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2010 Prop 8 Repeal Effort Fails

The controversial effort to place a Proposition 8 repeal on the November 2010 ballot in California has failed to gather enough signatures to qualify. The leading LGBT organizations in the state, including Equality California, were not behind the effort and proposed waiting until at least 2012.

The Sacramento Bee:

"Proponents announced they failed to collect the nearly 700,000 valid voter signatures to qualify their proposed initiative. 'Our signature collection effort may have fallen short, but we stand tall as being the only statewide campaign that fought for repealing Proposition 8 in 2010,' Sean Bohac, Chair of the Restore Equality 2010 Statewide Advisory Panel, said in a statement. The group, Restore Equality 2010, had split with Equality California, one of the state's largest gay-rights advocacy groups, on when to put a repeal of the 2008 Proposition 8 on the ballot.Proponents of the 2010 proposed initiative said they plan to join forces with the other gay-rights groups pushing to legalize same-sex marriage in 2012, beginning a signature-collecting drive to qualify a measure in summer 2011."

Last July, EQCA and other groups recommended waiting until the 2012 election. EqCA stated their position after a new coalition of black, Latino and Asian LGBT groups known as Prepare to Prevail—one of its leaders is Jordan Rustin Coalition's Ron Buckmire.

For the first time ever, recent polls have shown that a majority of Californians now approve of marriage equality. However, most LGBT organizers in the state believed the ballot measure would fare better during a presidential election year, when more younger voters hit the polls. Also: Organizers say it would be near impossible raise tens of millions of dollars and find hundreds of thousands of "new" voters by November.

Prop 8 Repeal Activists Submit Ballot Language for 2010

A coalition of California LGBT groups submitted ballot initiative language to repeal Prop 8 in November 2010. The proposed measure reads:

This amendment would amend an existing section of the California Constitution. Existing language proposed to be deleted is printed in strikeout type. Language proposed to be added is printed in underlined type.

Section 1. To protect religious freedom, no court shall interpret this measure to require any priest, minister, pastor, rabbi, or other person authorized to perform marriages by any religious denomination, church, or other non-profit religious institution to perform any marriage in violation of his or her religious beliefs. The refusal to perform a marriage under this provision shall not be the basis for lawsuit or liability, and shall not affect the tax-exempt status of any religious denomination, church or other religious institution.

Section 2. To provide for fairness in the government’s issuance of marriage licenses, Section 7.5 of Article I of the California Constitution is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 7.5. Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Marriage is between only two persons and shall not be restricted on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.

The 2010 repeal campaign is led by Love Honor Cherish. Journalist Rex Wockner adds: "Key ally Courage Campaign, which has voiced support for a 2010 effort, is not yet onboard. Numerous other key California GLBT organizations, including Equality California, have said they want to wait until 2012 to go back to the ballot."

Equality California, one of the state’s largest gay rights groups, recommends waiting until the 2012 election. EqCA stated their position after a new coalition of black, Latino and Asian LGBT groups known as Prepare to Prevail—one of its leaders is Jordan Rustin Coalition's Ron Buckmire—announced in July that returning to the ballot next year "would be rushed and risky."

Equality California Says 2012 Best to Repeal Prop 8

The leadership of Equality California, one of the state’s largest gay rights groups, recommends waiting until the 2012 election to ask voters to repeal Proposition 8, the state's same-sex marriage ban. Many California LGBT activists are concerned  "about raising the millions of dollars necessary in the current tough economic climate and also that it will take longer than two years to convince enough voters."

Also: The disturbing recent trend of a plateau in marriage equality polls, reports the Bay Area Reporter.

Executive Director Geoff Kors has pointed to stagnant poll numbers as well, indicating that the California electorate has not changed since the passage of Proposition 8 last November. A Field Poll report from last week indicated support for same-sex marriage stands at 49 percent, just shy of a majority of voters. While an informal survey of EQCA's members earlier this year indicated a majority favored 2010, things have changed, Kors said. "We all said we want to go in 2010, if we hear back overwhelmingly and have support financially. But we haven't seen that."

Activists have been divided over when to return to the polls since passage last fall of Proposition 8. Some say the earlier the better.

The argument against 2010 was articulated by a new coalition of black, Latino and Asian LGBT groups known as Prepare to Prevail—one of its leaders is Jordan Rustin Coalition's Ron Buckmire—which announced in a statement on July 13 that returning to the ballot next year "would be rushed and risky." Buckmire, who is a math professor at Occidental College, saw the raw numbers of voters needed are daunting  and enough outreach has not been done. Buckmire tells the San Francisco Chronicle Politics blog: "As I like to say: Do the math. It's going to take a long time." While he's happy that some outreach is starting, "I haven't seen a plan to win yet. I've seen a plan to get on the ballot. But not to win."

EQCA's announcement "is not likely to dampen" other groups' push to mount a repeal effort next year. The Los Angeles-based Courage Campaign says it would continue its push to place a measure on the 2010 ballot, the Chronicle reports. Given the "blame the blacks" meme that surfaced after Proposition 8 and continues to this day, it's very interesting the Courage Campaign wants to push for 2010 when LGBT-POC have warned against it.

EQCA and JRC Release Commercial Featuring Black Gay Married Couple

On the one year anniversary that same-sex couples began marrying in California, Equality California and the Jordan/Rustin Coalition (JRC), the black LGBT advocacy group headed by Ron Buckmire, begin a marriage equality and visibility campaign targeting black communities in Los Angeles and across the state.

A powerful new television commercial released today features a black gay Los Angeles couple seen in previous PSAs. Xavier and Michael Boykin-Haggood, who were married last year before Proposition 8, are seen with three of their five children. The spot is scheduled to air statewide starting the week of June 22nd. Michael tells the camera: "At its core level it's just totally unfair to actually take away anyone's rights. And so I have no doubt that this will inevitably be turned back the right way."

A commercial featuring the black gay couple and their family was at the center of controversy during the inaugural coverage of President Barack Obama. Several television stations broadcast the 30-second spot showing the couple and their five children at dinner with the tag. KABC-TV refused to broadcast the spot and only did so later after a national outcry.

AFTER THE JUMP, via Mad Professah, watch "Michael and Xavier."

NAACP and Julian Bond Call for Overturn of Proposition 8

Now this is major. The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) storms into the 21st century and calls for the overturn of California's Proposition 8. National Board Chair Julian Bond—who has an excellent record on LGBT rights and marriage equality—and newish CEO Benjamin Jealous announce the veteran civil rights organizations supports measures before the state legislature that challenge the amendment which denied marriage rights to same-sex couples.

Bond and Jealous urged passage of HR 5 and SR 7, resolutions which call for the invalidation of Prop 8 and ask the California Supreme Court to overturn it. Bond says it's a matter of equal protection. "The NAACP has long opposed any proposal that would alter the federal or state constitutions for the purpose of excluding any groups or individuals from guarantees of equal protection," adding the amendment "threaten[ed] civil rights and all vulnerable minorities."

This is the first time the national organization has weighed in on same sex marriage. Last fall the California chapter of the NAACP filed amicus briefs with the California Supreme Court in the legal challenges against Prop. 8. The state chapter was also part of the original lawsuit that brought same sex marriage to California. This is significant because its  Only a week after its 100th birthday, this signals a welcome and dramatic policy change. "This is not your grandfather's NAACP," notes Ron Buckmire, the black gay California activist and political strategist.

So much for blacks opposing gay rights and marriage equality.

Thanks MICHAEL, RON and KEITH

LGBT Blogger Initiative: Saturday Morning Session

Today was the morning kickoff of the LGBT Bloggers & Citizen Journalist Initiative. This morning's session is at the Center for American Progress, which publishes one of my favoritest blogs Think Progress. The working breakfast began at 8:30 or 9am—entirely too early for most bloggers—but the the conference center was packed. Here are few snaps from the BlackBerry. Above is Mike Rogers outlining the goals of the morning session and asking the assorted bloggers to introduce themselves. Many of the people behind the blogs you read were in attendance, such as Rev. Irene Monroe in the foreground, Michael Crawford, Lane Hudson, Ron Buckmire aka the Mad Professah, who was heavily involved with black gays and Proposition 8. The always fabulous Pam Spaulding from Pam's House Blend was also in the house. On Friday afternoon, Pam and I strategized and shared ideas for two hours over lunch at Annie's on 17th Street. PHB contributor Autumn Sandeen, the trans advocate who was recently very helpful in sharing information on murder of a young black trans woman in Syracuse, was also in the house.

There were two panels. The first was lead by Open Left's Matt Stoller who offered some tips on branding blogs, networking and coalition building. The second panel was devoted to Proposition 8 and the lessons learned from the blogosphere's approach and the No on 8 campaign. Let's just say it was a very lively discussion. We touched upon much of the same strategic and tactical mistakes that have been discussed here for weeks, but, it's very refreshing to hear many others admit the obvious.

Oh and finally this is the second day in a row my name tag has been butchered. This one is a little too embarrassing to wear. 

"Noah's Arc" Actor Doug Spearman, Black Ministers Urge "NO" on Prop 8

Doug Spearman, the handsome openly gay co-star of Noah's Arc and the upcoming feature film Noah's Arc Jumping the Broom, headlines a news conference with several Los Angeles ministers to urge the black community to vote NO on California's toxic Proposition 8. The newser was held at the Lucy Florence Cultural Center in Leimert Park. From left to right,  Spearman; Rev. Eric Lee, President, Southern Christian Leadership Council of LA; Rev. Vanessa Mackenzie; Rev. Arthur Lawrence Cribbs; and Willie Pelote with AFSCME.

Spearman, who is on the board of Equality California and the No on Prop 8 campaign says, "When the Supreme Court authored its opinion, it effectively wiped away not just discrimination against gays and lesbians. They wiped away discrimination in the state of California in a way that had never been addressed before. They did a brave and beautiful thing."

Earlier this month the cast of Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom headlined a fundraiser for No on Prop 8 in Oakland. Spearman, Darryl Stephens, Jensen Atwood and the still not gay Rodney Chester urged black voters and the black gay community to turn down the ballot measure. The film opens in limited release on October 24 and features a wedding-themed plot.

Black voters could play a crucial role in the fight over same-sex marriage. The Los Angeles Times reports "they make up only about 6% of the electorate in California [and] are expected to vote in record numbers this election because of Barack Obama's presence on the ballot."

Ron Buckmire, who heads the black gay rights group the Jordan/Rustin Coalition, says black voters could be more progressive. "People have this impression that black people in general are more homophobic than the population as a whole." Buckmire tells Rod 2.0 the Mormon Church's substantial donations to Prop 8 are troubling to many blacks because of the church's racist history. "African Americans are fully aware that before 1982 Mormons openly discriminated against Black people and will be unlikely to agree with them amending the state constitution to deny civil rights to a particular group of people."

While surveys show a majority of black voters support the measure, many black gay activists push back on some attempts—Andrew Sullivan et al—to blame Proposition 8's passage on the black community.  Blogger and journalist Darian Aaron criticizes the largely vanilla complexion of the gay community's opposition anti-Prop outreach. "There are thousands of black gay and lesbian couples throughout the state, supportive clergy, and straight allies that could have been included in this campaign," Darian writes. "African-Americans understand what it feels like to not have a place at the table, to jump the broom versus having legal recognition of their marriages, to enter through the back door versus the front."

Thanks RON AND KAREN OCAMB
Donate here and/or here to fight Proposition 8. 

Black Clergy For, Against Gay Marriage Speak Out [LAT]
AAs Speak Out Against Prop 8 [Mad Professah]
Placing The Blame On Black California Voters [LOLDarian]

Did You Read ...
"Noah's Arc" Cast Urges "No" on Proposition 8 [R20]
Blige, Etheridge Raise $3.9M for No on Prop 8 [R20]
Doug Spearman in "The Advocate"[R20]
Darryl Stephens Talks Coming Out to "Instinct" [R20]
Rodney Chester of "Noah's Arc": I'm Still Not Gay! [R20]
Behind the Scenes Video from Noah's Arc: Jumping the Broom [R20]
Noah's Arc Has Sailed [R20]
Deal or No Deal? [R20]
Rodney Chester: I'm STILL NOT Gay!" [R20]
Beyond the Sassy Sidekicks? [After Elton]
What Does the Future Hold for Noah's Arc? [After Elton]
TV's Most Influential Gay Sex Scenes [After Elton]
Patrik-Ian Polk in "Genre" [R20]
Hamilton Cobb: Big Deal Playing Gay [R20]
Uno Dos TREY [R20]
"Honey, I'm Home!" [R20]
DVD Review: "Noah's Arc" [R20]
Patrik-Ian Polk in "Genre" [R20]