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By Jacob Combs
To paraphrase the Great Communicator (or maybe the Big Dog’s speech at this year’s DNC): there they go again. The opponents of marriage equality in Washington are out with their first TV ad opposing Referendum 74, a re-tread of all the old saws we’ve heard against equal marriage rights from campaigns around the country. The spot’s title–I kid you not–is almost unbelievable: “It’s Not About Equality.”
The arguments in Protect Marriage Washington’s ad aren’t new, but they’re still reprehensible. “Gays and lesbians already have the same legal rights as married couples,” the spot’s narrator claims, when it comes to hospital visitation, adoptions and child custody. PMW trots out the old “redefining marriage” language and then turns to kids, saying that only marriage between a man and a woman is beneficial for children and the future generation of Washingtonians.
The ad makes the old (and thoroughly debunked) claim that opponents of marriage equality have faced ‘lawsuits, fines and punishment’ in other states when gays and lesbians were allowed to marry. And, not surprisingly, it concludes with a kicker: “You can oppose same-sex marriage and not be anti-gay.” How’s that–oh right, because ‘it’s not about equality.’
We’ve seen this before. In California, we were told that kids would learn in school that princes can marry princes unless Prop 8 passed. In 2009, the same spin masters who brought us the Prop 8 campaign in California succeeded in spreading disinformation and passing Question 1, taking away equal marriage rights from couples that had married in the state. That’s why we need your help. Just like we did in North Carolina this May, P8TT and Courage are campaigning for marriage equality in Washington, flying volunteers to Seattle and conducting phone banks to help get out the vote. Take a look at Protect Marriage Washington’s spot and see what we’re up against.
A vote against Referendum 74 is a vote against gay and lesbian couples. Domestic partnerships are not equal to full marriage equality–because of the Defense of Marriage Act, they don’t provide the full federal rights afforded to married heterosexual couples, and they don’t provide same-sex couples the full dignity and respect that their relationships deserve. Donate today and help make 2012 the year the marriage equality wins at the ballot box for the very first time. Together, we can do this.
October 11, 2012
By Adam Bink
In today’s question-and-answer session with the White House press corps, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney declined comment regarding whether the Administration wants the Supreme Court to take up the case or not. Washington Blade’s Chris Johnson, who asked the questions:
Washington Blade: There’s going to be a lot of attention on the Supreme Court next week because it will consider whether to take up several pending marriage cases related to both the Defense of Marriage and California’s Proposition 8. The Justice Department has already made its views known on the DOMA cases, but given the president’s previously stated opposition to Prop 8 and his support for marriage equality, does the administration want the Supreme Court to take up the Prop 8 case in hopes of making some national ruling on same-sex marriage, or, as plaintiffs in the case have requested, do you prefer that the court allow the lower court ruling to stand striking down the marriage ban ruling just in California?
Jay Carney: That’s quite a question and I will ask you to direct it to the Justice Department. I’m not going to make policy toward Supreme Court cases from here.
Washington Blade: Generally speaking, though, would the president welcome the Supreme Court taking a case in which they could rule in favor of same-sex marriage across the country?
Carney: Yeah. I don’t have anything to say on that at this time.
The Supreme Court declining to take the case would certainly make an interesting impact on the presidential race. In theory, we could even have legal same-sex marriage in the nation’s largest state by the time of the first Presidential debate in October.
What are your thoughts on how the Supreme Court decision regarding certiorari would impact the Presidential race?
September 18, 2012
By Adam Bink
The staff here just wants to check in again and see how everyone’s doing, but without a long survey — just a check-in over in the comments. Tell us how we’re doing… what do you like about the content (the blog posts) and what could use improvement? The technical aspects of the site? The writers? Features you’d like to see? Please be as candid as possible and leave a comment. As always, you’re welcome to e-mail a comment in private to prop8trial at couragecampaign dot org as well.
Let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading Prop8TrialTracker.com. This will be the last survey thread this week.
August 31, 2012
By Adam Bink
The staff here just wants to check in again and see how everyone’s doing, but without a long survey — just a check-in over in the comments. Tell us how we’re doing… what do you like about the content (the blog posts) and what could use improvement? The technical aspects of the site? The writers? Features you’d like to see? Please be as candid as possible and leave a comment. As always, you’re welcome to e-mail a comment in private to prop8trial at couragecampaign dot org as well.
Let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading Prop8TrialTracker.com.
August 30, 2012
By Adam Bink
The staff here just wants to check in again and see how everyone’s doing, but without a long survey — just a check-in over in the comments. Tell us how we’re doing… what do you like about the content (the blog posts) and what could use improvement? The technical aspects of the site? The writers? Features you’d like to see? Please be as candid as possible and leave a comment. As always, you’re welcome to e-mail a comment in private to prop8trial at couragecampaign dot org as well.
Let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading Prop8TrialTracker.com.
August 29, 2012
By Adam Bink
The staff here just wants to check in again and see how everyone’s doing, but without a long survey — just a check-in over in the comments. Tell us how we’re doing… what do you like about the content (the blog posts) and what could use improvement? The technical aspects of the site? The writers? Features you’d like to see? Please be as candid as possible and leave a comment. As always, you’re welcome to e-mail a comment in private to prop8trial at couragecampaign dot org as well.
Let us know in the comments, and thanks for reading Prop8TrialTracker.com.
August 28, 2012
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