Tribe.net. Local Connections Angela http://edukink.tribe.net/thread/1918b2de-dc46-4c77-af64-0e09a6d1b788#e725d335-e09d-469c-bf6a-45ecb89d1553 2008-10-19T00:28:08Z 2008-10-19T00:28:08Z

We're not the organizers of this event, but you can consider this as our endorsement of "No on Prop 8". One of the things the supporters of "No on Prop 8" are encouraging people to do is to talk about how this amendment will affect them, personally. So, I'd like to do that, if you will indulge me for a minute. First, at last count, I am friends with at least seven gay and lesbian couples who have gotten married, or soon will be married, who will be horrendously impacted by this Proposition if it passes. For some of them, they have been jerked around and pulled back and forth over the legal/not legal line at least once already. Even if their marriages are somehow not annulled by the passing of this Proposition, it will still relegate their unions to a questionable status in a lot of people's minds. This thought makes me furious. And, on an even more personal level, it will mean that my brother, and his partner, will not be able to come to California to be married, as we have been hoping. *This* thought makes me very sad. So, that's some of the way it will affect me personally. But beyond how it will affect me by how it affects those I know and love, there are additional ways that I, and anyone who cares about our freedoms, should stand up and fight against the passing of this Amendment. First, it trespasses on the separation between Church and State. The "one man and one woman" definition of marriage does not come from some intrinsic civil expectation -- it comes from the tenets of particular religious faiths. Even if you are a person who holds those same tenets as part of your own faith, you need to give serious consideration to whether you want to support an action that will allow a religious faith -- ANY religious faith -- to shape our laws. It's true that we were founded by particular groups of religious people, and it is true that most of them shared some of the same beliefs and many of their actions were guided by those beliefs. But even among the founding fathers, there were those who emphasized the importance of not allowing government to dictate anything to people on the basis of religion. Second, it creates "legal" discrimination on the basis of gender. Because it specifically uses gender in the text it uses to define marriage by adding one phrase as Section 7.5 to Article I of the California Constitution: "SEC. 7.5. Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." And that, in its purest and simplest reading, is discrimination on the basis of gender. One man, one woman. Nothing there about sexual orientation. Just gender. This proposition to amend our state Constitution is sooo wrong - at several levels. To paraphrase what the judge officiating the marriage of two of my friends said in her pronouncement of their LEGAL union: What love has joined together, let no Constitutional Amendment put asunder.

Angela 2008-10-19T00:28:08Z Angela http://edukink.tribe.net/thread/1918b2de-dc46-4c77-af64-0e09a6d1b788#9f3c8ce2-c311-4643-b363-59d559e65169 2008-10-18T23:57:08Z 2008-10-18T23:57:08Z

NO ON PROP 8 needs your help. Keep Marriage Equality in CA Leather Against Prop 8 Movie Fundraiser Featuring the award winning documentary "Pursuit of Equality." Wednesday, October 22nd. SFCitadel, 1277 Mission Street at 9th Street, San Francisco Doors open at 7:15 Start time 7:30 Suggested donation - $25 or whatever you can give! Proposition 8, which would eliminate the right of same sex couples to marry in California, is in serious danger of passing. No on Prop 8 is down 5% in the polls and has been outspent by $10 million. The other side is going all out with money and volunteers! Leatherfolk, gearfolk, bootfolk, uniformfolk, bondagefolk, even non-fetish folk - ALL ARE WELCOME! LGBT, straight, all sexes - please come! We'll be showing the documentary "Pursuit of Equality" - which has won numerous awards, including "Best of the Fest" at the Palm Springs International Film Festival. (See the trailer at www.pursuitofequality.com/trailer.html .) There's an informal website for the event at http://sites.google.com/site/leatheragainstprop8 An RSVP is requested, but not neccessary, to get a rough idea of the interest. RSVP to: leatheragainstprop8@gmail.com ___________________________ Help before the fundraiser! If you're able to give some money or some of your time before the fundraiser, No On Prop 8 or the Human Rights CampaignCalifornia Marriage PAC can use your help now! Please see http://www.noonprop8.com/ orhttps://secure.ga3.org/03/caequalpac_match/nf1qf3UnqNWOu? We'd love to have you show up saying "I've already given, but I'd still like to see the movie!" SFCitadel is located at 1277 Mission St (at 9th), in San Francisco's SOMA district - convenient to highway 101 and one block from the BART/MUNI Civic Center Station. Street parking is available.

Angela 2008-10-18T23:57:08Z