Another Round of Anti-Gay Attacks Coming Down the Pike?

Towleroad has learned that a religious group called the Becket Fund may be planning a second-round editorial assault on gays and the fight for marriage equality, condemning what they see as a "campaign of violence" following the passage of Proposition 8. What I've heard, from a fairly reliable source, is that they're calling around trying to get organizations to sign on to a full-page newspaper ad to run in major papers (more specifically, the New York Times), citing disruptions of worship and the singular isolated incident of white powder sent to churches (see last item) (the source of which has never been proven - it could have been the Mormons themselves). In any case, this type of slanderous attack has been known in the past to sway both our allies and folks undecided on the issue, so it's something to be wary of, and prepared for.

***

Conservative columnist Jonah Goldberg writes a column in the L.A. Times today that bears all the hallmarks of this kind of attack, meant to make the victim look like the aggressor. He writes:

"At a pro-gay-marriage rally in Los Angeles after the vote, chants of 'Mormon scum!' were reported. Envelopes containing white powder have been sent to Mormon temples in California and Utah; vandals hit other temples. Lists of businesses to boycott -- essentially Mormon blacklists -- have sprung up on the Internet. The artistic director of the California Musical Theatre resigned because of pressure after it was revealed he gave $1,000 to a pro-Proposition 8 group.

"It's amazing. Hollywood liberals, who shout 'McCarthyism!' as a first resort, see nothing wrong with this. If Jews were attacked in this way for giving too much money to a political cause, Barbra Streisand would already have a French passport.

"Never mind that Proposition 8 carried nearly every demographic slice of voters. Put aside the fact that the Catholic Church and scores of other Christian churches supported it too. Discount the inconvenient truth that bans on gay marriage have now passed in 30 states. It's all the Mormons' fault.

"The argument is that Mormons used illegitimate power, in this case money, beyond their numerical standing in the population to secure victory for the measure. Golly, wealthy gay liberals would never do anything like that! I bet they're not giving a dime to the legal effort to overturn Proposition 8.

"No, it's just that Mormons are the most vulnerable of the culturally conservative religious denominations and therefore the easiest targets for an organized campaign against religious freedom of conscience."

***

Goldberg calls the gays 'the aggressors in the cultural war' while the Mormons funded Proposition 8 to the tune of more than $20 million. Millions of Californians lost their civil rights. Those are the spoils of a cultural war and the religious right fought tooth and nail to rip them from Americans, severing families and hurting children in the process.

Dan Savage, in a column published just before Thanksgiving, wrote, regarding the resignation of L.A. Film fest director Richard Raddon:

"Bill Condon, the gay guy who directed Dreamgirls, attempted to get Raddon's back: 'Someone has lost his job and possibly his livelihood because of privately held religious beliefs.' No. No. No. Raddon lost his job due to criticism of his public political actions, not his private religious beliefs, and his public political actions were a part of the public record. If Raddon wanted to go to church and pray his little heart out against same-sex marriage, or proselytize on street corners against gay marriage, or counsel gay men to leave their husbands and marry nice Mormon girls instead, that could be viewed as an expression of his 'privately held religious beliefs.' Instead he helped fund a political campaign to strip a vulnerable minority group of its civil rights."

And that is the real aggression in the cultural war. If the whispers I am hearing about the mounting campaign to smear gays publicly in major newspapers is true, we should be ready to defend it.

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Same-Sex Marriage Supporters Protest at LDS Christmas Kick-off

Approximately 150 supporters of same-sex marriage protested Mormon involvement in the passage of Proposition 102 in Arizona, rallied at a Christmas display lighting ceremony at the LDS Temple in Mesa on Friday:

"The biggest donors to the Yes 4 Marriage campaign in Arizona, before the primaries, were Nancy and David LeSueur and Kathleen and Wilford Andersen, two prominent Mormon families in Mesa. Each family donated $100,000 cash, according to campaign-finance records. The idea for the vigil came from friend Bobby Parker, who helped [Clinton] Bartlett pull the event together on short notice. Parker, 64, came out to his Mormon family in January 2007. 'I lost my family, lost my church,' he said. The demonstration was peaceful, with participants holding candles and signs that read 'Peace' and 'Acceptance.' Some vehicles driving by honked in support of the demonstrators, but one person threw a dirty diaper out the window at them."

Proposition 102 amended the state constitution to declare marriage between a man and a woman.

Watch a news report on the protest, AFTER THE JUMP...

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L.A. Film Fest Director Raddon Resigns Over Prop 8 Donation

Los Angeles Film Festival director Richard Raddon, a "devout" Mormon, has resigned from his position following revelations that he donated $1,500 to the campaign to write discrimination into California's constitution, Variety reports:

"After bloggers published his name, culled from public records of donors, Raddon tendered his first resignation on Nov. 13 to Film Independent's board of directors. It was not accepted, and Film Independent released a statement saying, 'Our organization does not police the personal, religious or political choices of any employee, member or filmmaker.' Yet Internet message boards and other published reports kept the issue at the center of a growing protest movement that has targeted 'Yes on 8' donors including the Mormon Church and Cinemark Theaters, whose CEO was a contributor. On Monday, Raddon submitted a second resignation. Those close to the org described Monday's conference call with the board of directors as emotional. While Raddon's contribution had caused some internal angst, he was well liked within the org. On Tuesday, Film Independent issued a statement saying, 'With great reluctance, Film Independent has accepted Richard Raddon's resignation. Rich's service to the independent film community and to Film Independent has been nothing less than extraordinary. He has always shown complete commitment to our core principles of equality and diversity during his long tenure.'"

A replacement for this bigot has not been named.

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Keith Olbermann Keeps Focus on Prop 8, Talks to Candace Gingrich

Candace Gingrich appeared last night on Countdown with Keith Olbermann to discuss Proposition 8 and the letter she wrote to her brother, Newt, after he appeared on The O'Reilly Factor and said, "I think there is a gay and secular fascism in this country that wants to impose its will on the rest of us...it is a very dangerous threat to anybody who believes in traditional religion." (video below, right)

Wrote Candace to Newt: "The truth is that you're living in a world that no longer exists. I, along with millions of Americans, clearly see the world the way it as -- and we embrace what it can be. You, on the other hand, seem incapable of looking for new ideas or moving beyond what worked in the past. Welcome to the 21st century, big bro. I can understand why you're so afraid of the energy that has been unleashed after gay and lesbian couples had their rights stripped away from them by a hateful campaign. I can see why you're sounding the alarm against the activists who use all the latest tech tools to build these rallies from the ground up in cities across the country."

Watch Candace Gingrich and Keith Olbermann, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Marriage Equality Updates: California, Mormons, Activism, Prop 8

If you missed my posts yesterday on the march in Evanston outside Cinemark Theatres and the March on Sacramento, you can find them HERE and HERE.

Ken Starr to defend Proposition 8 in court?

L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Lorri Jean: A Prop 8 FAQ.

Join the Impact's plans for the next three months on marriage equality. Have you written a postcard yet?

NYT: Strike Down Prop 8! "Treating Proposition 8 as a mere amendment would set a precedent that could allow the rights of any minority group to be diminished by a small majority. The measure passed 52 percent to 48 percent. In California, sitting judges are subject to elections, and some supporters of Proposition 8 raise the threat of trying to oust justices who do not go along with trouncing on people’s rights and proper constitutional procedure. We trust the court will not be intimidated. The justices’ job is to protect minority rights and the State Constitution — even when, for the moment at least, it may not be the popular thing to do."

The California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) wrote a letter to Fred Karger of Californians Against Hate regarding a sworn complaint CAH filed against the LDS church on November 13. They are investigating: "The sworn complaint by a group called Californians Against Hate contends The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organized phone banks from Utah and Idaho and sent direct mail to voters. The complaint, filed four days after Californians voted to end gay marriage in the state, also alleges the Utah-based church transported people to California to walk precincts and distributed thousands of lawn signs and other campaign materials. The church is also accused of establishing Web sites and producing commercials and other video broadcasts geared toward non-members." Here's a copy of the letter Karger received.

COLUMN: Anti-gay Bigotry in a post-Proposition 8 World.

Legal experts are puzzled by California Justice Joyce Kennard's switch decision to vote against hearing the cases brought by those seeking to overturn Proposition 8: "Justice Joyce L. Kennard, a staunchly independent if not stubborn jurist, has a lengthy record of protecting gay rights, including the right to marry, and often sides with the underdog in rulings. In fact, her record is so unwavering that many gay-rights activists and several independent legal scholars surmised that her vote against hearing the legal challenges was procedural -- for example, she might have wanted them to be filed in lower courts first -- and did not reflect her thinking on the cases. But a close reading of the court's one-page order suggests that gay-rights advocates may have lost a usually predictable ally in their effort to overturn Proposition 8. 'It definitely isn't a good sign,' said UCLA Law Professor Brad Sears, an expert on sexual-orientation law." More HERE.

Minorities in California fear gay marriage ban may lead to other inequalities: "The entire purpose behind the constitutional principle of equal protection would be subverted if the constitutional protection of unpopular minorities were subject to simple majority rule," read a brief by black, Asian and Hispanic groups challenging the ban. "This case is not simply about gay and lesbian equality."

SALON: Why churches fear gay marriage. "While conservative churches are busy trying to whip up another round of culture wars over same-sex marriage, [author Richard] Rodriquez says the real reason for their panic lies elsewhere: the breakdown of the traditional heterosexual family and the shifting role of women in society and the church itself. As the American family fractures and the majority of women choose to live without men, churches are losing their grip on power and scapegoating gays and lesbians for their failures."

I mentioned this article earlier, but I'll include it again here. The NYT reports on Milk and activists who seek to tie the film with the quest for marriage equality.

Infighting among anti-gay groups following Prop 8 passage: "Other conservative groups that loudly backed Prop. 8 are being targeted as too extreme and off-putting by ProtectMarriage.com, which put the constitutional amendment on the Nov. 4 ballot and hopes to help persuade the state Supreme Court to uphold the measure. 'We represent the people who got things done, who got Prop. 8 passed,' said Andrew Pugno, general counsel for the Yes on Prop. 8 campaign. 'An important part of defending Prop. 8 is eliminating arguments not helpful to our concerns.'"

Christopher Lisotta talks to Latrice Johnson of the group United Lesbians of African Heritage, or ULOAH, a non-profit that’s been around for nearly two decades promoting the health and safety of Black lesbians, about their interaction with the "No on 8" campaign: "We weren’t approached, however I did make attempts, as did many of our staff and volunteers made attempts to reach out and let them know we were certainly willing to come to the table and help out. Unfortunately we were not approached. It was almost a dismissive response."

Prop 8 protests helping repair rift within Mormon church? "Ironically, the protests appear to be helping repair a rift within Mormonism caused by the election. The church's outspoken support for Proposition 8 exposed an unusual level of disagreement in the ordinarily harmonious Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as the Internet facilitated grass-roots organizing by the minority of Mormons who support same-sex marriage. But a smattering of anti-Mormon acts since Election Day - the burning of a Book of Mormon, a mailing of packets of white powder to Mormon sites, and some anti-Mormon invective expressed on signs and in sloganeering - has helped rally a denomination with a long history of persecution."

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Massive Prop 8 Protest Targets Cinemark Theatre in Evanston, IL

A massive protest targeting Alan Stock, the Mormon owner of the Cinemark theatre chain who donated $9,999 to the Proposition 8 campaign, took place in Evanston, Illinois over the weekend. the protest was organized by Chicago's Gay Liberation Network and its organizer Andy Thayer, who speaks in the video below.

The Daily Northwestern reports:

"'If you're going to target our community with hate, whether it's Prop. 8 or any other measure going forward, it's no longer going to be without consequences,' said Andy Thayer, Weinberg '85, the co-founder of Chicago's Gay Liberation Network. 'We are going to hit you in the pocketbook just the way you hit us in terms of our rights.' The Gay Liberation Network began planning a response to Stock's donation on Nov. 15 during the Chicago rally against California's Proposition 8, a measure that bans same-sex marriage. 'This is a local protest that should keep the pot stirring until we have the next national day of protest,' Thayer said. Cinemark Theatres, an international corporation that includes Century Theatres and CinéArts, is the third-largest movie chain in the country. Managers of Evanston's theater said they could not comment on the protest, and calls to Cinemark corporate offices were not returned."

The New York Times reported on Friday about Cinemark's plans to screen Milk, and how various parties are responding to it:

"In a particularly ticklish exercise, [Focus Features] continues to plan showings of 'Milk' in theaters owned by the Cinemark chain, whose chief executive, Alan Stock, donated to the campaign for Proposition 8. Taking a cue from Milk — who made his political breakthrough by supporting a union boycott of Coors beer — opponents of the marriage ban have begun their own boycott through a Web site, NoMilkforCinemark.com. In a statement issued on Wednesday, Cinemark, one of the country’s largest theater chains, said its decision to proceed with plans to show the movie also reflected a principle: 'It would be inappropriate to influence our employees’ position on personal issues outside the work environment, especially on political, social or religious activities.' On Thursday James Schamus, the chief executive of Focus, struck a diplomatic note. 'I know there’s a lot of anger out there,' said Mr. Schamus, who noted that Cinemark three years ago was among the first chains to embrace the studio’s gay-themed 'Brokeback Mountain.'...'I hope that gets settled,' he said of the boycott call."

(top image: michael lehet)

Two more videos, including one from Chicago Examiner blogger Michael Lehet,
AFTER THE JUMP...

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Marriage Equality Supporters March on Sacramento

The California Highway Patrol estimated that 5,000 people showed up on the steps of the California capitol building on Saturday in the latest major action against Proposition 8, including speakers Gloria Allred (above), Robin Tyler, Diane Olsen, Margaret Cho, Selene Luna, and Equality California's Geoff Kors.

The L.A. Times reports: "Many in the crowd held signs calling for equality and separation of church from state. Several banners targeted the Mormon Church whose members helped defeat the measure. 'If the ban on marriage equality was unconstitutional in May, the ban will also be unconstitutional when the Supreme Court makes its decision in January,' said incoming Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg, D-Sacramento. California's highest court agreed this week to hear three legal challenges seeking to nullify the state's new ban on same-sex marriage. All three cases claim the ban abridges the civil rights of a vulnerable minority group. They argue that voters alone did not have the authority to enact such a significant constitutional change."

The SF Chronicle reports: "Protesters filled much of the lawn beyond the Capitol steps, carrying homemade signs with messages like 'What's so scary about our love?' and 'Give tolerance a chance.' Vendors walked through the crowd, selling gay-rights buttons and rainbow flags. The crowd was much smaller than the 15,000 to 30,000 organizers originally had advertised or even the scaled-back 10,000 they hoped for this week. But while the rally was talked up in the days after the election, the actual organizing was done on the fly. 'There was a lot of buzz about this, but no real information,' said Keegan Killian of California Outreach, one of the organizers. 'Our first planning meeting was little more than a week ago.'"

A couple great videos from the march, AFTER THE JUMP...

The marchers:

Gloria Allred rallies, and Margaret Cho sings a special protest song:

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David Cook Speaks Out Against Prop 8

LOGO's NewNowNext posted an interview with American Idol winner David Cook on Friday in which he talked about a variety of topics, including Proposition 8 and gay rights:

"You know...I was not able to vote for Prop 8 because I'm not a resident of Los Angeles but I would have loved to have seen it (go) the other way. Human rights is human rights and I don't really see how sexuality parlays into whether or not you're a human being. I grew up in a really cool area of the country where tolerance was kind of the norm. I can't recall at any point in my life ever feeling uncomfortable about sexuality whether it be my own or anyone else's...It's an interesting time to be a homosexual in this country. I hope that very soon we get to this point where we look back now, [like] on women's rights and that struggle in the 20's - I hope this is another hurdle this country can overcome really quick."

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Gay music and video from NewNowNext.com

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News: Aaron Harvey, Sundance, Brad Pitt, Home Depot, Cleve Jones

Former Memphis police officer pleads not guilty to civil rights charges in the videotaped beating of transgender woman Duanna Johnson while she was in custody: "Johnson, a biological male who lived as a woman, was being booked on a prostitution charge when the incident happened. A videotape of the beating was broadcast on Memphis TV stations and online in June, leading to McRae's firing. His former partner, James Swain, 25, was also fired." Today is the National Transgender Day of Remembrance.

It's what being single does to a girl.

Guy Ritchie won't take a cent.

Two men plead not guilty to gay bashing murder of Liverpool teen Michael Causer.

Obama taps Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano as Homeland Security secretary. Politico: "Napolitano is a border governor who will now be responsible for immigration policy and border security, which are part of Homeland Security’s myriad functions. Napolitano brings law and order experience from her stint as the Grand Canyon State’s first female attorney general. One of the nation’s most prominent female elected officials, she made frequent appearances on behalf of Barack Obama during the campaign. She was reelected to a second four-year term in 2006."

Brad Pitt comes face-to-Skype with a Bradaloonie.

The truth about Phyliss Burgess, the old lady who had her cross stomped at the Palm Springs 'No on 8' rally.

Detroit sports radio personality loses football bet, comes to work in drag.

An interview with Aaron Harvey, whose work was the inspiration for the now well-known Shepard Fairey "Defend Equality" image: "I landed on a design that was certainly not new, but was new this go around -- a raised fist of solidarity, with a twist: this fist also had a wedding band on it. The color scheme was also deliberate. The official "No on 8" campaign was using a green check in their campaign which I felt was a visual oxymoron. I knew red needed to be part of the design. When I showed it to friends and colleagues some of them said 'Oooh that's kind of angry, how are you going to persuade people sitting on the fence with that?' Well, for me, it wasn't about persuading the other side. It was about my side, and getting my side to realize there was something they needed to get up and defend!"

Pete Wentz on having his man part manscaping revealed to the world: "Honestly, I felt slightly overgrown in those pictures. If I had taken them for public consumption, I would have done it differently—groomed a little closer, better lighting."

Huckabee: Prop 8 did not ban same-sex marriage, it affirmed traditional marriage.

Campaign to move Sundance Film Festival out of Utah launches website.

New York's Triborough bridge renamed for Robert F. Kennedy.

Wentworth Miller to be out of work soon?

Time Out New York interviews activist Cleve Jones: "I think there are lots of Harveys out there, but the movement has changed. The charismatic individual leaders who were able to get things done by the sheer force of their personalities—we don’t see them anymore. In Harvey’s day, we didn’t have infrastructure. We just had individuals with big ideas and big mouths. When Harvey ran for office, we had to raise $30,000 to get him elected, and that was a challenge. Today there are hundreds of gay organizations around the country that routinely raise and spend millions a year. We didn’t have community centers, churches and youth groups, and of course, we didn’t have HIV/AIDS. I think people like Harvey and myself are really anachronisms. Probably the last leader of that style was Larry Kramer."

Home Depot founder Bernie Marcus on electing Republicans: "If a retailer has not gotten involved with this, if he has not spent money on this election, if he has not sent money to Norm Coleman and these other guys, [then those retailers] should be shot; should be thrown out of their goddamn jobs."

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Marriage Equality Update: News from All Around

Prop 8 battle enters new stage: "What we're doing now is building a movement. There is more excitement and energy than I've seen in a long time about people coming together and wanting to have input as to what this movement looks like."

Project Postcard springing from Join the Impact: "Our friends at LGBTQ Civil Rights Front have come up with a brilliant way for us to ensure that LGBTQ issues aren't forgotten as President-elect Obama makes his transition into the White House. Their idea: buy a postcard from your home town, include a handwritten message, and mail it to Obama's Presidential Transition Office."

Cinemark Theatre to see picket this Saturday in Evanston, Illinois.

National "Day without a Gay" planned for December 10.

LDS Church has yet to respond to Equality Utah's press conference on the Mormon church's stated support of other gay rights. But new push for rights begins anyway...

GLAD: Group announces push for marriage equality throughout New England.

Bilerico is hosting a liveblog Thursday night with Kate Kendell, Nadine Smith and Barbara McCullough-Jones, three women who lead the efforts to defeat marriage amendments in California, Florida and Arizona.

Vermont lawmaker to introduce same-sex marriage bill: "Vermont state Sen. John Campbell says he's going to introduce a gay marriage bill when the Legislature convenes in January. Campbell says gay marriage is an important issue for many Vermonters, but he calls it a political land mine."

Christian who had her cross stomped in Palm Springs isn't pressing charges: "I will not press charges and I believe I'm doing what Christ did for us on the cross by saying, 'Father forgive them, they know not what they do.'"

Santa Cruz County joins suit seeking to overturn Proposition 8: "By unanimous vote, county supervisors chose to join the San Francisco lawsuit that seeks to undo Proposition 8, the recently passed constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. 'Santa Cruz County has once again stepped forward to make sure civil rights are enforced equally,' said a joyous Louis Bonsignore of Soquel, one of the many local residents, county employees and area clergy on hand to celebrate Tuesday's vote. For Bonsignore, like several others in the crowd, the vote was personal as he was among the first to wed under the state's short-lived gay marriage provisions. The board's action Tuesday, which was introduced by supervisors Neal Coonerty and Mark Stone, means the county will lend mostly symbolic support to the San Francisco lawsuit filed Nov. 5."

Showcasing a photo that could have been taken any day of the week, bigoted blog Dakota Voice highlights no-shows at Rapid City, South Dakota Prop 8 rally: "I don't usually have a whole lot of good things to say about homosexual activists around Rapid City or anywhere else for that matter; I just don't find anything to appreciate about undermining the moral fiber of society, undermining marriage and family, and legitimizing a lifestyle fraught with health hazards. But it looks like the homosexual community in the Rapid City area has opted for a responsible stance on Proposition 8...and stayed home. Some homosexual activists have been after me to say just one thing positive about homosexuals. Here you go. Credit where credit is due. Marriage and representative democracy are important, and we should respect both. I'm glad the homosexual community in Rapid City did." Well, the folks in Grand Forks, North Dakota didn't stay at home.

Dr. Phil dedicates entire episode to Prop. 8: "Frank Voci, founder of WhiteKnot.org, was in the audience for today’s taping and says the show was 'intense.' When audience members walked in, they had to choose sides — Yes or No on 8. Then, the producers physically divided the audience according to their philosophical/political positions. The show included commentary from Mayor Gavin Newsom and Gloria Allred as well as emotional audience participation." The show is scheduled to air this Friday.

Finally, Batboy was spotted at last weekend's rallies. (via pam)

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Second Half of Larry King Live with Joy Behar on Prop 8

Here's the second half of the Larry King Live Prop 8 special from Friday night that I was looking for this morning. The first half featured Cynthia Nixon. The second features Gavin Newsom, Dan Savage, Bishop Harry Jackson, Rev. Jim Garlow.

On Saturday, Dan Savage wrote on his site what he wished he'd said on Larry King:

"Well, amongst other things: When political attacks are launched from churches, political responses will be delivered to churches. If goddamned McDonald's had organized and paid for Prop 8, we'd be marching on goddamned McDonald's."

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

Here's the first half.

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Mormons Have Embedded Police Officials Watching Out for Them?

A reader pointed me to this article in the Sacramento Bee about stepped-up security around Mormon churches as a result of the recent protests. One would hope that law enforcement is there to serve and protect all citizens on an equal basis but according to one LDS official they have embedded officers watching out for them:

"They are hiring extra security to watch over the Folsom temple, and asking members to drive by church buildings late at night. Mormons in law enforcement are keeping track of Internet chatter to find out where protests will be held. 'Our members in law enforcement know where to look for this kind of stuff,' said Lisa West, spokeswoman for the church in the Sacramento region. She added that they are doing this on their own time. 'There's a lot of volatility in the air, so we're asking people to keep their eyes and ears open.'"

Our reader writes: "I think this is newsworthy. The Mormon church openly admits that it's embedding members into police departments then using them to advance their agenda... They're not saying that they're working with police like everyone else does, they're admitting that they're engaged in a conspiracy to advance their agenda using their police officer members in a possible circumvention of the law, and a definite violation of basic police ethics."

Here are a couple more related updates:

The NYT published a major article on Friday, highlighting the Mormon church's significant role in the passage of Proposition 8.

The L.A. Times also noted in a major weekend article that the LDS church is feeling the heat.

It was also revealed over the weekend that the main cinema used by the Sundance Film Festival is a Cinemark cinema. The CEO of Cinemark, Alan Stock, gave $9,999 to 'Yes on 8'. Cinemark operates the 'Century', 'CinéArts', and 'Tinseltown' theater chains. Sundance won't pull out of the anti-gay cinema. While Sundance is one issue, Cinemark also stands to profit from showing the Gus van Sant film Milk in its theatres. A group has sprung up online boycotting Cinemark theatres and encouraging viewers to see Milk at an alternative theatre chain.

Utah gay rights advocates oppose a boycott of the state. State senator Scott McCoy: "Now is no time to boycott Utah. Now is the time to stand up in solidarity ... We need to show Utahns that we are not going to go away and that we need to be paid attention to. We need rights for our families."

Tiny but visible counter-protest seen in Salt Lake City over the weekend.

The Mormon church blamed white powder it received in envelopes on gay activists, calling it domestic terrorism: "'We call upon those who have honest disagreements on this issue to urge restraint upon the extreme actions of a few,' church President Thomas S. Monson said in a statement. The Utah Pride Center, a gay rights group, put out its own statement calling the powder hoaxes and acts of vandalism 'deplorable.' However, the group said, 'It is false to conclude that yesterday's suspicious package came from gay protesters. Overwhelmingly, gay and allied Utahns have expressed their pain, frustration and commitment to securing rights through peaceful demonstrations and marches.' The coalition that ran the campaign to defeat Proposition 8 also issued a condemnation Friday. 'The NO on 8 campaign was about civil rights and seeking equality for all Californians. We have said time and again that the Mormon church deserves the same respect as any other religion,' said Ali Bay, a spokeswoman for Equality California, the state's largest gay rights group. The FBI is still investigating both cases, spokesman Juan T. Becerra said, noting that it's a crime to release a substance to threaten harm and stoke public fear."

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Fort Myers, Florida Sees Marriage Equality Protest of One

I'd just like to take a moment to salute our reader Jack, who was the sole protester at Fort Myers, Florida's City Hall on Saturday.

He writes: "Not much of a turnout in Ft Myers. I was the only one there at city hall. I did represent though."

I've received so many photos from readers I'm still updating our comprehensive gallery (and probably will be for the next week). We've also created a TowleroadTV widget - you can see it on the right of our front page - with a playlist of protest videos from around the country. I'll be updating that as well.

We also have a Flickr pool slideshow running HERE

Also, you may have noticed that the design on some of our pages is seriously jacked. We are aware of the issues and ask for your patience. We're trying to fix the issues. Thanks.

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Cynthia Nixon on Marriage Equality and Prop 8

Joy Behar, filling in for Larry King, devoted a large segment of the show to Proposition 8. She spoke with Cynthia Nixon. They discussed Proposition 8, Obama's position on civil unions, and the Mormon church. If anyone can find the continuation of the show, please forward me the link.

And if you missed our gallery of protests across the nation, check it out HERE.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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Mega Prop 8 Update 11-14-08: News, Protests, Links, Video

National protests Saturday in every state across the nation - Join the Impact.

EXCLUSIVE: Shepard Fairey, creator of the iconic Obama "Hope" image, has designed a poster for Prop 8 and the LGBT campaign for equal rights. High-res versions now available HERE.

Marriage equality foes now using Elton John as an ally because of these remarks.

Civil rights groups ask California Supreme Court to stop enactment of Prop 8: "Civil rights groups today filed a petition with the California Supreme Court to stop the enactment of Proposition 8 because it would mandate discrimination against a minority group and did not follow the process required for fundamental revisions to the California Constitution. In the petition, the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Equal Justice Society, California NAACP and the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. argue that in order to protect the fundamental rights of all Californians, a higher standard is required to overturn the right to marry. Minority communities cannot be stripped of their fundamental rights by a simple majority vote."

You wish it was 1,000 Bill. Multiply that by 10. O'Reilly warns wingnuts that this is just the gateway drug in the culture wars: "So you can see the debate over gay marriage is now a full fledge national battle. As talking points said last night the election of Barack Obama has emboldened secular progressives who feel it is their time. Gay marriage just the beginning. Other cultural war issues will also be in display very shortly. These include limiting gun possession, legalizing narcotics, unrestricted abortion and the revocation of the Patriot Act."

The State Supreme Court has asked Attorney General Jerry Brown to reply by Monday to lawsuits challenging the legality of Prop 8, suggesting the court is taking them very seriously: "The filing the court requested from Brown's office will not address the ballot measure's validity, but will focus instead on the initial questions of whether the justices should accept the suits for review - and, if so, whether they should suspend Prop. 8 while they decide the case, said the state's lawyer, Christopher Krueger, a senior assistant attorney general. Suspending Prop. 8 would allow same-sex marriages to resume."

NAMES quilt creator Cleve Jones and Milk screenwriter Dustin Lance Black have called for a seven-week sustained campaign to secure equal rights for LGBT Americans.

USA Today: After passage of Prop 8, support for same-sex marriage grows.

Phyliss Burgess, the Prop 8 supporter in Palm Springs who had her cross torn from her hands and stomped on by a group of 'No on 8' protestors plans to press charges.

Californians Against Hate "filed a complaint with California's Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC), alleging The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints failed to report nonmonetary contributions that helped pass the measure, which defines marriage as between a man and a woman." Salt Lake Tribune: "Fred Karger, the advocacy organization's founder, wrote in a letter to the FPPC and attorneys general Edmund G. Brown Jr. of California and Mark Shurtleff of Utah that the church 'has been highly secretive about its massive involvement in the campaign, but we managed to piece together evidence of some of their more visible activities done directly to communicate with California voters.'"

GAVIN NEWSOM: On Prop 8, the fight continues.

California county clerks are confused as to when same-sex marriage ban begins: "County clerks across California are clamoring for legal advice to resolve confusion about when to begin the gay-marriage ban that voters passed last week in a ballot initiative. At least three same-sex couples have obtained marriage licenses since the Nov. 4 passage of the measure overturning the state Supreme Court decision legalizing gay marriage."

The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Invalidate Prop 8 campaign to raise funds to fight the legal battles against Prop 8's passage has raised more than $60,000 and sent more than 2,300 postcards to Mormon church President Thomas Monson, acknowledging that a donation has been made in his name to invalidate Prop. 8 and restore fundamental civil rights to all Californians. Here's their press release (PDF) on the disbursement of those funds.

Bill O'Reilly's disgusting take on the Prop 8 battle. He hates gays so much, and he really still wants that war pitting gays against Blacks, and activist Jasmyne Cannick seems to want to assist him:

Perhaps Cannick should listen to Reverend Irene Monroe and Whoopi Goldberg. Please, no racist flames against Cannick. She has the right to her opinion even though imho it's pretty inflammatory.

DAVID MIXNER: Proposition 8 and race. "Among the most foolish has been the dialogue around the African-American vote in California. It has been tinged in places with racism, not based totally on good knowledge, lacks a historical perspective and certainly doesn't create an atmosphere to build a better coalition..."

Sign at Kim Light/Lightbox Gallery in Culver City, Los Angeles reads: "WARNING: This area may contain homosexuals, which are known by the State of California to be harmful to the sanctity of heterosexual marriage."

A lesbian mother in Fresno has been asked to resign from her position as president of the PTA at her son's Catholic school: "Robin McGehee, who enrolled her son Sebastian at St. Helens Catholic School, says she went to a vigil for the 'No on Proposition 8' campaign last Thursday. After that, a priest from the Diocese of Fresno told her to step down because she had gone against church teachings. The PTA's vice president, Tiffany Rodriquez, confirmed that McGehee was removed. Rodriquez herself resigned in protest of her removal."

"Letters containing a suspicious white powder" were apparently sent to two Mormon temples in Los Angeles and Salt Lake City: "The temple in the Westwood area of Los Angeles was evacuated before a hazardous materials crew determined the envelope's contents were not toxic, said FBI spokesman Jason Pack. The temple in downtown Salt Lake City, where the church is based, received a similar envelope containing a white powder that spilled onto a clerk's hand. The room was decontaminated and the envelope taken by the FBI for testing. The clerk showed no signs of illness, but the scare shut down a building at Temple Square for more than an hour, said Scott Freitag, a spokesman for the Salt Lake City Fire Department. None of the writing on the envelope was threatening, and the church received no calls or messages related to the package, Freitag said." Or, of course, they were sent there by anti-gays wanting gays to be seen as domestic terrorists.

Prop 8 victors, particularly Dave Leatherby, owner of the Leatherby Family Creamery in Sacramento, upset by personal attacks: "Leatherby and his family donated about $20,000 for the passage of Proposition 8. A devout Catholic and father of 10, Leatherby supported the measure for religious reasons. He said his business has been targeted by bloggers as a result, and that he is particularly confused because his business has participated in the annual gay pride Rainbow Festival."

BLACKLIST CITY:

L.A. Times: Boycott talk spreads...

According to the Hot Blog, "The Festival Director of FIND's LA Film Festival, Rich Raddon, came up on a “Yes On 8” donation list this morning. $1500...And I must say, positions amongst FIND insiders are widely varied. The phrase 'witch hunt' has been used... as has 'I can't see ever sitting down at a meeting table with him again.'"

EL COYOTE: Here's a great report on Marjorie Christoffersen's meeting at popular Los Angeles Mexican restaurant El Coyote over her donation to Proposition 8. And two videos:

The CEO of Cinemark cinemas, Alan Stock, gave $9999 to the "Yes on 8" campaign. It's a huge international chain of cinemas. The Sundance Film festival will be using some of Cinemark's theatres to screen its films.

Damage control at Marriott hotels. Here's the reason for the damage control.

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Whoopi Goldberg Talks About NYC Prop 8 March on The View

THANK YOU, Whoopi Goldberg! Hasselbeck, of course, defends the haters.

Check out some photos of Whoopi at the march here.

Watch it, AFTER THE JUMP...

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NYC Protest and Civil Rights March Opposing Proposition 8

So, last night's protest, which began at the Mormon Temple and left discrimination behind as it marched down Broadway to Columbus Circle, was a huge success. Thanks to everyone for showing up. Crowd estimates varied from 7-10,000. There was an unfortunate report that went out on the AP wire service early on that reported a few hundred people. Those of you who were there know how wildly inaccurate that is.

Towleroad political director Corey Johnson (above), who, with Michelangelo Signorile and Ann Northrop, initiated the entire event with assistance from several ACT UP vets including John Voelcker, later spent some time with the AP on the phone, and due to his persistence they later revised their estimate up to 10,000 based on what other outlets had been reporting.

Here's Signorile's report.

Here's a video of Corey directing the crowd as we began marching down Broadway.

I served as a marshal and was at the Temple starting at 5:30 pm. I met a lot of Towleroad readers, which was really cool. Hello to all of you.

Ann Northrop used a megaphone to instruct marshals on the plan. By 6 pm crowds had begun to gather in the small park opposite the temple and by 6:15 hundreds had showed up and a large circular picket line began circling the small square. Within minutes police were forced to create another picket area across the street directly in front of the Temple itself.

Chants of "Tax this Church" and Gay Straight Black White Marriage is a Civil Right" were heard as rush hour traffic pushed by on Columbus avenue. There was at least one audible "crunch" as a driver watching the protestors slammed into the back a taxi. Whoopi Goldberg appeared with a sign reading "For my Friends, Equal Rights" as the crowds also began showing up in droves.

Whoopi image from a great set of photos by Bitten by a Zebra.

At this point the police were freaking out a bit as to the crowd size and expanded the protest area into Columbus Avenue. Protestors were behaving very well and the energy was high.

At a certain point the police gave us the okay to begin the march, so we corraled demonstrators behind a 75-foot banner sewn this week by rainbow flag creator Gilbert Baker, who was there (Baker also designed the stretch-sequin turquoise armbands that the marshals wore).

Here's a great photo of the banner shot by Andres Duques, from a report on the event by gay journo Rex Wockner:

At that point I was placed just ahead of the front line of demonstrators holding the banner as we began a march down Broadway, which was closed to traffic. The enthusiasm was palpable. No incidents that I saw except for one guy near the beginning of the march down Broadway. He was actually dressed in a crisp shirt and tie (like a Mormon) and he walked across a group of protestors and gave them each a hard push before disappearing into the night.

There was also an "ex-Mormon" riding a Segway in front of the protest as it made its way down the street and he was really there for his own self-promotion and actually kept getting in the way.

The crowd moved down Broadway. As I was at the front of the line I couldn't see how far back the crowd stretched but it was blocks and blocks I was told, and the video below by Father Tony gives something of an idea. This is one of my favorite videos of the event, because it's just raw and it winds through the crowd which just goes on an on and on. I have a brief cameo at 5:40. Father Tony also has photos on his blog Farmboyz, plus a Flickr set. It includes this shot of former NGLTF head Matt Foreman.

Eric Leven of Knucklecrack has also uploaded a great video wrap-up of the event.

Here are the clips. Father Tony's on the left, Eric Leven's on the right:

We turned left on 61st street because the police thought it would be too dangerous to enter Columbus Circle directly at rush hour so we detoured and made our way down Central Park West so protestors could filter off into the southwest entrance to the Park.

We stayed at the entrance to Columbus Circle where the protest ended. It was meant as a show of force and solidarity, and as a way for folks to come together and express their desire for civil rights, and on that I think it succeeded admirably. Protestors lingered well after police instructed us to start telling people to go home.

Matthew Rettenmund of Boy Culture has a fantastic report with great pictures of Whoopi Goldberg, PJ Deboy, Joe.My.God, Tony Kushner, Kate Clinton, Eric Leven, Judy Gold, and a video:

Here's a shot of Kate Clinton from reader Charl Kroeger. More on his Facebook page.

Towleroad's Kevin Sessums, who I didn't get a chance to see, reports that he saw Peter Staley, Tony Kushner and his husband Mark Harris, Doug Wright, Moises Kaufman, Urvashi Vaid and Kate Clinton, Avenue Q scribe Jeff Whitty and Jake Shears as well as the elusive Dan Savage, Larry Kramer, artist Robert Hammond (and initiator of the developing High Line park) as well as composer Marc Shaiman, who led the recent charge to boycott Sacramento's California Musical Theatre, leading to the resignation of its artistic director of 25 years, Scott Eckern following revelations of his contribution to the "Yes on 8" campaign..

Blogger Joe.My.God (pictured above) has a fantastic set of photos which include Michelangelo Signorile, Lavi Soloway, Judy Gold, Eric Leven, Gilbert Baker, Whoopi Goldberg, Corey Johnson, and myself working the crowd (below).

There's also impressive coverage over at Blabbeando with video.

Here's a photo of some interesting signage sent in by photographer Jason Rowan:

Alex K of Eat Read Play has a colorful report.

Alex Geana has posted a widget with dozens of photos.

I'm told New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn was there. State senator Bill Perkins also represented (below):

Band of Thebes has photos and reports the sighting of author Michael Cunningham.

Here's Tony Kushner, in a photo published along with many others on the Protest Facebook page:

Jon-Marc McDonald has some excellent photos and video including this shot of myself (at a moment when I actually remembered I had a camera in my pocket and could take some photos) as well as Slog's Dan Savage. He also has a shot of Larry Kramer.