Well, nothing much happened today on the ILLINOIS RELIGIOUS FREEDOM PROTECTION AND CIVIL UNION ACT Amendment to the "Shell Bill" SB1716. Its still waiting for a floor vote, which it will most likely get this week... though we don't know when.I'm just going to spend the rest of the post talking about CALIFORNIA and what this all means for the movement. Then maybe tomorrow we can return to some SEMBLANCE of NORMALCY around here!
THE DECISION: BTB breaks down, in plain English, what the Justices were saying about the law and about rights yesterday in their decision. The only right they agreed gays can be denied now is the right to call their unions "marriage." Let's not forget that their decision EXPRESSLY says that gays and lesbians still must be afforded the same rights as everyone else.
DEMONSTRATIONS: Civil Disobedience abounds in California and around the nation. In San Diego, dozens of protesters have occupied the Clerk's office, and won't leave until they get licences. 175 arrested protesting in San Francisco yesterday. President Obama, who has been SILENT about Marriage Equality (not necessarily a bad thing) since the avalanche started, will be greeted by a demonstration by the COURAGE CAMPAIGN at his DNC fundraiser at the Beverly Hilton tonight. What will his response be to THIS?
RESPONSE: Watch for this great COURAGE CAMPAIGN commercial starting to air this week. Though I don't AGREE with the "BLAME IT ALL ON THE MORMONS" meme, here is a funny Big Gay Sketch show response.
STATEMENTS: The Governator is SURE that Prop 8 WILL BE OVERTURNED. Now if he could only stop vetoing Harvey Milk Day. 2010 will probably see a LOT more than just Spielberg, Jolie-Pitt and Degeneres speaking out for Marriage Equality. Singer, Rob Thomas says that straight allies NEED to be more vocal. Levi's Jeans stores have quietly began protesting with us.
THE COURT BATTLE: I reported earlier that the lawyers in Bush v. Gore are now heading an organization fighting Prop 8 in FEDERAL court. But is this really a good idea--BTB TELLS US IF IT IS! However, all of the BIG BIG LGBT organizations have UNANIMOUSLY come out and said, "time out!" Arguing these cases in FEDERAL COURT could earn us a backlash that we're not ready for. If we're decided against, there is a possibility that the nail could be in the coffin for a long time. However, if we were to win...
MEET IN THE MIDDLE 4 EQUALITY is planning a MASSIVE demonstration in Fresno on Saturday--you'll recall Fresno--in the center of CALIFORNIA--was one of the heaviest areas of California supporting Proposition 8. MEET IN THE MIDDLE is hoping that more visibility there will encourage more discussion and help locals see the issue clearer.
MARRIAGE ABOUNDS: See (and print) this AWESOME poster about the Marriage Equality timeline.
TOAST TO MIKE WHO IS WAITING FOR ME IN HIS CAR RIGHT NOW TO TAKE ME OUT!
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