This came in the mail just a little while ago.  And here I thought I wouldn’t be hearing any more from these folks…

Dear Bruce,

This has been an incredibly difficult week for Californians who are disappointed in the passage of Proposition 8, which takes away the right to marry for same-sex couples in our state. We feel a profound sense of disappointment in this defeat, but know that in order to move forward we must continue to stand together as one community in order to secure full equality in California.

In working to defeat Prop 8, a profound coalition banded together to fight for equality. Faith leaders, labor, teachers, civil rights leaders and communities of color, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, public officials, local school boards and city councils, parents, corporate law firms and bar associations, businesses, and people from all walks of life joined together to stand up against discrimination. We must build on this coalition in order to achieve equal rights for all Californians.

We achieve nothing if we isolate the people who did not stand with us in this fight. We only further divide our state if we attempt to blame people of faith, African American voters, rural communities and others for this loss. We know people of all faiths, races and backgrounds stand with us in our fight to end discrimination, and will continue to do so. Now more than ever it is critical that we work together and respect our differences that make us a diverse and unique society. Only with that understanding will we achieve justice and equality for all.

Dr. Delores A. Jacobs CEO Center Advocacy Project

Lorri L. Jean CEO L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center

Kate Kendell Executive Director National Center for Lesbian Rights

Geoff Kors Executive Director Equality California

---

 

This is all well and good…especially the part about not putting all this on African-Americans.  Yes, they voted heavily for it, but they didn’t put four out of very five dollars into the kitty for Proposition 8 either.  They didn’t get it on the ballot.  They didn’t donate vast amounts of logistical support for it. 

But…leaving all that aside…  You know…you folks lost the fight...

I worked for both the No on 8 campaign and the Obama campaign this year and cannot tell you how far apart those two were in style and substance.  One was top down, the other bottom up.  Ironically, it was the presidential campaign that was the grassroots model, not the state-level proposition campaign. As soon as I started working for the No on 8 campaign I was amazed at the level of scripting: "don’t say ‘civil rights,’ don’t say ‘constitution,’ don’t say ‘gay.’" I couldn’t believe it.

One of the most brilliant things about the Obama campaign was that they didn’t expect callers and canvassers to be policy wonks.  They just said "tell your story, let people know why you’re voting for him.  Connect with people."  I can’t help but feel at this point that if the gloves were taken off we could’ve helped people get a grip on the real issues at stake here, which I happen to think is a matter of soiling the state constitution.

What was even more confounding was the No on 8 campaign’s decision to stay away form polling places at churches and schools.  First of all, most polling places are at churches and schools, and second, that mentality buys right into the Yes on 8 brainwashing campaign that same sex marriage is going to corrupt our morals and our children.  This idiocy was obvious to everyone that I worked with on the campaign.  What was going on with the leadership upstairs?!!!

I don’t think I’m the only one who gave you a lot of money I couldn’t really afford who is wondering now why you let a substantial lead over the yes vote when this campaign started just…evaporate.  So why don’t all of you to just shut your traps now and stay out of this.  I’d rather watch ten hours of James Dobson gloating then one second of you pathetic milksops lecturing us about respecting the people who just cut off our ring fingers.  You don’t bring a handshake to a knife fight.