10/14/2008
Report: Proposition 8 Campaign Turns Violent
Protect Marriage (the campaign pushing for Proposition 8, the ban on same-sex marriage) claims that one of their volunteers was assaulted while waiting to distribute "Yes on Prop 8" signs outside a church (note: link takes you to Protect Marriage's site).
"Prop. 8 supporter, Jose Nunez, 37, was brutally assaulted while waiting to distribute yard signs to other supporters of the initiative after church services at the St. Stanislaus Parish in Modesto. The assailant grabbed about 75 signs and yelled at Nunez accusingly, 'What do you have against gays!' Although Nunez replied that he had nothing against gays, he was attacked anyway. The assailant punched Nunez in the left eye and ran off with the signs. Nunez, his eye dripping with blood, walked into a building on church grounds where a fellow parishoner called 911. Police and paramedics responded to the scene. Nunez, who suffered a bloody eye, serious wounds to his face, and a scratch to his knee, was rushed by ambulance to a local hospital where he received 16 stitches under his eye. According to the Yes on 8 campaign, the attack shows that their opponents are not as tolerant and open-minded as they would like voters to believe."
Here's a report from News10.
NO on Prop 8 Campaign Director Patrick Guerriero released this statement last night in response to the report:
"The No on Prop 8 campaign condemns violence or any sort. We are deeply concerned to hear the news of a lawn-sign incident that apparently involved the injury of one of the volunteers for the Yes on 8 campaign. This incident – or anything like it – should not be tolerated in any campaign. However, we deplore the tactics unleashed today that blames the NO on Prop 8 campaign for this despicable act. To take something this unfortunate and use it for political gamesmanship is a disgrace. Our campaign has always been about dignity and respect for all Californians. We call for a peaceful, honest and just campaign on both sides."
Obviously this is a deplorable act if true. It's also a deplorable act if it's some kind of sick stunt by the "Yes on 8" people, and should not be a distraction from the tactics their group and other "pro-family" right wing Christian groups use on an ongoing basis to oppress LGBT people and deny them basic human rights.
CLICK HERE to defeat Proposition 8 without violence.
Posted 11:36 AM EST by Andy Towle in California, Gay Marriage, News | Permalink
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I disagree with characterization of this act as "deplorable."
Anti-gay bigots attack us physically and emotionally every day of the week. They tie us to fences and leave us to die. They compare us to murderers and pedophiles and alcoholics. They keep us from our loved-ones when they are ill or hospitalized. They keep us from our children.
In short, anti-bigots attack us often and without remorse.
Rather than condemn this act as deplorable, let's simply how sad that Yes on 8's campaign of lies and untruths has finally pushed one man too far.
I hope he gets away with it.
Posted by: mike moore, new york city | Oct 14, 2008 11:57:59 AM
Let me help- it's a lie. It's quite sad that you are so gullible along with the poorly run campaign against prop 8.
Posted by: akaison | Oct 14, 2008 12:00:32 PM
I don't ever condone violence but I have to believe there's more to this story than what the "victim" is telling. Why would he be for Proposition 8 unless he hated gays? It's anti-gay Proposition! Colour me a cynic but I've been attacked more than a few times for simply being gay so I will reserve judgment until I know the full story. It wouldn't surprise me if this guy attacked himself for the publicity.
Posted by: Jose Arribas | Oct 14, 2008 12:02:36 PM
I need to point out the obvious here: emotions are riding high. Sure, violence isn't the answer, but what is this vote about anyway? It's about one group of people trying to tell another group how they feel they should behave based on the belief that an omnipotent, invisible being told them so. I can personally say, as a gay man, that I am defensive enough to protect myself from the crazy, tyrannical forces against me. Sure, a man got hit in the face, but that man's choices put him at risk. No one asked him to aid oppressors. It's a social war we're fighting. We've taken enough casualties on our side. This is way beyond keeping an open mind.
Posted by: Michael | Oct 14, 2008 12:02:52 PM
This has Rove-ian pander written all over it.
Posted by: Tweety | Oct 14, 2008 12:03:06 PM
OT: I e-mailed you about the lack of people of color ads I am seeing, and got no response. Why aren't there any attempts to reach out to the people of color communities? Are they being completely ignored in favor of comfort zone areas?
Posted by: akaison | Oct 14, 2008 12:03:29 PM
I smell something rotten about this.
I don't know...this could be just a stage to pull people to vote "Yes on H-8." They will do anything to discredit the gay community.
Posted by: Seph | Oct 14, 2008 12:04:42 PM
Wait- so several of you believe this guys story as fact? Jesus- that's sad.
Posted by: akaison | Oct 14, 2008 12:06:46 PM
Its too bad that Karl Rove and his spawn have been able to turn homosexuality into something to get out the vote...oh so cynical.
I blame the Mormons though...they are behind the "Yes on 8" (I always read it as Yes on Hate lawn signs that are popping up in California.
Unfortunately, the gays have no Martin Luther King to lead them nonviolently to the promised land of liberty and equality. Some gays will overreact to people distributing a message of hate against them.
That is if this was not a self-inflicted wound. I think Karl Rove would admire that-- very cunning!
Posted by: JJ | Oct 14, 2008 12:13:25 PM
Could this be considered a hate crime?
Oh, nevermind. I forget that these same people are against hate crime legislation.
Posted by: crispy | Oct 14, 2008 12:15:38 PM
In front of a church??? What about the separation of church and state ??
Has the tax exempt status of this church been removed yet ???
Posted by: Ty | Oct 14, 2008 12:43:30 PM
I can't put my finger on exactly why, but this smells...Five bucks says that by this afternoon, someone's going to come forward with evidence that debunks this little scenario...
Posted by: mcQ | Oct 14, 2008 12:46:47 PM
there's no evidence that this event is fraudulent, and plenty of reason to believe that in this emotional environment, some unstable person snapped. and they shouldn't have, and it *is* deplorable. we demean ourselves by saying otherwise.
i think we are right to ask any right-wing groups making a big deal of this, "where were you in every instance of gay-bashing, which by anyone's estimation far outnumbers straight-bashing?" but let no one hesitate to condemn violence on either side, please!
Akaison, as i posted in a late response to you on the "lies" ad thread, this campaign is a numbers game. television ads are incredibly expensive here, so we basically have to put "all our eggs in one basket" there. there's only one basket it makes logical sense to put our eggs in: the largest demographic group of undecided voters. this, by far, is the group targeted by the ads--both our ads and the opposition ads.
it upsets me to see hypercriticism of the No On 8 campaign here on towleroad, because the campaign needs every bit of help it can get, and this sort of *illogical* attack may discourage supporters. No On 8 is a smart, well-run campaign that can totally win if everyone helps out.
again, the communities of people of color *are* being targeted as well, but not through the über-expensive tv ads (which would NOT be in any way cost effective in terms of winning this election), but rather through rallies and coalitions with community leaders.
Posted by: le_sacre | Oct 14, 2008 1:00:17 PM
Maybe he's lying, maybe not. I do hope we don't resolve to violence, because we NEED to be BETTER than them. We need to win and we need to win while being the bigger man. If we resolve to violence, we'll just be as dirty as they are.
Posted by: Brendan | Oct 14, 2008 1:04:07 PM
Andy,
Your last comment in this post suggests we defeat the "NO on 8" campaign.
Please correct it... "Click HERE to defeat PROP 8 without violence"
Thanks.
Posted by: Niel | Oct 14, 2008 1:39:13 PM
I find it amazing how many of you seem to believe what you read. This is another "Lindy Ingram" story. Planned, Staged, executed, delivered to the public for consumption. Nothing about it is based in fact, but it sure makes for good reading.
Posted by: Sargon Bighorn | Oct 14, 2008 1:45:55 PM
I think I finally get it. Many of you don't understand your opponents.
They believe that the ends justify the means. They will lie. How do I know this?
Because they have already lied in this campaign. Thus, I require something more
than their word about what happened.
In the law, when witness's character has been impeached through prior acts that demonstrate they are willing to lie, one doesn't continue to buy what the witness is selling. This is why I keep asking how gullible do you have to be to believe this?
This is the stagecraft and optics here: At the same time that the Anti-8 campaign is running a get out the sympathy/open mind vote as their only strategy, there is an attack on someone who happens to be a pro 8 activist who happens to be a member of one of the groups that we fear we will lose in the vote. The only proof of how or what happened is offered by the anti 8 activist.
If you believe this happened the way he describes, you are extremely gullible given the interest of the party involved.
Posted by: akaison | Oct 14, 2008 1:49:58 PM
Le Sacre
Provide the links demonstrating the outreach you are claiming is occurring. There is also the free media which doesn't require an expensive ad and nor is it all that expensive to run radio ads on black and Latino radio stations or on the more open minded Christian networks. Finally, please stop telling me how the criticism of the anti 8 campaign makes you feel- it's kind of irrelevant to my questions and what's happening.
Posted by: akaison | Oct 14, 2008 1:54:45 PM
It is in extremely poor taste to say that this is all fake, considering the number of times that gay bashing has been chalked up to "domestic violence, gay-on-gay" by right-wing groups over the years. We just don't want to stoop to their level. I doubt this guy would agree to get stitches at a hospital as part of some mass sympathy getting gesture for the proposition.
Posted by: anon | Oct 14, 2008 1:57:25 PM
Wait, so the campaign director, Mr. Guerriero, wasn't he the former head of Log Cabin Republicans? Please, PLEASE, tell me that the head of the No On 8 campaign is not the guy who believed for god knows how long that his silent suffering could change the hearts of millions of overzealous conservative blowhards, because if that's true I am extremely scared and concerned about the fate of marriage in CA.
Posted by: Fidel | Oct 14, 2008 2:03:01 PM
Am I the only one who thinks it is about time one of these hate mongers gets punched in the face.
Prop 8 isn't just about marriage. Each of these discriminatory actions whether it is adoption, military service, housing, equal protection...is another way that they substantiate our second class status. If they win on marriage, they will start working on some other way to reduce our value and therefore reduce our protections.
I, personally, am tired of waiting for voters to do the right and finally live up to our American ideals.
If we lose in November, I will probably be the next person to punch someone in the face.
Posted by: Tony | Oct 14, 2008 2:05:57 PM
Akaison, you are welcome to attend our rallies, help register voters, and maybe even leave a donation. Due to limited seating, we do not have space for you at our fundraising dinners, but you may come afterward to pick up some trash. Please contact the "No On 8, Equality For All" campaign to learn how you can take action today!
Posted by: misquowoti | Oct 14, 2008 2:07:55 PM
I've already donated, sent information to my friends, etc. and I don't live in your state. Thus, when you say that the irony is that I am supporting your cause although it won't be helping me at all and I do have a problem with you are running things. I will await the links demonstrating your outreach to communities of color rather than the respond anymore to the personal stuff that really never addresses the issues I am raising.
Posted by: akaison | Oct 14, 2008 2:22:39 PM
Well, that's again the optics as typified by Fidel. Let's (the pro 8 campaign) figure out how to push the button that they (the anti 8 campaign) are trying to push. Someone mention Rovian above, and it is. Use the oponents strength against them.
Posted by: akaison | Oct 14, 2008 2:24:58 PM
yeah, that sounds a bit fishy to me. Gay people aren't violent by nature. And to hit a stranger for nothing. Just doesn't jive. Sounds like they set this up for sympathy votes or some horsecrap.
Posted by: david | Oct 14, 2008 2:32:41 PM