A community under attack. Again.
Right-wing extremists have launched a multi-million-dollar campaign against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people in California. Their intent is to pass Proposition 8, which would change the California Constitution to prohibit marriage for gay and lesbian couples. These same groups failed in 2004 and 2006 to qualify a measure for the ballot, in part because through the Equality for All campaign, fair-minded people out-organized them. But now they’re back.
An initiative intending to alter California’s constitution to ban marriage for gay and lesbian couples is headed for the November 2008 ballot. The summary that would appear before voters reads:
This initiative will amend the California Constitution to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. The measure will have no fiscal effect on state or local governments. This is because there would be no change to the manner in which marriages are currently recognized by the state.
What we’ve won. What we could lose.
The California Supreme Court just struck down the state’s discriminatory marriage laws banning marriage for gay and lesbian couples. This historic decision is a huge victory for all Californians who cherish fairness and opportunity. This initiative is attempting to nullify that court decision.
In two successive legislative sessions (2005 and 2007) the California legislature has passed a bill to allow gay and lesbian couples to marry. No other state legislature has ever passed such legislation, whereas California’s legislature has passed it twice.
Legislators’ progress on the issue of marriage echoes the progress of their constituents — Californians have changed their minds. A September 2006 poll by the Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) showed that public opinion has moved significantly since 2000, the last time an anti-marriage measure was on the ballot. The PPIC poll showed that roughly as many California likely voters support the right to marry for gay and lesbian couples as oppose it. A September 2007 poll showed similar results.
Online. On the streets. On the road to victory.
Over three years ago, the LGBT community and our allies joined together to form Equality for All. The Equality for All campaign is a large and diverse coalition of civil rights, faith, choice, labor and community of color organizations working to stop and defeat any ballot measure that would allow discrimination against LGBT Californians and deny gay and lesbian couples the right to marry.
When our opponents failed to qualify their discriminatory measures for the 2006 ballot, Equality for All didn’t go away. We’ve continued the fight to preserve domestic partnership rights and secure the right to marry. Unfortunately, we knew the extremists would not give up on trying to hurt and exclude gay and lesbian couples and their families. We knew they’d be back and we’re ready for them!
Equality For All has been at the forefront of the fight for fairness and equality. We’ve talked to hundreds of thousands of Californians about the current initiative and the harm it could cause for millions of California families. We’ve mobilized thousands volunteers and gathered over 76,000 signatures opposing the initiative. This is just the beginning.
We need your help to raise the millions we need to fight back and take our message directly to the voters. Make a donation today. Join our campaign. Forward a message to 10 of your friends today.
