No on Prop 8I learned about this news via Dr. B , who also writes about an example of the politicking in favor of Prop 8: efforts by pro-8 supporters to shake down businesses who have contributed to Equality California.
Apple is publicly opposing Proposition 8 and making a donation of $100,000 to the No on 8 campaign. Apple was among the first California companies to offer equal rights and benefits to our employees’ same-sex partners, and we strongly believe that a person’s fundamental rights — including the right to marry — should not be affected by their sexual orientation. Apple views this as a civil rights issue, rather than just a political issue, and is therefore speaking out publicly against Proposition 8.
Marriage is a civil rights issue. Voting no on 8 (or voting against any effort to roll back or prevent same-sex couples from legally marrying) protects individuals' rights to marry the partner of their choice. Voting no on 8 protects our families (which exist whether or not the law recognizes them).
See Lesbian Dad for a series of awesome posts about what it's like to be a politically active California lesbian family. (Donations to No on 8 through Lesbian Dad's fundraising efforts have topped $10K! making a real contribution to getting No on 8 ads on the airwaves.) Think about this from the point of view of gay and lesbian families with kids old enough to follow the news, or from the point of view of straight parents with older gay kids. As Lesbian Dad put it, we "cannot protect our children from legally sanctioned homophobia." We cannot protect our children from the hateful lies that yes on 8 ads are spreading about our families, and our families effect on our communities.
But if we beat back proposition 8, it will be a profound moment for the LGBTQ civil rights movement. There will be three states in which same-sex marriage is possible, and three states in which courts have ruled that civil unions are not equal to marriage. There will be a major victory in preventing efforts to limit our equal rights.
You can contribute to Equality California to protect marriage equality (and see their latest ad, made possible with donations) or contribute to No on 8.
I'm a one-issue blogger this week, it seems. But it's hard to think about writing about much else when I think about California voters choosing whether to strip families like mine of legal protection. It's hard to think about writing about much else when I consider how it just feels safer to raise my own child in a world where marriage equality is spreading.
5 comments:
I love that Apple did that.
I asked someone in CA recently about that Prop 8 thing. Her response? Appalled that the voter guides for CA and SF were EACH the size of a phone book because there are dozens of propositions on the ballot for both the state and the city/county. She said it was overwhelming to get anywhere and really understand any of the issues so she was going to abstain from voting for any of the propositions.
I feel like I should go out and buy an iMac, to show my support for Apple taking a stand like that... but I'm too poor. I can buy some more songs at iTunes for .99 a pop, though! Yay, Apple. Wish more companies were like them.
That is completely awesome that Apple would do that. It often feels like corporations come out to support politics only for their own profit motive: this (although, it does make me want to go give them some of my money, so is a good advert), is also just being progressive and sane.
I don't know what it'll do to help, since I'm in Canada - but I'm constructing a post for Wednesday.
Now I feel like I need to add a Mac to our Windows/Linux household.
My mom offered to pay for the sitter while I do my walking for Obama, I told her to send the money to No on Prop 8 instead.
Google too. And Qualcomm. And PG&E. And Levi Strauss. There are over 30 companies publicly, proudly, supporting the efforts to defeat Prop. 8.
I can't believe the misleading commercials coming from the proponents of this hate-filled prop.
More so, I can't believe how close this issue actually is right now in California. With the exception of two strongly religious people, every person I know - and I have been here my entire life - wants to see this thing heavily defeated and never heard from again. Our neighborhoods are covered with "No on Prop 8" signage and we're walking the streets, going door-to-door trying make a difference. But everyone we encounter seems to be against it. Granted, it's much more liberal in Northern CA, especially here with the Berkeley and Stanford campuses, but still ... half the voting population is thinking about voting for this piece of crap??? I have no idea who or where they are, but I hope they all get the flu and can't get out of bed come their time to vote.
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