3 Simple Ways To Repeal Prop 8

The forces of fear and oppression never win in the long run.  Gay marriage is inevitable. The question before us is not if, but when? In the wake of the recent California Supreme Court ruling that upheld Prop 8, many in our community and our supporters are feeling angry and dejected.  While these emotions are understandable, they will only eat away at us if we don’t turn that emotion into action. 

A movement is already underway to have a proposition in California that would nullify Prop 8 in the 2010 elections.  What is essential is that we start working right now to make sure that it passes and that equal rights will again be restored to California.

This task may feel daunting, but if each of us does a little bit, we will be an unstoppable force.  I find that if I have a huge project in front of me, it is helpful to come up with a checklist of to-do items.   Thus, I have come up with three simple things that all of us can do to ensure marriage equality in 2010.

Donate Money
One doesn’t need to be wealthy to make a financial contribution.   The Mormon Church rightly received a lion’s share of the blame for the passage of Prop 8 because of the huge sums of money they poured into promoting its passage.  Every Mormon is expected to Tithe 10% of his or her income to the church.   This of course gives them a vast reservoir of cash to make their views heard. 

We don’t need to give 10% of our income to compete, but it is incumbent on all of us to contribute what we can.  If you can only afford a dollar, send it to the Repeal 8 campaign.  If you are blessed enough to have more resources, then give more.  We simply can’t afford to be outspent the next time around.   We have the truth on our side; we just need the resources to make sure that truth does not get drown in a bathtub of lies merely because we can’t afford to get our message out.

Donate Time
Christians of every stripe make it part of their faith to volunteer for causes they believe in.  When feeding the poor or caring for the sick, this is a very good thing, but when armies of conservative Christians are dispatched by hateful ministers, this is very problematic.  Again, a small investment of your time will go a long way to getting petitions signed, and educating voters about this issue.   There are numerous organizations that could use your help, so find one that speaks to you and give them a call.

Talk to Christians
There are three types of Christians.  One group is liberal and supports our quest for equality.  It is embedded in their faith—we have their vote.   Another group is so consumed by fear and hate that they would not embrace gay rights if Jesus himself descended from heaven waving a rainbow flag and sporting a disco ball for a halo—we will never have their vote.  A third group, and perhaps the largest, are good and decent people who strive to be more loving, fair-minded and compassionate, but have been fed lies about homosexuality— their votes are up for grabs.  In the past we have ignored this group of Christians assuming that they are just like Pat Roberson and James Dobson. 

All of us know good people who are misinformed about homosexuality.  Maybe it is a family member, a coworker or a neighbor.  By talking calmly and respectfully, many of these people will change their views and more importantly, their votes.    Not a day goes by that I don’t receive an email from someone who has read my book Hearts & Minds: Talking to Christians about Homosexuality.  Inevitably, they have been able to win a friend or family member over by knowing the facts, speaking the truth, and demonstrating deference and respect.

We won’t be able to convince everyone to vote for equality by 2010, but the good news is we don’t have to.  Prop 8 passed by less than 5% in 2008.  If each member of the LGBT community can convince one person to change their vote, we will easily win in 2010!

Get Involved
Courage Campaign
HRC: We Won’t Back Down
Overturn Prop 8 Facebook Community
Invalidate Prop 8
Grass Roots Equality Network
Join the Impact
Means of Equality

By Darren Main

(Photo: Getty Images)

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Darren Main is a highly respected yoga and mediation instructor in San Francisco. In addition to leading a number of classes, he is the author of "Yoga and the Path of the Urban Mystic", "Spiritual Journeys along the Yellow Brick Road" and "The Findhorn Book of Meditation". Check Darren's website for class schedules and more and Hearts and Minds: Talking to Christians about Homosexuality.

He facilitates workshops and gives talks on yoga and modern spirituality throughout the United States and abroad. He currently lives in San Francisco.  You can visit his website at www.darrenmain.com

Comments

[David]

Whether it's legal or not, practicing homosexual men (even once since 1977) and women who have sex with a homosexual man (within 1 year) will not be able to donate blood. The American Red Cross will not take it. Too much risk of blood contaminates and STDs.

Note this rule only applies to homosexual men and not women (unless they had sexual intercourse with a homosexual man. Nature unfortunately DOES discriminate.

[DOG]

Reading this piece made me laugh. The Christians described in the piece are definately not the ones I meet daily.

Anyway, a ballot measure specifically aimed at repealling Prop 8 is doomed to failure. Read your history folks. This issue has been voted on twice already and a third time will bring about a considerable backlash. And current polls show this to be the case as well.

Instead, this fight a battle that is easy to win and will get us what we want at the same time. How about a ballot measure that guarantees equal rights to everyone in the state? This ballot measure would have wording that would void any laws that are discriminatory or sets up any minorty or individual to have fewer rights than everyone else. Now imagine the religous right trying to argue why we should not have equality for everyone. They would be stopped with the counter argument of "Well, if you seek to deny one group equal rights, then it is very easy to deny another group equal rights. How do you determine who is entitled to rights and who is not? You cannot use the Bible since we do not have a state mandated religion." And if they persist in using the Bible in their arguments, as them which of the more than 1000 versions of the Bible out there they are refering to. Then ask them what they propose to do about all the people out there who are not Christians or simply do not practice their version of Christianity. It would expose the bigots and fascists for who they are. It would also give the mainstream a lot of perspective on what our community and a few others have been up against.