(also at MyDD)
For weeks now, the grassroots and netroots have been organizing against Proposition 8 with a fierce urgency. We saw how much money the Mormons were raising and how many volunteers they were activating to overturn marriage equality in California and we saw the poll numbers in support of Prop 8 rise. So we mobilized to the tune of $1 million raised on ActBlue, 17,000 signatures on the Courage Campaign petition calling for the Mormon Church to stop funding the Prop 8 campaign's lies, more than 100,000 Facebook supporters of marriage equality in California and more than 1,700 followers of the No on 8 Twitter feed.
In the past week or 2 it's been great to see the cavalry arrive. Labor as well as organizations such as Apple and Google have announced their opposition to 8 and have contributed large sums to defeat it; MoveOn.org and Sen. Barbara Boxer have sent urgent e-mails to their lists to vote No on 8; and now, perhaps the biggest gun No on 8 could have, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, has shot an ad condemning Prop 8 and calling on all Californians to vote No. Check it out below:
This ad is a huge help to the No campaign because of Feinstein's moderate (often, much to our dismay) and grandmotherly image here in California. To borrow a phrase, when she speaks, people listen.
But while this was a solid get for the good guys and the momentum seemed to have shifted our way for a time, this fight isn't over by a longshot. You see, the Prop 8 campaign's cavalry has arrived as well, in the form of a $1 million match grant from a mystery supporter and a gathering of thousands of Christian conservatives in San Diego on Saturday to "fast and pray" for the preservation of "traditional marriage." This gathering, called The Call (withthelidoff has more HERE) has the support of their big guns, Focus On The Family and The Family Research Council and, well, you have to see it to believe it:
That gives you a sense of what we're up against here. So we need everyone's help. The Courage Campaign has issued a call to action of our own:
The religious right is calling Proposition 8 its "decisive last stand" -- an "Armageddon"-like battle to pass a ballot measure that would "eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry."
We couldn't agree more. This fight for our fundamental rights will shape the future of the progressive movement for decades to come, both in California and across the country.
As Prop 8 activist Dr. Jennifer Roback Morse recently put it:
"If gay marriage goes down in California, it won't be back in our lifetime."
So, what can you do to help make sure it doesn't?
- Donate. The No on 8 campaign launched a $3 million in 3 days campaign on Wednesday. It's an ambitious goal but a necessary one. As Geoff Kors wrote in an urgent appeal on Wednesday:
Yesterday, the other side reported donations of $2.2 million, dwarfing the $255,650 we reported, and called on their donors to contribute another $3 million.
With this enormous sum of money they are buying every available ad space on TV in California to blast even more of their hateful lies and prevent our messages from being seen.
If No on 8 doesn't raise $3 million by midnight on Friday, there truly is the danger that we will lose this. Donate today.
- Volunteer. If you live in California and can volunteer between now and Tuesday, please devote your time to defeating Proposition 8. No on 8 needs 10,000 volunteers between today and Tuesday (5,000 of which on election day alone) and they've challenged the netroots to deliver 1,000 of those. So click HERE to sign up to volunteer and be sure to indicate that MyDD sent you.
- Spread the word. Tell your friends and family in California to vote No on 8. Become a supporter on Facebook, follow No on 8 on Twitter and show your solidarity by switching your profile pics to the No on 8 button.
Thanks for doing what you can to help defeat Prop 8 on Tuesday.
(disclaimer: I am proud to work for the Courage Campaign)