Equality California Says To Wait Till 2012

In a move seemingly engineered by the 'leadership' of the failed No On 8 campaign (most notably Equality California), a group of civil rights organizations released a joint statement Monday not-so-subtly stating that 2012 will be the year they go back to the ballot to repeal Prop 8. The move angered many in the LGBT community, where the overwhelming majority of people believe that the issue should be back on the ballot in 2010. UPDATE: Marc Solomon, EQCA Marriage Director, released a statement that Equality California has not taken an official position on whether to go back in 2010 or 2012.

[deeter1013]

excuse me people while I leave here to go take my name off the Equality California roster of donors.
as well as any other group that has decided once again to tell me to just shut up and wait.

my money will go elsewhere from now on.

[Shadow Dragon]

deeter1013 wrote:

excuse me people while I leave here to go take my name off the Equality California roster of donors.
as well as any other group that has decided once again to tell me to just shut up and wait.
my money will go elsewhere from now on.

Ditto

[Joe in Novato]

We're talking human rights here. There is NO NEED to wait for anybody to get onboard. Every day that goes by is a day that Citizens are being denied their dignity and civil rights.

This needs to be placed on EVERY SINGLE BALLOT until it passes - no exceptions, or until a Court finds the balls to rule that EQUALITY should prevail in California.

[mrSteven]

It pisses me off that EQCA and others feel we can sit back and wait THATS BULLSHIT........ i want my rights NOW
NOT IN 2012

EQCA is sissy asses......

Screw them

write to them...

[The Golem]

So the same group of peopler who lost the last ballot initiative now want to control the next one. These would be the self appointed leaders who are so concerned about respectability that they didn't run any ads showing LGBT people or our children and parents in the last campaign.

Here's news for them. There will be an attempt to repeal Prop 8 in 2010. The only question is how successfully it will be run. If the money people want to get on board, we could use their help. We have much greater chance of success if the whole community pulls together.

But if they want to take their marbles and go home, we will win the fight without them.

[deeter1013]

The Golem wrote:

So the same group of peopler who lost the last ballot initiative now want to control the next one. These would be the self appointed leaders who are so concerned about respectability that they didn't run any ads showing LGBT people or our children and parents in the last campaign.
Here's news for them. There will be an attempt to repeal Prop 8 in 2010. The only question is how successfully it will be run. If the money people want to get on board, we could use their help. We have much greater chance of success if the whole community pulls together.
But if they want to take their marbles and go home, we will win the fight without them.

I have just removed my membership in a not so nice letter to Equality California,and by immediately changing my bank account settings to stop any further monthly contributions to them, as well as sending an e-mail; to HRC, and marriage equality, and Ca-sacramento.
enclosed in those e-mails was a copy of the e-mail cancellation I sent to equality California, and assured each group that they would also be receiving the same notice addressed to them if they decide to follow suit.

I anxiously await their response!

I am confused...we got 2 straight guys diving in to help, and the gay groups once again telling us to shut up and wait.

[Rose T-H]

Folks,
This is what I just sent to Mark and the Equality California:

To whom it may concern,

If Equality California is NOT willing to take the repeal of Prop 8 to the ballot box in 2010, 2011, 2012 and every year until we get full Marriage Equality passed in this state........then I NO longer want to be associated with this organization.

Topix has a forum right at this moment that has this organization waiting until 2012 to repeal Prop 8.

In my opinion, this is an extremely unwise political decision. The GLBTQI Community on Topix's have been fighting the hatred and bigotry and now you have handed our opponents ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL LIKE THEY ARE WINNING THE MARRIAGE INEQUALITY BATTLE.

Sorry folks, but there are real Gays, Lesbians, Bisexuals and Transgendered families who have had enough and we are tired of being patient.

I may not have a lot of money, but my wife and I have formed a Gay/Straight Alliance group and we will fight this.

Our marriage and the marriage rights of our community SHOULD BE FOREMOST IN YOUR MIND.......NOT YOUR EGOS.

Sorry, but right now is the time to unite.

I totally agree with The Golem.......Together WE CAN WIN.

[cross99]

I trust EQCA about as much as HRC in the struggle for LGBT rights. Their failed No on 8 campaign proved to me that they are worthless. My support is going to Courage Campaign.

[Rose T-H]

cross99 wrote:

I trust EQCA about as much as HRC in the struggle for LGBT rights. Their failed No on 8 campaign proved to me that they are worthless. My support is going to Courage Campaign.

Sweet:)

[RalphB]

I agree with the rest of you. NOW is the time to fight back, and we are weary of waiting. I now regret that I acted so hastily in sending money to Equality. No more. I wish there was some way I could get it back, but alas, what is done, is done. I await other organizations who are willing to fight for our rights, instead of perpetuating their own "leader" status. My noney has gone all over the country, in hopes that gains elsewhere would light a fire under people here in MO. Has Equality forgotten there will be another Presidential election in 2012? I would expect that with enough work on the part of GLTSIs that a mid-term election offers more hope for passage of something more in our favor.

[eJohn]

deeter1013 wrote:

<quoted text>
I have just removed my membership in a not so nice letter to Equality California,and by immediately changing my bank account settings to stop any further monthly contributions to them, as well as sending an e-mail; to HRC, and marriage equality, and Ca-sacramento.
enclosed in those e-mails was a copy of the e-mail cancellation I sent to equality California, and assured each group that they would also be receiving the same notice addressed to them if they decide to follow suit.
I anxiously await their response!
I am confused...we got 2 straight guys diving in to help, and the gay groups once again telling us to shut up and wait.

Don't hold your breath on a response. I wrote to all seven of the self-proclaimed "gay rights" groups after they first came out kicking and screaming over the Olson & Boies suit.

NOT ONE of them had the courtesy to respond in any way other than to send me another form letter asking for more money.

Does anyone know of a *deserving* gay rights group that I can start sending money to? Cause I suddenly have a little extra cash to divert to someone else.

[RalphB]

Oophs, I miss a letter in my last post.

GLTSI's should read GLBTSI's. I sure hope we quit finding new letters to add. I can't remember them all now.

[fuzi]

As all of you have noted, this is a very stupid decision by EQCA. 2010 is the PRIME year to go for a repeal simply because Obama is not on the ballot. I fully believe had it not been Obama on the ballot for 2008, Prop 8 would not have passed. Obama brought to the polls record numbers of a certain group of people who are, sorry to say, culturally bigoted against gay people. No doubt some of you will claim I'm being "racist" (I'm not, the poll numbers support me) or not "politically correct". So be it. I'm sick of tap-dancing around a subject simply for political correctness.

2010 is the year to repeal simply for demographic reasons. 2012 will only get the same bigoted people at the polls that were there in 2008.

[nhjeff]

RalphB wrote:

I agree with the rest of you. NOW is the time to fight back, and we are weary of waiting. I now regret that I acted so hastily in sending money to Equality. No more. I wish there was some way I could get it back, but alas, what is done, is done. I await other organizations who are willing to fight for our rights, instead of perpetuating their own "leader" status. My noney has gone all over the country, in hopes that gains elsewhere would light a fire under people here in MO. Has Equality forgotten there will be another Presidential election in 2012? I would expect that with enough work on the part of GLTSIs that a mid-term election offers more hope for passage of something more in our favor.

Actually, I imagine that part of EQCA's calculation is that churches and other organizations composed primarily of older people will do a better job of getting out the vote than our side will. More people coming out to vote during a presidential election evens out the playing field for us.

That said, I feel like a lot of money that I sent to EQCA in 2008 was squandered. They were the only game in town back then. But I'm not going to trust them until they prove themselves to be more aggressive with their message.

I liked the Courage Campaign from their inception, and they will probably get most of my money. But this year it's going to Equality Maine. I sure hope they run a better campaign than the one in CA.

BTW: I was in Concord for the vote on marriage equality. The equality side was composed ENTIRELY of Granite Staters. The other side was slick outsiders constantly messaging on their iphones and checking their laptops. The same crew and more will be mobilized in Maine. It's going to be a very tough battle.

Back to the CA issue: Momentum dissipates as we wait. Carpe Diem!

[Rick in Kansas]

Once again proving that there is no such thing as a single-minded gay agenda and that the number of political opinions increase exponentially to the number of gay people in a room. While I was disappointed, I wasn't all that surprised by the so-called "Prepare to Prevail" statement that started popping up in e-mails yesterday evening.

http://jrcla.org/...

My guess is that the groups that signed onto this were so defeated by their implosion of the prop 8 campaign, that they can't see themselves as being ready for another battle of that scale just a year and a half down the road. The shame is, that if they would only put as much thought into how they can be ready in 2010, as they apparently did into why they can't, they probably would be ready to fight and win such a campaign. But no, they've chosen to give up now and turn their efforts to keeping it off the ballot until THEY are ready.

Although they lay out a well reasoned case as to why we should wait, or rather, why they should wait, I'm not buying into it. The case as to why this should be voted on as quickly as possible is even stronger.

http://www.lovehonorcherish.org/index.php...

[Rose T-H]

Rick in Kansas wrote:

Once again proving that there is no such thing as a single-minded gay agenda and that the number of political opinions increase exponentially to the number of gay people in a room. While I was disappointed, I wasn't all that surprised by the so-called "Prepare to Prevail" statement that started popping up in e-mails yesterday evening.
http://jrcla.org/...
My guess is that the groups that signed onto this were so defeated by their implosion of the prop 8 campaign, that they can't see themselves as being ready for another battle of that scale just a year and a half down the road. The shame is, that if they would only put as much thought into how they can be ready in 2010, as they apparently did into why they can't, they probably would be ready to fight and win such a campaign. But no, they've chosen to give up now and turn their efforts to keeping it off the ballot until THEY are ready.
Although they lay out a well reasoned case as to why we should wait, or rather, why they should wait, I'm not buying into it. The case as to why this should be voted on as quickly as possible is even stronger.
http://www.lovehonorcherish.org/index.php...

Thanks Rick.

My wife and I just signed up with LHC.

We will work hard to collect signatures.

Blessed Be

[Shadow Dragon]

Rose T-H wrote:

<quoted text>
Thanks Rick.
My wife and I just signed up with LHC.
We will work hard to collect signatures.
Blessed Be

Then We may not need either one of them if that federal court cases overturned prop 8 first

[nhjeff]

Shadow Dragon wrote:

<quoted text>
Then We may not need either one of them if that federal court cases overturned prop 8 first

I can't control what SCOTUS will decide. But I can help bring about a rematch for equality. We should all do what we can as energetically as we can.

[Rose T-H]

Shadow Dragon wrote:

<quoted text>
Then We may not need either one of them if that federal court cases overturned prop 8 first

We should cover all of our bases and not put everything on the federal case.

One is a state issue and one is a Federal issue. Go sign up and take a stand with our Community here in California.

If every Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgendered and our family and friends each collect a 100 signatures........we would be at the amount needed in no time

I BELIEVE MARRIAGE EQUALITY IS WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

[Ziggy on High]

eJohn wrote:

<
Does anyone know of a *deserving* gay rights group that I can start sending money to? Cause I suddenly have a little extra cash to divert to someone else.

I would suggest to forget all the big groups. Focus on, and help out, the local small community groups where you are. Most towns have some sort of local group that actually supports it's gay community.

It helps them immensely to have some locals support them in return for the support they offer. With that 2-way street of support, it helps to run a more effective grass-roots campaign in your own community.

For example, here in Santa Barbara, we have the Pacific Pride Foundation. I try to give them what I can whenever possible. In turn, they do a lot to support the gay community here.

Keep things, and your money, local. Know what I mean?

Cheers