and make a difference. And on what was supposed to be a normal Sunday at Saddleback Church, they witnessed today's civil rights movement in full force.

Golly gee whiz, what a mistake it was to tell a concerned citizen that she wasn't allowed to come into church!









Earlier this month, Robin Tyler, her wife, and a few of their friends believed Saddleback Pastor Rick Warren when he said he wanted dialogue with LGBT people. That's why they asked him if they could
come to church this Sunday and show him & his congregation some public service announcements on LGBT civil rights that were produced by gettoknowusfirst.comand allornotatall.org,
their grassroots groups. They figured that since Rick Warren has told the media he was "misunderstood" on Prop H8, that he'd like to clear the air and show his congregation how accepting he and the church really are. But to their surprise, he refused their peace offering and told them he may reconsider some other time.

Even though Warren wears a smile on his face as he says he's not a homophobe, his actions don't match his words. He may have wanted to simply sweep his "gay problem" under the rug in time to bask in the spotlight of being christened as "America's Pastor" at Barack Obama's Presidential Inauguration this Tuesday, but Robin Tyler, her friends from all over California, and a number of us local civil rights activists had something else in mind. Warren didn't want us in his church, so we took our message of equality directly to his parishioners and the surrounding community just outside the church.

Warren may not have wanted to turn this into a spectacle, but he couldn't stop what was happening outside. We held our signs. We took over all four corners of the intersection. Oh yes, and we even talked to people outside the front entrance! And did I mention that the local newspapers and teevee stations came with their cameras and notebooks? Oops.

This is the problem we're currently facing. The forces behind Prop H8 want to hide their bigotry behind a facade of "tolerance". That's how they were able to squeak by with 52.3% of the vote last November.

But you know what? The days of "soft bigotry" are over! We will no longer allow them to get away with H8. Now, we must expose them for what they are as we tell of our own message of love and acceptance.

Most voters in California, including many who attend churches like Saddleback, aren't hateful people. Rather, they haven't learned the truth of how there is no "separate but equal" and how thousands of families all over this state are being hurt by this myth being propped up by Prop H8. And once we work our hardest to share with these voters what marriage equality really means, which is protecting and strengthening all families, they will support our movement for equal rights.

So now, let's get that message out! Let's support the good grassroots groups I mentioned earlier. Let's support organizations like Courage Campaign that are already at work preparing a winning campaign to end H8. Oh yes, and let's start to support the great new local groups that are part of this statewide and nationwide civil rights movement.

This is why I have hope today. The beautiful struggle for equality isn't over just yet. Rather, the best is yet to come. No matter what the forces of H8 try to do to us, love and equality and justice will ultimately prevail.

Love in Action

Last Saturday, about 30 of us local civil rights activists in Orange County went out to see "Milk". And afterwards, we were all inspired by the story of "The Mayor of Castro Street" to go out & make a difference outside South Coast Plaza.

And guess what? We kept going on Sunday! In fact, we took our message of love & equality directly to H8 headquarters. And believe it or not, there's not as much H8 here as you'd think.

Come along with me as I tell you about my weekend full of love & equality.

On Saturday, Courage Campaign sponsored "MILK + Love" events all over California to remind the state that the civil rights movement isn't over yet. And yes, I hosted the event in Costa Mesa. I received RSVP email after RSVP email in the 72 hours before the event, but I seriously doubted that 46 people would actually show up.

But lo & behold, we actually had over 50 people come to the candlelight vigil after the movie! And better yet, most passers-by were quite moved by our plea for equal rights. In fact, a family doing some holiday shopping stopped by to apologize for their votes for H8 as the husband & wife were showing the kids all the other loving families at the rally. They seemed to be crying once they met the married couples that the Yes on H8 campaign wants to divorce against their will. I nearly cried after they left.

Well, I guess that was good preparation for what would happen the following day. I woke up early Sunday morning to make the trek down the toll road to Saddleback Church. I wanted to make sure I'd be there in time for the 9:00 AM & 11:00 AM services. But oh my, I didn't know what I'd be jumping into!

Sure, I expected the few people driving into church who shouted expletives at us. However, I didn't expect a church member to walk down from the campus to apologize for the recent Rick Warren related controversies. She tried to tell us that Warren isn't a bigot. Someone from our group wanted to shout her down, but the rest of us speaking with her quieted him down. Then, a lesbian couple who was married this year explained to the church member how they're not treated equally under a domestic partnership even though it's "just like marriage". She had asked about compromising by "calling it something else", but she started to understand as we were telling her our own stories of discovering that there's no such thing as "separate but equal". The church member told us of her gay son & gay cousins, and I told her of my Christian friends. We cried, we hugged, and I gave her my card in hopes that she will continue the conversation we began yesterday.

Believe it or not, not everyone at Saddleback Church hates queer people. Sure, we got the dirty looks and the thumbs down and the expletives. However, we also discovered our fair share of thumbs up and amicable waves among both the passers-by along Portola Parkway and parishioners leaving church. I guess once they realized that queer people aren't so scary, they let go of whatever fear and hatred they once had. I mean, how could they look directly at the married gay couple that joined us later in the day and say that they should be forcibly divorced?

Really, that was the success of our weekend of action here in Orange County. We practiced what Harvey Milk preached. We showed the outside world that LGBT people are people too. We came out, showed our love, and asked our neighbors to join in sharing the love... And the civil rights!

It's so crucial that we remain out of our closet comfort zone in the coming months as the California Supreme Court determines the immediate fate of marriage equality and the voting public decides whether to reconsider their opinions in 2010. We must be out fighting for our rights. We must be out winning hearts and minds. We can't just expect California to fall into place, or for President Obama to magically make everything better. We musf make it happen!

So please, make sure Courage Campaign is ready for 2010. Make sure the ACLU can continue to win our rights in court. And most importantly, go out & put you love into action by telling everyone why equal rights for all matter.

BREAKING: CA Attorney General Argues to Court to Overturn Prop H8

Jerry Brown just submitted his legal brief as California Attorney General to the state supreme court, and he now argues that Prop H8 is an illegal attempt to revise the constitution to deny equal rights to gay & lesbian couples. This is HUGE news, as he had previously declared that he'd defend Prop H8 in court. I guess Jerry Brown has woken up to smell the cyanide of this assault on people's constitutional rights.

Let's hope that the court comes to the same conclusion next spring.

Looking Southwest for 2010 & Beyond

This year has been quite transformative for The West, especially The Southwest. Colorado, Nevada, and New Mexico have gone from Red to Blue. Utah and Arizona don't look quite as Red as they used to. Oh yes, and California now looks bluer than ever before.

But will this last? Will The Southwest continue to trend blue? And can Democrats continue to make gains here?

Honestly, I think so. Why? First off, demographics are shifting our way. Latinos continue to grow in population and political influence. "Creative Class" professionals continue to breathe new life into the region's urban areas. The area has changed, and the changes favor us.

And because the the demographics of The Southwest has changed, so has the politics. The old "rugged individualism" and "libertarian conservatism" that used to define the region's politics have faded away as these formerly rural states are becoming much more urban and suburban. After all, why would young parents in Henderson, NV, worry about whether or not they can own assault rifles when they have to make plans for their kids' college education, keep their kids safe from dangerous air and water pollution, and be able to afford a home and food and health care? Why would a couple of biotech researchers in Aurora, CO, feel threatened by public park land in the state when they're worried about keeping their jobs?

See where I'm going? The West has changed. I know. I've witnessed how my native Orange County, CA, has changed from "John Birch Society" embarrassment to dynamic urban environment. I've seen firsthand how Las Vegas has transformed from small casino town to world-class destination. I've been amazed by how the entire region has changed, and how we all saw this on full display as Democrats won across the board here.

So what should we do next? Let's first talk about Nevada. Barack Obama won here by 12% (vs. a 2% Bush win in 2004), Democrat Dina Titus defeated GOP incumbent Jon Porter for Congress in NV-03, and Democrats now control both houses of the state legislature. So what next? We keep Majority Leader Harry Reid in the Senate and put a good Democrat in the Governor's seat to replace the disgraced GOP incumbent Jim Gibbons, as both are quite doable. I'd now peg the Senate race as "Leans Democratic" and the Governor's race as "Toss-up". Oh yes, and we'd be wise to take advantage of Obama's possible 2012 coattails here by finding a legitimate challenger to GOP Senator John Ensign.

Colorado was also good to us this year, as Obama won by 9% (vs. a 5% Bush win in 2004), Tom Udall won a formerly GOP Senate seat, and Betsy Markey unseated GOP Rep. Marilyn Musgrave in CO-04. So what can we do now? I'd peg incumbent Senator Ken Salazar's 2010 race as "Likely Democratic" now, but we should keep a close watch to make sure we win again. And of course, we'll need to make sure Obama wins again in 2012.

But what about California? Obama won here by a whopping 24% (vs. a 10% Kerry win in 2004) and Democrats already have both Senate seats & 33 of 53 House seats. What more can we have? How about the Governor's seat, which I already consider "Leans Democratic" as the GOP has no strong candidate to succeed Arnold Schwarzenegger? And how about winning the "Toss-up" House races in CA-03, CA-04, and CA-44 in 2010, where we came so close this year? Same goes for the "Leans Republican" races in CA-46 and CA-50?

And what about Arizona? McCain won his home state by 9% (vs. an 11% Bush win in 2004), but Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick still managed to win a formerly GOP seat in AZ-01. So is there still potential here? I think so. Without the McCain home state edge, Obama can win here in 2012. And better yet, we can beat McCain in 2010, as well as fellow GOP Senator Jon Kyl in 2012, with the right candidates. Same goes with the 2010 Governor's race, which can be a "Toss-up" if we can have a quality candidate run against newly minted GOP Governor Jan Brewer.

So where do we go from here out West? We win! Ready to win?

How Funny...

Is this what my native homeland is best known for? ;-)

So Much for the "Black v. Gay Divide"

One of the most disingenuous memes from the post-Prop 8 fallout in California is that "African-Americans don't get along with gays and vice-versa". Nothing could be further from the truth... Especially for people who are African-American AND LGBT! Here, take a looksy at this protest in LA's historically black Leimert Park neighborhood last weekend.

See how everyone's getting along? See all those beautiful black & queer people marching for civil rights? Yes, it's for real!

So may be FINALLY stop hearing about this fictitious "black v. gay divide"?! Thanks.

The Gift of Equality

On Saturday night, I had the chance to go out to the local town square and join some friends in asking for a special gift for the holidays. We weren't asking for anything expensive or extravagant. All we really want is equality.

Yes, that's right. All we want is the gift of equality. This nation has simultaneously experienced a great leap forward in civil rights with the election of Barack Obama as our next President and a major setback in civil rights with the passage of same-sex marriage bans in California, Arizona, and Florida, along with an adoption ban in Arkansas. These last three weeks since the election have been so awkwardly painful not just for LGBT people, but for all people who want equal rights for all.

However, November 4, 2008, isn't the end date of this story of the long struggle for equality. Rather, it's just turned out to be a new beginning. People from all over America, even in "blood red" locales like Orange County, CA, have filled the streets to peacefully ask for equality.

That's what happened at our local vigil on Saturday. While others all around us went out to eat and drink and party, we were out to ask for the holiday gift of equal rights. We had students from the local college along with families from nearby neighborhoods. We had little children ask why their mommies couldn't marry, and we had young couples ask why they couldn't marry. Why can't all loving relationships be equally legally recognized?

Well, there is some good news. The California Supreme Court has agreed to answer that question, and a legal challenge is pending in Florida. Fortunately, we have great allies in court with a strong case to make for the invalidation of Proposition 8, the unconstitutional marriage ban in California. Meanwhile in Florida, civil rights groups are preparing to defend domestic partner benefits against the forces of hatred already using Amendment 2 to take them all away. And better yet, our progressive allies in California are already preparing for a campaign to secure our rights no matter what happens in court.

Still, we can't just expect victory. We must make victory happen! I mean it. We may not be able to argue in front of court, and we may not be able to develop campaign plans for 2010 & 2012. But believe it or not, we can still give each other the gift of equality this holiday season.

How so? We can give each other (or ourselves!) the gift of equality by supporting these organizations working for victory on the legal AND political fronts!

Legal:

ACLU LGBT Fund

Lambda Legal

National Center for Lesbian Rights

Political:

Courage Campaign's Repeal Prop 8 Plan

Equality California

Equality Florida

Equality Arizona

This isn't over, not by a long shot! We won't stop fighting until all people have their rights all over this nation. And really, wouldn't this gift be far more useful than that sporting goods gift card or clunky toaster that never gets used?

So come on, everyone, let's give the gift that all of us can cherish!

LATE BREAKING: CA SUPREME COURT TAKES PROP H8 LAWSUITS!!

Hooray! California's Supreme Court WILL take the cases challenging Prop 8, the initiative that bans marriage equality in the state. While we didn't get everything we wanted, I think we now have a good shot of overturning this hateful, horrid initiative. Let's take a look at what happened:

1) The court is taking the case on an expedited schedule, meaning that first briefs will be filed next week, oral arguments begin in March, and a final ruling will likely come in May.

2) The court did NOT issue a stay on enforcing 8 while the court hears the case, meaning no marriage equality in California... FOR NOW.

3) The court expressed concern on the matters of whether Prop 8 is an attempted constitutional revision improperly sought after & whether Prop 8 improperly undoes constitutional protections against discrimination by sexual orientation... Meaning that the court is at least paying attention to our concerns & willing to hear what our lawyers have to say.

Overall, this is good news. While we don't know what will happen early next year, we do know the court has concerns about Prop 8 & the judges aren't dismissing this case any time soon. We now must remain vigilant & keep fighting until we win & we have our full rights!

On Joining the Impact

It wasn't that long ago when I was just crying in my bedroom, not knowing what I could do next. Prop 8 had passed in California, and it felt like I was completely stripped of my human rights. Why did everything go so wrong when it seemed like the worst had just ended with Barack Obama's victory?

But in the next few days, hope returned. Lawsuits were filed to protect people's rights. People soon took to the streets to protest the temporary "win" for hate. And most importantly, a new civil rights movement was born as people began organizing to show the state, the nation, and the world that love conquers all.

So how has a temporary defeat resulted in a sudden push for victory?

In the months before the November 4 election, the "old school" LGBT political organizations (like Human Rights Campaign and The Task Force) and a HUGE group of elite "old school" West Coast political consultants decided to run a top-down, cautious campaign to defeat Prop 8. There was little mention of the married couples about to lose their legal rights. There were no feet on the ground organized by the campaign to talk to neighbors in the community about the threat to everyone's civil rights posed by Prop 8. There were just a 12-page long phone bank script and rounds of TV ads trying to respond to the constant barrage of lies pounding the airwaves. That was a recipe for disaster.

Fortunately in the days following the disappointing election day results, something changed. Everyday people rose up to fight for their rights. Suddenly, an angry (but peaceful) uprising was transforming into a full-fledged movement. And then, it spread beyond California. It became a national uprising for equal rights.

And really, this is why I now feel a calm sense of reassuring hope. Now don't get me wrong, I refuse to become overconfident in expecting the California Supreme Court to overturn Prop 8 and/or a successful repeal campaign in 2010 and 2012. Rather, I am glad that so many of us have now realized that we are working to make victory happen.

I was once told by a New Age influenced family member that "you create your own reality". At first, I scoffed it off. But now, I know what she meant. We create our own reality by taking action, joining the impact, making it happen. We have the power now to make our case to the court, convince the voters, overturn Prop 8, and guarantee civil rights for all.

The power is ours. The time is now. What can we do in the coming days, weeks, and months ahead to end hateful discrimination and let love prevail?

A Ruling on California's Prop 8 Coming Soon?

I was just emailed this news. Unfortunately, I can't find the link. Still, this may help right what went wrong last week.

California Gay Marriage Ban Ruling Expected Shortly
By On Top Magazine Staff
Published: November 11, 2008

Lynn Holton, a spokeswoman for the California Supreme Court, said she expects the court to rule as early as this week on a lawsuit that seeks to invalidate Proposition 8, the recently-passed constitutional amendment that yanks back the right of gays and lesbians to marry in California.

Pro-gay rights groups filed the motion on Wednesday, the day after the election, arguing that Prop 8 is invalid because it alters the constitution's "core commitment to equality for everyone by eliminating a fundamental right from just one group, lesbian and gay Californians."

To make such a radical change to the constitution would require the
approval of the legislature first, the pro-gay rights groups say.

Now I don't know if we'll actually get a final ruling this week. We may only see a decision on whether or not to issue an injunction to give the court more time to deliberate the immediate future of equal rights in California. Still, this is welcomed news for civil rights advocates everywhere.

The California Supreme Court does have a good record of standing up for LGBT rights. So hopefully, they'll go to bat for us again this time. Prop 8 was snuk onto the ballot to undo the equal rights provisions in the state constitution. But because it was not done properly as a constitutional revision, we may just see the damage undone soon.

CA-44, Are you going to let Republicans steal this one?

Bill Hedrick did this without the help of the DCCC or the DNC and was outspent by Calvert (painfully corrupt Republican).

Calvert's team has apparently been having private conversations with the registrar's office in Riverside County, which was the last county in California to report its election results. There were numerous reports from Democratic Party officials, voters and even a poll worker in Riverside County that voters were "forced to use provisional ballots" or "denied ballots entirely" on Tuesday.

HuffPost

Bill Hedrick needs our help! He is only 4,000 votes away from being the second Democratic Congressperson in Orange County, CA and there are thousands of ballots left to count.

I just received this email from the South Orange County Democratic Club President, Gila Jones:

I've long been saying that the most competitive partisan race in Orange County was in the 44th Congressional District where Democrat Bill Hedrick faced corrupt Republican Ken Calvert last week.

Provisional, paper, and late absentee ballots -- 100,000 of them -- are still being counted, and Calvert leads Hedrick by only about 4000 votes.

Please do not let Calvert steal this election! Republican lawyers have descended on Riverside and are working around the clock to try to disqualify as many ballots as possible. Bill Hedrick has retained a top-notch election lawyer to help him, but he needs money to help pay the lawyer's fee.

Please, please, do NOT allow a Florida-style debacle right here in Orange County. Donate here: http://www.actblue.com/page/hedrickballotfund

The local and national media are taking notice. One of the biggest stories of the election is taking place right here in Orange County. Please, make your donation to be sure Bill's supporters aren't disenfranchised the way Al Gore's were in Florida 8 years ago.

Here are some of the printed and online reports:
http://www.politickerca.com/jamesgerber/3123/ca-44-too-close-call
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erik-ose/supposedly-safe-gop-house_b_141910.html
http://www.swingstateproject.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=3880

Please, donate today. You are the margin of victory, and Bill Hedrick needs whatever financial support you can spare to prevent this election being stolen.

http://www.actblue.com/page/hedrickballotfund

Please donate if you can, I just gave $25 myself. This is the best chance the OC has to add another Democrat to our ranks in Congress (with Loretta Sanchez) and this could also help turn the OC blue. But it's also another vote for Barack Obama when he needs help passing his very important legislation.

I know we're all tapped out, but it's worth it. I met Bill Hedrick on the Fourth of July and was impressed with him immediately. He was easy to talk to, amazingly knowledgeable and he's a good Democrat.

Some background...

A native of Los Angeles, Bill was born in 1952. The son of a Teamster and a teacher, both from the South, he absorbed the lessons of hard work, common sense, and tolerance modeled by his parents. After church, Sunday dinner table conversation always centered around current events, politics in general, and the Democratic Party. Through annual summer visits to east Texas, he learned first-hand the value of tradition, but also the human cost of segregation and poverty. The contrast between middle class Los Angeles and the deep poverty of the rural South left an indelible impression on him and a desire to change the world one student at a time.

A product of public schools, Bill received his BA in Social Science and MA in Education from CSULA. He began teaching elementary school in Hollywood in 1974, and has spent 34 years in education in Southern California, the last eight years serving as president of the Rialto Education Association, an NEA/AFL-CIO affiliate. Bill's particular area of expertise has been working with English language learners, and early in his career, he traveled to Mexico to learn Spanish to better communicate with his students and their parents.

In November 1988, Bill was elected to the Board of Education of the 51,000 student Corona-Norco Unified School District. He has served four terms as president of the Board, representing 250,000 residents of the 44th district, and deals with an annual budget in excess of $400,000,000.

Upon election he immediately set to work to expand choices for students and families. In doing so, he was instrumental in the adoption and/or expansion of AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination), IB (International Baccalaureate), Dual Immersion (English-Spanish), JROTC (Navy, Air Force), and a host of other options to provide support for students.

Student safety is foremost for Bill. In the wake of a tragic off-campus incident charged with racial overtones, he championed district efforts to develop a comprehension response, including tolerance education, enhanced safety measures, and a comprehensive district plan that values diversity.

Bill demanded an aggressive response from the District to news that toxic vapors were present at a district high school, most likely caused by a contaminated ground water plume. He doggedly pursued remediating despite strong opposition, a fight that continues to this day. He has also worked to create a "green" high school to be uniquely situated in a recovered quarry.

Bill and his wife of 28 years, Beth, have lived in Corona since 1981, and have five children. Their son Adam, a soldier with the 3rd ID, is currently serving a second Iraqi deployment east of Baghdad. Son Jesse served in Baquba with the 1st ID before suffering a near-fatal "heat event," while his wife, Evelyn, was an army convoy driver in Baghdad, also serving a second tour. Sarah is an apprentice electrician, and Zach and Rebekkah are students.

and his amazing commercial!



Bill Hedrick on Challenges Facing Working Families

How The West Was Won... And Lost

This week has been nothing short of amazing! Barack Obama will be our next President. More and better Democrats will be going to Congress. The electoral map has undergone a major blue shift.

So why has this whole experience been bittersweet at best for me? Well, all is not well in my own home state. So what can we celebrate and what must we fix? Let me share with you the story of this election from behind the scenes.



First off, let's start with the bad news. We lost in California. But wait, you ask, didn't Obama win by about 24%? Isn't that good? Of course it is, and that isn't the problem.

The problem in California is that Barack Obama had hardly any coattails here. Look at how Prop 8, the marriage ban, may end up having to be stopped at the courts (again, hopefully). Look at how, barring the results in CA-44 & CA-04 changing in the provisional vote count, we have not gained any new Congressional seats. Look at how we're still short of a 2/3 supermajority in both houses of the state legislature.

Simply put, we failed our mission in The Golden State. There were hundreds of thousands of "undervotes" here, meaning that people voted Obama for President but did NOT continue downballot to vote on Congress, the initiatives, and local races. This is nothing short of tragic, and there's no excuse for the nation's biggest Blue State to still show so much red! Because of the inept and disastrous "leadership" of the state party, the refusal of the DCCC to invest in real races like CA-44 & CA-46, and the horribly gawd-awful "leadership" by The Task Force & Equality California on the No on 8 campaign & their failure to have a real ground game, we missed the opportunity to turn the Obama victory into a progressive victory in California.







Now contrast what happened in California on Tuesday to what happened in Nevada on the same day. While one state didn't change much, the other state next door underwent a massive transformation! Like Mountain West neighbors New Mexico & Colorado, Nevada is now officially a Blue State! And not just that, but Democrats now have a broad and clear mandate for progressive change.

Progressive Democrat Dina Titus was elected to Congress in a "swing district" that Bush won in 2004. Democrats now control both houses in the state legislature for the first time since 1991, including a 2/3 supermajority in the Assembly. Voters approved a good initiative that will actually help Nevada fully fund its schools. And of course, Barack Obama won the ex-Red State by a whopping 12%, including an 18% win in Clark County (Las Vegas Metro) and wins in the formerly Republican Carson City & Washoe (Reno) Counties!

So why were the results in Nevada so dramatically different? Let's see, Harry Reid and the state party leaders actually began early in registering more Democrats and building an aggressive field operation while the GOP was power drunk and asleep at the wheel. The Obama campaign and the state party were effective in coordinating with the Dina Titus campaign, the Jill Derby campaign up north, and the local campaigns. All the candidates up and down the ballot had a clear and consistent message for change on the economy, energy & environment, education, health care, and so much more. Basically, Democrats worked together on the ground and that's why we won!

So what lessons can we learn from this tale of two states? First off, there's no real substitute for a grassroots door-to-door, face-to-face campaign. Despite the good last-minute ads, they may have been too little & too late to make up for the lack of a ground game for No on 8 in California. Meanwhile in Nevada, no amount of negative attack ads from the Republicans against Dina Titus & Barack Obama could make up for their complete lack of a ground game while we Democrats truly rocked the vote!

Secondly, Nevada Democrats succeeded in translating an Obama victory into a progressive victory while California Democrats were simply lost in translation. Why couldn't we win the 45th & 48th Congressional Districts when Obama carried them? Why couldn't Debbie Cook win in the 46th when Obama carried it? Why were there so many undervotes statewide? Whatever the Nevada Democratic Party did right, the California Democratic Party needs to learn how to do it.

And finally, we should all be of good cheer! The West is ours if we want it! The results across the region prove that where Democrats work, Democrats win. But in places like California where state party leaders grew complacent, we lost out on real opportunities.

So what do we do next? After we're done celebrating, we will go back to work! We have more work to do to keep progress going, so let's do it! :-D

My Final Plea for Change

That's the front of my house. Sometimes, I feel so alone. I see McBush-Failin signs all over the neighborhood across the park from mine. I see the Christianists (aka radical right fundamentalists) put up signs in support of the marriage ban all over my neighborhood. Sometimes, I just want to cry because I feel so alone.



But you know what? In the last few weeks of walking my neighborhood and surrounding areas, I found out something quite reassuring. I'm actually not alone! Quite a few of my neighbors are just as disgusted with the radical right as I am. I can tell.

How so? They tell me. They tell me when I knock on their doors. They tell me with their bumper stickers. They tell me with their yard signs. They tell me that I'm not alone in wanting an end to fearmongering, an end to hatemongering, and the dawn of a new day filled with hope and understanding and compassion and love.

For far too long, the Rethuglicans have tried to convince all of us that each of us is alone and isolated. We're alone in not being truly "pro-America". We're alone in not persecuting gay & lesbian couples and blaming them for all our problems. We're alone in thinking that it's wrong to steal from the working class to bestow upon the ultra-wealthy.

But guess what? They're WRONG! We are not alone, and we'll find out on November 4.

That's why it's critical that we stand up now & let ours and! our friends' voices be heard! Whatever you can do, please do it! Give, volunteer, speak up.

I'll be leaving home tomorrow to help elect Democrats (including Barack Obama) to office in Nevada. But if you'll still be in California, please stay & work to defeat the hateful and bigoted Proposition 8 and elect great Democrats like Debbie Cook to office. This is our last call to make real change happen. Please take it.