NYT Editorializes for Marriage

This morning the paper of record published a beautiful editorial in support of the California Supreme Court decision.

The California Supreme Court brought the United States a step closer to fulfilling its ideals of equality and justice with its momentous 4-to-3 ruling upholding the right of same-sex couples to marry.

The editorial also calls for support from the Presidential candidates:

Since the presidential candidates’ positions on gay marriage seem based more on tactics than principle, we do not expect them to shift ground. We would like to hear all of them support Mr. Schwarzenegger in opposing a constitutional amendment. Mr. McCain’s reaction that he “supports the right of the people of California” rather than judges to decide the question was not encouraging.

Perkins Gets Savage Beat Down

Openly gay columnist, author, husband and father Dan Savage had the unpleasant task of debating anti-gay Family Research Council President Tony Perkins last night on Anderson Cooper 360. Perkins is perhaps the most visible anti-gay advocate on the circuit right now and he is usually very effective in manipulating media; however, he was no match for the intellect of Mr. Savage.



The entire interview served as a microcosm for what we will see on a grand scale over the next six months. Perkins basically had little flash cards with pithy talking points on them that he pulled out at random: "Marriage is between a man and a woman," "Social science proves that children need a mom and a dad," "activist judges," etc. Savage proved though that the same old sound bites are no match for actual intelligent arguments.

Thank You!

This morning the California Supreme Court issued a historic 4-3 ruling that strikes down California's ban on same-sex marriage. This is a day that will forever be remembered in the journey toward equality.

Celebrate today, but we start the battle to maintain the ruling tomorrow.

Marriage in California!

Marriage on the Line in California

The state of California is proving itself to be the next battleground in the pursuit of marriage equality. As the California Supreme Court weighs whether or not they will grant full marriage rights and responsibilities to all Californians, anti-gay activists claim they have succeeded in getting the necessary amount of signatures to place the proposed “Limits on Marriage” constitutional amendment on the ballot in November.

Assuming their claim is accurate, the fate of relationship recognition is in the hands of California voters. Here are the various ways California could play out:

1. The Ideal Scenario: Supreme Court grants marriage and the initiative doesn’t have enough signatures to make the ballot.
Thousands of committed couples in California would finally have access to the privilege of marriage and a renewed sense of respect would return to the institution of marriage by those who have been denied for so long. Anti-gay activists would forever cry “judicial activism,” and they would continue to try every year to get on the ballot again, but in the meantime tens of millions of dollars could be saved by not fighting this fight in 2008.

2. The Probable Scenario: Supreme Court grants marriage and the initiative makes the ballot.
If marriage is granted, but the proposed amendment does in fact have enough signatures, then this election season grows even more important than it already is. Conventional wisdom is that money and organization equal victories in initiatives. With the backing of financial juggernauts like Focus on the Family, Family Research Council and Concerned Women for America, the opposition will be well funded and ready to organize from pulpits across the state. Equality advocates from around the country hopefully understand the gravity of this election and will funnel enough money to California to be competitive.

Evangelicals who are less-than-excited with McCain may have more of a reason to head to the polls in November, but if Democrats turn out as much as expected, California will have a chance to join Arizona as the only states to beat back a marriage initiative.

If equality advocates are victorious, the Supreme Court ruling reigns supreme and marriage will be a reality in California.

If the amendment passes, than the California Constitution is amended to say “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.” This would nullify the Supreme Court decision and it would be extremely difficult for marriage equality to be achieved in California for a long time to come.

3. The Definitely Possible Scenario: Supreme Court denies marriage and the initiative makes the ballot.
The costly campaign would still be on but instead of fighting for the ability to get married immediately, Californians would be fighting to stop the amendment in hopes that a defeat would prove to Governor Schwarzenegger that his constituents are in favor of equality and that the next time the legislature puts a marriage bill on his desk, he needs to sign it.

New will.i.am video = Amazing

Gay Ad Buy

Senator Obama has made history by becoming the very first presidential candidate to make an LGBT specific ad buy in an LGBT publication. This ad is going in LGBT publications in Ohio and Texas.



Queerty has a great full post about the ad here.

Open Letter From Obama to LGBT Community

In yet another example of why Senator Obama will be a President who fights for LGBT rights and equality, here is an open letter from Barack Obama to the LGBT community:

I'm running for President to build an America that lives up to our founding promise of equality for all – a promise that extends to our gay brothers and sisters. It's wrong to have millions of Americans living as second-class citizens in this nation. And I ask for your support in this election so that together we can bring about real change for all LGBT Americans.

Equality is a moral imperative. That's why throughout my career, I have fought to eliminate discrimination against LGBT Americans. In Illinois, I co-sponsored a fully inclusive bill that prohibited discrimination on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender identity, extending protection to the workplace, housing, and places of public accommodation. In the U.S. Senate, I have co-sponsored bills that would equalize tax treatment for same-sex couples and provide benefits to domestic partners of federal employees. And as president, I will place the weight of my administration behind the enactment of the Matthew Shepard Act to outlaw hate crimes and a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to outlaw workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

As your President, I will use the bully pulpit to urge states to treat same-sex couples with full equality in their family and adoption laws. I personally believe that civil unions represent the best way to secure that equal treatment. But I also believe that the federal government should not stand in the way of states that want to decide on their own how best to pursue equality for gay and lesbian couples — whether that means a domestic partnership, a civil union, or a civil marriage. Unlike Senator Clinton, I support the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) – a position I have held since before arriving in the U.S. Senate. While some say we should repeal only part of the law, I believe we should get rid of that statute altogether. Federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does. I have also called for us to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and I have worked to improve the Uniting American Families Act so we can afford same-sex couples the same rights and obligations as married couples in our immigration system.

The next president must also address the HIV/AIDS epidemic. When it comes to prevention, we do not have to choose between values and science. While abstinence education should be part of any strategy, we also need to use common sense. We should have age-appropriate sex education that includes information about contraception. We should pass the JUSTICE Act to combat infection within our prison population. And we should lift the federal ban on needle exchange, which could dramatically reduce rates of infection among drug users. In addition, local governments can protect public health by distributing contraceptives.

We also need a president who's willing to confront the stigma – too often tied to homophobia – that continues to surround HIV/AIDS. I confronted this stigma directly in a speech to evangelicals at Rick Warren's Saddleback Church, and will continue to speak out as president. That is where I stand on the major issues of the day. But having the right positions on the issues is only half the battle. The other half is to win broad support for those positions. And winning broad support will require stepping outside our comfort zone. If we want to repeal DOMA, repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell, and implement fully inclusive laws outlawing hate crimes and discrimination in the workplace, we need to bring the message of LGBT equality to skeptical audiences as well as friendly ones – and that's what I've done throughout my career. I brought this message of inclusiveness to all of America in my keynote address at the 2004 Democratic convention. I talked about the need to fight homophobia when I announced my candidacy for President, and I have been talking about LGBT equality to a number of groups during this campaign – from local LGBT activists to rural farmers to parishioners at Ebenezer Baptist Church in Atlanta, where Dr. Martin Luther King once preached.

Just as important, I have been listening to what all Americans have to say. I will never compromise on my commitment to equal rights for all LGBT Americans. But neither will I close my ears to the voices of those who still need to be convinced. That is the work we must do to move forward together. It is difficult. It is challenging. And it is necessary.

Americans are yearning for leadership that can empower us to reach for what we know is possible. I believe that we can achieve the goal of full equality for the millions of LGBT people in this country. To do that, we need leadership that can appeal to the best parts of the human spirit. Join with me, and I will provide that leadership. Together, we will achieve real equality for all Americans, gay and straight alike.

West Wing Obama Video

Our previous inclinations have been validated by Slate! It turns out that West Wing presidential candidate Matt Santos was based in part on Barack Obama.

Prominent LGBT Obama Supporters Interview

Queerty has an amazing interview with three top LGBT supporters of Barack Obama. I definitely recommend checking out the whole interview.

These three great LGBT leaders each give very different reasons as to why they have chosen to support Senator Obama.

Tobias Wolff

University of Pennsylvania professor Tobias Wolff is serving as the chair of Obama's LGBT policy group. He comments on why it appears Hillary has been winning the LGBT vote and why he thinks gay voters are now coming over to Obama's camp:

"...the actual result that the [Clinton] presidency produced: the only two occasions in American history when anti-gay policies were written into the statutes of the United States. I think the story of the gay vote in this election, once again, has been the story of a familiar name, a familiar brand and then gay and lesbian voters having to learn about somebody new. I think the more LGBT people learn about Barack”s record on LGBT equality and HIV/AIDS and the way that he talks about LGBT equality to general audiences, the more excited they become and the more they switch over to his side."

Wolff continues to address the policy differences between Clinton and Obama. He particularly sides against Senator Clinton on her Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) position. The Senator does not support a full repeal of DOMA.

"I find her position on DOMA quite unacceptable. It is incomprehensible to me that she continues to support vicious anti-gay legislation. When Representative Lewis spoke on the House floor against DOMA when it was enacted and, invoking the full authority of his experience in the civil rights movement, he said, “I know what bigotry looks like and this is bigotry, pure and simple”. I cannot understand why Senator Clinton will not endorse a full repeal of that statute. It’s incomprehensible to me."

Stampp Corbin

National LGBT Policy Committee Co-ChairStampp Corbin has a long history with Michelle and Barack, but he cites Senator Obama's LGBT policy viewpoints as the reason for his support.

"One, Barack Obama is great on LGBT issues and that’s of primary importance to me. Secondarily, I look at all of the other issues across the spectrum. There are a variety of them, from the war in Iraq to economic policies, but from an LGBT perspective, I think he’s better on those issues, particularly with the DOMA situation. He wants the full deal and Clinton believes - it’s just a difference of opinion. It’s strategic to leave parts of this Defense of Marriage Act so our opponents can’t get a federal marriage amendment passed. [But] I don’t think a federal marriage amendment can get passed if we have a Democratic president."

Eric Stern

Eric Stern is the former Director of the Democratic National Committee’s LGBT outreach program. He was a supporter of Senator John Edwards, but since Edwards suspended his candidacy, Stern transitioned over to the Obama campaign because of Obama's refusual to take money from special interest.

"One of the reasons why I endorsed Obama is because I believe the candidate whose campaign is essentially financed by people instead of corporations ensures that he’s directly accountable to the people, not the special corporate interest. I’m confident that Senator Obama knows to whom he’s directly accountable: the American people."

It appears that this election more than any other will prove that the LGBT community is not a monolithic voting bloc. These three leaders show that there are many reasons why people are drawn to fight for an Obama candidacy.