On November 7th, sometime before noon Pacific time, Willow Witte and I were emailing back and forth about Proposition 8. What came from those emails was JoinTheImpact.com and a blog post that called for national protests across the country in response to Proposition 8. Now, 6 months later, I have that same lump in my throat and the same feeling of anxiety, mixed with anger, mixed with sadness. Basically, it’s like getting side-swiped by a car. But there’s something that makes today far different than those days following the November 4th passage of Proposition 8. That difference is you.
On November 7th, Willow and I assumed we’d get maybe 4 cities involved in a protest of Prop 8. We figured that would be a huge accomplishment after just a week of notice. We assumed that we would have one high stress week and then go back to our local activism and wait with everyone else to see what happens next. But in that week, EVERYTHING changed. Within just a few days our servers crashed from the amount of traffic to this site. By November 10th the national protest became international with 10 other countries signing on. By November 12th we were discussing how to become a non-profit. By November 14th we were forming a board. And by November 15th, we stood in amazement as we realized that Prop 8 awoke a sleeping beast and we were lucky enough to be just one small piece of the extremely loud roar that this beast has continued to chant.
This sleeping beast is grassroots. This sleeping beast is netroots. It is flash activism in it’s purest form. This sleeping beast is every single one of you who came out on November 15th. And every single one of you who has come out time and time again. Those of you who organized for November 15th and continue to organize across this country. This sleeping beast is led by activists who have been fighting this fight since Stonewall and before. It is led by new activists as well; young people who can intuitively harness the tools of their generation and spread the message of equality far and wide in milliseconds. In this past 6 months, so many new organizations have sprung up, and so many seasoned organizations have lent a helping hand to ensure that we are all one family fighting for the same cause. In 6 months we have won marriage equality in 4 other states: Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa, and Maine with Domestic Partnership expansion laws passing in states like Washington. The Matthew Shepard Act passed in the house by a vote of 249 to 171. We have new rights in our grasps (rights that others in this country have always had without a second thought). We have an end to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell on the horizon, a stronger ENDA law, and the Matthew Sheppard Act sitting in the Senate. It is amazing what we have accomplished in 6 short months. And if they think that the movement for equality is going to stop now, then they are in for one gigantic surprise!
On November 15th, we asked everyone to unite as one. One loud voice across over 320 cities and 11 countries chiming in at the exact same moment in history to declare that OUR RIGHTS WILL NOT BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED! Now is the time for us to come together and STAY TOGETHER. We will no longer be pinned down by a national force fighting a local force. We showed the world that Prop 8 is not California’s problem, it is the NATION’s problem. It is time to fight inequality on all 50 fronts. We ALL need to come together and take the conversation of equality to the next level. It is time everyone in this country learns about the harms caused when all families do not receive equal protections under the law. We need to infiltrate the masses by going to the areas of our country, our states, and our cities that do not understand us. We need to educate those we meet about who we are and what our families mean to us. And most importantly, we must end hate by showing the world that we are fighting for love. We will not back down until our families receive full equality under the law!
Infiltrate. Educate. End Hate.
But how do we do this? What is next for us? Well that is up to you. We are all united in this struggle. This struggle has roots far deeper than marriage equality. We must fight for all of our rights. We must recognize that our fight is no different than the injustices other minority groups receive and we must join with them in our journey. We must come together as a family – one large family of people who support each other, protect each other, and fight for each other. If there is an issue in Idaho, we must all lend our support. If there is an issue in Manhattan, we must all lend our voices to the roar. If we can all work together, for the greater good of this movement, then VICTORY IS NEXT FOR US.
What is next for you? What can you do? Get in touch with your local LGBTQ organization and pledge a minimum of 5 hours per month to help them. If EVERYONE who reads this blog volunteers 5 hours per month to this movement then we will have over 1 million hours per month of new volunteers across the nation! Pledge your time. Get on the phones and phone bank. Grab a friend and go door to door to educate your neighbors. Go into the towns that would vote for a Prop 8 in your state and hold a teach in. If the past 6 months has shown us anything it’s that just one voice can change everything. Work with organizations like the Courage Campaign, Marriage Equality USA, Join the Impact, the HRC, the NGLTF, One Struggle One Fight, and on and on. EVERYONE has something that they need help on. Grassroots orgs in California already have taken the next steps to repeal Prop 8 through a ballot initiative. Volunteer your time to help. In Washington, a group is trying to repeal the latest Domestic Partnership expansion bill through the ballot. Even if you’re on the other side of the country, there is still something you can do to help. In government, the Matthew Sheppard Act is sitting in the Senate. Call your senator and urge them to pass it. We need to continue all the hard work that so many amazing organizers have been doing over the past 6 months, but we all need YOUR help. 5 hours is all I’m asking. Find an organization that you love and ask them how you can help. Stop another Prop 8 before it happens.
My friend Jonathan Bruns is preparing his speech for tonight’s Day of Decision event in Seattle. He ran by a very small portion of it with me and I asked him if I could steal it for my closing of this blog post. Simply and eloquently put he said: We must not focus on this defeat, instead, we must now focus on our future victory!
40 Responses
People are rallying tonight in San Francisco is anything going on in Humboldt County tonight?
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 5:17 pm
VICTORY VICTORY VICTORY!!!!!!!!!!! The bully gays have been smacked down. Finally we have found away aroung the legislative courts. This is a great day in California and America as a whole. Onward to Iowa, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Conneticut, and Massachusets. The will of the majority can never be allowed to be silenced by the loud voices of dissent. You can scream in the streets all you want it but it is over and you lost. I am sooooooooo happy that the gay bullies have had their wings clipped. YOU LOST!!!!!! GET OVER IT!!!!!!!!!!
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
LOL Tristine, what a ridiculous response. It is a sad thing when people feel that the majority should be allowed to vote on the rights of a minority. There was a time when interracial marriage was illegal. Many theorize that it still would be illegal in some states if the majority was allowed to vote away the rights of the minority. Or, what if men were allowed to vote on the rights of women and their ability to enter the workplace? I think that the only person who has lost here is you. We are stronger and more poised then ever. We are working toward equal protections for our families, and it’s sad that you wish to take those protections away. That is not family friendly, it is just outright harmful.
Has your world fallen apart since Jim Crow laws were repealed? I doubt it. Just like an interracial marriage doesn’t harm you, my marriage doesn’t either. Did the sky fall on August 9th when my wife and I wed? No. Nothing happened to you. Nothing negative happened to this country. Instead, on that day, two loving families came together to celebrate a consensual loving commitment between two adults. If you think a celebration of love and a commitment to protect ALL families is being a bully, then I feel sad for you.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 5:46 pm
In regards to the majority voting away the rights of the minority (as I discuss in my comment above) here’s the official press release from the NAACP in regards to today’s decision:
**MEDIA ALERT**
Immediate Release
Joint Statement from California NAACP Presidents on the Supreme Court Ruling Upholding Proposition 8
Alice Huffman, President of the California State Conference of the NAACP and National Co-Chair of the NAACP LGBT Task Force said “Todays 6-1 State Supreme Court ruling upholding Prop 8 is a giant leap backwards for the civil and human rights of all citizens” she continued “the ability of a simple majority at the ballot box to take away the constitutional rights of any group of people is a dangerous precedent and one the NAACP cannot allow.”
California NAACP Youth & College Division President Sean Dugar added, “Minority groups have always looked on the courts to provide protection of their constitutional rights from the tyranny of the majority. Todays court ruling has shown that we must take a path different from the one we have used in the past and take this fight back to the place it began the ballot box.” He added, “Today at every level of the NAACP we recommit ourselves to this continued fight for Marriage Equality.”
Both the California State Conference of the NAACP and The California NAACP Youth & College Division have chosen Meet In The Middle for Equality in Fresno on May 30th as the platform in which they will organize their membership to respond to and kick off this next phase of the fight for marriage equality.
–Founded in 1909 in New York, the NAACP is the nation’s oldest and strongest civil rights organization. Today the California State NAACP boasts 62 branches and 30 youth & college units mobilized across the state to ensure racial justice and equality.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
So why not unite in national protest again? Or something more unified. I’m sorry, but asking people to “pledge 5 hours” is weak and rather idealistic. I’ve had to try to empower people in many different situations, and that kind of hands off effort never, ever works. Help lead us to organize like you did the first time. C’mon, let’s get things cracking. I’m fired up and ready to go, and so are many others. So let’s united as one country and do something!!!!!!!!
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
@Tristine: ‘Gay bullies,’ you say. Wow, somebody sounds a little closeted if you ask me. Somebody cares a little too much about what goes on in the bedrooms of consenting adults around the country. Why do you find it so funny and why is this so important to you? You can see why this is important to us– but why do you care so much about who chooses to marry whom? You are threatened because you’re sexually immature and insecure at best. Go ahead and gloat. The fight isn’t over. Times are changing, and your ass-backwards, primitive, xenophobic, sexually frustrated kind will hopefully face social extinction.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Sorry Amy, but gays are bullies when they don’t get what they demand. Another thing is that all states have some restrictions on marriage. Utah was not allowed into the union until it took away the rights to have more than one spouse. I don’t hear the gays screaming for those rights. “Jim Crow” what does that have to do with marriage. You put yourselves on par with slaves of the 19th century. That’s a bit dramatic and way out of context. Gays aren’t capable of sustaining long term commited relationships. It’s evident in the health statistics. Gays have the highest rate of STDs and HIV infections in the country. This is years after all the information, education and billions of dollars that have gone into preventing the spread of these diseases. Yet somehow the gay community in all their love still can’t control themselves and have to hop in the sack with anyone who comes along. Gay lifestyles aren’t about love. They’re about sex and nothing more. So it can’t be seen as a real marriage and is not beneficial to the society as a whole. The odds are very high that your marriage will fail as will most of the other gay marriages. They couldn’t stay together before marriage so what good will a marriage certificate make.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 6:18 pm
I am straight, and I am outraged by this decision; I have opposed Prop 8 since I found out about it’s very existence. I have no family members or friends who are gay, and I’m not opposed to the ballot because I’m fighting for someone who is gay. No, I am fighting marriage equality on a human rights basis; no one should be denied rights afforded to the majority just because of who they are, and I will savagely defend your rights until the fight is won.
This is the civil rights movement of the 21st century, and I couldn’t be more excited about being a part of it and being on the side that will eventually win out. But this movement is different; unlike the women’s rights or the African -American rights movement, the oppressed are not easily identified. Our movement’s greatest weakness is Visibility, and I say “our” movement because even when I am not the one having my rights striped away, I will fight with every ounce of my being, every minute of my time, until equality is restored. The old saying “put of sight, out of mind” applies to our movement. If we are not seen, no one will care about achieving equality.
We lost at the ballot box and now we have lost in the court room, so a new strategy is needed. You need to COME OUT of the closet, go into the streets, and CHANGE this country. And we need to change something greater than the country: minds. If minds are not changed, nothing will change. Prop 8 will happen over and over again if we can not change the public’s mind. And while I have no closet to come out of, I will join you in taking to the streets and changing the minds of America.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 6:48 pm
Ha! @Tristine you make me laugh. Jim Crow laws existed after slavery and focused on segregating the African American community from the Caucasian community. From these laws (which were abolished in 1965) sprung the anti-miscegenation laws which made interracial marriage and even cohabitation in some states, completely illegal. This has everything to do with marriage. I’m not equating us to slaves, I’m pointing out simply how the same arguments that people use against same-sex civil marriage are equal to the arguments used against African Americans when it came to their marriage rights. The other forms of discrimination we face are similar to segregation in some ways, but not all. For instance, we are not provided equal protections under the law which is the governments way of separating us from those not like us. Unfortunately, this is a vast disservice to the entire country seeing as everyone (even you) knows someone who is gay. It’s sad to see someone you love face discrimination, especially when you get those equal protections and they (equal tax paying & law abiding citizens) do not.
You say that all states have some restrictions on marriage, but the fact is that all state wide recognized heterosexual marriages are afforded the 1100 Federal rights and protections of marriage equally. Members of a same-sex civil marriage do not receive these rights. This has to do with finding your soul mate and joining together in a lifelong commitment, which is pretty traditional when you think about it. Our government has laws to protect families, and it is keeping these equal protections from many families, straight and gay. For instance, my parents are two happily married heterosexual adults. Their family is harmed by the fact that two people they love, my wife and I, are not given equal protections under the law.
Ultimately, we are consenting adults and our commitment does nothing to harm you at all. You’ve been asked multiple times now how same-sex civil marriage harms you, and you have not answered. Instead you are spreading inaccurate facts. You say that gays aren’t able to sustain long term relationships yet we don’t have any real statistics to back that up. As Mark Twain said, “there are lies, damned lies, and then there are statistics.” Census data does not accurately poll LGBTQ citizens, and the majority of LGBTQ citizens in this country still aren’t out to the public because of a fear of violent attacks from people who are filled with anger. Or verbal attacks from people who don’t know how to have a mature conversation. In California, 18,000 couples got married and the majority of them were couples who have already been together for over 20 years. My marriage is my business, but I made a commitment to my partner for life, and I know for a fact that it will stick.
When it comes to HIV and STD’s, again, look at your data. While the gay male community still has the highest incidence of HIV, the number of infected gay males in the US has declined astronomically since 1980. All the same, the level of HIV infections in the heterosexual community has skyrocketed in comparison to the initial onset of HIV in the 80′s. So, while you say that the gay community “can’t control themselves and hop in the sack with anyone who comes along” you obviously are using misguided logic and listening to false stereotypes. As the education on HIV/AIDS/STD’s has improved, our community has worked and fought against the virus even more so. And a large amount of funding for this education comes from members of the LGBTQ community and goes to help all communities regardless of race, creed, sexual orientation, etc. Unfortunately, some loud voices that were also homophobic in the 80′s and 90′s decided that HIV is a gay disease, making many straight people think that they are immune. So while you say “This is years after all the information, education and billions of dollars that have gone into preventing the spread of these diseases,” clearly you don’t realize how all that education has helped our community a great deal while not affecting other communities as well as it should. This is a human fight that we all should work on together, especially considering “patient zero” was a heterosexual nun, not someone gay, because this is far from a gay disease.
You aren’t gay, so you shouldn’t be worried about what a gay lifestyle is about. But since you comment on it, I will respond. You should consider the standards set in our society when saying that gay people are not expected to get married. You set an expectation that is far from monogamy by taking marriage out of the equation, yet we all continue to find our soul mates and partner for life. So clearly, in a country where one community is not expected to be monogamous, it’s ironic that we are all fighting for equal rights to protect our monogamous relationships. That makes our nature far less than about sex, and much more about love and commitment. While the laws keeping trying to push us away from partnering and loving in a monogamous and committed way, we continue to do the opposite. So maybe you should ask yourself, are we really all about sex? The answer is we are far from it. But maybe you want to force us into that stereotype to justify your own anger? Either way, we’ll continue to push for equal protections of ourselves and our families because we all contribute to society, some of us equally, and some of us more than others… it’s time we all receive equal protections under the law.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 7:15 pm
You certainly learn something new everyday…but it’s a pity when you have to learn that there is no end to ignorance.
Jim Crow was a set of a laws meant to restrict blacks in just about every level of their lives. The reason Amy cites Jim Crow is because one of those restrictions was that blacks couldn’t marry whites; interracial marriages were shunned. Gays may not be enslaved, but they are certainly being restricted and discriminated from the practice of marriage, an act whose definition has been altered by the course of history time and again. If churches or synagogues or other “holy” entities don’t want to recognize a gay marriage, fine. But the states should at least recognize such marriages in court because it is a matter of civil rights.
You are partially correct about Utah’s admittance to the Union. You fail to include (whether intentionally or accidentally) that Utah was Mormon territory. One, although I only mention this because it’s ironic, why should gays support Mormons now after they’re the ones who voted for Prop 8? Two, the fact that Utah became a state means that the Mormons -accepted- the requirements necessary for state entry. Don’t come complaining with mock-heroics that gays should support the Mormons’ rights to polygamy after more than a century of it being disregarded. It’s moot.
Now, gays being incapable of stable relationships? Seriously? First off, there is no difference between gay or straight people in regard to promiscuity: all Homo sapiens are horny. Why? Genetic programming and natural selection. One night stands are far from rare among straight people. In fact, the perception that gays are more promiscuous than straight people is an illusory correlation. The truth is not that gays are having more sex, but that straight people need -more work- to get sex. I would suggest picking up “Psychology, 7th Edition” by Myers and reading the sexual motivation section in chapter 12, but yet psychology has taught me that people like you are idiots that will remain blinded by belief perseverance (a term you would learn in that same textbook if you do decide to skim through it).
Going back to the concept of genetics and natural selection, sexual promiscuity is a well-founded natural instinct that only bigots and self-righteous hypocrites try to suppress. For men, it is based in the need to spread their seed. For women, it is based in receiving the best seed possible for a “fit” child. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves and attempt at twisting my argument as nature hating gays; several species have shown homosexual behavior. Whether it be brain structure or a specific gene (or set of genes) or a population control mechanism by nature, homosexuality occurs.
I doubt you’re enough of an expert on love–such a broad and subjective topic–to define what is love and what isn’t. Passionate love, while fleeting and temporary, is still one form of love nonetheless.
You also need to do research on actual STD statistics, because you’re attempting to win this argument with an unsupported statement that in reality is anything other than how you’re making it sound. (I’d suggest looking through the CDC website.)
Gay marriage can’t be beneficial to society and yet history has shown us time and again that gays can be prominent figures? Alexander the Great, Leonardo da Vinci, and Michaelangelo are just a few of history’s most influential people. If gays by themselves can influence history, why is a marriage of two gays disastrous to society? A big issue with gay couples is letting them adopt. But there are too many children these days that need parents. But oh no! We can’t let the gays contaminate their minds!
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 7:51 pm
Well said. Amy. Your points are spot on.
I’d also like to respond to Tristine’s irrational claim that “The odds are very high that your marriage will fail as will most of the other gay marriages.” The only evidence we have regarding the frailty of marriage is of the frailty of heterosexual marriage….because that’s all that has been recognized until just recently (Iowa, CT, etc.). Since the rate of divorce among heterosexual couples is estimated to be around 38%, and because those marriages involve two heterosexuals, we can safely say that “the odds are very high that” 72% (38 x 2 individuals in that marriage) of all heterosexuals will fail at their marriage. This is the ONLY evidence we have. As irrational as Tristine’s claim is, it is even more irrational for her to covertly argue that heterosexual marriage is a more solid foundation for a commitment between two people. Using Tristien’s argument, we must deny heterosexual couples their right to get married because their marriages just do not last.
Likewise, Tristine argues that “after all the information, education and billions of dollars that have gone into preventing the spread of these diseases” we “can’t control [ourselves] and have to hop in the sack with anyone who comes along.” Because Tristine seems to be so firmly rooted in old stereotypes regarding HIV transmission, we’ll have to argue her point in a way that even she can’t refute. Here it goes. “After all the information, education and billions of dollars that have gone into preventing…..” unwanted pregnancies in our country, heterosexuals “can’t control themselves and have to hop in the sack with anyone who comes along.” Billions of dollars (gay tax dollars, too) are spent every year caring for unwanted babies that certainly weren’t a result of using condoms. I don’t know the statistics, but I’m sure that there were some STDs and HIV transmitted in there somewhere, as well. Tristine? Does this mean we should deny heterosexuals the right to marry?
Oh, but those acts were acts of “love,” not sex, weren’t they? I bet the 72% of divorced heterosexuals and all of their offspring in foster homes and orphanages would beg to differ with you.
Lastly, when you’re calling gays and lesbians “bullies” because they have to fight for rights you don’t have to fight for, think about your own behavior when you find out that you’re receiving only $0.72 for every $1.00 a man makes for doing the same job. Are you “bullying” others to get equal pay for what you do? Good for you. Were you there “bullying” others when women didn’t have the right to vote? Good for you.
You shouldn’t have to bully anyone, but you do because it involves YOUR rights. That’s all we’re doing. Don’t blame us for doing what heterosexuals don’t have to do, and for what you already do when it involves you.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 8:30 pm
Wow Amy!!!! LOL, What families? Two gays can’t produce a child. Oh, that’s right, you get a child from someone else. How long has that been going on in societies around the world? Ten years at best. Gay marriages are not part of the human experience. The commitment between a man and a woman has been part of every society since recorded history. Please don’t bring up the Native Americans. There is no written record of gay marriages since they had no written language. Anyone else who did write about them never mentioned same sex marriages. A family is a mother, father and children. Has that ever been different in history. Nature is what it is Amy and you are outside of it.
I never said HIV infection was a gay disease. Those are your words. I’m just saying that you continue to spread the virus even though you know the consequences. Not to mention for such a small minority (at most 2% of the genreal pop.) to have such a high incident rate over such a long period of time is evident to their permiscuous way of life. Your lifestyle is what people are opposed to Amy and allowing you to marry wil only complicate things more.
Another problem is that if gay marriage is made legitamate in society then will be ok to teach it to our children in schools. This is a big factor in the success of defeating gay marriage rights. Don’t even try to tell me that gays aren’t trying to get this taught in schools. It is already happening in California and Massachusets. Parents don’t want this taught to their children. But what do gays care about the thoughts or feelings of other parents or children. Gays are a bunch of narcissistic whiners who bully people into giving them what they want. Your howling at this defeat is proof. I am very happy with what has happened and if the PEOPLE have a voice on this issue in the New England states I’m sure you’ll see the same results.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 8:36 pm
Hi Amy:
You know, I am opposed to finding hate-speech on this website. It seems to me that there are about 1 billion other places on the web for the haters and the phobes to go and make their positions known. Any reason why comments containing hate-speech aren’t being removed from this website?
(None of their arguments are new, they are exactly the same thing I heard 30 years ago. Literally no change. So it’s not as though there’s anything to learn from them.)
Thanks,
Em
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 8:49 pm
The people do have a voice and we’re outraged. I may be straight, but to me LOVE IS LOVE, not matter what your sexual preference is!! I have to deal with people like you everyday, at high school. The fact that you’re worried about kids learning about gays is ridiculous. High school students learn about all sorts of inappropriate things that are way worse than gay marriage! So if you want to protect children, protect them from other things like guns, hate and drugs.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
Okay, I’ll admit that THIS gay can’t multiply (but I can certainly design a beautiful church within which our heterosexual bigots congregate, can’t I?). 38% x 2 heterosexuals in that marriage = 76% of heterosexuals – not 72%.
However, the divorce rate among heterosexuals is argued by some other sources (i.e., The National Stepfamily Resource Center) to be even HIGHER than what I posted: “While the average divorce rate is 50%, it is 40% for first marriage, 60% for second marriages and 73% for third marriages.”
Again, time to take away those heterosexual marriage rights, eh, Tristine?
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 8:59 pm
Wow Tristine,
I would gladly share with you the work of groups like The International Imperial Court System, and the Sister’s of Perpetual Indulgence, two GLBT run charities that have raised millions for charities of all sorts. I could share with you the statistics from Soul Beneath The Skin, by David Nimmons, which chronicles the significantly lower instances of violence within the Gay community, or the higher than average levels of participation in charities in the Gay community, or how the Gay community showed an extrordinary 70% participation in safe and safer sex techniques in the face of AIDS,… but you won’t listen to any of that will you?
Tristine, if that is your real name, you are the one behaving like both a bully and a coward.
If you had a family, a husband or children to love, friends to share good times with, a loving relationship with God, then you would not be so petty, and so bitter, as to go onto some stranger’s website and spewing your ignorance and bigotry and bile all over the place.
You are a pretty sad and empty person Tristine,
You have our sympathy, and our pity,
Geoffrey
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
Tristine.. I feel very sad for you. I can’t imagine my Christian parents as ever teaching me to think the way you do. I can’t even comprehend having so much disgust towards anyone. The fact is, the numbers are moving our way. Just like those of the 1950′s and 60′s, you will be on the wrong side of history. But the good news for you is that no matter what the law is, you will still be able to teach your kids hate just the KKK members do. Remember Tristine, God hates fags!!!
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Ohhh…its been a while since I saw an ignorant person come back here on JTI, LOL! Tristine, I’m done arguing with such deep-seated ignorance. Same-sex couples want to get married, fine with me! I’m not even going to argue if I support it or not and why. It shouldn’t even be an issue in politics. Thats something the California supreme court already argued a long while back ago and they said gay marriage is a-OK! Prop 8 only told the State to “Shut up!” so thats why the state can’t do much more for LGBT people when it comes to marriage, but gays still have equal rights, so there! Ha-ha! The other state governments lately have recognized marriage for gay couples as well. Equality in civil marriage will happen in America. Don’t know who you are, don’t know if your even from America. I really don’t care. I remember your user-name and I dislike your ignorance (not just yours, but others as well who have demonstrated that fact on here. Thankfully, I don’t see to many ignoramuses on here anymore, just YOU though LOL). Why are YOU even worried about this issue??? Let alone even come online to type such garbage, pleh! Thats something I’ll never understand in the close-minded and ignorant minds of people…..Oh well. I’m on the right side of American history and will keep moving forward. NOW is NOW and I’m moving forward progressively with the rest of the other civil rights supporters; online and in real life, nothing is going to stop me. California will recognize marriage equality sooner or later; not “IF” but “WHEN” is the question. The California Supreme Court justices are STILL on OUR side whether Prop 8 stands or not. Anyways, I came on here to check some news and read a bit from Amy’s blog (Good job Amy! California will have another chance on this).
Until the American government treats LGBT people and other minority groups equally under the laws of the land, ignorant and close-minded individuals will have an excuse to discriminate others.
I’m leaving now, see you all!
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 10:25 pm
Kudos @ Amy… Even with the lo blows and ignorant replies by Tristine, you still held your composure and replied with respect and understanding. You just disproved Tristine’s accusations of gays being bullies and full of demands. On the contrary, Tristine comments are very biased and tainted with a bullish tone to it. She is a could example of someone that we all wish to bring forward to the new century with a lot of educating, understanding, and compassion. It is a tough fight but in time everyone will realize that true equality is completely without prejudice and discrimination.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
Wow, Tristine. LOL back at you. You sound like what segregation supporters in the South probably sounded like after the Civil Rights Act of 1964 was passed: “If them damn niggers integrate with us, then it will be okay to teach our children in schools about them!” Rant, rant, rant. It’s funny that you seem to distinguish the gay community completely from “the people.” Um, hold on, I believe it’s “the people” that’s having this debate; not gays versus all of America. Unless you care to shamelessly argue that the NAACP is gay…*points to the above-posted NAACP press release*
While the commitment between men and women has existed for all of time, for the obvious reasons of copulation, same-sex unions have -also- existed alongside them. Please refer to Ancient Greece, the Bible (yes, there -are- arguable gay relationships in the Bible, of all things), and just about every non-Christian or non-Islam ancient society you can find. And why are you so quick to eliminate Native Americans from the list? Before becoming oppressed by Judeo-Christians, Native Americans were accepting of homosexuals. In fact, they revered those believed to be “two-spirited”–a trait believed to manifest from a combination of masculine and feminine qualities. Even if Native Americans came to shun gays because of white influence, some tribes are currently legalizing gay marriage. In the related topic of hermaphrodites and transgenders, there are societies around the globe that embrace such members as a third, fourth, or fifth gender (depending on the society) in the belief that harmony among all genders is required for harmony in the world.
You’re also quick to claim that Amy is “outside of [nature].” Worst bullshit I ever heard. Studies of brain structure and prenatal environments are revealing natural correlations to homosexuality. Also, there is plenty of observational evidence of other animal species partaking in homosexual actions.
You’re being narrow-minded about HIV/AIDS contraction, especially after Amy has debunked your argument with actual evidence while you provide nonsense such as propaganda passed around by 80s and 90s anti-gay agendas. You can’t prove that gays only make up 2% of the population because survey biases (such as in-the-closet gays not responding truthfully) and personal interpretations of the definition of homosexuality cause a shift in results all the time. The Janus Report in 1993 reported 9% of men and 5% of women had intimate homosexual relationships. The 2000 Census reports only 1% of the population is gay. Back in 1948, Alfred Kinsey claimed 10% after his sex studies. So many different results, but it’s impossible to know which is most accurate without setting proper parameters, like a definition of homosexuality (are you gay by just having sexual relations with the same sex, even if it was only one time out of curiosity? or does the person have to believe they are gay to be considered gay?).
And like I intended on posting before, although said post is awaiting moderation, promiscuity is a lifestyle of both gays and straights. Gays aren’t having more sex, straight people just need to work more to get any. Every gender has its promiscuous members and its committed members, but generally speaking from a biological and evolutionary standpoint, men are promiscuous because of the innate nature to spread their seeds. Women prefer commitment and a soul-connecting experience in order to raise a family and a “fit” child. When you put a man and woman together, chances are both have to put in work to reach the end result of sex because both have differing goals in mind for the relationship. When you put two guys together, they already know what their desires are, so sex is easier to get underway. And when you put two women together, both tend to want a committed relationship, so they achieve one.
As I stated beforehand, this is the general rule from a biological and evolutionary standpoint. But in reality, there are of course exceptions to the rules. Gays are not more promiscuous than straight people and straight people are not more committed than gays. And if you want to try disproving that, please use logic instead of the ignorant banter you’ve been providing in your previous posts.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 10:34 pm
HAH Tristine, I’m 15 and I’m less ignorant than you.
I am not a slut; also, I am perfectly capable of sustaining a long term relationship.
So gay’s are bullies when we don’t get what we want? Um..look at your type. YOU are the bullies here.
We want to love. You only spread hate.
We will fight, and we will win. Stop whining, keep your nose out of our lives and leave us in peace.
Thank you.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
Okay. You know what? I can’t believe I replied to a bigot on this thread XD I should know better. Maybe I’ll just ignore them for now on. I feel weird now. Eeeehhhhh okayyyy… But I read your blog Amy, good job. I’m going to message my JTI friends later to see what they think of all this. Take care.
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 10:42 pm
Humboldt County rallied at two locations one at the courthouse and the second at the Arcata Plaza. Thanks to everyone who turned out!
Cole
Join the Impact Humboldt/Impact Humboldt
Maggie Madden Said,
People are rallying tonight in San Francisco is anything going on in Humboldt County tonight?
Posted on May 26th, 2009 at 11:45 pm
The people do have a voice and we’re outraged. I may be straight, but to me LOVE IS LOVE, not matter what your sexual preference is!! I have to deal with people like you everyday, at high school. The fact that you’re worried about kids learning about gays is ridiculous. High school students learn about all sorts of inappropriate things that are way worse than gay marriage! So if you want to protect children, protect them from other things like guns, hate and drugs.
Posted on May 27th, 2009 at 1:28 am
tristine,
seeing how happy you are regarding the result of prop 8..celebrating the sadness of gays, i’d rather be raised by two gay people than your parents. Atleast i wasn’t raise to rejoice when someone else’s rights are taken away. it’s just immoral..obviously you don’t know that word. you’re a pathetic human being. Your life must be really miserable to hate on gay people so much. Just pray that your children won’t be born gay, then you’ll feel how it feels to be discriminated, o yeah i forgot you don’t have feelings.
Posted on May 27th, 2009 at 10:52 am
Great post Amy!
Posted on May 27th, 2009 at 11:38 am
I agree with Chris, we should have more 11/15 style protests. Why not once a month? And we should make our presence heard at the federal level too. We have an entire district full of people we can be writing to, and another 50 cities full on top of that.
Posted on May 27th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
@Geoffrey: Right on, tell it like it is, bro
Posted on May 27th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Tristine,
do you not understand that “the gays” are adopting the children that you straight people only have because you wanted to have sex to get off not to make a child, then you find out your pregnant contemplate having an abortion but oh just cant bring yourself to do that. Instead you have the child and hate the child he or she gets taken away from Child Protective Services and here comes “the gays” to take the child home and give him or her a loving home. Why don’t you think about the sex between straight couples where all it amounts to is having an orgasm not thinking about having a child that is just the consequence of your orgasm. AT least us gays are not bringing unwanted children in to the world!
Posted on May 27th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
I always love it when people spew BS out their mouth that they can’t support with a simple Google search. Dictionary.com and merriam-webster.com say nothing about a family consisting of a mother and father. In simple terms, ‘a group of individuals living under one roof and usually under one head’. Other definitions define it as spouses or parents. In fact the only gender related definition was referring to plants!
As far as the homosexual population only being 2% at best…again, a simple Google search can’t even defend that statistic. Studies have shown anywhere between 2% and 13% are homosexual. One study finds that 20% of the population has had homosexual feelings. And just think what the percentage would be if people weren’t terrified to be out – hollywood types who are afraid they will ruin their career or troops that don’t want to get kicked out of the Military, but most importantly the ones that are afraid for their lives if they do.
It is always the ignorant bigots that just throw random numbers out there. Change is coming so you will have to learn to deal with it – or go find an uninhabited island to live on, then you won’t have to deal with anyone but yourself.
Posted on May 27th, 2009 at 1:35 pm
WOW! Tristine is obviously a complete NUTJOB! Why are you on this website anyways?!!!
Posted on May 27th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
@Tristine: You say gays aren’t capable of long-term committed relationships?? I’ll have you know that my sister-in-law has been married to her WIFE longer than my two marriages put together! I am proud to have been a part of their wedding. They’ve been married now for 15 yrs. It’s nice to see a couple actually HAPPY & IN LOVE, & it has nothing to do with sex. Don’t you think though, that there are heterosexuals out there & that’s all their relationships are about??? I think you’re very sheltered & probably don’t know any gays or lesbians, that’s your loss, they’re real people just like you & I are. They are entitled to the same things we are. As Keith O. said in his commentary – “how would you like it if someone told you you couldn’t get married to the one you wanted?” How is LOVE not beneficial to the society as a whole??? Do you hear what you’re saying? Seriously… I’ll guarantee my sister-in-law’s marriage will last longer than yours, if you’re even married. You say these things of a gay marriage not lasting – so straight couple’s have a better rate @ staying together??? I highly doubt it! It’s 50/50 no matter what. Just because you’re straight, doesn’t mean you are better than anyone else. You do NOT get to judge anyone &/or their lifestyle, it’s a free world, & they live in it just like we do. I’m all for them to have the rights that we do. I say “yes” to love. Why should they be denied just because there are homophobes like you who aren’t “comfortable.”
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Bible)
NO one is entitled to judge anyone else. Only God can judge, & I’m not even sure he does. You are not God. That’s all I’ve got to say.
Posted on May 28th, 2009 at 2:06 am
I just want to say that as long as this movement keep insisting in calling the union of two persons of the same sex “Marriage” there is no going to be any victory, the religious groups are very strong and will not ever accept to call this union a “marriage.”
Why can someone come out with a different name for it? like a “Civil Joining” or or “Pairing of Domestic Partners.” A long as it is legally recognized, with the same privileges of a “Marriage” who cares?!
I think there will be easier to obtain the desired results, after all “A Rose under any other name, still a Rose.”
Sandy …
Posted on May 28th, 2009 at 4:24 am
So typical….people are more concerned with arguing with the bigot whose opinion you are obviously not going to change. Quit wasting your time and start organizing! Why is Join the Impact doing jack shit to mobilize the force it did in November? It makes no sense for us to all regroup via a different network when one was already put in place by this group.
Posted on May 28th, 2009 at 7:42 am
Tristine must be ignored. A total waste of time and energy. I’m in the UK and appalled at prop8 being upheld. Is there anything we can do?
Posted on May 28th, 2009 at 8:27 am
“We are all united’ plus “what do we do next? it’s up to you” is a little daunting, given our diversity.
Five hours, eh?
Well, that’s an idea.
Posted on May 28th, 2009 at 10:26 am
“In the practice of tolerance, one’s enemy is the best teacher” — Dalai Lama
Posted on May 28th, 2009 at 10:31 am
There are a lot of questions about having another rally equal to November 15th and why we used the Day of Decision wiki to organize D-day instead of our own. So here are some answers:
1. To begin, protests alone are not enough. Some have asked for a monthly protest, but when we tried this, numbers dwindled and exhaust set in for many cities. This is because we need monthly actions, but monthly protests loose their impact very quickly. We are working on next steps, but will do so in a unified way, working with many other grassroots organizations to ensure we all stay united in this fight.
2. Why did we use the D-day wiki? The D-day wiki was created by myself and 5 amazing JTI organizers to help lend our support to Day of Decision. Day of Decision is the brain child of Robin Tyler and Andy Thayer. We did not want to co-opt their idea or make it look as if only JTI was supporting it, so we agreed to have a separate channel for it that would show many organizations lending support and not just one.
Ultimately, my post above calls for unity in this fight. All of the grassroots orgs must come together and lend the resources that they can as we all come up with a clear plan of what to do and how to do it. Calling for something without the support of the other grassroots orgs can only push us back. Day of Decision was a coalition of many amazing grassroots orgs. We got huge numbers in just a few days notice, which shows the strides that we can make working together. November 15th was something that JTI called for, but was made possible by hundreds of grassroots orgs stepping up to plate and hundreds of amazing organizers volunteering to make a change. There are many calls to get back to the numbers of November 15th, and a plan is already in motion that we all must work together on. Beyond that, we must not focus on large numbers, we should instead focus on small groups taking large strides. We have to make ourselves visible and we have to be heard. We need to phone bank. We need to door knock. We need to hold teach ins. We need to hold hands. We need to reach out to communities that don’t understand us. We need to thank the communities that do. We need to NEVER hold back who we are out of fear. We need to travel to the towns that believe we don’t exist. We need to reach out to our fellow LGBTQ citizens in those areas and let them know they are not alone. And, in the words of Harvey Milk “WE ALL NEED TO COME OUT.” Come out as gay, bi, lesbian, trans, queer, and come out as an ally, or a family member, a friend, a teacher. The list goes on.
After Stonewall, big change happened from small groups going into the streets and “acting up.” A friend of mine was one of just 20 people who snuck into the APA’s DSM-V meeting in the early 70′s in which they debated on taking “homosexuality” out of the list of psychological disorders. He stood up and objected to this inclusion in the DSM-V and got dragged out of the meeting. Then another stood up, then another, then another. 20 people made a HUGE change for our country. This is why I suggest volunteering 5 hours/month to the org of your choice. One person, two people, 20 people, 2 million people… it’s our actions that will make a difference and our numbers may not always be in the same place at the same time, but if we are all united in the fight, then millions of us will come together to be a part of history. Our orgs will work together to bring huge numbers when needed, and will utilize the smaller numbers daily. Your voices are what will fuel this and all we ask is 5 hours a month.
Just imagine what a difference it would make? Since Prop 8 passed, thousands of people began volunteering for the first time. Look at the strides in the last 6 months! Now imagine if EVERYONE reading just this blog post volunteered only 5 hours/month. That’s over 100,000 new volunteers in this movement! Our huge events will happen, but we need the smaller ones to take giant steps each day, and we need volunteers to make that happen. You don’t have to volunteer your time with JTI, you should find the group that takes the actions you want and lend them your service. The grassroots orgs will continue to work together which means your service will go toward the entire movement and will help us remain united.
So, while another huge event will be in our future, our immediate needs in this movement are people like all of you making the loud and intended conversation of equality something that gets daily recognition in a country that is only content with a whisper.
Posted on May 28th, 2009 at 12:35 pm
So you vote to take away the civil rights of law-abiding, taxpaying, gay Americans and WE’RE the bullies? Please. You can’t get away with that anymore and we don’t have to accept it. All you’re trying to do is deflect attention away from the fact that you’re trying to impose your religious beliefs on the rest of America. That’s nothing to be proud of and it’s called religious tyranny.
Posted on May 30th, 2009 at 4:43 am
In recent times, I’ve become a ‘gay bully’ and I’m proud of it. My favorite phrase to be born out of this movement is “No More Mre. Nice Gay.” For too long, gay activism has been too polite. Reasoning with pin heads doesn’t work; only the time-honored track of active activism does. Would African Americans have made the progress they did without Selma? Birmingham? Even the gay activist movements started at Stonewall–a violent, 3-day protest that rocked the world. I challenge people at any opportunity–hearing the words come from my mouth–regardless fo the reaction–gives me hope, and often makes them think a bit more before opeing their ignorant mouths again.
I don’t want violence, but I’m prepared for it. The sobering reality is that no civil rights movement has ever been won without it.
Get out there and get in people’s face. You goal is not to make friends–it’s to assert the TRUTH. It will last longer than any of us.
Posted on June 3rd, 2009 at 1:10 pm
Add A Comment