Series of anti-gay hate crimes at Georgetown University in DC

My grad school alma mater. Not cool. Read the rest of this post...

Coolest mom and dad in the world

Dan Savage writes today about a 14 year old, openly gay boy in LA who decided this year to dress up for Halloween as Lady Gaga. Mom helped him dress, and dad drove him to West Hollywood for the festivities (dad dressed as Lady Gaga's bodyguard). Imagine. Dan posted the video the boy sent him of his trek to W. Hollywood (dad gave him permission to post it).



Dan makes the following observation:

You know, whatever happens in Maine and here in Washington state tomorrow, where marriage equality and domestic partnerships are on the line respectively, we can all take comfort in something as seemingly trivial as a 14-year-old boy's night out in West Hollywood with his folks. I've said it before and I'll say it again: We are winning—despite the setbacks—because our families are on side now. It's almost impossible to imagine an openly gay 14-year-old twenty years ago, much less an openly gay 14-year-old with parents like Miss Poppy and her husband. Moms and dads like Elliott's—parents who aren't ashamed of their gay children, parents who love and support their gay children for who they are, parents who want their gay children to be safe and happy and treated equally—used to be the exception. Not anymore.

We are winning.

Read the rest of this post...

You helped No on 1 in Maine raise $68,000 in the past 24 hours

Actually, since this morning really (we sort of scooped them by posting last night). This is seriously helpful, folks. Initially, the campaign wanted to run another $20,000 or so in additional online ads. Now they can do a heck of a lot more. A really amazing turn out. Thank you everyone who gave. Here's a quick thanks from campaign director Jesse Connolly.

Read the rest of this post...

OFA tells Mainers to get out and vote without mentioning anti-gay ballot measure

I posted an update to this post here.

The Executive Director of Organizing for America sent an email to Mainers telling them to vote. Someone I know just got it:

Tomorrow is Election Day once again in Maine. It's as important as ever for you to get out to vote. And just like you did last year, bring friends, family, and co-workers with you when you go to the polls.

Funny thing (or not), OFA forgot to tell Mainers what issues are on the ballot and how to vote on those issues. For example, there's no mention of Question 1, the measure to repeal Maine's marriage equality law - i.e., repeal gay marriage - in the email (really big surprise, huh?)

What a waste of time and energy. Progressives in Maine are working their butts off to save marriage equality. The Democratic Governor of the State, John Baldacci, signed the marriage law, which passed the Democratically-controlled House and Senate. Baldacci and members of the legislature have been campaigning tirelessly to save the new law from being repealed. Yet, OFA, an arm of the Democratic National Committee, couldn't even say: Vote No on 1.

Thanks for nothing, OFA, DNC and Obama administration. Time and time again, those folks have shown they are unabashed about injecting themselves into state level politics. But, not in Maine. And, not when gay issues are involved. They just won't do anything that might indicate support for marriage equality, support for gay equality. That might make Rick Warren angry.

So, progressive are getting out the vote in Maine: the No vote on Question 1 to save marriage equality. That's what's really important and Democrats in Maine aren't afraid to say it.

Full text is below the fold.

Here's the email:

From: "Mitch Stewart, BarackObama.com" info@barackobama.com
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:10:17 -0500
To: From: "Mitch Stewart, BarackObama.com" info@barackobama.com
Date: Mon, 2 Nov 2009 14:10:17 -0500
To: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: Get out the vote in Maine

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America
Subject: Get out the vote in Maine

XXXX --

One year ago, we made phone calls, went door to door, and proudly cast our ballots to elect Barack Obama and bring real change to this country.

Tomorrow is Election Day once again in Maine. It's as important as ever for you to get out to vote. And just like you did last year, bring friends, family, and co-workers with you when you go to the polls.

(Click here to find your polling location. http://my.barackobama.com/page/m/55c1033d/507aca42/d7167d3d/118862ba/2515913445/VEsH/ )

http://my.barackobama.com/page/m/55c1033d/507aca42/d7167d3d/118862ba/2515913445/VEsE/

On Election Day last year, we knew that victory was just the beginning -- that the hardest work was still ahead of us. We didn't build this movement for a single election or issue.

And we know -- now more than ever -- that our voices and votes are critical to continuing this movement for change and in shaping the outcome of the issues that are most important to us like health insurance reform and creating jobs to turn around the economy.

So please remind friends and family to go vote and bring them with you to your polling location tomorrow.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch Stewart
Director
Organizing for America

Paid for by Organizing for America, a project of the Democratic National Committee -- 430 South Capitol Street SE, Washington, D.C. 20003. This communication is not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee.

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Scenes from today's GOTV Rally in Portland

No on 1 Campaign Manager Jesse Connolly and several other speakers rallied the troops today in downtown Portland. The crowd was actually pretty big.

Bill Whitten, star of one of No on 1's ads, with my sister, Karen. Bill told me he's had an amazingly positive response since the ad aired. People come up to him on the street to say "thank you" -- and I saw that happen at the rally.

Carlos, Petey and the inimitable Bill in Portland, Maine from Daily Kos:

The rally program was short and to the point -- and the crowd was definitely fired up. Here's a little video from the end of the rally before everyone got back to the work of turning out the vote:
Read the rest of this post...

What happens to you when your partner dies, courtesy of DOMA

I received this e-mail from a friend of mine. She is trying to support a friend who just lost her partner of over a decade. Since her friend was unable to marry her partner, she has no rights - and the family has been horrific in how they have treated the surviving partner.

"Wow, I have never been against gay marriage, but if I had, I think this past week would have changed my mind. XXXX had specific songs she wanted and readings she wanted at the funeral, but the family refuses to even let YYYY tell them what those songs/readings are. They did call her two days ago and tell her that they would 'allow' her to come to the funeral. That is just the surface of what they are doing to her, please keep her in your thoughts and prayers. I think the family is not so concerned, but the dragging out the funeral for two weeks has been awful for YYYY.

The family has contacted the papers and told them that they are not to accept an obituary from YYYY as she is "not related."

This is the hateful results of the Defense of Marriage Act. Does the Obama Administration really want to defend this kind of behavior? Read the rest of this post...

In Maine, turnout is the key to success

The headline of the Portland Press Herald says it all:

The No on 1 campaign is making one last pitch for contributions in order to fully blanket online advertising. Donate here. As Jesse Connolly said, "we can't let them win this."

If you're not too far from Maine and want to help, you can still "Drive for Equality." Come to Maine for the next two days:

The "Drive for Equality" hotel in South Portland still has space available, and the staging locations still need volunteers.

We're trying to entice Boston and NH people to make last-minute spur-of-the-moment decisions to come up here. So the word needs to get out on blogs very quickly this morning -- with the following talking points:

(A) We are providing FREE HOTEL ROOM SPACE for anyone from out-of-state who can make a spur-of-the-moment decision to drive up here, and volunteer. We have actually managed to recruit a few people at the last minute, and I know we can do more if the word gets out.

(B) The hotel is in South Portland. We have a block of rooms for tonight and tomorrow night, so people can stay until Wednesday.

(C) We're down by 4 points in the last poll -- this election is coming down to the last day-and-a-half. We could very well lose, simply because we don't have enough troops on the ground. New Hamsphire and Boston folks can easily get here -- and we will put them up if need be.

(C) People who sign up at the website will get a call back within 15 minutes.

(D) Our phone number -- someone will always answer it -- is 415-935-4552.

Come to Maine. The weather is great -- and you can be part of history. Read the rest of this post...

K'Zoo anti-gays run new ad showing men stalking little girls

They have no shame or sense of decency. They have nothing but hysterical claims that a "Yes" vote for Ordinance 1856, a vote against discrimination, would lead to this? Men stalking little girls in public toilets? I'm almost loathe to even show the ad. It turns my stomach to see this kind of fear mongering used to argue against simple fairness and decency. But it's important to see just how un-Christian the religious right and their allies really are.



You can help fight this kind of outrage with another Act Blue donation. Read the rest of this post...

Nice video compilation of the National Equality March

Reader Scott Stanley sent a great video he put together of the National Equality March for gay civil rights.

Read the rest of this post...

NY Times on equality in Maine, Washington, Kalamazoo, New Jersey, New York and D.C.

On the eve of election day, the New York Times editorialized strongly for equality:

Three jurisdictions — New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia — seem tantalizingly close to securing legislative approval for measures ending the hurtful and unjustifiable exclusion of same-sex couples from civil marriage. But in Maine, Washington State and Kalamazoo, Mich., voters are being asked on Tuesday to strip away vital rights and protections.

The dominant Election Day battleground is Maine. Last fall, forces of the religious right backed a successful ballot measure that overruled California’s top court by banning same-sex marriage. Now those forces are trying for another mean-spirited victory with Maine’s Question 1, which, if approved, would block the legalization of same-sex marriage passed by the State Legislature and signed by Gov. John Baldacci in May. With the outcome likely to be close, a heavy turnout by voters committed to tolerance and justice is crucial.

Washington State has yet to approve same-sex marriage. But it took a positive step last May when Gov. Chris Gregoire signed a bill that granted gay and lesbian couples the state-provided benefits that married heterosexual couples have, like the right to use sick leave to care for a partner. Voters should affirm this progress by voting yes on Referendum 71.

A third initiative, in Kalamazoo, has the potential to overturn a measure unanimously approved by the City Commission barring discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, employment and public accommodations. Fair-minded voters should respond by voting yes to uphold the antidiscrimination law.

Following the election, attention will shift to New York, New Jersey and the District of Columbia, which stand a realistic chance of joining the jurisdictions where same-sex marriages are allowed.

Equality is on the move. The anti-gay forces, including the Mormons, the National Organization for Marriage and the Catholic Bishops, are trying to hold back the wave, but they can't hold it back much longer. Read the rest of this post...

Nate Silver's analysis on Maine's marriage referendum

I'm not even going to pretend that I'm not a Nate Silver junkie. He got me through 2008. And, he's been guiding me through 2009, particularly when it comes to Maine. Last night, he did an analysis of the polls on the marriage question in Maine. It's definitely worth a read (or two). Nate came to this conclusion:

The Odds: A statistical analysis I conducted last month, which was based on the results from previous gay marriage referenda in other states, gave the Yes on 1 side just an 11 percent chance of prevailing, although the fraction rises to 32 percent after an ad-hoc adjustment for the fact that this is an off-year election. In spite of the PPP poll, I'm not especially persuaded to deviate substantially from those numbers: the polling average still favors the 'No' side, albeit narrowly; the 'No' side seems to have run the superior campaign, and the cellphone issue may be worth a point or two. The tight polling, certainly, should keep everybody on their toes, and gay marriage could quite easily be overturned. But I'd still put the Yes on 1 side as about a 5-to-2 underdog.

I agree with Nate's take. This is not like an average off-year election in Maine. Turnout will be much higher. Older voters always vote in these kinds of elections. Younger people don't. Higher turnout means more young people will be voting. That's good for us.

So, read Nate for the real by-the-numbers analysis. Nate calls them as he's sees them and has the numbers tell the story. But, here's my completely unscientific take: Usually, in any campaign, I am often surprised when I hear that certain people are voting against my side. But, in Maine during this election, I haven't heard one story of someone voting "Yes" who surprised me. Instead, I am constantly amazed by stories I'm hearing about people who are voting "No." It's not just one or two people, there are a lot. And, it's not just in Portland. These are stories, reports and anecdotes from around the state.

So, that's a scientific and non-scientific take. But, the one thing I know to be true is this: It's all about turnout. And, we've got a get-out-the-vote machine.

As John wrote last night, we're making one last pitch for Maine, to insure the campaign has every single ad bought that can be bought. Donate here. Every single vote will matter -- higher turnout is better for us. Thanks for all the help in the campaign. AMERICAblog readers stepped up on this one -- and everyone up here knows it, which is cool. Read the rest of this post...