Help DC for Marriage Counter Marriage Equality Opponents

As recently reported, the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) hosted a protest today in Washington DC to counter the progress marriage equality has made in the last few months in the nation's capital of Washington DC.

Despite the successful activist hijack of NOM's Facebook protest page, leading to no one confirming their attendance of the DC protest, anti-gay protesters still showed up. See pictures and updates at Good As You.



On top of this protest, NOM has also released this atrocious radio ad, hammering listeners constantly throughout the day.

DC for Marriage has decided to counter the opposition with grassroots actions of their own by organizing phone banks and canvassing the neighborhood.

Find out how you can get involved on Facebook or at DC for Marriage's website.

The biggest success for change only comes with one-on-one contact with those who do not know the truth behind LGBT equality. Putting your face, your name and your story to the movement is the only way to sway those who constantly hear the lies of the opposition. It's scary to put yourself out there, but the reward of equality is definitely worth it!

UPDATE: Big Day in New York Capital Today! Twitter #ejday

UPDATE 3:15PM PST: Equality and Justice Day Dispact from Daily Intel.

UPDATE: According to the AP, New York Gov. David Paterson told the crowds rallying outside the capitol that religious opponents of gay marriage "failed to act on their faith when gays and lesbians were victimized," and that they "did not step up when young gay and lesbian students were victims of hate crimes. Paterson asked the crowd where these leaders of faith were when gay and lesbian college students were being beaten."

More pics can be found at HRC's Twipic. Follow events on Twitter under #ejday.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
If you recall, today New York's Senate Judiciary Committee will review three pro-LGBT bills including Gov. David Paterson's marriage equality bill, protection of transgender civil rights and a bill to provide safer schools for LGBT youth.

But to make things even better, Empire State Pride Agenda is hosting their LGBT Equality and Justice Day, where according to the AP, "About 2,000 people are expected at a lunchtime rally outside the Capitol today in support of gay rights legislation."
Attendees will have a chance to speak with legislators to voice their support.

Stay tuned!

BREAKING NEWS: Maine's Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Marriage Equality Bill

Last week, Maine's Senate Judiciary Committee heard over thirteen hours of public testimony for and against the state's marriage equality bill.

Today they voted to support it, a strong recommendation to the whole senate to vote in favor when it goes to the floor.

From Portland Press Herald:

The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee voted 11-2-1 today in support of a bill to allow gay marriage in Maine.

Eleven members voted in favor of the bill, two voted against it, and one voted to send it to referendum.

The vote was briefly interrupted when a woman began yelling at legislators because she wanted them to reject the bill. Elaine Graham of Farmington was escorted from the Statehouse by Capitol Police, but will not face charges.

The bill will now move forward to the full Senate for consideration.

IMAGE: Staff photo by Joe Phelan
GRAHAM YELLS: Elaine Graham, of Farmington, left, yells in the hallway after being escorted out of a Judiciary Committee work session on the same sex marriage bill Tuesday afternoon at The Statehouse in Augusta. Rep. Seth Berry, D-Bowdoinham at right, who had been standing beside her in the doorway walked her out of the hearing room.

New CBS Poll Shows Marriage Equality Support Grows Nearly 10 Points in One Month

From CBS News:

Forty-two percent of Americans now say same sex couples should be allowed to legally marry, a new CBS News/New York Times poll finds. That's up nine points from last month, when 33 percent supported legalizing same sex marriage.

Support for same sex marriage is now at its highest point since CBS News starting asking about it in 2004.

See Unite the Fight's post on CBS News' earlier poll for comparison.

This reflects others polls, such as New Hampshire voters supporting marriage equality by 55% (which will hopefully send a strong message to New Hampshire's senate which will vote on a same-sex marriage bill tomorrow), as well as anti-gay Gary Randall's poll which indicated, to Randall's chagrin, that Washington state also supports full marriage equality by 43%.

Let's not forget New Jersey and New York, the latter having a big day today for LGBT legislation.

The tide is turning. And polls like these take away arguments from the anti-gays, like Maggie Gallagher of the National Organization for Marriage who recently used the argument that only a third of Americans supported marriage equality.

Not anymore, Maggie. Not anymore.

NY Times Frank Rich Talks to Towleroad About His Pro-LGBT Stance

If you recall, Frank Rich's April 19 New York Times Op-Ed piece, "The Bigot's Last Hurrah" created a major stir.

Referring frequently to the National Organization for Marriage (NOM)'s "Gathering Storm" ad, Frank presented an argument that the right-ring is losing the culture battle and needs to move on and move past their bigoted point-of-views. This prompted a response from NOM's president, Maggie Gallagher.

Towleroad had the privilege to interview Mr. Rich about his position.

UPDATE: Rachel Maddow Interviews Pro-LGBT CA Governor Candidate Gavin Newsom

UPDATE: The deputy director of communications for San Francisco mayor clarified today Newsom's comments made on the Rachel Maddow Show. ""Mayor Newsom meant to say that Prop. 8 wouldn't pass today," Brian Purchia told Advocate.com in an e-mail. "If you listen to any of his follow-up answers after the initial question on Rachel Maddow, there is no doubt that he meant to say it wouldn't pass."
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gavin Newsom gives his first interview since announcing his run for governor of California with Rachel Maddow. In the interview, Newsom discusses the advances in Iowa on marriage equality but bemoans the flip-flopping of same-sex marriage, veto happy Schwarzenegger's. He believes if a vote was taken on Prop 8 today, there would be a better outcome.

New Hampshire to Vote on Marriage Equality Tomorrow

Last week, New Hampshire's Senate Judiciary Committee voted to reject marriage equality bill HB436 3-2.

Tomorrow, the bill will hit the senate floor for a full vote. According to Blue Hampshire, it's not looking too good. The image below is the Senate Whip Count provided by Blue Hampshire:




According to Reuters, it will only take 13 nea votes to kill the bill, and Senate Minority Leader Peter Bragdon said he expects all 10 Republican senators to oppose it with Democrat support mixed.

Contact information for the senators can be found here. If you live in New Hampshire, urge your senator to vote for the bill.

Also, Blue Hampshire reports that Sen. Gilmour said she is in favor of marriage equality, but still had to read through e-mails from the voters in her towns before making a final decision.

"I think there is some very strong support for equality in marriage", Gilmour said. "Many of us see this as a civil rights issue."

Contact: Senator Gilmour: 271-3569, e-mail: Gilmour@leg.state.nh.us (add your home address to show you live in the state)

But on the brighter side, a poll released today by New Hampshire Freedom to Marry shows that a majority of New Hampshire voters support marriage for gays and lesbians. 55% were in support while 39% were opposed. 491 voters were polled from April 13-22.

New Hampshire has a live and let live attitude. These strong numbers in support of marriage equality are not surprising. A majority of New Hampshire voters have supported marriage equality since polling on the subject began in 2003. We hope that New Hampshire can soon join our neighbors in Connecticut, Massachusetts, and Vermont, and enact marriage equality," said Mo Baxley, Executive Director of New Hampshire Freedom To Marry.

Stay tuned for NH Senate vote tomorrow!