Washington: Marriage equality folks seeing solid donations
Good news from the good guys – Washington United for Marriage – fighting for marriage equality in Washington state.
They shared some great financial news via press release:
Washington United for Marriage (WUM), the broad coalition working to defend the bipartisan marriage law and Approve Referendum 74, today announced that the campaign raised $952,267 in June, driven in large part by new in-state donors and representing the highest monthly intake for the campaign, bringing total contributions to over $2 million. At the same time, WUM now has more than 1,000 volunteers actively working to Approve Referendum 74, with 20 phone banks operational each week resulting in hundreds of conversations with voters every night.
Here’s a breakdown of the numbers:
– Total online contributions were $219,000, with an average donation of just under $70.
– 79% of overall June donors contributed $100 or less.
– June brought in 3245 new donors, bringing the total donor pool to just over 7300.
– There were 482 out-of-state donations, totaling $105,587, with the average gift just above $219.
– House parties across the state brought in $31,552 from friends, neighbors and family members, who gave an average gift of $35.
– Two significant major donor gifts of $100,000 apiece from Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and CEO Steve Ballmer.
Jane Pitt, Brad Pitt’s mother, opposes marriage equality
“I think any Christian should spend much time in prayer before refusing to vote for a family man with high morals, business experience, who is against abortion, and shares Christian conviction concerning homosexuality just because he is a Mormon. Any Christian who does not vote or writes in a name is casting a vote for Romney’s opponent, Barack Hussein Obama — a man who sat in Jeremiah Wright’s church for years, did not hold a public ceremony to mark the National Day of Prayer, and is a liberal who supports the killing of unborn babies and same-sex marriage.” – Jane Pitt, mother of Brad Pitt, in a letter published by the Springfield, Missouri News-Leader. Jane’s son, Brad Pitt is a staunch supporter of LGBT rights.
NOTE: Many thought that the letter was a hoax, but the paper later posted a note confirming that Pitt’s mom penned it: “To clear up earlier confusion, the News-Leader has verified the letter writer is the mother of actor Brad Pitt and local businessman Doug Pitt.”
Iowa “moving on” as it grows comfortable with marriage equality
Iowa conservatives have been hoping to soon regain control of the state legislature and then reverse the current law of marriage equality in the state.
ABC News reports, however, that that homophobic ship may have already sailed.
Conservative lawmakers are watching public opinion move away from them on the gay marriage issue, and now fear that voters might not approve a ban even if the GOP can put one on the ballot by winning control of the Legislature in the November elections.
The shifting views come as a bitter disappointment for the state’s prominent Christian conservative community which has long bridled at Iowa’s status as a gay rights haven in the heartland — the only place outside the Northeast where gays can marry.
“People are getting comfortable with it and that’s a shame to tell you the truth,” said Susan Geddes, an Iowa Republican and social conservative organizer who worked for Mike Huckabee’s 2008 presidential campaign in the state.
The Des Moines Register poll conducted last February found that 56% of Iowans oppose a ban on marriage equality. Meanwhile, a survey from 2009, the year Iowa’s Supreme Court ruled a ban on same-sex marriage unconstitutional, found only 40% of Iowans opposed such anti-gay prohibitions, so clearly people are getting more than “comfortable with it.”
Episcopal Church may allow marriage blessing for same-sex unions
Good news out of the Episcopal Church, via The Los Angeles Times:
Sixteen years after allowing gays and lesbians to become priests, the Episcopal Church appears poised to introduce a rite that would specifically bless the unions of same-sex couples.
If the liturgy is approved, which is expected, Episcopalians will become the first major denomination to endorse such a ritual for homosexual couples.
On its face, the blessing seems similar to that of a marriage rite — including “I do,” “we have gathered together today” and an exchange of rings. Notably absent are the words “husband,” “wife” and “marriage.”
The committee says that while the liturgy is not called “marriage,” there are “significant parallels.” A hearing on the liturgy will be held on Saturday, but no vote is set as of yet.
National Council of La Raza, largest Latino civil rights group, supports marriage equality
Following the recent support of the NAACP, the country’s largest Latino civil rights organization unanimously passed a resolution in support of marriage equality.
Eric Rodriguez, vice president of public policy for the National Council of La Raza, told the Washington Blade that there was very little opposition to the vote, which came just weeks after the NAACP passed a similar measure.
Rodriguez told the Blade that La Raza members believe “that marriage equality is consistent with the mission—the civil rights mission—of our organization.” The group will announce the resolution formally during next month’s annual convention in Las Vegas.
Southern Baptists: Same-Sex Marriage Not a Civil Right
The Southern Baptist Convention today, at its annual meeting, adopted a resolution saying same-sex marriage is not a civil rights issue.
The resolution, passed nearly unanimously, reiterates the denomination’s long-held belief that marriage is “the exclusive union of one man and one woman” and that “all sexual behavior outside of marriage is sinful,” the Associated Press reports. It also says, “It is regrettable that homosexual rights activists and those who are promoting the recognition of ‘same-sex marriage’ have misappropriated the rhetoric of the Civil Rights Movement.”
I love how those who are not affected by the discrimination of civil marriage for gays and lesbians can so clearly say this is not a civil rights issue.
I’ve said this many times, but let me repeat: As long as a civil marriage license is required to be married, and a civil marriage license is issued by a civil government, and as long as civil rights are attached to a civil marriage license – allowing gays and lesbians to partake in civil marriage is a civil rights issue.
This isn’t hard to understand….
(via the Advocate)
Minnesota: “We Believe”
Poll: Washington state marriage equality support 51% vs 42%
Talking Points Memo looks at a new Public Policy Polling poll on marriage equality in Washington state, and finds good news:
The results of the latest survey shows 51 percent of Washington voters believe same-sex marriage should be legal, compared with 42 percent who believe it should be illegal. A state law legalizing same-sex marriage was passed earlier this year but is facing a November referendum.
PPP pressed deeper on the issue, asking voters whether gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to legally marry, form civil unions or be given no legal recognition at all. The overwhelming majority said that same-sex couples should be given at least some legal recognition, with 47 percent saying they should be allowed to marry and 30 percent saying they should be legally permitted to form civil unions but not marry. Twenty-one percent said same-sex couples should receive no legal recognition.
Marco Rubio and “what society should tolerate”
Christianity Today later in the day posted a long interview with Rubio about his faith and issues related to it. One of them was same-sex marriage:
The debate is about what society should tolerate, and what society should allow our laws to be. I believe marriage is a unique and specific institution that is the result of thousands of years of wisdom, which concluded that the ideal — not the only way but certainly the ideal — situation to raise children to become productive and healthy humans is in a home with a father and mother married to each other. Does that mean people who are not in that circumstance cannot be successful? Of course not.
It’s not a discriminatory thing. I’m not angry at anyone because of it, but I also have to be honest about what I believe marriage should be in our laws.
In May, Rubio reiterated that he opposes gay marriage for religious reasons, but that the decision should be left to the states. He also knocked Obama for using the issue as a political tool.
(via Towleroad)