Articles by E. Ross
E. Ross is the founder of Bent Alaska.
Mormons Fund Anti-Gay Amendment (Again)
The Mormon Church is a major player in organizing and funding Prop 8, a proposition to eliminate same-sex marriage in California. As of October 28, Mormons accounted for 46 percent of the total support for Prop 8, according to MormonsFor8.com.
Much of the Mormon money has been funneled into ad campaigns that are narrowing the gap between Prop 8’s passage and failure. Two months ago, it looked almost certain that Californians would reject the measure, feeling it stripped citizens of an important civil right.
But a series of commercials now in heavy rotation claim that if Prop 8 is defeated, the pleasures of same-sex marriage will be taught in public schools, although education experts reject this claim. And the checks continue to flow in from the church.
The Mormon Church also funded Alaska’s constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage in 1998.
But divisions have emerged in the Mormon community about the church’s role in the fight over Prop 8. Laura Compton, a married mother of two boys, started MormonsForMarriage.com to give Mormons who support same-sex marriage a way to know that “You are not alone. We especially want people who may be feeling estranged from the fellowship of their local congregations to know that they are not alone.”
Mormons disagree with the Church’s involvement in Prop 8 for different reasons — some believe in marriage equality, some think the money on the campaign should have been spent on social welfare projects, and others believe in the separation of church and state.
Meanwhile, the NO on 8 campaign created a video on Mormons taking away civil rights that are granted by the California Supreme Court:
Gay Alaskans on Sarah Palin: The Final Analysis
Gay and lesbian Alaskans overwhelmingly support Obama and Biden over McCain and Palin, according to last week’s poll on Bent Alaska. Why aren’t we voting for local girl Sarah Palin? What have we learned about her record on LGBT issues?
- She supported the 1998 state constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage.
- She opposed the 2005 Alaska Supreme Court decision granting employee benefits to same-sex partners.
- In her 2006 run for governor, she stated that she does not support expanding hate crimes laws, that only married (heterosexual) couples deserve spousal benefits, and that one of her top three priorities is to preserve traditional marriage.
- During her first month as governor, she signed a bill asking the court to delay the implementation of same-sex partner benefits.
- She vetoed a bill that banned partner benefits in defiance of the Court ruling, because she knew the bill was unconstitutional. Her signing statement said that she opposed the court decision, although she was obligated to veto the bill.
- She signed a bill approving a statewide advisory vote on same-sex partner benefits, saying it would lay the groundwork for a state constitutional ban on the benefits.
- She attends a church that promotes ex-gay events, preaching that same-sex attractions must be suppressed or eliminated.
- Her church also worked to remove certain books from the public library and local bookstores, including a gay-positive book. As mayor, Palin questioned the librarian repeatedly about the book removal policy, then fired her.
- She supports a federal ban against gay marriage.
A few gay Alaskans support Palin as Vice President. I’ve heard two reasons for this:
1. “I’ve met her and she seems like a nice person,” and 2. “She’s Alaskan.”
But the vast majority of LGBT Alaskans are not voting for Palin, and most did not support her run for governor.
The following quotes are a sample of the comments by LGBT Alaskans that have crossed my screen since Gov. Palin’s nomination for Vice President:
“I cannot believe McCain played such a wild card. And I do not believe for a moment Palin is ready for this job. What a weird moment for our national history – not to mention Alaska history.”“She simply vetoed the bill banning health benefits to gays because it would violate her oath of office . . . So she supports banning same-sex benefits, but won’t violate the state constitution to do it. Wow. We don’t need ‘friends’ like that!”“I don’t think she’s ever said a friendly word about gay people, that they ought to have health benefits like other people do, or anything along those lines.”“I advocate strongly against any ticket which names Sarah Palin as a candidate. Of utmost importance to me . . . is Palin”s opposition to abortion and family planning rights. Palin opposes the use of birth control, as well sexual health education classes for teens.”“Palin does not choose to address long standing issues of discrimination, neglect, and alienation for the Native Alaskan population. How can we expect her to understand race, ethnicity, and minority issues on a national level? Her lack of cultural competency frightens me.”“The fact that she claims to have gay friends is great… She can be polite while removing our civil rights.”“Oh, hurray, she’s Alaskan, she’s cute, she’s energetic, she stood up to the big boys on oil, she gave us each $1200, she didn’t kick our asses as much as she could have in the advisory vote [against partner benefits.] She’ll still vote against us every time she has the chance, and being in national office gives her a lot more power to make us miserable.”“She is toooooo inexperienced and McCain is just tooooo old.”
Elias in LA with NO on 8: A Dead Heat in the Polls, Every Vote Counts
Elias Rojas, from Anchorage, is in California to help the NO on 8 campaign. If it passes, Proposition 8 will eliminate same-sex marriage in California.
Same-sex marriage has been legal in California since May 5, and there is no residency requirement. Thousands of gay and lesbian couples from all over the country have been legally married there during the past six months, including couples from Alaska.
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An Alaskan in California: Working to Defeat Prop. 8.
I just landed at Los Angeles International Airport. It’s about 70 degrees. I’m excited to be involved in the final days of the campaign to defeat this anti-gay constitutional amendment.
The election is now 72 hours away. Apparently, the Yes side sent a misleading message claiming that Obama and Biden support the elimination of same-sex marriage in California. This is a flat out lie! The opposition will do anything to win this vote.
A new poll shows 49% of California voters oppose the constitutional amendment and 44% support it, with 7% undecided. Support for gay issues is usually overstated by 5-7%, so it’s going to be very close.
Because this race is basically a dead heat, the side that gets more of their backers to the polls on Election Day will probably win. Over 7,000 people statewide have volunteered to help us get out the vote on Nov. 4.
I will arrive at the campaign office later tonight. I plan to send a quick update to you each night.
There is still time to donate to the NO on 8 campaign. Please visit the Alaska Fundraising page at: http://eqfed.org/equalityforall/fundraising/erojas2001-669616
In addition to giving, please call everyone you know in California and urge them to vote NO on Prop 8! This campaign could be decided by a few thousand votes.
NO on Prop 8 Videos
Check out these great videos from NO on Prop 8, the amendment that would eliminate same-sex marriage in California.
– Hat tip to Celtic Diva.
Who Are Gay Alaskans Voting For?
Eighty-seven percent of LGBT Alaskans are voting for Barack Obama and Joe Biden, according to a poll conducted Oct. 23-30 on Bent Alaska.
The most recent Harris Interactive poll reports that LGBT voters in America prefer Obama by 81%. Bent Alaska’s LGBT voters – who live in Sarah Palin’s home state – support Obama and Biden by an additional 6%.
For President and Vice President, 87% chose Obama and Biden, 9% chose McCain and Palin, and 4% chose other candidates. Gay Alaskans also favor Democrats Mark Begich and Ethan Berkowitz for Congress: 90% chose Anchorage Mayor Mark Begich for the US Senate, with 5% for Ted Stevens. 89% of LGBT Alaskans chose Ethan Berkowitz for US Representative, with 6% for Don Young. The rest of the voters chose other candidates.
Results for Begich were holding near 86% until Tuesday, when Sen. Ted Stevens was convicted on all seven felony counts in his corruption trial. Stevens has a mostly anti-gay record, voting twice for banning same-sex marriage, and voting against adding sexual orientation to job discrimination and hate crimes legislation. He received a 0% rating from the Human Rights Campaign in 2006 and 2004.
In contrast, Mayor Mark Begich talked with his supporters at the Anchorage Pride Parade and read the city proclamation marking the third Saturday in June as Gay Pride Day. He attended PrideFest every year since becoming mayor.
Rep. Don Young, Alaska’s only member in the US House, earned 0% from HRC for each year of the rating. Young voted for banning same-sex marriage and banning gay adoptions in DC, and voted against prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation. He is currently under investigation for corruption.
Young’s challenger, Democrat Ethan Berkowitz, voted for same-sex partner benefits during his years as a state legislator, and includes sexual orientation and partner benefits in his civil rights statement. He was endorsed by HRC.
The gay Alaska poll received 243 votes and was announced in Alaska’s LGBT newsletters, email lists and on Bent Alaska, the GLBT news and events site for the state.
Write to Marry Day: Gay Alaskans Say NO on 8
Gov. Sarah Palin wants a federal ban on same-sex marriage, but gay and lesbian Alaskans support the right to get married.
An unknown number of gay and lesbian couples from Alaska have been legally married in California since the state Supreme Court struck down their ban on same-sex marriage. Although not valid in Alaska, the marriages are recognized by several states and countries.
Will the right to marry be taken away by California’s Proposition 8?
When the California Court granted gay and lesbian couples the right to marry on May 5, LGBT Alaskans celebrated the news.
“LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT,” Shelly commented, and Koukla wrote, “Finally! I would love to be in San Francisco tonight.”
Alaskans Together for Equality and the ACLU of Alaska gave official statements supporting the decision, PFLAG Anchorage and Identity, Inc. added their statements, and many LGBT Alaskans sent their personal reactions on the impact of this historic event.
“It is a great day for humanity that this important state Supreme Court acknowledged that gay and lesbian Americans are due the same rights under the constitution as other Americans,” said Tim Stallard of Fairbanks, writing for Alaskans Together.
We knew the decision would be challenged, and Alaskans began donating money to support marriage equality.
“This good news definitely impacts us personally as Alaskans,” said Marsha Buck of PFLAG Juneau. “Way to go California! I’m sending off several personal checks to make certain this decision is not overturned in November.”
“I intend to give more money to our side in that campaign than to any in my life,” said Sara Boesser, author of Silent Lives: How High a Price?
A few weeks after the decision, the Juneau Pride Chorus collected donations for Equality For All during “Songs for the Soul,” their 10th Anniversary Spring Concert.
Alaskans also held two Equality For All: NO on 8 fundraisers and set up a state donation page for the NO on 8 campaign.
The Anchorage LGBT community Celebrated the Summer of Love with rumba dance lessons and a gay and lesbian newlywed game at Mad Myrna’s.
Juneau residents Jumped the Broom in Solidarity and Celebration of Love and Marriage at a wedding party hosted by a lesbian couple who were married (again) in California, eighteen years after their original non-legal wedding.
Many individual Alaskans donated to NO on 8, and Elias Rojas registered an Alaska Fundraising page to track our contributions.
“Why should Alaskans care what happens in California?” Elias wrote in his letter to Alaska’s LGBT community. “Simply put, [Prop 8] will not only eliminate the right to marry by same-sex couples in California . . . but it will also be an extreme step backwards for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) community’s efforts to achieve civil equality in Alaska and across the country.”
Prop. 8 is unfair, unnecessary and wrong. Special interest groups behind Prop 8 have engaged in a deceptive campaign to confuse voters. Nearly every major newspaper in California, and a broad range of groups and leaders representing teachers, nurses, seniors, business and labor, oppose Proposition 8.
The polls are close. We can save this basic human right, for California and for all of us.
Support marriage equality – Ask your friends and relatives in California to vote NO on 8 on Tuesday, and donate to NO on 8 today: Alaska Fundraising page for NO on 8.
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This post is in honor of Write to Marry Day. Please join bloggers around the country and around the world on Wednesday, October 29 to blog in support of marriage equality for same-sex couples and against California’s Proposition 8.
Check out the many wonderful Write to Marry posts listed on Mombian.
Who will LGBT Alaskans Vote For?
Here is the political poll you’ve been waiting for, the big questions of our time: Will LGBT Alaskans vote for McCain and Palin, or for Obama and Biden? For Stevens or Begich? For Berkowitz or Young? Who do we support, and by how much? Inquiring minds want to know. (Well, I want to know – don’t you?)
Answer the 3 question poll in the right hand column here on Bent Alaska and we’ll see how the community votes. 60-40 for Obama? 70-30 for Begich? 80-20 for Young? (kidding!) Make your predictions below for how our community will vote.
There have been dozens of political messages on our email lists and newsletters. What does all this talk boil down to, what are the numbers? Take the poll, send the link to your LGBT friends in Alaska, and come back Friday for the results!
UAF Fraternity Hosts YouthAIDS Fundraiser
Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity at the University of Alaska Fairbanks will hold a fundraiser for the YouthAIDS Foundation, according to the News-Miner.
The SigEp event runs from Nov. 1 to Dec. 1 in the UAF residence halls. The fundraising will help promote HIV/AIDS awareness and raise money for the YouthAIDS Foundation.
Students who live in the residence halls will be encouraged to put small donations in containers maintained by Residence Hall staff. Awareness information about AIDS and HIV will be given to students throughout the event.
Other donation containers will be available in the UAF Wood Center for people not living in the residence halls, but only students living in the residence halls will be eligible for the prizes.
Sigma Phi Epsilon, the largest fraternity in the US with over 14,000 members, partnered with YouthAIDS to create an HIV/AIDS awareness campaign on college campuses. In addition to educating peers, SigEp brothers plan and produce events to raise funding for YouthAIDS prevention programs around the world.
This Week in GLBT Alaska – 10/24/08
Check out this week’s events from Alaska GLBT News.
For full listings, news briefs and up-coming events, subscribe to AGN, the weekly email newsletter.
October is GLBT History Month – See a different LGBT leader each day!
EVENTS
Juneau
SEAGLA Social Fridays, 10/14, 6-8 p.m., 21 and over.
Anchorage
Ever Ready in Eagle River 10/24, 7:30-11:30 p.m.
Last Sunday Brunch with TLFMC 10/26, 10:30 a.m.
MCC Sunday Worship service, Sundays 2 p.m.
Trans Support Group at the GLCCA, Sundays 4-6 p.m.
Craft and Chat at the GLCCA, Thursdays 7-9 p.m.
Hump Day Happy Hour, Wednesdays 5-7 p.m. with The Last Frontier Men’s Club.
