Tell Obama

November 4, 2009

Dear Brooke,

Maine voters have stripped away the right of same-sex couples to marry, as California voters did one year ago today.

But we didn’t stop advancing our rights then. And we won’t now. We always knew winning true equality and acceptance wouldn’t be easy.

The truth is, people’s lives should never be put up for a popular vote. Civil rights for minority groups should be decided by the sound reason of the legislature and the courts — not by the will and whims of the majority.

Enough is enough. President Obama and other elected officials cannot be allowed to remain on the sidelines any longer. And if they do, there must be consequences.

Urge President Obama to join EQCA and others by filing a brief in the federal court challenge to Prop 8, and ask the court to rule that it is unconstitutional to allow a majority to take away the rights of a minority.

The President has, at best, remained a silent player against marriage for same-sex couples.

• The day before the election, Organizing for America — formerly Obama for America, and a part of the DNC — sent out an email to its members in Maine urging them to volunteer for the election in New Jersey instead of helping defeat Question 1.
• Despite pleas to speak out aggressively, Obama and his administration failed to take leadership, and his Attorney General refused to take a position on Question 1.
• His opposition to ending discrimination in marriage was used by anti-equality extremists in California and other states, yet he refused to denounce their actions.

The failure of President Obama and other elected leaders to actively support efforts to defeat ballot measures designed to take away our rights must end. Our community must stand together and stop endorsing and funding candidates who don’t support our equality 100%. We should only stand with those who do.

Sign our petition to President Obama and his administration. Urge him to join the federal legal challenge to Prop 8. Then, ask everyone you know to do the same.

With hope,

Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California