North Carolina: Assuage 'Prop 8' Post-Election Guilt (Unconstitutional Marriage Ban)

I was so obsessed with turning North Carolina "blue" and helping to get Barack Obama elected that I gave little thought to Proposition 8 in California.

Over 5 million Central Valley rednecks voted to support second-class status for same-sex couples in the Golden State. I feel sad. And I feel guilty that I did nothing to help proponents of same-sex marriage.

Our brothers and sisters are suffering due to Prop 8's passage, and the success of similar anti-equality measures around the country.

gay marriage Pictures, Images and Photos

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger encouraged those of us who support gay marriage to "...never ever give up.... They should never give up. They should be on it and on it until they get it done." I wish he had been as encouraging prior to the election.

Santa Cruz is a town on the beautiful Central Coast of California, where I lived until recently. I hope they will join with other California cities in demanding marriage equality for all.

This Saturday, November 15, simultaneous protests against pro-equality losses are planned nationwide at 1:30 EST on the steps of our City Halls. Several North Carolina cities (Raleigh, Greensboro, Charlotte, Asheville) have events planned.

This is about all of us. Let's do it!

Cross posted at A Smut-Filled Tome.

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Olbermann on Prop 8

Submitted by Frank Eaton on Tue, 11/11/2008 - 9:04pm.

Anyone notice how much emoting we've seen in the last week? This is beautiful-beautiful.

And here's a message from Jim Neal regarding the Raleigh event:

The passage of Prop. 8 in California is not a "California Issue." It is a setback for equal civil rights for all Americans. And-- it is important that North Carolinians band together en masse this Saturday in Raleigh, in solidarity with millions across our nation.

So here is what YOU CAN DO. Each and every one of you- whether you are attending or not-- can take personal responsibility for contacting 10 of your friends and securing their pledge to attend. Coordinate transportation amongst them; and then ask them to recruit 10 of their friends and family.

I want to see a minimum of 500 people turn out in Raleigh. And if you work hard, that number could exceed 1,000.

Many of you busted your buts get Obama elected. But your job did not end on November 4th. I'm here to tell you: there's much work to be done. CHANGE is about action on your part and my part. CHANGE manifests itself when people come together for a purpose.

Attend, recruit, organize, canvas online-- you know the drill.

If the rights guaranteed all Americans under the 1st and 14th Amendments to our Constitution are denied to a single person, then the rights of any American are threatened. Think about it.

This is a nationwide event guys. Do you want NC to record only 100 or so people present? I'll be there. I'd be there for anyone whose civil rights were under assault. This has nothing to do with my being gay.

Standing up for each other is as fundamental as is voting as a means of protecting our democracy.

I would greatly appreciate your support.

Olbermann and Neal

Submitted by lomaprietaleigh on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 11:32am.

Thanks, Frank! I checked your myspace--love the pics that you have on your page. I saw Mary (of Mary's Of Course) and thought, "Hey! I know her!" (I actually don't but eat there frequently!)

Leigh
http://smuttome.blogspot.com/

"Only the most deluded of us could doubt the necessity of this war." - John McCain

Leigh
A Smut-Filled Tome

The Democratic Party itself

Submitted by THE MODERATE on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 9:59am.

Indifferent to the gay marriage issue. When Joe Biden himself was ask about Prop 8 he said he would have voted against it as a citizen, but it was California's right to vote and settle the issue, and then he quickly moved on to something other issue. At this point the Party has made it clear you can be for banning Gay marriage and be in good standing with the party, and I do not see that changing anytime soon. It would see to me that right now outside of the gay community and few supporters in the straight community gay marriage is a state issue not a civil rights issue and that too is not likely to change soon.

Sounds great, what's the problem?

Submitted by usernamehere on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 1:08pm.

If you're indifferent, then why support rewriting constitutions to ban marriage equality?

If the Democractic party is the big tent party, then great. Give gay citizens equality under the law, and let folks disagree with it on a personal - not legal - level.

How are state issues and civil rights issues mutually exclusive? Is Connecticut less of a state today because gay marriage just started there this morning? Tell Joe Leiberman!

 

I am sure most here would agree with you.

Submitted by THE MODERATE on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 2:02pm.

But the party is still indifferent not me. Right now only a few in the party are willing to take the politcal risk on gay marriage. The majority either favors outlawing gay marriage, or does not wish to risk running those who favor banning gay marriage into the GOP. As to who is in the former of these two or latter of these two who knows. But as of now the party says you can be legaly opposed to gay marriage and be just as good as a Democrat who favors gay marriage.

What's the action item or take-away from your posts?

Submitted by usernamehere on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 3:33pm.

Am I to sit silent until a majority in the party support my position?

Am I to work to deny membership in the party to those that disagree with me?

I'm won't do either of those. That's what Republicans do - and have done to LGBT Republicans in NC.

I accept that there are bigots in the Democratic party, as there are everywhere. There's no danger of them running to the GOP. Those folks are already there.

I'm still going to point out the bigots' hypocrisy and urge those that silently sympathize with my cause to find more courage.

 

do what you want to do

Submitted by THE MODERATE on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 5:45pm.

But you will find people are more willing to listen to you if you do not refer to your oppsition as being either bigoted or lacking courage. You may want to consider that there are folks in the party who truly see homosexuality as a moraly wrong lifstyle which the government should discourage, and some others who believe that said gay rights are so far down on the priority list right now that there just is not the time and resources to waste on them.

You do not feel that way and that is your right, but I think this is one of those issues that the party is saying it is okay to agree to disagee on, and that is not likley to change real soon so they party says "lets consentrate on what we do agree on". Like it or not you may not be able to get what you want, on this one. But in the end you are better off with Democrats than Republicans.

How delightfully ironic

Submitted by usernamehere on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 6:17pm.

You may want to consider that there are folks in the party who truly see homosexuality as a moraly wrong lifstyle which the government should discourage

Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to expose hypocrisy again. Why in the world would I find such a statement bigoted?

The party found the time and resources to call a special session to throw gobs of money at two tire manufacturers that are now downsizing. However, Tony Rand just couldn't bring himself to spend zero dollars on passing an anti-bullying bill with the votes already lined up for him.

There was no waste of time and resources on the party's behalf for this small step toward equality. Just some bigotry and lack of courage.

Take a bow. Thanks for letting me make my point.

 

if you are calling

Submitted by THE MODERATE on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 9:37pm.

The majority leader, Senator Rand, a bigot or one who lacks courage then I think for now you have lost. Because Sen Rand, like him or not, is very popular and highly respected, both by his fellow Senators, and with the party leaders in general. So either the rest of us are just blind and you have this gift to see what we can not about Sen Rand, maybe you need to look again at who you throw accuastions of bigotry to.

You don't make sense at all here

Submitted by Betsy Muse on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 11:27pm.

You seem to be saying that his being well-liked means Rand can't be a bigot. Your admiration of Rand doesn't cancel out his bigotry, it just means you are willing to let it slide.

I don't know if Rand is a bigot or not. You brought it up. I'm just pointing out a fault in your reasoning.



***************************
Vote Democratic, the ass you save may be your own.

"Find More Courage"

Submitted by lomaprietaleigh on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 9:14pm.

I like that!!!

Leigh
http://smuttome.blogspot.com/

"Only the most deluded of us could doubt the necessity of this war." - John McCain

Leigh
A Smut-Filled Tome

All you have to do is substitute the issue

Submitted by Linda on Thu, 11/13/2008 - 1:46am.

of interracial marriage with the issue of same-gender marriage, and you'll see that it is indeed a civil rights issue. And we determined a long time ago in this country that majority rules should not be the way civil rights are protected. Constitutions exist to protect the rights of the minority; the majority, whatever it happens to be at the time, needs no protection.

Whether the issue is taken up by individual states, or by the country as a whole - it most certainly is a civil rights issue.

I've been helping organize the Raleigh protest

Submitted by Jake Gellar-Goad on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 5:49pm.

and things really seem to be shaping up for this to be big.

Anyone who uses facebook should sign up for the Raleigh event here:

http://www.new.facebook.com/inbox/?ref=mb#/ev ent.php?eid=46087994571

Would love to join you Jake

Submitted by usernamehere on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 6:22pm.

but I'll be at the Equality NC conference.

PLEASE get these same folks who are coming to Raleigh on November 15 to return for Equality NC's annual Lobby Day during the legislative session next year in March.

It'll be great to keep such momentum going.

Sorry the statewide judicial races for the appellate courts didn't turn out well for a marriage equality fight - at least not for the next two years.

There are non-stop flights from RDU to Connecticut (and Boston).

 

Greensboro Protest

Submitted by lomaprietaleigh on Wed, 11/12/2008 - 8:43pm.

I hope to be there.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=34500069010

Leigh
http://smuttome.blogspot.com/

"Only the most deluded of us could doubt the necessity of this war." - John McCain

Leigh
A Smut-Filled Tome

My son and many of his classmates are planning on being there.

Submitted by Linda on Thu, 11/13/2008 - 1:48am.

My son is straight, and he says that he thinks everyone who is going to the protest (from his school) is straight. He actually called to see if we could come up and go as well, because he knows how close this is to us and our family. We have to see what the weekend holds.

"Are you Linda?"

Submitted by lomaprietaleigh on Thu, 11/13/2008 - 11:00am.

I hope to be in G'boro with my son. I've been known to repeatedly go up to groups looking for someone I don't exactly know---so I may be going around saying, "Are you Linda?" lol!

Leigh
http://smuttome.blogspot.com/

"Only the most deluded of us could doubt the necessity of this war." - John McCain

Leigh
A Smut-Filled Tome