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Archives – September, 2011
NOM responds to our DOMA efforts with Sen. Reed
By Adam Bink
A few days ago, we called on Sen. Reed to support the Respect for Marriage Act. He responded that he’d consider it very carefully and take some time to look at the bill.
Apparently, the National Organization for Marriage didn’t like that:
President Obama’s unilateral finding that DOMA is unconstitutional, and his directive that DOJ no longer defend DOMA in litigation, amounts to an end run on the Constitution that would short-circuit the judicial process, giving the President striking new powers to retroactively accept or reject laws passed by Congress. While the House is taking action to intervene to ensure that the law is defended, and that it receives a full and vigorous defense, no President has the authority to unilaterally pick and choose which laws are deserving of a legal defense. Now Rhode Island’s senior Senator, Jack Reed, is being pressured by homosexual marriage advocates to reject DOMA and call for its repeal. Take the time today to send Senator Reed a message urging him to stand strong for marriage and family, and to defend DOMA. Thank you.
I was wondering when NOM would notice these efforts.
Unfortunately for NOM, we aren’t going to be scared off or defeated. Now we just have to make sure Sen. Reed sees us out here.
If you haven’t signed, and passed along to folks in Rhode Island, click here to do so! It’s a two-fer: gaining the 31st Senator to co-sponsor this bill, and sticking it to NOM.
25 Comments September 30, 2011
msblucow goes to Washington
I hadn’t yet posted about what happened when Courage led a group of over 100 California progressive leaders to the White House last week. Today, Marta does a great job looking at the dynamics of the discussion, which included a break-out session on LGBT equality with the White House interim director on those issues. Marta’s a Los Angeles-based activist, writer and photographer as well as a volunteer Regional Field Organizer with OFA. Check it out for a great analysis and great photos- Adam
Cross-posted from Veniceforchange.blogspot.com
By Marta Evry
Whether you’re a supporter of President Obama, or his harshest critic, Obamabot, EmoProg, or Firebagger, no matter what side of the pie fight you find yourself on today, I’m going to ask you to hang in there and read what I promise you is going to be a very long diary.
Why?
Because for one day last week this kossak – a community organizer with no professional interest in politics, and who couldn’t lobby her way out of a paper bag – brought the hopes, fears, and messages of 1,300 others just like me (and you) directly to key White House officials, staffers and cabinet members in a way I never hoped or thought possible.
And they listened.
5 Comments September 30, 2011
Courage Campaign and Max Diposti file formal complaint, request investigation into Stop SB 48 tactics
By Adam Bink
You all recall this:
Thing is, lying in order to obtain signatures is a no-no. California Elections Code, Section 18600:
Every person is guilty of a misdemeanor who:
(a) Circulating, as principal or agent, or having charge or control of the circulation of, or obtaining signatures to, any state or local initiative, referendum or recall petition, intentionally misrepresents or intentionally makes any false statement concerning the contents, purport or effect of the petition to any person who signs, or who desires to sign, or who is requested to sign, or who makes inquiries with reference to it, or to whom it is presented for his or her signature.
(b) Willfully and knowingly circulates, publishes, or exhibits any false statement or misrepresentation concerning the contents, purport or effect of any state or local initiative, referendum, or recall petition for the purpose of obtaining any signature to, or persuading or influencing any person to sign, that petition.
As such, yesterday, Courage Campaign filed a formal complaint with the California Attorney General, District Attorney, and the Oceanside City Attorney on behalf of Max Disposti, who witnessed the events, requesting an investigation (and possible prosecution) into signature-gathering tactics used by Stop SB 48 volunteers. Alleging that SB 48 could expose children to sexual predators is simply unacceptable, and Stop SB 48 campaign and their volunteers should be held accountable. We’ll keep you informed as this proceeds.
Our formal complaint can be found here, and below is an e-mail from Max Disposti explaining what happened. Co-sign our complaint!
Only 13 days left to turn in their signatures. Turn up the heat.
Adam:
A few days ago at a fair in Oceanside, my husband and I were asked if we wanted to sign a petition to protect children from abduction. When I asked what she meant, she said there was a law that just passed called SB 48 (the FAIR Education Act) that is forcing children to learn about “homosexuality” and sex without parental control, exposing them to sexual predators. As you can see in the photo on the right, she had plenty of supplemental materials to make her case. And, you guessed it: she turned out to be a volunteer with the Stop SB 48 campaign.
When I confronted her about these lies, she called the police. Well, we’re going to call the authorities on the Stop SB 48 campaign and fight back.
We can’t let their lies stand. I stood next to this woman for the next three hours and talked to every single person who approached, drawn in by her giant posters. Every single one of them was disgusted by her actions and refused to sign her petition when I told them the truth about SB 48. Every single one. With only 14 days left until the Stop SB 48 campaign has to turn in their signatures, everything we do right now matters.
Thanks for fighting back,
–Max Disposti, Courage Campaign member
22 Comments September 30, 2011
