I wrote this last night and posted it to No on 8's Facebook page this morning.
It's a call to action. It's something not everyone will agree with me on, but I put it out there for people to see.
I think there is a lot of anger out there and I'd like to see that anger channeled into something productive and not destructive.
Quote:
The news about Proposition 8 is not good.
A group of well-funded, small-minded people got together and wrote discrimination into California's Constitution. It is now in writing that your relationship and the commitment made by two loving people is not as important as others. It's law.
But my question to all those who supported the No on 8 Campaign is this: What are you going to do about that?
As a gay man who supports marriage equality, this is the third time I have lived through a lively discussion about same-sex marriage, once in Hawai'i in 1998, again in Boston when gay marriage was legalized and now in California where Prop 8 was passed by a slim majority. The faces were different but the hate was the same. There were people out there who believed that they owned the truth and wanted to define it for all of us. The reality is that despite the hate and lies that was spewed, they haven't taken away something important. They haven't taken away your self-pride and the love you feel for your husband, wife, or partner. That they can never take away.
But I ask again: What are you going to do about this display of hate directed at you and your family?
The answer is simple. There needs to be a call to action. We need to fight back. Take note of all of those organizations and business leaders who funded taking away your rights. You need to think twice before ever, ever giving your hard earned money or support to them.
If there is a "charitable" organization out there who funded Prop 8, do not donate to their cause. Find a like minded cause that also acknowledges and accepts you and fund them instead. For example: find out which hotel owner gave a lot of money to the Yes group and book another hotel instead on that vacation you're taking. Think to yourself, 'Hmm, do I really need to sign up for membership on the Mormon run site Ancestry.com?' The answer is no.
Channel the anger you're feeling today into action. Let your voice be heard in a peaceful manner. If these bigots won't listen to reason, then maybe they will listen to their falling profits when there's no money from the GLBT community and the GLBT-friendly community to support them.
Never help fund anyone who avidly fights to make you a second class citizen. Spend wisely, do your research.
Don't give up. This fight may be over but the battle has just begun and will end when all Americans are all equal under the law.
Brad
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