Comments on: Angry over Antigay Ballot Initiatives? Do Something Positive http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/2008/11/984/ Fighting antigay lies and the ex-gay myth Fri, 10 Feb 2012 01:57:01 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: aaa http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/2008/11/984/comment-page-1/#comment-8434 aaa Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:31:01 +0000 http://www.truthwinsout.org/?p=984#comment-8434 It's a shame that tension got to the point where a small group of gay people actually harrassed black people who were against Prop. 8. and the like... But this sort of frustration was inevitable when the religious right stripped a group's civil right to marry away, or more infuriatingly banned gay couples from adopting children. The majority of the black demographic may have supported anti-gay measures, but we have to remember that it's because of their religious affiliation, not because of how much melanin they have in their skin. Regardless of skin colour, religious fundamentalists are the ones deserving blame. It’s a shame that tension got to the point where a small group of gay people actually harrassed black people who were against Prop. 8. and the like…

But this sort of frustration was inevitable when the religious right stripped a group’s civil right to marry away, or more infuriatingly banned gay couples from adopting children. The majority of the black demographic may have supported anti-gay measures, but we have to remember that it’s because of their religious affiliation, not because of how much melanin they have in their skin. Regardless of skin colour, religious fundamentalists are the ones deserving blame.

]]> By: Scott http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/2008/11/984/comment-page-1/#comment-8423 Scott Mon, 10 Nov 2008 09:21:25 +0000 http://www.truthwinsout.org/?p=984#comment-8423 Anthony, Let's see how long that "backbone" holds up. Why make marriage the core issue and platform, when even those guys can't stay married to the same person for very long? LOL whenever a hetero person invites me to their wedding, I decline, because I give them 3 years, tops. What's the point of going. Anthony,

Let’s see how long that “backbone” holds up.

Why make marriage the core issue and platform, when even those guys can’t stay married to the same person for very long?

LOL whenever a hetero person invites me to their wedding, I decline, because I give them 3 years, tops. What’s the point of going.

]]> By: Anthony Look http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/2008/11/984/comment-page-1/#comment-8420 Anthony Look Mon, 10 Nov 2008 06:47:27 +0000 http://www.truthwinsout.org/?p=984#comment-8420 Take a note from the Obama campaign; a gay statesman that organizes the gay youth (and gay youth friends and family supporters); as well as all sectors of the gay community need to consolidate into local, state and a national mega voting block. This is the GOP's is reorganizing post this election with the assault on Gay Marriage being the "backbone of their platform",: http://rawstory.com/news/2008/GOP_leader_Rebuild_party_based_on_1109.html Take a note from the Obama campaign; a gay statesman that organizes the gay youth (and gay youth friends and family supporters); as well as all sectors of the gay community need to consolidate into local, state and a national mega voting block. This is the GOP’s is reorganizing post this election with the assault on Gay Marriage being the “backbone of their platform”,:
http://rawstory.com/news/2008/GOP_leader_Rebuild_party_based_on_1109.html

]]> By: Evan Ravitz http://www.truthwinsout.org/blog/2008/11/984/comment-page-1/#comment-8418 Evan Ravitz Mon, 10 Nov 2008 05:16:40 +0000 http://www.truthwinsout.org/?p=984#comment-8418 I'm sorry that gays and others have been targeted by intolerant abusers of the initiative process. But don't throw out the baby with the bathwater! Here in Colorado, my gay friend Jared Polis just won election to Congress (http://polisforcongress.com), and was the single greatest force turning Colorado from "red" to "blue" since 2000. He's used his wealth to fund Dem campaigns, but also to sponsor 2 very successful ballot initiatives, Colorado Amendments 23 (raising school funding) and 41 (preventing lobbyists from giving "gifts" to legislators). He joined in sponsoring 37, which mandates renewables for electric companies. Ballot initiatives are the origin of most reforms, such as women's suffrage (passed in 13 states before Congress went along), direct election of Senators (in 4 states), publicly financed elections (passed by initiative in 6 of 7 states with them), medical marijuana (in 8 of 13 states) and increasing minimum wages (in all 6 states that tried in 2006). See http://Vote.org/initiatives for more examples and references. The media have seized on the problem initiatives. They generally kiss up to politicians. Jared also supports NATIONAL ballot initiatives, with which we could stop the Feds from abridging medical marijuana rights, stop illegal wars, torture, etc., and get national health care, which Congress has dithered over since the '40s, while all other 1st world countries got it. Voters on initiatives need what legislators get: public hearings, expert testimony, amendments, reports, etc. The best project for better and national initiatives is the National Initiative for Democracy, led by former Sen. Mike Gravel: http://Vote.org. I’m sorry that gays and others have been targeted by intolerant abusers of the initiative process. But don’t throw out the baby with the bathwater!

Here in Colorado, my gay friend Jared Polis just won election to Congress (http://polisforcongress.com), and was the single greatest force turning Colorado from “red” to “blue” since 2000. He’s used his wealth to fund Dem campaigns, but also to sponsor 2 very successful ballot initiatives, Colorado Amendments 23 (raising school funding) and 41 (preventing lobbyists from giving “gifts” to legislators). He joined in sponsoring 37, which mandates renewables for electric companies.

Ballot initiatives are the origin of most reforms, such as women’s suffrage (passed in 13 states before Congress went along), direct election of Senators (in 4 states), publicly financed elections (passed by initiative in 6 of 7 states with them), medical marijuana (in 8 of 13 states) and increasing minimum wages (in all 6 states that tried in 2006). See http://Vote.org/initiatives for more examples and references. The media have seized on the problem initiatives. They generally kiss up to politicians.

Jared also supports NATIONAL ballot initiatives, with which we could stop the Feds from abridging medical marijuana rights, stop illegal wars, torture, etc., and get national health care, which Congress has dithered over since the ’40s, while all other 1st world countries got it.

Voters on initiatives need what legislators get: public hearings, expert testimony, amendments, reports, etc. The best project for better and national initiatives is the National Initiative for Democracy, led by former Sen. Mike Gravel: http://Vote.org.

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