Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Courage Campaign Proposes "Four Principles for a United Movement."

Reiterating Courage Campaign COO Sarah Callahan's statements to Unite the Fight, the Courage Campaign has formally proposed the "Four Principles for a United Movement" -- the foundation of a campaign to restore marriage equality to California:
  1. Our campaign to win must begin now, regardless of when the movement decides to place a marriage equality initiative on the ballot.
  2. To unite the strength of activists across California, the campaign must be independent, accountable, and not dominated by any one organization.
  3. To gain the trust and full commitment of supporters, the campaign needs a representative and functional governance structure.
  4. Victory on election day requires a strong, experienced campaign manager who understands California politics and has won battles like this before. Our opposition is well-organized, and we need exceptional leadership on our side to prevail.
"Following on these principles, the Courage Campaign does not expect and does not intend to run the next campaign to repeal Prop 8," said the organization in a press release. "Although we expect to have a voice at the table."

After this past Saturday's Summit, this is music to my ears. Though Sarah proposed these principles earlier, Courage Campaign has now officially gone on record with a proposal to unite our movement. Our fractured approach and in-fighting has been the cause of much distress for this blogger who truly means to stick by his mission to help unite the fight for equality. The question remains - Will the other organizations - EQCA, Love Honor Cherish, Prepare to Prevail, MEUSA and more - sign on to these principles?

"Winning a campaign to repeal Proposition 8 will take hard work and sacrifice from thousands of activists, community leaders, contributors and volunteers," the press release also said. "The marriage equality movement is powerful and determined. The next step for the movement is to add structure that empowers the grassroots and netroots to win as soon as possible..."

ACTION: Courage Campaign is continuing its great work this weekend of training and empowering the grassroots and community. They, along with API Equality LA, Bienestar, California Faith for Equality, Equal Roots, HONOR PAC, Latino Equality Alliance, Somos Familia, and The Wall Las Memorias Project will host their fifth Camp Courage in East Los Angeles this weekend August 1 and 2.

For more information and to sign up, go here.

I will be there myself. Hope to see you there, too.

5 comments:

  1. I agree with those principles. Now we need a plan to execute them...

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  2. speaking of principles, whatever happened to the dallas principles? remember them? they were supposed to inspire a nation movement, and i bet no one even recalls what the central points were.

    so when is rick jacobs gonna make the principles he put out happen across CA?

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  3. Hi Michael,
    Good point. I do have the Dallas Principles listed under my action sites. It might be good for us to review them.

    In order to achieve full civil rights now, we avow:

    1.Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable.

    2.We will not leave any part of our community behind.

    3.Separate is never equal.

    4.Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.

    5.The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue.

    6.Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.

    7.Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by words, access or money raised.

    8.Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles.

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  4. Thanks for bringing up the Dallas Principles!

    They apply universally, so helpful for united movement across the US (not just CA!).

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  5. Well said and I agree.
    Our opposition is united on this one front irregardless of any differences they may have between each other and/or their churches...Therefor we too must be just as united if not moreso.

    Its the only way we'll ever have a chance of winning the final battle AND the war.

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