Roots of Equality

You thought they were just going to sit around after they won? Nope… they’re gonna pray.

Recently, Protect Marriage has sent out a call to action in response to our side’s events in the coming week for the Supreme Court Hearing. Same old “upholding the will of the people” bullshit. They have asked their constituency to avoid bringing signs that demean “alternative lifestyles”.

Check it out:

ProtectMarriage.com - Yes on Proposition 8

Ron Prentice
Chairman
ProtectMarriage.com, Yes on 8

So March 5th is a big day for us gays and champions of equal rights. The California Supreme Courts will be hearing arguments for both sides before making a decision within 90 days.

So… how can you watch it? Well if you’re in Southern California like we are, watch it at our very own Los Angeles City Hall! You can watch it in the Council Chambers room and the event starts at 8:00 am.

You want to watch it at home or work? Watch it live online on the California Channel.

Also on March 5th, http://www.13lovestories.com/ will be debuting its exhibition outdoor at Bruin Plaza on the Campus of UCLA. It should be interesting to see how they present these stories outdoors in a high traffic area.

UCLA Arts recently put together a bunch of resources to create 13 Love Stories. The resulting videos were harvested from a collaboration of the couples, students, and professionals. All 13 stories are touching and important in conveying the message that prop 8 is about families, but not in the way the yes on 8 side portrayed it to be. Our families deserve the same rights and recognition as straight families.

As details shape up for Eve of Justice, it’s turning out to be a big bad event.

There will be a re-commitment ceremony for married couples, gay and straight. There will also be a section where unmarried gay couples and singles tell their stories and why they one day would like to be married as well. If you fit any of these categories, please contact Teresa via our facebook group.

The highlight for me personally will be hearing from Jenny Pizer of Lamda Legal who will be representing us the very next day at the California Supreme Court hearing. We will send her all our good energy and send her off as she heads directly to the airport to fight for us. The MCs will be Alec Mapa, of Ugly Betty fame and Lisa Powell from the Courage Campaign. Be ready for musical acts, surprise guests, and and end of the evening candlelit pledge and march to the Los Angeles California Supreme Court building.

For more information and for updates, join the facebook event page

I especially love the custom tank top and that she's spending quality time with that kid down there.

Last night, the film industry honored this past year’s best and brightest at the Oscars. Of course the big focus for us was the incredible film Milk. Dustin Lance Black won for best original screenplay and gave an incredible speech meant to inspire kids who are struggling with their identity and how they fit in this society, just like he was. I cheered out loud when they showed Cleve Jones on camera.

Sean Penn also won for his eerily accurate and all-out portrayal of the protagonist. His acceptance speech called out the Yes on 8 voters specifically and made mention of the freaks on the corner outside the Oscars (see photo at the top).

Special shot out to the white knots for all their onscreen time.

Dustin Lance Black and Cleve Jones

On March 5th, lawyers on both sides will argue before the California Supreme Court on whether or not prop 8 should be overturned. On the evening before the arguments, grassroots groups across the area (including us) will be hosting our community at Olvera Street to send off our heroic lawyers, recommit married couples (gay and straight), and hear from the heartbroken unmarried GLBT couples who had their rights taken away. The event will culminate with a candlelight pledge to continue the fight and a march to the local California Supreme Court headquarters.

I suggest you come out…
Wednesday, March 4th - 5:30pm
Olvera Street, Downtown LA
(South of Cesar Chavez Ave, between N. Main St and N Alameda St)
Two blocks West of Union Station
TAKE THE METRO OR THE METROLINK TRAIN!

Join the facebook event page and stay tuned on the event webpage.

Amy Brian, an Iraq War veteran and Kansas Army National Guard soldier, was seen kissing her girlfriend at a Wal-Mart while off-duty by a co-worker. The co-worker turned Brian in and boom, military career over.

Brian is the first member of the Kansas Army National Guard to be discharged under the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy though she will join 12,500 other former soldiers discharged since 1994. First of all, this policy ridiculously preventing willing citizens from serving our country because of their sexuality. Second, Brian neither asked nor told!

“Brian received a ‘general under honorable conditions’ discharge, Watson said. As a result, she lost all of her benefits, including educational assistance and discounts.” - The Topeka Capital-Journal

She was in a vehicle that was hit by an IED in Iraq people! Now the country that she served protecting American rights, some of which she does not even have access too, has fired her cause she kisses girls. wtf…

While the Courage Campaign, labor organizers, and the GLBT community boycott Manchester Hyatt (because of Doug Manchester’s $125,000 donation to the Yes on 8 Campaign and the hotel’s poor treatment of employees), Bill Clinton headed there Sunday to cross the lines of a union boycott led by Cleve Jones and UNITE HERE to do a speech for big $$$.

Thanks for selling out again Bill. DOMA, Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, and now this. When will we learn to stop relying on our straight allies? They are a great resource, but when it comes down to it, we have to make it happen ourselves.

His letter of regret is a bit too little too late. I don’t believe his staff does not vet the organizations and venues he speaks at.

On the day that celebrates love, we celebrated and displayed our love on the steps of City Hall. It was a blast. People told there stories, and there was even some singing.

Just over 40 years ago, people of the same gender were not allowed to kiss in public. In 1967, on New Years at the Black Cat (El Barcito now) in Silverlake, couples kissed when the countdown hit zero. And then this happened:

“immediately at least six plainclothes officers who had infiltrated the gay bar began viciously beating and arresting the kissing offenders. As the melee widened, several people tried to escape to the nearby New Faces bar. Undercover officers followed and raided that bar as well. One of the New Faces workers was beaten so badly by police that they cracked a rib, fractured his skull and ruptured his spleen.

Six Black Cat kissers were tried and convicted of ‘lewd or dissolute conduct’ in a public place, conduct that consisted of male couples hugging and kissing. According to one police report, one couple had ‘kissed on the mouth for three to five seconds.’ Apparently, three to five seconds are what constituted ‘lewd or dissolute conduct’ among the LAPD.” Box Turtle Bulletin

Forty years later, we can’t be arrested for kissing in public, but it’s not a far stretch of the imagination that someone may beat us down for it. Forty years from now, people will wonder what the big fuss about gay marriage was but that doesn’t mean there won’t be the haters out there ready to tear us down if the opportunity presents itself.

For that reason, we keep fighting, and we keep kissing.