VIDEO: Mormon Documents Headed to Prop 8 Trial?

Prop 8 Documentary '8-The Mormon Proposition' Makes It Into Sundance; Protests Being Planned By Anti-LGBT Forces

The documentary 8 - The Mormon Proposition, which chronicles the passage of the first ever voter-approved initiative that stripped existing rights way from a segment of the U.S. population, has made it into the Sundance Festival in Salt Lake City, Utah, home of the Mormon Church.

From their press release:

DAVID v. GOLIATH PRODUCTIONS announced this week that their new and highly anticipated documentary, 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION, a film by Reed Cowan & narrated by Oscar-winning writer of MILK, Dustin Lance Black, will debut its world premiere at the world renowned SUNDANCE FILM FESTIVAL in January 2010.

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Months ago, in an interview with THE ADVOCATE magazine, SUNDANCE's John Cooper said: "I think we're going to see a lot more hard-hitting political documentaries. Prop. 8 was sort of a wake-up call. I can see that fire in the belly to finish this thing off, to get to the next phase in American life."

Everyone involved with 8: THE MORMON PROPOSITION is honored to be a part of what Mr. Cooper was talking about. 8:TMP is indeed the hardest-hitting political documentary to be released in years. It is to Mormons and their anti-gay allies what Fahrenheit 9-11 was to the Bush Administration.

That's why our team will have a ground presence in Park City and Salt Lake City the likes of which has never been seen before through our SLC manager Jacob Whipple. For that, we'll be enlisting the help of thousands of people ... details to come.

Director Reed Cowan, who is gay and was raised Mormon, told the Salt Lake Tribune, "We're bringing the pain of this home."

"It's really well done, and it's really thorough," festival director John Cooper said. "[Cowan] goes very deep, into the Mormon Church and its relationship to the anti-gay-marriage movement, all the way back almost before it really started, all the way back to the '90s."

Standard Net Live is reporting that the documentary's acceptance into the film festival will spark protests and boycotts from anti-LGBT forces.

Gee, what a shock.

VIDEO: America's Best Christian Sets Her Critical Eyes on the Mormons

America's Best Christian, Mrs. Betty Bowers, calls out Mormons and schools all Americans on the unconstitutional craze of doling out civil rights by popular vote.

The Catholic Church Suffers From Scrutiny - Mormons Give a Sigh of Relief

The Mormons no doubt are very happy that Question 1 passed, but may be not for the reasons you would think. Finally, the scorn of the LGBT population is off of them (so they believe) and on to another target: The Catholic Church.

Bishop Richard Malone of Maine's Diocese actively campaigned for the Yes on 1 campaign, sending DVDs of himself to parishes around the state to be played at services, imploring parishioners to donate to the campaign. In all, the church gave $550,000.

This past week in Maine, several protests took place against the passage of Question 1, but on Sunday, a silent protest took place in front of the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Portland, organized by the Facebook group Demand Equality Now.

But what's different about these protests compared to last year's against the Church of Latter Day Saints is that Catholics are either joining in with them or voicing their support.

(See WGME news report.)

America Blog's Joe Sudbay states that he was baptized in this particular church and that his mother still attends there. "That's the church my parents attend, where I was baptized and confirmed and where we had the funerals for my grandparents," he said on his blog. "The Facebook crowd was organizing the protest, but when I told my 73 year old mother about it (and she's not the Facebook crowd), she said, 'Oh, I wish I knew.'"

This echoes the larger, growing divide within the Church.

In its article "Victory over same-sex marriage comes at high price", the National Catholic Reporter looks into the turmoil that Question 1 has caused.

. . . Malone chastised "a group of self-described Catholics who have chosen to dissent publicly from established Catholic doctrine on the nature of marriage as the union of one man and one woman."

Malone was writing about 140 people whose names appeared in a newspaper ad titled "Statement of Conscience by Maine Catholics Regarding Marriage Equality." Malone wrote, "A Catholic whose conscience has been properly formed by scripture and the teachings of the Catholic church cannot support same sex marriage."

But hundreds of Catholics disagreed with the bishop.

"It is a sad day, as the leaders of the Catholic church in Maine relish, in delight, that they have succeeded in keeping the homosexual families of Maine outside of the walls of society where they must beg to maintain their very existence, much like the lepers and blind in the Bible were kept outside the city walls in days of old," said Jack Dougherty of Eliot, Maine, a member of Catholics for Marriage Equality.

Portland attorney George Burns, who helped draft the Catholic statement on equality, said "The bishop won at a great price -- whether he cares about that price or not. He has divided his flock."

One Catholic, Pamella Starbird Beliveau of Lewiston, Maine, was removed as a lector and eucharistic minister after her pastor read an opinion piece she wrote for the local newspaper approving of same-sex marriage.

She told a rally outside the Portland cathedral Nov. 1, "I am sad but not surprised by what happened. … The Catholic church has every right to determine who can and cannot serve as ministers in the church. I respect that. We must keep our eyes focused on the issue and that is equality for our gay and lesbian citizens."

It will be interesting to see what effects this chasm within the body of the church creates. Though this story in particular deals with the consequences of Question 1 in Maine, currently New Jersey is considering a marriage equality bill of its own, and the Catholic Church in the Garden State has already actively stood against it. Worse, I've reported on how the church plans to spend $2 million on fighting marriage equality nationwide.

With all of its past problems, can the Catholic Church sustain its momentum against LGBT rights amongst growing criticism?

Patricia Brinkman said it best in her letter to the Portland Herald Press' editor. "Newsflash to Bishop Malone: civil rights are not 'values.' And, as the multitude of successful lawsuits against the church on behalf of exploited children will attest, you long ago surrendered your legitimacy to dictate morality regarding sex."

Amen.

Images by Kimberly Robinson

VIDEO: A Mormon Supporter of Marriage Equality Gives Moving Speech at Keeping the Faith for Equality Service

Last night, I attended the Los Angeles Keeping the Faith for Equality event at Immanuel Presbyterian Church. Many leaders from many walks of faith attended the moving service. They encouraged attendees, facing the one year anniversary of Proposition 8, to keep the faith that full LGBT equality was inevitable. Including full marriage rights in California and nationwide.

One speaker in particular moved me quite a bit. He risks being ostracized from his family, friends and greater community for his position on marriage equality. I'll let him speak for himself.

(Below is Douglas' written testimony, near word-for-word transcription)

I am Douglas Hunter, I am a father, husband and practicing Mormon, today I am glad to join with 6000 faith leader from across California who have an ongoing committed to Marriage Equality. Its fitting that I am speaking in the testimony part of the service because we Mormons have testimony meetings monthly, including yesterday. While a squirming and rebellious child prevented me from bearing my testimony yesterday I would like bear part of it now.

I testify to you that despite the disappointment, anger and anguish that resulted from the passage of Prop. 8 being a being a no on 8 Mormon has made the past year, a year of hope and opportunity.

It has been a year of hope in that for the first time many in the Mormon community who support marriage equality have expressed their views and begun to develop a community. Even if many are fearful of speaking publicly, let it be known today that there are thousands of Mormons in California who do support marriage equality.

It has been a year of opportunity to bear witness of the loving and committed same sex couple and beautiful families that I know, for the sake of changing hearts and minds.

It has been a year of opportunity because it has provided many occasions to speak with different groups about marriage equality, to hear the sorrows of those who have suffered, and to give support to those growing weary of prolonged injustice.

It has been a year of opportunity to insist that we hold dear our spiritual commitment to one another not only despite our disagreements but because of them.

Looking forward to the coming year, I will continue to offer my testimony that those in same sex relationships and those in straight relationships have in common the fact that we define our relationships as being the place where we seek the deepest levels of spiritual and emotional intimacy. Our relationships are the place where we are willing to be the most vulnerable, and where we seek to discover the most profound trust and love possible in the human experience.

In the year to come I will testify that in acknowledging these similarities I can no longer conscience a world in which legal protections, respect and dignity are granted to some relationships, but withheld from others.

In the year to come I will testify that we Mormons need to remember that a powerful test of our faith is how we engage those who are different from our selves, those who are "other."

In the year to come I will testify that I refuse the conflation of politics and theology that makes our gay brother and sisters "other" to Mormons, a threat or a political opponent.

In the year to come I will bear my testimony that compassion, equality, justice and love for all human beings are Mormon values that need to be applied liberally and courageously.

This is my testimony in Jesus' name, Amen.

Others in attendance included Rabbi Denise Eger, Rev. Dana Caegle, Rev. Anne Hines, Alia Al'Barakah, Fr. Geoff Farrow and Rabbi Allen Freehling.

More Keeping the Faith for Equality events are scheduled through Friday, November 6.

VIDEO: Trailer for "8 - The Mormon Proposition"

The documentary 8 - The Mormon Proposition chronicles the passage of the first ever voter-approved initiative that stripped existing rights way from a segment of the U.S. population - Proposition 8. The picture delves into the Mormon Church's involvement and the following fallout.



Pam Spaulding reports, "Producer Steven Greenstreet . . . says it has just been submitted to Sundance other festivals. He was a journalist in 2008, and did a lot of coverage of Prop 8. When he left his news agency, he began working with the crew that made this documentary."

LDS Apostle Compares Mormon Backlash Post Prop 8 to African American Civil Rights Struggle

Elder Dallin Oaks, an LDS apostle, gave a speech at Mormom Brigham Young University Tuesday comparing the backlash against Mormons post Prop 8 to the struggles of African Americans in the South during the civil rights movement. In the same speech, he called marriage equality an "alleged civil right."



AP:

Oaks suggested that atheists and others are seeking to intimidate people of faith and silence their voices in the public square, according to his prepared remarks.

"The extent and nature of religious devotion in this nation is changing," said Oaks, a member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, a church governing body. "The tide of public opinion in favor of religion is receding, and this probably portends public pressures for laws that will impinge on religious freedom."

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"Blacks were lynched and beaten and denied the right to vote by their government," said Marc Solomon, marriage director for Equality California, which spearheaded the No on 8 campaign. "To compare that to criticism of Mormon leaders for encouraging people to give vast amounts of money to take away rights of a small minority group is illogical and deeply offensive."

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Fred Karger, founder of the gay rights group Californians Against Hate, said Oaks' speech is part of a public relations offensive to "try to turn the tables on what has been a complete disaster for the Mormon church ... They are trying to be the victim here. They're not. They're the perpetrators."

I've said from the beginning that I don't agree with the focus of our ire over Prop 8 should be against the Mormons. I saw behavior at the protests around the Los Angeles Mormon temple immediately following the passage that I not only felt embarrassed by but shame for our community, though the anger behind these actions was justified.

However, I find it very ironic that the Mormon leadership is playing victim and comparing this current backlash against them to hundreds of years of oppression that African Americans suffered, because the LDS church was part of that oppression, calling them cursed because of their skin color or what they considered the "Mark of Cain" and declaring them unable to be saved, go to heaven or to be members of their church. It was only when the church experienced societal pressure that one of the apostles experienced a "revelation" and suddenly African Americans were A-OK.

But on top of that, in reference to Proposition 8, the LDS church was a major player in creating the ballot to strip LGBT citizens of an existing and fundamental right. How can they turn around and then claim victimization?

This arrogance and playing victim is offensive on so many levels.

I guess it's only a matter of time before another apostle experiences another "revelation" and we gays will be A-OK, too.

Sen. Reid Criticizes His Own LDS Church For Prop 8 Involvement; CA Chief Justice Laments State's Initiative Process

While meeting with some of the National Equality March organizers, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, who endorsed the march, brought up the topic of Proposition 8 himself.

The Salt Lake Tribune reports:

In a meeting with gay-rights activists last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized the LDS Church for backing a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage in California, saying the leaders of his faith should have stayed out of the contentious political fight.

Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, is the highest ranking elected official who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He previously has not commented on the flood of Mormon money and volunteers who helped propel Proposition 8 to victory in November.

But three organizers of the past weekend's National Equality March said Reid brought up the topic during a conversation in his office.

"He said that he thought it was a waste of church resources and good will," said Derek Washington, a Nevadan who worked as the outreach director for the march. "He said he didn't think it was appropriate.

Speaking of initiatives in California, moderate Republican California Chief Justice Ronald M. George, who ruled in favor of upholding Proposition 8, criticized California's initiative process, saying it has "rendered our state government dysfunctional."

He spoke on the damage of Prop 8:

"Chickens gained valuable rights in California on the same day that gay men and lesbians lost them," George said.

George was the swing vote in the historic May 2008 decision to end a ban on same-sex marriage. Legal scholars said the 4-3 ruling he wrote would define his legacy. The George court is considered moderately conservative and, until the marriage ruling, cautious. The court has only one Democratic appointee.

After voters approved Proposition 8, it was challenged in court. George again wrote the majority opinion, this time upholding the initiative that overturned a critical part of the court's ruling against a novel legal challenge. The 6-1 decision said Proposition 8 was a limited constitutional amendment rather than a more sweeping revision that required legislative involvement.

George's opinion read in parts as a lament. He said the court's hands were tied by precedent and California laws that gave voters wide freedom to amend the state Constitution. At the time, opponents of same-sex marriage were threatening to oust justices at the ballot if they voted to overturn Proposition 8.

The injustice of Prop 8 seems more and more glaring each day, especially with more and more allies speaking up louder and louder. Hopefully they'll be there when we go back to the ballot to restore marriage equality here in California.
Image from ehoyer on flickr.

VIDEO: A Mormon Speaks Out Against Prop 8 - Until His Mic Is Cut

A Mormon speaks out against Prop 8 in church, until one of the church leaders cuts the mic off.



Yet another reminder that not all members of any religion agree with their leaders and their decisions.

Californians Against Hate Accuses Maine Anti-Marriage Equality Campaign of Money Laundering, Calling NOM Front for Mormon Church

Californians Against Hate founder Fred Karger has formally asked Maine election officials to investigate anti-marriage equality campaign Stand For Marriage Maine. He accuses the campaign of money laundering and lists specific allegations, the details which were requested by the officials after he initially contacted them.

In a letter to election official Jonathan Wayne, Karger wrote that, "These entities are laundering money to evade the disclosure of the actual contributors to Stand for Marriage Maine."

"The four organizational donors that gave to Stand for Marriage Maine, with the possible exception of Focus on the Family, circumvented Maine’s campaign reporting law to avoid disclosure of the true contributors."

Karger goes on to list the organizations as the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), Dioeces of Portland, Knights of Columbus, and Focus on the Family. In the letter, he details his allegations about how the groups have hidden where the donations are coming from to avoid identities being revealed and violating laws regarding churches donating past maximum amounts.

The group's first financial disclosure report raised even more suspicions when it listed total contributions from individual donors at a paltry $400 out of $343,689.50 reported.

“By way of comparison,” Karger says, “last year, the Protect Marriage, Yes on Proposition 8 campaign in California disclosed more than 60,000 individual contributors of $100 and above. Thousands more contributed under that amount to repeal same-sex marriage in that state.”

Pam's House Blend reports that a reader has also had enough and has asked the IRS to investigate NOM.

Karger asked Maine's ethics commission to consider his request at their September 8 meeting, but the commission is likely to decide on the matter in October, its executive director Jonathan Wayne told the Associated Press.

Wayne has asked Stand for Marriage Maine to respond to Karger's allegations by September 16.

Kiss-In Protest Staged at San Diego Mormon Temple

On July 9, Derek Jones and Matt Aune were detained by LDS security guards after they embraced and kissed on Main Street Plaza in Salt Lake City, which for many, is believed to be public property. After refusing to budge, the cops arrived and informed the couple that it was in fact private property with full access to the public but owned by the LDS church. The couple were cited for trespassing, but not before the guards had handcuffed both men, after forcing Jones to the ground. Aune said he suffered a bruised and swollen wrist.

Rex Wockner reports, "Salt Lake City sold the plaza to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 10 years ago, in a move that still irks some Salt Lakers. The precise location of the kiss was a former public easement that the city gave to the church in a controversial land-swap deal in 2003."

Many believe the only reason why the LDS security guards approached the men on the busy thoroughfare in the first place was because they were gay and engaging in PDA. This has spurred kiss-in protests in front of the Mormon Temple in Salt Lake City, and last night, another one took place in San Diego. About 30 LGBT and friends showed up.



Good As You reports that uber anti-gay Peter LaBarbera is calling these protests a "militant," "homo-fascist," act of defiance. I actually laughed when I read that.

Rex Wockner also has a full report including more pictures.

Image by Rex Wockner.

Petition Started Urging Reconciliation Between LDS Church and LGBT Population

A petition has been created seeking the reconciliation between the Mormon LDS Church and the LGBT population and will be delivered to the church's headquarters on the first anniversary of the passage of Proposition 8.

The petition's website, LDSApology.org states:

By signing the Petition and spreading the word about it, you will be sending a message to the leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints that it is time for reconciliation. More importantly, you will be showing support for those who have been harmed by Church policies and practices because of their sexual orientation.

A part of the petition reads:

True reconciliation requires that parties on both sides of this issue be willing to honestly examine their attitudes, behaviors (including past behaviors), policies and practices—and be open to understanding, forgiveness (both asking for and accepting), and apology.

For individuals who have suffered or been forced to watch a loved one suffer mistreatment, misunderstanding, or demonization as a consequence of the LDS church's official policies, actions, and teachings regarding sexual orientation, we understand that true reconciliation will require rejecting redress through hostility, will take time, and be a difficult process.

For Church leaders, reconciliation requires examining ways in which official statements, rhetoric, policy and practice have been injurious to gays and lesbians and their families and friends; have caused unnecessary pain and suffering, rejection, psychological and spiritual damage and even death. This means scrupulously acknowledging such practices as “reorientation”-- reparative, revulsion, and shock-therapies; such teachings as homosexuality being an evil perversion, a condition that is chosen and changeable and one that can be overcome through fasting, prayer, sacrifice and heterosexual marriage; and using scriptures that are taken out of context, mistranslated or that are highly selective to condemn homosexuality. It also means to repudiate publicly circulated articles, essays, books, speeches, and conference addresses that have stereotyped or demonized gays and lesbians.

Though I am always for reconciliation between disputing parties, true reconciliation requires action on both sides to change behavior. To be constructive and not just empty words, full faith must be given to create a new beginning.

In this case, I don't see the Mormon church staying out of the 2010 marriage equality referendums facing both Maine and possibly again in California. Currently, the National Organization for Marriage is being investigated as being a front for the Mormon church, and whether or not it's true, asking the LGBT population to trust the church to keep to its promise of reconciliation will be near impossible. Nor will they ever believe the church will stick to its proper place when it comes to politics and voter referendums.

I truly wish that we could all come to a place of understanding, and I support the amazing intentions of the petitioners. From the beginning of this blog, I've stated that I was against focusing our anger on the Mormons for what happened here in California, and as this petition shows, not all Mormons agree with the church leaders. But I disagree with the website's notion "that the time is right for healing over this issue to begin." The harm is still too fresh and painful and ongoing.

I think true healing will begin once the LDS Church renounces its theological stance against the LGBT population, similar to what it did in regards to African Americans and polygamy. Maybe then can the long path to true reconciliation begin. Until then, I don't see this petition as anything more than empty words falling on the deaf ears of the church leadership, despite the good intentions. And that makes me sad.

But hopefully, it will begin a dialogue with the church. And that, I can support.

If you wish to read and sign the petition, you can find it at LDSApology.org.

To find out more about other Mormon groups that support marriage equality, check out Mormons For Marriage and Affirmation.

Utah LGBT Community Counters Mormon Conference with Good Will

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints will be hosting a general conference in Utah, but instead of throwing a protest, the local LGBT community, through the All for One Initiative, plans to lead by example with the General Service Weekend.

"General Service Weekend is not to detract from the LDS general conference; it is to reaffirm Christian acts of kindness in the community," organizer Jacob Whipple told the Desert News.

Occurring on April 4 and 5, the community plans on delivering much needed furniture to refugee families, cleaning parks and putting together medical packets for humanitarian causes. All members of the public are encouraged to attend.

Go to the Facebook event page if you want to attend and stay in the loop. If you want to help, All For One Initiative is in need of trucks and gardening tools. Contact organizer Jacob Whipple at AllForOneInitiative@yahoo.com.

Counter the LDS Church's Attempt to Squash a Civil Union Bill in Illinois

Thanks to Queers United, I was made aware that the following official email was just sent out through the LDS Church's website to its members in Nauvoo 3rd Ward by its website's administrator, Kristy Combs, and the ward's Bishop Chris, who approved the email.

"This message has been authorized for sending by Bishop Church.

The Civil Union Bill (HB 2234) has been scheduled for a hearing in the Youth and Family Committee this week on Thursday, March 5, 2009 at 9:00 a.m. in Springfield. If the bill is voted out of committee, it becomes eligible for a vote before the full Illinois House of Representatives. This bill will legalize civil unions in the state of Illinois, and will treat such civil unions with the same legal obligations, responsibilities, protections and benefits as are afforded within marriage. In other words, civil unions will be different in name only from marriage. As has already been seen in Massachusetts, this will empower the public schools to begin teaching this lifestyle to our young children regardless of parental requests otherwise. It will also create grounds for rewriting all social mores; the current push in Massachusetts is to recognize and legalize all transgender rights (An individual in Massachusetts can now change their drivers license to the gender they believe themselves to be, regardless of actual gender, which means that confused men and women are now legally entering one another's bathrooms and locker rooms.What kind of a safety issue is this for our children?). Furthermore, while the bill legalizes civil unions, it will be used in the courts to show discrimination and will ultimately lead to court mandated same-sex marriages.

To help defeat this bill, please call your state representative and state senator and ask that they support traditional marriage and vote against the civil unions bill. If you are unsure who your legislators are, please see the link at the end of this email.

Also, please take a moment and call the following members of the Youth and Family Committee to encourage them to vote no on this bill. We need 4 votes to keep it from passing out of the committee. And - as always, please pass this on to all who believe in protecting our families and our children. If you are interested in attending the hearing, it will be held on Thursday, March 5th at 9:00 a.m. in Springfield in Room 122B of the Capitol Building (I can give you directions to the Capitol Building if needed).

Members of the Youth and Family Committee:

Rep. Greg Harris (D-Chicago) (Greg Harris is also the sponsor of this bill, but he needs to hear your opposition to this bill)
Chairperson
217-782-3835

Rep. LaShawn K. Ford (D-Chicago)
Vice-Chairperson
217-782-5962

Rep. Mike Fortner (R-West Chicago)
Republican Spokesperson
217-782-1653

Rep. William D. Burns (D-Chicago)
217-782-2023

Rep. Michael P. McAuliffe (R-Chicago)
217-782-8182

Rep. Al Riley (D-Matteson)
217-558-1007

Rep. Dave Winters (R-Rockford)
217-782-0455

Directions for identifying your legislators:

You can use the following link to identify your state legislators and their contact information: www.elections.il.gov/DistrictLocator/SelectSearchType.aspx?NavLink=1(and enter your 9 digit zip code). If this link doesn't work, you can use the general link www.ilga.gov and then click on "legislator lookup" near the bottom of the page, then click on "by zip+4". Type in your zip code, and you'll see a list of your legislators. You want your state senator and state representative as they will be the ones voting on the bill.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

Sister Combs"


In order for the LGBT community and allies to be just as effective, we need to counter the LDS Church's strong influence in politics by contacting Congress ourselves in equal numbers. And thanks to them, we have Congress' contact information! Those who live in Illinois may need more support and instruction, so visit Equality Illinois for direction. Under "Events" they have a call to action and where to assemble on Thursday, March 5th, for the day of the hearing.

Mormon Church Reimbursed Members for Time Spent Working on Prop 8

In yet another eye-opening scandal surrounding the Latter Day Saints Church and Proposition 8, it has been revealed that the church actually reimbursed members for their time and effort spent working on the anti-gay initiative.

Some of them include Gary Lawrence of Lawrence Research ($528,877.35); Glen Greener, former Salt Lake City Police Commissioner ($50,236.42); and
Sonja Brown, Protectmarriage.com communications director ($41,844.00) among others.

To see more, visit the CA Secretary of State.

Why is all this now just coming to light? Only now are some new reports on campaign expenditures coming in and being disclosed, as the law dictates. So stay tuned for the continued drama that the LDS Church keeps providing.

Shame on the LDS Church!

Thanks to the amazing Queers United, I was made aware of the Shame on the LDS Church! website.

Instead of repeating what Queers United has already summed up, I'll simply direct you to their post listing the many actions that Shame on the LDS Church! is supporting.

Be sure to visit Shame on the LDS Church! as well for more direct action!

The El Coyote Showdown - My Blog Report

UPDATE: Marjorie Christofferson, of the El Coyote, has tendered her resignation, and as of Saturday evening, was no longer employed as manager of the restaurant nor on its board of directors. She turned her resignation into her mother, Grace Salisbury, whose sister-in-law founded El Coyote in 1931.

Today's open brunch at the El Coyote (see post), hosted by Marjorie Christofferson, co-owner of the famous restaurant and popular hang out of the gay community, was intended for Marjorie to have a civil, open discussion with the gay community. She wanted to explain how she ended up donating to the Yes on 8 campaign, but many of the restaurant's gay regulars who attended and make up a majority of the establishment's patrons, vocally expressed their betrayal.

More...

To put Marjorie's appearance in context, the meeting opened with one of the managers pleading with the group to realize that the restaurant is a separate entity than Marjorie, that is does NOT support Prop 8 and that it's more than 89 employees, several who are gay, have families that depend on their patronage. He mentioned that he has received three days of nasty phone calls, at work and at home, and he wanted to reiterate that Marjorie's personal decision did not reflect the restaurant's nor his.

The group immediately voiced its objection. One shouted, "She took our money and used it against us." And though they recognized the 89 employees and their families, "What about the 18,000 gay families disrupted by Prop 8?"

Bill Schoeppner, General Manager, informed that the restaurant itself intended to donate to both LAMDA and the Gay & Lesbian Social Center, and though this received applause, it was quickly pointed out that this wouldn't undo the harm of what Marjorie's personal donation had caused.

I don't believe this miasma was what they were hoping to bring Marjorie into, but they couldn't delay much longer. Marjorie, normally healthy and smiling, was overwhelmed with nerves. The past few days seems to have been torture, for she appeared frail and near hyperventilation, requiring the assistance of her two daughters to enter the room. After drinking some water, she apologized for needing to read from a prepared speech.

Marjorie began saying how "emotionally taken with all this," she has been, "sick at heart if I offended anyone in the gay community." Her voice shaking, she continued to say that the gay community was a "treasure to me and has been throughout my whole life." However, she went on to say that not everyone agrees with each others viewpoints, especially her own, even within her own restaurant.

Marjorie continued to defend the employees of her restaurant, begging the community to not take its anger out on them, for their livelihood depended on their patronage. It was she who donated, not them. "I've been a part of the Mormon church all my life. I responded to their request. It was a personal donation."

She went on to say that her aunt, Blanch March, founded the El Coyote to "create a caring atmosphere" for its patrons. Early on, before it was even well-known, she was aware of the "challenge and plight of gay individuals and always responded with love and empathy." El Coyote was to be a "healing place."

At this point, I noticed one of the employees, sharply dressed in a button down and tie, began to cry. His name is Alberto and has been waiting tables at El Coyote for over twenty years. As a gay employee, he feels a lot of confliction. "I feel bad. I'm with the gay community. But I'm a homeowner and I don't want to lose my job." When I asked about Marjorie, he told how she donated $2,000 for the AIDSWalk and went on to say, "I think she made a mistake, but she has apologized."

Yet the group never heard an apology from Marjorie before being walked out by her daughters, hardly fielding any questions. They said all they heard was an explanation. And it appears that wasn't enough.

Rocio, a waitress, tried to appease the group with tears in her eyes, saying when she started working at El Coyotoe years ago, it was "where I first saw so may gay people. They were nice." She believes she was led there by God, because just a few months later, her brother came out to her and working at the restaurant made all the difference in her response to his coming out.

Though the attendees expressed a lot of empathy towards the employees, they felt what Marjorie had done couldn't be changed. Or ignored.

Regan DuCasse stood up and spoke to the group. "As the only black person in the room, I feel betrayed." She said, just as Marjorie had always come up to them at their tables while they ate, smiling and asking how they were, many white people had smiled and treated her well only later to stab her in the back. She feels what Marjorie has done is just another betrayal. This last sentiment applied to what the whole group felt at that moment.

"Marjorie was in and out," Regan continued, referring to Marjorie's quick departure after her speech. "Her actions were cowardly. She didn't want to face the serious damage" she helped create.

So will there be a boycott? Though a consensus wasn't officially reached, one of the vociferous attendees was already out in front of the restaurant, holding up a sign and chanting the sins of Marjorie Christofferson, and in effect, El Coyote, for all on Beverly Blvd. to hear. And with the KTLA cameras recording it all nearby, it looks like all of Los Angeles is going to hear, too.

What are your thoughts? Should there be a boycott? Let's discuss.

Religious, Anti-Gay Full Page Ad in NY Times and MY Response

A religious coalition called NoMobVeto.org has placed a full page ad in the NY Times condemning "the violence and intimidation being directed against the LDS or "Mormon" church, and other religious organizations - and even against individual believers - simply because they supported Proposition 8 . . ." calling it "an outrage that must stop."

They go on to say that, in regards to the LGBT demonstrations that "far too many, however, seem never to have been demonstrations in the first place, but more nearly mobs, seeking not to persuade but to intimidate." Even better: "Those who fail to condemn or seem to condone that intimidation are at fault as well."

BUT MY FAVORITE LINE OF ALL: "Let's be clear: even the crudest anti-religious propaganda isn't illegal, and may not constitutionally be outlawed. But IT'S NEVERTHELESS WRONG. IT HAS NO PLACE IN CIVILIZED SOCIETY."

OK, after reading this and being ENRAGED, I have calmed down SLIGHTLY and realized, wow, they have made this way too easy.

So now I have a message to YOU, the religious coalition that posted this ad:

First off - your name. No mob veto? We're a mob? We're a minority! We don't have enough to be a mob! Sure, there are a lot of us, and we do get attention, but our numbers don't even come close to yours. Actually, the constitution protects minorities, that would be us, from MOB RULE, which you are now a part of! You have acted as a mob to strip us, who don't have as much power as you, of our rights. And you try to make it sound as if YOU'RE the victims?!! You heartlessly and ruthlessly imposed your religious beliefs on us, and then turn around and act as if you're innocent victims?

Second, you decry some of the demonstrations, which I will remind you, are legal (just as your right to believe what you want to believe). Sorry if it's not up to par in your perception of civility, but if your right to worship was stripped away, would you just sit by quietly to maintain the civility of society? I already know you wouldn't. The history of religious wars tells me so. You refer to "thugs" who sent "white powder to terrorize a place of worship." You're right. They were thugs. So were the people who vandalized property. But out of THOUSANDS and THOUSANDS who protested, all you have to point to are a very few incidents. Miniscule number of people compared to the thousands that pointed out YOUR bigotry. So then you turn around and say that the whole movement is violent and out of hand? (And don't get me started on the Vatican's stand not to endorse the UN measure to decriminalize homosexuality, basically supporting the execution of gays just for being gay) Not only is that illogical, it's a lie, and doesn't that break one of the ten commandments that many respectful people hold dear, including you?

Third, you have the audacity to say that speaking out against religion is "wrong. It has no place in civilized society." Suddenly, you have the right to dictate what is right and wrong and what is civilized? Newsflash! This isn't a theocracy! You speak against religious wars as "wrong" and "dangerous". How very hypocritical. I guess religious wars are OK as long as you're the winning majority, right? What you're doing is forcing your beliefs on someone's personal life by stripping away the rights their government has already promised them, the government that has said they are a protected minority, based on your religious beliefs. You broke the law by going around the legislature, lied to the public in order to further your campaign of religion against a weaker group that doesn't agree with you. That sounds like a war to me.

I believe Jesus said, "Turn the other cheek." And though I wouldn't want you to step away from this situation so you can face what you did, your mission of "exposing and publicly shaming anyone who resorts to the rhetoric of anti-religious bigotry-against any faith, on any side of any cause, for any reason" is the exact behavior for which you're condemning the LGBT community.

You have the audacity to act above the fray that you caused and to feign victimization. We, the LGBT community, have experience victimization for thousands of years. We know victimization when we see it. And you, the actual bigots in this case, are not victims.

An Ex-Mormon Missionary's Story

I have been contacted by Mormons who are ashamed of their church's involvement with the passing of Prop 8 and the direct negative impact that they have had on thousands of lives. Many have become actively involved to repeal Prop 8, volunteering their time to fight as our allies, some even resigning from the church and are now facing ostracism from their families and friends. Some have even started a website, Mormons for Marriage. Check it out and give your support.

We need to remind ourselves that not all Mormons are the enemy and that building these bridges with Mormon allies is essential to our success. We also need to take advantage of the resources within our own LGBTQ community because a substantial amount of our numbers were Mormons at one point.

An account of an ex-Mormon missionary gives a great insight to the Mormon church, its history on homophobia and its present situation of being under the microscope due to their involvement with Prop 8. It's a fascinating read and you can find it on PR Watch.org.

After reading this, what are your thoughts? How can we use this information to our advantage, shaping our strategies with it in mind?

Californians Against Hate launch new site

Check it out here.

Dedicated to drawing attention to the major donors of the Yes on 8 campaign, they're a great source of information. If you hear rumors about who donated and who didn't, you can go here to verify.

Note: this is a relaunch of the site. And by the way, check out their campaign section near the top.