A long-overdue Bent Alaska update — October 2013

Check out the video of the Anchorage, Alaska ‘Join the Impact’ rally protesting the passage of Prop 8! The rally was held on Nov. 15 at the Atwood Building, outside Gov. Palin’s local office. 

Thanks to Stef for taking this video. Watch his other clips of the Anchorage protest.

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:

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

In Pennsylvania this weekend, Gov. Sarah Palin expressed support for a federal amendment against gay marriage, like the state amendment she voted for in Alaska in 1998.

Palin told David Brody of the Christian Broadcasting Network that she would like a Constitutional amendment to define marriage as between a man and a woman. “I wish on a federal level that that’s where we would go, because I don’t support gay marriage,” she said. 

“In my own state, I have voted, along with the vast majority of Alaskans who had the opportunity to vote, to amend our constitution defining marriage as between one man and one woman. I wish on a federal level that’s where we would go, because I don’t support gay marriage. You know, I’m not going to be up there judging individuals, sitting in a seat of judgment, telling them what they can and can’t do, should and should not do, but I certainly can express my own opinion here and take actions that I believe would be best for traditional marriage, and that’s casting my votes and speaking up for traditional marriage. That instrument, it’s the foundation of our society, that strong family, and that’s based on that traditional definition of marriage.”

Palin stopped short of supporting a federal gay marriage ban during her debate with opponent Sen. Joseph Biden on October 2. Touting a diverse group of friends and family, the Governor said that while she respected people’s right to enter into legal contracts with one another and make their own decisions, 

“I’m being as straight up with Americans as I can in my non-support for anything but a traditional definition of marriage.”

Check out Slade’s music video slideshows (Slade’s Life part 2: The Life of a Gay Alaskan Teen, and Slade’s Life part 3: My Trip to Work in the Oil Industry) and his vlog for National Coming Out Day.

Every Oct. 11, thousands of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people and allies celebrate National Coming Out Day. We hold workshops, speak-outs, rallies and other kinds of events all aimed at showing the public that GLBT people are everywhere. 

Come Out to Family, Friends and Co-Workers

Make a commitment to be honest about your sexual orientation or gender identity to those who know you. Polls continue to show that people who know someone gay are more likely to support full equality.

Come Out to Your Elected Officials and Local Newspapers

Write letters to your members of Congress, governor, state and city representatives, and to your local newspapers in support of GLBT-friendly legislation.

Attend the Pride Conference in Anchorage

Identity, Inc. is sponsoring the 14th annual Alaska Pride Conference on Saturday, October 11, 2008, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. People of all ages, cultures, sexualities and professions attend the conference each year to strengthen ties with one another and build community.

Why October 11?

On Oct. 11, 1987, 500,000 people attended the March on Washington for Lesbian & Gay Rights. This was the second such demonstration in DC, and the first display of the NAMES Project Quilt, remembering those who died from AIDS. Four months after the march, more than 100 LGBT activists from around the nation met near Washington, D.C. Recognizing that the GLBT community often reacted defensively to anti-gay actions, they came up with the idea of a national day to celebrate coming out, to be held on the anniversary of the second march on Washington. 

How will you Come Out to Change the Future?

October 11th is National Coming Out Day. In this crucial election year, National Coming Out Day is a chance for you to make a difference. When you Come Out, you can change the hearts and minds of those in your life; when you Come Out to Vote, you can change the whole country.

We have the right to live our lives openly and honestly and to walk down our streets without fear of hate. We have the right to equality and to live free of discrimination. We have the right to have a voice in our government. How do we gain and protect these rights? We have the right to vote. Your vote is your voice. America needs to hear you! Vote!

About the Contest

We invite you to create a short video telling the world how you will Come Out and Vote to make a difference in the hearts and minds of your friends, family, classmates, co-workers and country.

Key HRC staff will review the video entries. The winner will receive an all-expense paid trip to Washington, D.C. and will have the opportunity to be on XM radio’s show The Agenda with HRC President Joe Solmonese. The winning video will also be featured on HRC’s website, YouTube channel, and Facebook and MySpace pages.

Entrants must be at least 18 years old at time of entry and may submit one video during the contest period, September 15, 2008 to October 20, 2008.

Criteria

All videos must be 2 minutes or less.

Participants must be between the ages of 18 and 25.

All videos should be free of copyright materials.

The video may not explicitly support or oppose a specific candidate.

Submissions can be either by an individual or a group, and can be sponsored by an organization or corporation.

Each individual or group is limited to one submission.

All entries must be received by 5:30 PM (EST) on October 20, 2008.

How to Enter

Please fill out the entry form on the Come Out and Vote Video Contest site and submit your video.