Posted on December 6 at 10 a.m.

BillClausen asks:

"By the way...how come Martin Luther King, who gave his life for his beliefs, didn't speak up on this issue?"

I realize this is probably a rhetorical question that might imply the gay community is not entitled to its own civil rights movement. But I think it deserves a reply.

Obviously the gay community was not MLK's primary issue or objective. MLK had a full plate and an artificially short time to advance it. But his comments always referred to ALL people treated equally by judging 'the content of their character.'. It is true he may not have mentioned sexual orientation, which was not spoken of as much in those days. So the question should be, what might MLK say today?

We needn't look far to find out. We need only look to his widow, Coretta Scott King, who carried the flame of the civil rights struggle for MLK after his death. Mrs. King spoke lovingly, frequently, eloquently, and forcefully about the need to extend equal civil rights to the gay community, particularly in the years before she died.

BTW, the same could be asked about Latino civil rights leaders. And in fact, many of the leaders ot the Chicano/Latino civil rights movement , such as Delores Huerta, have also spoken forcefully about the need for equal civil rights for gays and lesbians.

Clearly, some cannot be more equal than others; equal rights for one means equal rights for all.

On California's Prop. 8 Defeat: A Bungled Campaign

Posted on December 4 at 10:04 p.m.

Hank says:

"I can only hope lessons were learned from this analysis, but I can assess that w/ the attacks on Christian institutions & people's personal beliefs that the no on 8 protesters have launched, many once in support of gay marriage are going to not care for it anymore."

Interesting point. There have been no 'attacks' but rather protests and the beginning of boycotts, traditional hallmarks of a civil rights movement.

Here are poll results from 11-19-08, approx 2 weeks after the election. It appears there has already been a shift in opinion.

8% of those who voted YES would switch their vote to NO when asked, 'Have the protesters changed your opinion on Prop 8?'

From: SurveyUSA News Poll Conducted 11-19-08
Sponsored by KFSN-TV Fresno

On California's Prop. 8 Defeat: A Bungled Campaign

0 of 1 people thought this was a good comment.

Posted on December 4 at 1:19 p.m.

I stand by my analysis.

Unfortunately, the footnotes included with the analysis were omitted. They are as follows:

FOOTNOTES

1. 'Polling on Prop. 8 - California's Same Sex Marriage Ban', by Mark DiCamillo, Director of the California Field Poll, Pollster.com, November 7,1008 . Early September Field Poll showed the opposition leading by 14 or 17%. depending on wording. Mid-September polling by Public Policy Institute of California showed a lead of 14%. Prop 8 proponent ads began airing mid-to-late September.

2. The term, 'Ick Factor', was coined by Eric Rofes to describe a visceral recoil between gay men and lesbians.

3. 'The Church and the Negro', John Lewis Lund. Deseret Books. (Documents the history of the LDS Mormon Church ban on black members and clergy)

4. CNN Exit Polling Data (Black voter support of Prop 8 at 70% in favor)

5. The Leavey Center for the Study of Los Angeles at Loyola Marymount University. (Jewish voter opposition to Prop 8 at 78% against - 8% in favor)

6. Mulkey v. Reitman (1966) 64 Cal.2d 529, affd. sub nom.Reitman v. Mulkey (1967) 387 U.S. 369 (Case which struck down racial discrimination in housing, a measure previously enacted by an overwhelming popular vote.)

On California's Prop. 8 Defeat: A Bungled Campaign

1 of 1 people thought this was a good comment.

Posted on November 28 at 8:58 p.m.

Thank you Trixie for your comment on the use of lies about children by Yes on Prop 8, lies subborned by the Mormon Church.

Yes, what about the fate of the children?

What of the gay kids, one out of three of whom attempt suicide due to fear of rejection, ostracism, and the feeling of being 'other or less than,' sentiments embodied in the Mormon Church's position?

Imagine what the LDS Church could have done with $20 million to help gay kids abandoned in shelters or awaiting foster homes.

I guess that truly is a moral issue. Perhaps they only care about some children.

On Quantum of Canines

Posted on November 28 at 8:47 p.m.

Thank you Barney.

When an elected official donates to a cause that would rip civil rights away from their own constituents, it is important that people be made aware.

I believe Mr. Francisco owes the citizens of Santa Barbara, who voted overwhelmingly against Prop 8, an explanation.

And to the many gay and lesbian residents of SB and their children, constituents of Mr. Francisco, he owes more than an apology.

On Case Between Ben-Dor and Symphony Still Heated

Posted on November 24 at 8:28 p.m.

The right to conduct peaceful economic boycotts, political protests and public exposure (of those who funded Prop 8) are the traditional hallmarks of the American civil rights movement.

I heartily endorse them.

Gosh, for those who claim to be the defenders of all things traditional, I'd think you would respect and defend this one as well.

On Why Prop. 8 Won

Posted on November 14 at 1:48 a.m.

Great column, Barney.

Thanks for reminding us of the noble and sometimes tortured path we've travelled as a nation towards civil rights.

BTW, I've always thought you had a lovely pot.

On Miscegenation and Other Civil Rights

Posted on November 13 at 12:56 a.m.

According to state records, Santa Barbara City Councilman DALE FRANCISCO made 2 contributions in SUPPORT of Prop 8. I think he has some explaining to do to the citizens of this City.

To find a complete searchable list of contributor filings on Prop 8 go here: http://www.sfgate.com/webdb/prop8/

On Why Prop. 8 Won

Posted on November 12 at 1:06 a.m.

(continued)

We need to ask what happened in LA County, the single most important County in California accounting for 25% of all votes cast in the state, where the No on Prop 8 campaign appears to have collapsed.

It seems the Statewide Prop 8 campaign was primarily lost in Los Angeles County, which due to a 2-to-1 ratio of Democrats to Republicans traditionally typically delivers enough votes to dilute conservative votes elsewhere (primarily in Orange, San Diego and other Counties). LA is crucial to the electoral success of a traditionally liberal cause. In the case of Prop 8, not only did LA not deliver, it went in the wrong direction and contributed to a state deficit of approximately 500,000 votes.

As for turnout, despite repeated media reports about record turnout in the low 80's % the reality was very underwhelming. LA County, with just under 4.3 M registered voters, itself reports a turnout of 65.57%; the State Registrar reports 62.7% turnout for LA. The discrepancy is likely reporting delays. Statewide turnout is reported to be 61.4% but may be revised slightly upward. Either way it is well short of historic levels.

By comparison, turnout in Orange County, with just over 1.4 M registered voters, was 56% which is historically low for a presidential election. It is a bastion of conservative Republican votes.

I blame an incompetent campaign that blew through $36M and had little to show for it but a losing strategy.

But the battle and the struggle continues and it moves to the courts. Judging by the sweeping Supreme Court ruling last May, I believe they are expecting us...

On Why Prop. 8 Won

Posted on November 12 at 1:03 a.m.

While the polliing data are still being analyzed, I'm afraid this article misses the mark.

The single biggest reason for the loss was an ineffective and inept campaign strategy. Despite raising record shattering amounts of money and volunteers who worked their hearts out, the overarching state campaign strategy was a huge flop.

The state campaign violated numerous standard rules of political campaigns and in so doing lost a double digit lead to very effective scare tactics and voter apathy. Too often elections are won by who stays home.

The campaign began by allowing the proponents to define the debate and was never able to recover. Every emotional ad received an intellectual response.

Rather than organizing local organizing committees across the state, the campaign was run by a small cadre of people who were insular and did not listen to the those with experience in the winning grassroots activism that has beaten back repeated anti-gay measures during the last 3 decades.

The gay community was 'disappeared' within ineffective third party media messaging. So the magnificent media saturation about post-Supreme Court ruling weddings that so effectively humanized the issue and lead to double digit opinion margin was completely squandered. Ads never mentioned the subject matter of the proposition -- gay marriage -- and never featured simple first hand heartfelt stories of gay and lesbian families talking about what it meant to them and their children to have the legal benefits of marriage.

Further, in addition to lousy media, there was minimal ground operation, an ineffective Get Out The Vote (GOTV) strategy which resulted in low turnout in key voter rich counties, and most of all, no LA County strategy that provided outreach to our diverse electorate, particularly Blacks and Hispanics..

(continued)

On Why Prop. 8 Won