'Million for a Million' to Bring Marriage Back to California!

Million for aMillion is a new campaign by Yes On Equality, Truth and Hope, and Restore Equality 2010 to raise a million dollars to get the over 1 million signatures needed to put marriage equality on next years ballot.

Polls indicate public support growing for an effort to repeal proposition 8 which banned marriage equality in California in 2008.

Donate now, and sign up to get updates at Million for a Million.

"Make It Work" With the Courage Campaign

"Make It Work" is a new set of events by the Courage Campaign to win back marriage equality in the state of California. More than 20 “Make it Work!” events are scheduled between June 18-28.



For a listing of events or to join an equality team check out the "Make It Work" page.

We Won't Back Down - Repeal Prop 8!

In a 6-1 ruling the California Supreme Court declared it legal for the majority to impose tyranny on a minority and effectively strip rights away from any population it chooses. Prop 8 may stand today, but the cracks are getting deeper and the voices are getting louder. We must remain steadfast in our opposition to marriage inequality and fight for justice and equality for all!



The Human Rights Campaign is urging for people to donate to the cause for marriage equality at http://www.wontbackdown.org

Camp Courage - Training Sessions Throughout California to Defeat Prop 8!

Camp Courage is a training program inspired by "Camp Obama" that will use community organizing methods that have developed leaders and nurtured progressive social movements for decades in an effort to repeal proposition 8 and bring back marriage rights to same-gender couples.

The first Camp Courage will take place in Los Angeles and the deadline to apply is Jan 13th, but soon after will move on to other parts of California like like Fresno, San Diego, Sacramento, San Luis Obispo and San Francisco.

Please address any questions to: CampCourage@couragecampaign.org

Contact Your Representatives to Support Invalidating Prop 8!

The proponents of Prop 8 usurped the role of the Legislature by putting the right for same-sex couples to marry directly on the ballot. Two Equality California-sponsored resolutions will make it official state policy, when they are approved by the Legislature, that Prop 8 should be overturned. Write your legislators now to urge them to support the invalidation of Prop 8 and vote for SR 7 (Leno) and AR 5 (Ammiano). Prop 8 eliminates the fundamental right to marry and allows a slim majority to take away the equal protections of a minority, which violates one of the founding principles of our Constitution. The resolutions state the measure should have been approved by a two-thirds vote in the Legislature before going to voters. Urge your representative to support these resolutions.

Please fill out the form to contact your representatives.

California Supreme Court to Hear Prop 8 Case

This just in .... California's highest court has just agreed to hear legal challenges to a new ban on gay marriage, but has refused to allow gay couples to resume marrying until it rules.

The California Supreme Court on Wednesday accepted three lawsuits seeking to overturn Proposition 8. The amendment passed this month with 52 percent of the vote. The court did not elaborate more on this decision.

Gay rights advocates in these case are arguing that the measure was actually a constitutional revision, instead of a more limited amendment. A revision of the state Constitution can be placed before the voters only by a two-thirds vote of the Legislature or a constitutional convention.

Lawsuits to overturn the initiative contend it was a revision because it denied equal protection to a minority group and eviscerated a key constitutional guarantee. Supporters of Proposition 8 counter that it merely amended the constitution by restoring a traditional definition of marriage.

In its order, the court established an expedited briefing schedule, under which briefing will be completed in January 2009 and oral argument potentially could be held as early as March 2009.

Six justices — Chief Justice Ronald M. George, Justice Marvin R. Baxter, Justice Kathryn M. Werdegar, Justice Ming W. Chin, Justice Carlos R. Moreno, and Justice Carol A. Corrigan signed the court’s order, but Justice Moreno indicated that he would grant the requests to stay the operation of Proposition 8 pending the court’s resolution of these matters.

The court has tended to defer to voter sentiment on initiative challenges, but it has overturned popular ballot measures in the past.

In 1966, the California Supreme Court struck down an initiative that would have permitted racial discrimination in housing. Voters had approved the measure, a repeal of a fair housing law, by a 2-to-1 margin.

Opponents challenged measure on equal protection grounds, not as a constitutional revision.

Additionally Federal courts have also overturned another contentious initiative, Proposition 187, the anti-immigration measure passed by voters.

Crossposted via Lez Get Real.

Overturn Prop 8 Petition - EQCA

Equality California is committed to defeating proposition 8. Please sign the petition to stand with the organization to overturn prop 8 either through the courts or through another voter referendum in 2010.
http://www.eqca.org/petition

Courage Campaign's - Repeal Prop 8 Petition!

"The birth of a new Marriage Equality Movement -- the civil rights movement of the 21st Century -- is unfolding before our eyes.

Movements are visceral and popular, often borne of outrage and anger. What we are witnessing on the streets and online is a community of people who have come together to say: "These are our lives. This is our time. This is unacceptable." Organized from the bottom-up by thousands of ordinary people just like you, this people-powered phenomenon is exponentially growing by the minute, online and offline.

This is our moment to stand strong together -- gay and straight -- and say that we refuse to accept a California where discrimination is enshrined in our state constitution. Please show your support by pledging to support our campaign to repeal Prop 8 and restore marriage equality to California.

Please sign the pledge to repeal Prop 8 -- then forward this link to your friends"