UPDATE: LA's KABC Refuses to Air Gay Marriage PSA

UPDATE: KABC TV general manager Arnie Kleiner has apologized for the way the rejection of the PSA was handled, saying that their statement "we reserve the right not to air it in programming that will include large family audiences" was misleading.

"I have seen the [PSAs] and will gladly air the spots on any day part on our schedule," Kleiner said, according to a statement by GetToKnowUsFirst.org. "Gay and lesbian families are part of our KABC family, and issues of equality are certainly not a controversial subject for us."

The Los Angeles station has now agreed to air the marriage ad this Sunday during Extreme Makeover: Home Edition at about 9:15 p.m.


According to non-profit GetToKnowUsFirst.org, LA's KABC TV (owned by Disney) refused to air its 30-second PSAs during Obama's inauguration. The ads, featuring gay couples and their various families, aired in 42 of the states' 58 counties -- everywhere the initiative passed by 50% or more, with KABC being the only station refusing to air them.

The rejected ad profiles two African American men raising five children ages 6 through 25. Ironically, the family lives in Los Angeles.

The organization's ad agency, New and Improved Media, attempted the media buy, and its CEO Keith Fisher said, "We usually only see this with risque content, as in a trailer for a movie." He added, "If KABC thinks they have to protect the public from this family, something's obviously very wrong over there."

According to GettoKnowUsFirst.org, KABC told the agency that the ad was too controversial and stood firm in their rejection saying, "many families will be watching."

The ad aired across California on Tuesday -- before, during and after the Presidential Inauguration on Good Morning America, The Today Show, Despierta America (Univision) and Levantate (Telemundo) broadcasts, as well as on a wide range of regional news stations, CNN and FoxNews during evening coverage of the day's events.

One week prior, at attorney Gloria Allred's urging, Rev. Rick Warren indicated he would be willing to show the ads to his congregation at Saddleback Church in Orange County. Days before the Presidential Inauguration, he changed his mind, dropping the offer.

Contact KABC and tell them of your disapproval of their blatant discrimination. Tell them how unacceptable it is to deny a legitimate, paid ad simply because it features married gays and their families.

STAY TUNED FOR DEVELOPING PROTESTS INFORMATION.

Data Released Showing Asian American Voting on Proposition 8

Continuing with its mission to educate ourselves on those who voted for Prop 8, Unite the Fight is posting this press release with in depth information on the Asian community and its voting record on the proposition.

Data Released Showing That Asian American Voting on Proposition 8
Significantly Influenced by Age, English Proficiency and Religiosity

LOS ANGELES, CA – Asian Pacific American Legal Center (APALC), API Equality-LA, API Equality, and California Faith for Equality (CAFFE), held a briefing today to release data showing Asian American voting trends on Proposition 8 during the November 2008 election. The November 2008 Southern California Voter Survey ("2008 Voter Survey"), conducted by APALC, is the largest and most comprehensive exit poll of Asian Americans in California.

Preliminary data from the 2008 Voter Survey shows that, similar to other racial and ethnic groups, age and religiosity are determining factors in voting on Proposition 8, with younger voters and those who "never" attend religious services significantly more likely to oppose Prop 8. In addition, the survey shows that level of English proficiency is also critical, with fluent English speakers much more likely to vote against Prop 8.

"Because of the intense and continuing interest in how different communities voted on Proposition 8, we are releasing this data to better inform current organizing, planning and strategizing to achieve marriage equality," said Karin Wang, Vice-President of APALC and member of the API Equality-LA steering committee. "Other reports and analysis have not included significant samples of Asian American voters, particularly those who do not speak English fluently. APALC surveyed 1,200 Asian American voters in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, including hundreds of voters who identified as limited English speaking."

Although the data is preliminary because it is not yet weighted to account for actual voter turn-out amongst Asian American voters, the data shows several key trends that mirror other nationally-reported trends. Because this is preliminary data, the focus is on trends and patterns, as opposed to specific numbers. (For more details, please see attached graphs or download them from http://demographics.apalc.org/)


* BY ETHNIC GROUP – Overall, Asian Americans in the 2008 Voter Survey narrowly supported Proposition 8 – 54% Yes to 46% No. By ethnic groups, there were small differences between Yes/No votes for Asian Indian (slight majority of No voters) and Filipino and Vietnamese American voters (small majority of Yes voters). The major difference in pattern is among Korean American voters, with Korean American significantly more likely to support Prop 8 by a wide margin. "Although we know our community will be highly interested in the ethnic-specific data, we believe that the more useful analysis is by age, English proficiency and religiosity, where the correlation to voting on Prop 8 is much stronger," said Dan Ichinose, director of APALC's Voting Rights Project.


More...

* BY AGE – Overall, Asian Americans between the ages of 18 to 34 voted significantly against Prop 8 (69% to 31%), with some Asian ethnic groups showing more than three-fourths of its young voters opposing Prop 8. As with other racial and ethnic groups, age is a key factor in influencing how an individual voted on Prop 8 and with age comes support for Prop 8. Across the board, in every Asian ethnic group, older voters (65+) were significantly more likely to support Prop 8, with approximately two-thirds to three-fourths of older Asian Americans voting Yes. "Asian Americans mirror the statewide patterns that have emerged in other surveys, where young people voted overwhelmingly against Prop 8 but their parents or grandparents voted strongly in support of Prop 8. We have experienced this in our grassroots education and organizing and we are heartened by it as a sign that change and progress is possible in our communities, moving between generations," said Marshall Wong, Co-Chair of API Equality-LA.


* BY ENGLISH PROFICIENCY – Overall, Asian Americans who were fluent in English clearly opposed Prop 8 (58% opposed) whereas few of those who were limited English speaking opposed Prop 8 (25% opposed). Across all Asian American communities, these patterns held true, with support for Prop 8 rising as English proficiency decreased. "This data underscores what many of us working in the community have known all along, that educating our communities in a language they understand is critical to winning the battle for marriage equality," said HyunJoo Lee, National Organizing Coordinator at the National Korean American Service & Education Consortium. "This holds particularly true for the Korean community, in helping to explain why so many Korean Americans voted for Prop 8 – the Yes on Prop 8 campaign flooded Korean media with information while the No on Prop 8 campaign focused mostly on English language media."


* BY RELIGIOSITY – Probably the strongest indicator of Proposition 8 support or opposition is religiosity. Across the board, the 2008 Voter Survey found that Asian American voters regardless of ethnic group were overwhelmingly more likely to oppose Prop 8 if they "never" attended a church, temple, or mosque (71%) than if they "never" attended (25%). For those that "sometimes" attended, a majority (55%) opposed Prop 8. This pattern is consistent across Asian ethnic groups, with each group showing a steep decline in opposition to Prop 8 based on whether the voter "never", "sometimes" or "regularly" attended a church, temple, or mosque. "Consistent with the recently released analysis from the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, which found that religiosity was one of the most determinative factors in supporting Prop 8, today's data also shows that more than ethnicity or even age, religion is key to influencing how Asian Americans voted on marriage equality," said Jonipher Kwong, Interfaith Organizer for California Faith for Equality. "This underscores the need to work across lines of faith to open up dialogue about the role that churches and other houses of worship have in creating a more equal society for all of our community members."


"The data released today fills in a picture that other studies and exit polls have begun to paint regarding the how communities of color voted on Prop 8," said Tawal Panyacosit, Director of API Equality in San Francisco. "This data is also consistent with what has been previously released, based on surveys of English-speaking Asian Americans, which have shown Asian American voters opposed to Prop 8. We believe that the data in general reflects the successful outreach and education that groups like API Equality and API Equality–LA have led in the Asian American community, particularly amongst English speaking and youth cohorts. At the same time, today's data underscores the need to expand strategies and resources to focus on limited English speaking and religious members of our communities. We strongly believe that the differences in our community reflect less a fundamental difference of thought so much as an unequal distribution of resources and information."

The Right Wing is Taking Action, Too . . .

. . . and they're just as motivated as ever.

The American Family Association is equally aware of the new White House Website, especially of its Civil Rights Agenda page that lists President Obama's plan to fight for LGBT equality.

The AFA has sent out an action alert to its members, inciting them with hateful language, calling homosexual love "perverted sex" and calling our fight for equal rights "special rights." (They're also on the offense, targeting Campbell's and PepsiCo for their enormous support for the LGBT community. To find out what they're up to, go to AFA Online. You'll find plenty.)

As a community, we need to be sure our voices are equally heard and just as strong as this powerful, organized opposition. There are many things you can do.

1. Send a postcard to President Obama asking him to repeal DOMA.

2. Contact the White House directly and voice your support of Obama and our equal rights:

Comments: 202-456-1111
Switchboard: 202-456-1414
FAX: 202-456-2461
White House Contact Form
White House website

3. Send this mass letter to the president

4. Read and Sign the Petition to expand the Civil Rights Act to LGBT rights.

The list goes on. Visit the sites listed on the right of this blog under "Take Action" and see what they're doing. Don't let the homophobia of right-wing trample on us again.

Expand the Civil Rights Act to Protect LGBT Rights

"The Power" is commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Stonewall Riots by starting a petition to expand the Civil Rights Act to the LGBT community.

Objective: Expand the Civil Rights Act to declare it the public policy of the United States that discrimination based on LGBT status is prohibited.

Target: Speaker Nancy Pelosi, United States House of Representatives

Delivery Date: June 1, 2009, the first day of the 40th annual Gay Pride Month

Copy to: Majority Leader Harry Reid, United States Senate
Brian Bond, LGBT Liason to President Barack Obama

Read and Sign the Petition!
Contact The Power at ThePowerNY@gmail.com

National Action Alert! from Equalityactionnow.org

To ALL who support the rights of Gay America: please sign and use this message, or any message of your choice, to congratulate President Obama, as well as to remind him of the importance of his commitment to Gay Civil Rights. Please FORWARD WIDELY.

The White House email address is:

During this time of transition, we encourage you to also copy to: info@barackobama.com

Also consider: vice_president@whitehouse.gov

There is also a contact form that may be used here

The White House server was apparently "down" for some time yesterday, but is apparently up and accepting email again today, according to CNN.

Sincerely,
EqualityActionNOW.org

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear President Obama:

We, as Gays and as allies of the Gay community, applaud your choice of Rev. Gene Robinson to lead the Invocation Prayer at your Lincoln Memorial inauguration event, although we were most disappointed that his prayer was not aired on the networks. We hope that your choice symbolizes a new beginning for your relationship with our community.

Over the last two years, wherever you have looked during your campaign, the Gay community was there. Unlike the right wing, we supported your campaign financially and otherwise—just as in the past we supported Rev. Martin Luther King, Cesar Chavez, and other leaders who championed equal rights for oppressed minorities.

We recognize and yes, even support your desire to build a coalition across the political spectrum. However, we ask that you recognize the important difference between those with differing political points of view and those who preach fear to support the denial of basic Human Civil Rights. We trust that, in the future, you will find ways to reach out across the American political spectrum, without supporting or providing the appearance of support to individuals or groups that stand for hate and bigotry.

The basic human right of each and every American citizen to equality under the law—regardless of race, color, creed, gender, or orientation—is simply not a political question.

Sincerely,
[Your Name]

Help Camp Courage Decide the Next Training Site

The LGBT community did such a great job in raising money for Camp Courage ($68,000 to be exact, way beyond the $25,000 needed), they're returning to the community and asking them to be directly involved in their future planning.

Many towns in California want to be chosen for a training site, but the Courage Campaign is turning to you to decide. Go here to vote on which of the following towns should host Camp Courage:

Bakersfield
Eureka
Fresno
Los Angeles (second training)
Marin County
Modesto/Merced
Oakland/Berkeley
Orange County
Palm Springs
Redding/Chico
Riverside/San Bernardino
Sacramento/Davis
San Diego
San Francisco
San Jose
San Luis Obispo
Santa Barbara
Santa Cruz/Monterey
Sonoma County
Stockton

According to the Courage Campaign, "Your votes will help our staff make some tough decisions on where to locate our Camp Courage trainings in the months ahead.

"We will weigh many factors, including prioritizing trainings in communities that will likely not receive as many votes as major metropolitan areas. Ultimately, we want to make strategic decisions and pick locations that will help build the Marriage Equality Movement across California (something to keep in mind when you vote)."

The New Whitehouse.gov

The new White House Website is up and running, and many agenda issues are addressed clearly. Many questions can be answered here.

However, the skeptic may scoff, "Let's see in one year's time if any of these promises turn up empty." Many people believe in the power of Obama, but one can't help but wonder if his ideals are rooted in naivete. All that he hopes to accomplish only raises the country's expectations which increases the chances of failure, real or perceived. At the back of all our minds, we fear his and our failure.

Yet, we must remain positive. After all, it is only his first full day as President of the United States. We are equally as responsible to keep on top of this administration, reminding them everyday of the promises not only given on the political stump, but also the ones listed on the new website.

In specific, The Civil Rights Section addresses many concerns of the LGBT community. For the first time in history, we have an administration that is starkly aware that we are not going away and that a movement is birthing and maturing. We are equally responsible as this administration, however, to not become complacent, not to let someone else do the work, and to not let history repeat itself, which is full of promises to capture votes, and when push comes to shove, nothing happens.

Review the website. Memorize those promises. And keep Obama at his word.