A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

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.

Check out these great videos from NO on Prop 8, the amendment that would eliminate same-sex marriage in California.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

SEAGLA Social Fridays, 10/14, 6-8 p.m., 21 and over.

UPDATE: Here is an update from the Alaska Patriot Guard:

“I want to thank you all for showing up to the Memorial, in spite of the cold weather, nasty wind and lack of sunshine. The 22 people in Fairbanks who took time out of their busy day to help with the Memorial and show Respect for the family of this Marine – you have my respect and admiration. 

“Please, continue to Stand with me when a Citizen falls, if there may be a next time. You will never forget it, nor will you feel sorry for Standing there for the Families. God Bless You All.”

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The Westboro Baptist Church – the extremists at GodHatesFags (dot) com – announced that they will be in Fairbanks to picket the memorial service for Cpl. Jason A. Karella, 20, of Anchorage, who died in Afghanistan on Oct. 9. 

The memorial is at Fairhill Community Church (101 City Lights Blvd., Fairbanks) on Friday Oct. 24 at 4 p.m. 

The Westboro news release says: “God Hates America, and God is killing our troops in His wrath. Thank God for IEDs” and “These soldiers are dying for the homosexual and other sins of America.” (The full statement is on their web site under Press Releases.)

Some in the Fairbanks LGBT community will be there “to peacefully stand against intolerance” in case Westboro members show up to picket.

The Patriot Guard will also be there to “shield the mourning family and their friends from interruptions created by any protestor or group of protestors,” according to their mission statement.

“WB did not show at the funeral in Anchorage [on Saturday] and they probably won’t show in Fairbanks. But better safe then sorry,” said Christine Mahnken, the AK State Captain. “Anyone can join us and stand in a line with a flag, as long as they respect the grieving family. Wear WARM clothes!” 

See the Patriot Guard forum page for details.

Have you ever tried to figure out what to give that person in your life who already has everything? The Four A’s has launched a new program for donors called “Gifts For Change” that not only provides you with another option for special occasion gift giving, but also provides support to individuals living with HIV/AIDS in Alaska and prevention efforts across the state. 

Gifts For Change can be made in recognition of birthdays, holidays, anniversaries, weddings, thank you gifts or any other occasion you celebrate. 

Here’s how it works. Fill out the Gifts For Change form, specifying the gift recipient’s contact information (recipients will not be added to any Four A’s mailing lists), gift occasion and the amount you’d like to donate. Four A’s will send the recipient a card recognizing the occasion and your name (gift amounts will only be reported to the gift recipient if you chose). 

Send the completed form to Four A’s, ATTN: Chrissy Bell,1057 W. Fireweed, Suite 102, Anchorage, AK  99503.