"The most consistent and smartest thinking and writing about progressive politics isn't happening in Sacramento, but being churned out day after day on sites and by organizations like Calitics, Orange County Progressive, and the California Budget Project." - CalBuzz
[editor's note: I was going to post the Courage Campaign's TV as, but notice that Andrew already did. The Courage Campaign is rolling out this TV ad immediately in Bakersfield, Fresno, Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and San Francisco.
I just made a recurring donation to the Courage Campaign to ensure that people throughout California receive this positive message about marriage equality. It's time to stand up for our families and friends. -JS]
Love Honor Cherish, like all the rest of us, is disappointed in the California Supreme Court's failure to protect people's Constitutional rights. However, they're ready to move on and start the work needed to repeal Prop H8 next year. And fortunately, so is Courage Campaign.
Over the flip are the press release and official letter from community groups across the state calling to repeal H8 in 2010...
One year ago, I was depressed. I was shell-shocked. I was angered. I was just starting to find my voice as an LGBT civil rights activist.
And fortunately, OCEC was there for me and for many other soon-to-become equality activists who were horrified (and rudely awakened) by Prop H8. OC Weekly has a great story this week on not just OCEC's amazing growth last year, but on the continuing evolution of OC's LGBT community.
It may have been just over eight months ago, but it still feels like yesterday when I organized the first little get-together in my neighborhood park that flourished and ultimately became what Team Courage OCis today. I may not be on the ground here any more, but I still feel so proud whenever I notice their latest canvass successes, their big events, and just all the momentum they've picked up since I was pulling my hair out and trying to figure out who else was interested in going door to door in Orange County to talk about marriage equality.
I may have moved on since those early days after Prop H8 passed, but it still gives me hope today to see how the beautiful struggle for equality has progressed since those dark and scary early days. If you feel like properly commemorating one amazing year of activism since the pain of Prop H8, check out these events happening this weekend. The Transgender Day of Remembrance is tomorrow at 6:30 PM at The Center OC, and OCEC's One Year Anniversary Celebration will be Saturday at 5:00 PM at Tia Juana's in Irvine.
There have been many ups and downs in the last year, but it's great to see that OC's LGBT civil rights movement hasn't just weathered the storms of the past year... But has actually risen above them to thrive.
In case you haven't yet heard, none other than Rick Jacobs of Courage Campaign will be in Orange County this week to talk about the future of the California campaign for marriage equality. Can Prop H8 be repealed next year? And if so, how will it work? And what needs to be done?
Come on over this Thursday and get your Repeal Prop H8 questions answered! Here are some more details on what will happen and how you can join in:
We are very happy and excited to tell you: Rick Jacobs, founder and chair of the Courage Campaign, is coming to Orange County!
Rick will be speaking to us about the elements of a successful campaign to repeal Proposition 8. We will also discuss specific first steps and ways to get involved on the ground floor.
As a member of Team Courage, you are invited to join us. Help us welcome Rick and show that Orange County has a great local activist community!
A cake raffle to benefit Team Courage Orange County will be held. Light refreshments will be provided.
Please RSVP by sending an email to TeamCourageOrangeCounty@gmail.com or by clicking here.
Any questions? Contact Alex Gorman at (949) 573-0846 or alexgorman1@gmail.com
Directions: Take the 22 / Garden Grove Fwy to the Garden Grove Blvd Exit, head East on Garden Grove Blvd., it will be on the first block on the right. Here's the Google Map link.
You can see EQCA's new plan for 2012 here. You can see Love Honor Cherish's (another pro-marriage-equality in 2010 group) plan for 2010 here. And if you want to help Courage Campaign build the campaign for marriage equality in California AND help the "No on 1" campaign preserve marriage equality in Maine this fall, you can go here.
Included after the flip is the latest Courage email from Rick Jacobs and Obama campaign veteran Steve Hildebrand. Oh, and I'll also include the latest EQCA email from Geoff Kors. And again, I just want to say I hope this means we can all at least agree to stop fighting each other and get working so we can at least win back our civil rights some day. I just hope that day will be in November 2010. ;-)
Our LGBT community in California has waited far too long. Our allies have waited far too long. The people most affected by the discriminatory marriage ban have waited far too long. It's unfair to any one concerned about Prop H8 to have the decision on when to return to the ballot left in limbo. A decision really needs to be made on when to return to the ballot and win marriage equality.
I have the full letter from Courage Campaign's Rick Jacobs after the flip. If you agree with him (and with us), then please take the next step if you can. Thanks.
California's government suffers from drastic dysfunction - our prisons overflow, our water system teeters on collapse, our once proud schools are criminally poor, our financing system is bankrupt, our democracy produces ideologically extreme legislators who can pass neither budget nor reforms, and we have no recourse in the system to right these wrongs. Drastic times call for drastic measures.
It is our duty to declare that our California government is not only broken, it has become destructive to our future. Therefore, are we not obligated to nullify our government and institute a new one?
Saturday I attended one townhall meeting to discuss process.
Don't forget to join us in Seal Beach this Saturday for our next Team Courage OC Walk for Equality! The campaign to repeal Prop H8 continues, and our summer schedule is moving full steam ahead. Check the listing below, and please join us to make a difference and advance equality for all.
Wasn't last week amazing? Out of the ashes of that Tuesday's horrifying California Supreme Court decision, the civil rights movement has been reinvigorated. We saw major protests throughout the week, which culminated in last weekend's historic Meet in the Middle event in Fresno. But hey, this isn't the end... Just the beginning of a new and vigorous campaign for equality.
This is why Team Courage OC will be going door-to-door in the coming days, weeks, and months to raise awareness and support for marriage equality and LGBT civil rights in California. The California Supreme Court may have ruled, but they won't have the last word. The voters will, so we must work now to build majority support for marriage equality. Face-to-face contact has been proven time and again to be the most effective ways of influencing opinion, so please join us to change hearts and minds in these critical battleground areas of Orange County!
Please follow me after the flip to see where our next walks will be and how you can help us organize an event in your neighborhood.
In a rallying cry for progressive solutions to the state's budget crisis, Rick Jacobs, founder and chair of the 700,000 member Courage Campaign, made the following statement regarding Governor Schwarzenegger's address to the joint session of the Legislature:
"When California voters rejected five of the six ballot propositions at the May 19 special election, they did so because they wanted lasting solutions to our budget crisis not temporary fixes crafted without public input.
"We are therefore deeply troubled to hear Governor and the Legislature are proposing to close the budget gap through a particularly reckless and destructive "cuts-only" budget. These cuts will literally hurt and kill people.
"The people of California did not vote to take away dialysis from patients suffering kidney failure. They did not vote to eliminate the AIDS Drug Assistance Program that as Senator Mark Leno states 'literally keeps people alive.'
"Voters did not ask for the elimination of the Cal Grant Program which enables hard-working students to afford a college education, and they did not vote to lay off more teachers. And they did not vote to close 80% of our state parks.
"Nor did they vote to approve one of the largest corporate tax cuts in state history, allowing companies to essentially write their own tax rules. The $1.5 billion cost of that tax cut could help preserve programs that are facing destructive cuts.
"Instead, numerous polls have shown Californians embrace fair and responsible taxes on the wealthy and on corporations, including at minimum a restoration of the upper-income tax brackets that were implemented by Republican governors Ronald Reagan and Pete Wilson. Right now, an individual making $900,000 pays the same tax rate as someone making $50,000. Oil companies pay the same property tax rate as an elderly homeowner -- and unlike Alaska and Texas, oil companies pay no tax on the oil they extract in California.
"Instead of these irresponsible cuts, our legislators must offer responsible and fair solutions that will solve our crisis -- and refuse to back down from this position.
"We understand that California's system of government presents impediments to these progressive solutions, such as the 2/3rds rule. But we do not accept that those obstacles are immovable.
"As President Barack Obama showed us, a campaign that offers hopeful empowerment can produce dramatic political change. It is time for California's legislators to offer that to the people of this state by taking a stand against firing teachers and denying children health benefits to support tax breaks for the rich. It's time to offer voters what they really want and make spending accountable and taxation equitable.
"We offer our support to those legislators who refuse to embrace the destruction of progressive California and instead will fight to implement the kind of responsible revenue solutions that Californians want."
Now since there will be no ruling this week, our Weekend for Equality plans will go forward. Just let us know which events you want to attend this weekend when you RSVP. And if you're coming to the potluck, let us know what food item you'd like to share with us. Now please follow me after the flip for all the details on this weekend's events!
I had the great privilege to visit Long Beach Pride last weekend. I had a great time reconnecting with old friends, meeting new friends, doing some good, and having a good time. Oh, and did I mention Gavin Newsom signed my t-shirt? ;-)
Here's an email from our awesome data wizard Daniel below. Oh yes, and please stay tuned for more updates from your local LGBT civil rights activists as we prepare our "OC Weekend for Equality".
Please RSVP for Meet in the Middle if you can. It will be crucial for us to let our voices be heard and start organizing for 2010 & 2012 regardless of how the California Supreme Court rules on the Prop H8 cases. Now's the time for LGBT civil rights, and now's the time for us to speak out. A special message from Academy Award winning actor Charlize Theron can be found after the flip.
OK, so you heard about our walk for equality in Irvine. You heard about our second walk in Dana Point. But since you couldn't do either, what can you do now to build up our strong army for LGBT civil rights in Orange County?
