Thanks Laura. I just got back from Philly’s rally and about to write a diary.

Oooh, please do. I am very interested in news of today’s events… cable news got nothin’.

More events are described at Calitics

And ThinkProgress has great pics

Digg

Photos from JointheImpact

awesome news. more of this because this issue is not going away.

great pics, thanks.

This issue is going to keep getting better and better for Democrats. People are getting sick of all the hate from the right. They hate blacks, they hate immigrants, they hate gays– I think they even hate themselves.

Power of the People!

I heard Ahnold say something on This Week to the effect that it would be better to wait for the Californ-ee-ah Supreme Court to rule against Prop 8 than to have violence and protests. I thought, what violence (you imbecile)? Every protest that I am aware of has been peaceful.

Folks up here, in Washington state, turned out to protest. The Bellingham Wa. protest had around 200 people; a great turnout for a little city like B’ham. We have stills and video posted

Thank you Laura.

I still do not understand that vote. It was so wrong. The documented interference in California’s voting process by the mega-church system outside the state so heinous, and ominous.

I have to check the map and the date to remember when and where we are living. Supposedly in a century when THE CHURCH is NOT RULER of ALL.

People who want an omnipotent church should feel free to join one.

For the rest of the populace, NO! NO! NO! NEVER!

The United States WAS NOT formed as a theocracy.
It IS NOT a theocracy.

Plus they are getting our side pissed! Notice the Mormons are not doing counter rallies they are hoping that if they stay quiet we will go away.
We need to keep the pressure on. I would prefer another vote rather than a court victory. We need to show that we have the numbers to out organize them!
We need to discredit with a vote the GOP’s one bright spot this election!

Arnold wants the protests shut down voter anger over prop 8 he is worried will spill over to the GOP in general even moderates like him.
A court victory gets the protests over but it lets the GOP claim popular support for the issue.
We need to take that away from them I want another vote!
If we can keep our side motivated until fall it will influence local elections.
The GOP does not want that!

The Yes on 8 folks down here in Los Angeles are screaming “unfair” and “wrong” that gays are angry. Protesting in the streets, and boycotting businesses that donated to their hate campaign. They did’nt anticipate any of this and have no defense against it. Their huge donations can’t stop the angry GLBT community from expressing how they feel, garnering additional support, and getting them large positive press coverage.

The delivery of letters to Mormon Temples with a “white powdery substance” has been pinned on the protesters by the Mormons and southern California newspapers with no proof what so ever. It was never speculated that these letters could have been planted by the Yes on 8 supporters themselves to gain public sympathy. I would’nt put something like this past the fundies for one minute, I having done hand to hand combat with them in the late 80’s and early 90’s in Act-Up LA and Queer nation.

Not just the mormons but the catholic church and Dobson’s Focus on the family as well.

Notice the Mormons are not doing counter rallies they are hoping that if they stay quiet we will go away.

I think there is an absurd fantasy that many homophobes subscribe to which is that if they do not acknowledge or make any concessions to homosexuals that homosexuality will cease to exist. Perhaps the state of Utah should change it’s name to Denial and anyone who doesn’t believe in equality for all Americans can live there.

I wonder if a drop in gay tourism is good for California now? Maybe Arnold should have spoken up sooner and louder huh?
Odds on an openly antigay President or a Mormon President are dropping now.
How much longer before even progay GOP moderates start getting whacked?
Maybe Arnold should change sides if he wants a future in politics?

Hate is Not a Family Value

If you are a republic, hate is not only a family value; it’s a requirement.

That was intended as a reply to ThingsComeUndone @ 14.

Tax exempt status! We need to revoke it.

Arnold was the guy who sold out Cullifornia to Enron and Dick Cheeney. The election of Arnold disappeared the pending lawsuits over the fraudulent power outages and price gouging.

Arnold always equates peaceful protest with violence. He did the same thing when Hispanics marched, and the only violence came from the LAPD. In his head, peaceful assembly and petition of government = violence. Maybe it’s his heritage. But it’s a mistake he makes repeatedly — someone who works for him should sort out the difference for him, because it is embarrassing.

Thank you, Laura, for this wonderful first-person account!

For somebody who made a ton of money portraying tough guys, Arnold is pretty spineless.

exactamente

In America, though, we don’t vote on human rights. Getting the approval of the majority is not how minority rights are protected. That’s what courts are for, always have been in this country.

I don’t want another vote. Voting isn’t how civil rights are decided.

for ThingsComeUndone at 22

Compartmentalizing is the act of splitting an idea or concept up into (sometimes more or less arbitrary) parts, and trying to enforce thought processes which are inhibiting attempts to allow these parts to mix together again in an attempt to simplify things.

The reason for this attempt of thought control is often to make it easier to single out certain individuals, or to inhibit certain ideas.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compartmentalization

We are forcing the GOPers with these rallies to THINK about whether loosing business in THIS ECONOMY is really worth not letting Gays marry.
The compartments of their minds are being opened the longer harder this struggle is the more we get them to think.
I welcome this battle:)

For some reason they don’t register on Oxdown pages but this post currently has 47 Diggs. Good job, Laura!

that was really dumb, I think he made a mistake when he said it.

Ding! IMO it is the only way to stop this from coming up. It’s at least the 4th time the wing nuts have tried passing discriminatory legislation only to have it struck down. I wonder how much money California spent this time around.
My daughter told me we had churches here passing out yes on 8 lawn signs.

Legally I agree politically though its good to show some strength. I do not want the GOP weasels to say a court robbed them of their victory like they said about abortion for decades! I want them defeated…utterly!

Apparently he has a history of making it. See Teddy’s comment at 24.

Yea, I dropped the ball on that comment, sorry.

As soon as we get Dick’s secret energy meetings I think we have a chance to prosecute especially if Arnold did Dick a favor and made those law suits go away.

Don’t worry, if there’s no whistle, you’re free to pick it up and run with it.

Time to repeal that tax exemption, I would say. If the fuckers want to play in politics then they should be treated just like everyone else. Tax them as nonprofits (except the one making a profit – Hi there, Rev. Falwell!). They also have to expect blowback. They certainly have free speech rights, but everyone else also has the right to tell them publicly to fuck off.

Why doesn’t Digg show the Diaries 51 now Laura:) Thales not Things TCU spelled out is to long for Digg:(

Considering how he financed his career as a bodybuilder. . .

The protest are a Thing of Beauty! Speaking as a 61year-old gay activist they made me feel 40 years younger.

Back in the early post-Stonewall days it was like pulling teeth to get people to come out. In fact it was like pulling teeth to get many gays and lesbians to admit that they were gay and lesbian. The kids protesting yesterday have never known the closey. The smart, fierce, babe-a-licious and ready to KICK ASS!!!

Don’t think you’re going to squeeze any taxes out of Falwell at this point.

Who is responsible for awarding or revoking tax-exempt status, the IRS? I just can’t envision anyone in government, whether elected or a simple lowly bureaucrat having the guts to stand up to churches.

The church should have free speech rights like every American, however the law is clear. They should absolutely lose their tax exempt status.

he be dead

Hollywood needs to make a series of 30 minute documentaries laying out the founding circumstances and the beliefs of all religions, warts and all.

Respectful, but laying out beliefs while pulling no punches.

Start with Mormonism.

Make them for DVD & youtube distribution.

If I understood him correctly, Arnold supports the concept of marriage equality. He just didn’t have the courage to take a strong stand on the issue prior to Nov. 4.

The IRS is investigating the United Church of Christ over a speech presidential candidate Brack Obama gave last June at the denomination’s national meeting. Obama is a UCC member.

Yeah help the poor fine the money is tax free. Money spent on Politics gets taxed at the same amount as Corporate taxes no loopholes.
Plus no creative accounting the economy is broke Obama has to get the IRS up and running again after the rich not the middle class.

It’s hard to understand why the Mormon Church took this on as such a huge issue. They have not been in the forefront of this issue in the past. In Utah and Idaho where Mormonism is predominant, they have their own problems in the faith to deal with; domestic violence, child abuse, substance abuse, and incest. Surely the high degree of these problems in their own faith should warrant their attention ahead of the lesser number a gays wanting to marry in the faith. Having lived among Mormons for many years, I can’t recall ever hearing about a single Mormon gay couple wanting to co-habitate, let alone marry. I am sure they are gay Mormons, but most appear to still be in the closet or are not active in the faith.

Which makes him completely tax-exempt. Bet they had to plant him in a double-wide.

Arnold equates protests with violence, hemp with marijuana, and sound bites with brilliance.

What why not the Moonies? Or are they to GOP to get taxed?

How very R of him. What does he equate roids with?

I have no problem with that so long as they apply similar scrutiny to all religious organizations.

And how is California’s budget going under such a fine mind? I seem to recall Arnold saying he could fix it?

Of course what else.

Here’s the link to the full article.
http://www.kfor.com/Global/sto…..v=menu99_6

Book Salon up at the Mothership with Chris Hedges hosting Andrew Bacevich

Projecting a 40 Billion dollars deficit by 2010.

Ster or hemmor? If the latter, I imagine he wears them like a necklace.

Time to tax weed, its legal in the state, the states need money and all Obama has to do is tell the DEA to stop wasting their time and get the Meth Heads who tried to kill him but Bush’s AG would not prosecute.
Maybe Obama should wait until a Dem is in charge though.

Maria obviously gave him an earfull.

Obama is on record saying he opposes legalization. As I recall, Barr favored decriminalization and Nader legalization. Both positions have as much chance of passing as they did of winning the election.

Legalizing and taxing pot would be a rational course. Unfortunately, like taxing churches, it is considered too risky politically for the wimps who run things.

Awhile back I heard him make some lame joke about being able to return to the bedroom since the election was over.

And drive a stake through his heart to make sure he staid down.

As a form of protest, how about if every time an adult Mormon is introduced at a public event, they are briefly booed. Not drowned out, not hassled, but note is taken that s/he is a member of a hate group.

Gee, I wonder where Gov. Romney is speaking next? FOX news?

I think these rallies are great, but perhaps I am missing the point. The reality is that ALL of us — myself included — could have done so much more BEFORE the election to defeat Prop. 8. The ease in which people of all persuasions mobilized in opposition to Prop. 8 AFTER the FACT demonstrates that the strength of support that Prop. 8 received was completely “misunderestimated”. I hate to say I told you so, but I told you so.