Prop. 8 wars rage on Facebook

In the wake of the apparent passage of California Proposition 8, a second generation of rancorous debate has already sprung up online, with Facebook becoming a prominent virtual battleground.  Before the election, Facebook users created dozens of groups on both sides of the measure, some with tens of thousands of followers, others with just a handful.  (This anti-Prop. 8 group was even started by Facebook employees.)

Just as the memberships of those older groups continue to swell (see image at left), the new crop of groups is growing fast. 

Opponents are using Facebook to organize protests, boycotts and more creative kinds of political statements.

One group encourages readers to Protest Proposition 8 by paying with $2 Bills! If enough people pay with "The Queer Dollar," the group's description predicts, "$2 bills will flood the economy, and everyone will see how much LGBT and Allies's money contributes." 

Proponents of the marriage ban wasted no time in setting up new groups to defend the amendment's passage. 

"This group demands that the vote of the people be respected in our democracy," reads the description of 1,000,000 for Defending Prop 8, which has earned nearly 7,500 members since election day.  "Thousands of individuals fought for marriage, donated time and money, and sometimes were persecuted for it. We have come too far in this election to have it thrown out after the battle has been won."

Also employing the now-familiar "million for X" brand of Facebook activism is 1,000,000 Million Strong Against Newly Passed Prop. 8. (The group's creator sheepishly acknowledges the redundancy in the name), which already has nearly 60,000 members.  "Proposition 8 is not just about eliminating gay rights," the groups founder wrote in its intro box. "It's about DESTROYING the FOUNDATION [of] what our California Constitution stands for."

Get the Facts about the LDS Church and Proposition 8 notes that it "was set up to refute and dispel the countless untruths floating around regarding the Mormon church's involvement in Proposition 8," and Repeal the CA Ban on Marriage Equality - 2010 shares information about the legal challenges to the measure and the large protests that are now being organized (including a developing event activists are calling the Million Gay March).

Comments

[ann]

People get over it CA people spoken we want marriage like it always been a women and a man marrys and become 1 . God did not make people gay people have a choice to become what they want to. Some turn this way because of their past being rape or sexualy abuse. I am going to be honest with all of you. I know how you feel It has been a rough life but I had a choice. I fallow God and I forgive those who hurt me over the years and I went to cousling I save myself and I ask God to heal my heart and soal.
I used to think no one loved me only someone who is the same sex as me. no that is not true . Their is some guy out their for a women same goes their is a women out their for a guy. Yes dating is sometime be a bad exsperince truest me. Relactionships are tough and it is not easy, That is why is nice to start out being someones friend and get to know them before being their Girlfriend or boyfriend

[Star P]

This is so childish. Grow up.

[Understanding]

One of the freedoms of "Freedom of Religion"is to convert or pursued others of your belief. The LDS churchs stance on marriage is that it is between a man and a women and nothing more. Not animals, not multiple wives & not things. But to retain what has been recogized for thousands of years. To say they do not have the right to encourage pursued or convert people on this belief is to say they do not have tha freedom. It is their right, it is their obligation according to their beliefs. It does not say they hate gays, it does not say gays don't have rights. The church has publically annouce their stance and people have freely acted on it. Their should be more debat on the matter and less short sightedness. To have a judge decide what is right for all the people to follow is communism and threatens our freedom. It doesn't allow the people who live in this geograph the right to share their feelings or beliefs.

[Tiago]

The majority also voted to kill Jesus Christ. Were they right?

[stephanie]

NO ON PROP H8!

[ZJ]

There are some things the people do not get to vote on. Rights are one of these things. That's why they're called rights, not privileges. We live in a constitutional republic, which is meant to protect the rights of the minority from the tyranny of the majority. If you take that step of allowing people to vote to revoke the rights of a group, where does it end? Would you feel comfortable with the "homosexual agenda" voting to annul all straight marriages? How about Mormons overturning all non-Christian marriages? Why not reinstate segregation while you're at it?

The people's vote is not a trump card. Religion is not an adequate justification. And it doesn't matter whether it's a choice or not -- even if it was, I'd still choose it.

[dustin]

Gay marriage is not a fundamental right. gay marriage is not what this country was founded on. religious freedom, separation of church and state, the right for people to vote (twice) and have it count, the right for religion to fight for what they believe in, those are fundamental rights. As a parent, would you give your child everything that they wanted even if it wasn't right? No. if you would then you are a terrible parent. Just because gays want to totally change, and destroy, what marriage means and stands for does not mean that they should have it. We can still have brotherly love for gays and lesbians without giving them what they want just because they want it.

[AgensW]

Dustin,
Rumors of the demise of marriage as an institution are greatly exagerated. In the 19th century women in the US, Britain, France, and elsewhere increasingly demanded the right to marry for love and companionship--many feared that it would be the end of the institution. In the 1970s as feminists demanded no-fault divorce, many once again feared that it would be the end of the institution. There have been other significant changes as well. Allowing the LGBT community to marry will hardly been the end of marriage it will only mean more competition for wedding locations, planners, and the like.

[mo]

ann my god run a spell check.

[Max Sloves]

I voted against Prop 8. I support the legal and political challenges to Prop 8. I have a facebook account and have watched scores of friends join the many anti-8 groups on facebook. What disturbs me about many of these groups as well as a significant chunk of the rhetoric being thrown around at the anti-8 rallies and protests is the abundance of hate speech directed at Mormons. Regardless of the Mormon Church's role in the Prop 8 campaign (actual or perceived) bigotry is distasteful, unsavory and un-American. The anti-8 movement has a lot of work ahead of it. The legal challenges are no slam dunk and the efforts to pass a countervailing proposition in a future election (if feasible) will require tremendous contributions of money and manpower. To waste time embracing the same hate and ignorance that anti-8 activists believe worked against them in this election is both hypocritical and counter-productive. Keep it classy California.

[Reason]

"Gay marriage is not a fundamental right. gay marriage is not what this country was founded on."

No, Dustin-- but this country was founded, in part, on slavery and the subjugation of women. I'm sure you'd have been booing and hissing were you alive when those storied institutions were challenged and defeated. But you'd have been just as wrong then as you are now.

Try really hard, in your infinite self-absorption, to realize that there is a world beyond your beliefs. A world beyond your churches. And a world beyond your prejudices.

Gay people are not asking for you to like them, or even for you to respect them. They are, however, refusing to accept you denying them equality based on your xenophobic insecurity.

[Stop redefining]

If you redefine what marriage is to two loving entities, why not start legalizing everything and make it 3, 4, or 5 loving entities? Why not incest? The definition of marriage was set as a union between 1 man and 1 woman. If you start redefining that, why not redefine freedom as well cause it's obviously not real freedom if it starts choking everyone and forcing them to accept an unnecessary change. This whole no on prop 8 thing was really a joke actually. Online, in-person, and video polls all indicated that the majority of people were gonna vote no. Why? cause they're scared of standing up for their beliefs so they said no just to be cool and avoid being called a bigot and other hateful words, but good thing they showed their true colors on voting day and voted yes. It's funny that people point fingers at the church for doing wrong things and being hateful when the church is THE largest donor and helper for the poor, impoverished, in-need people in the whole world.

[ummm]

You seem to forget for a long time a LDS marriage could be
between a man & more than one woman.

If there had been a vote shortly after the California Supreme Court allowed
marriage between people of different races, the result might have
been similar to Prop 8. That wouldn't have made it right for the majority
to take rights away

I hope the court will stike down Prop 8

[Deborah]

In 4 years, if we don't like president-elect Obama, we can vote him out of office. However, in 4 years, I hope that this issue, the right of gay marriage, will no longer be up for the debate. That's what makes this prop different. That's why I support rejecting what the people voted. The civil rights movement did not come about because of voters (had the civil rights been left up to the voters, it would have taken **much** longer to succeed). Some issues have to be resolved in the courts or through our state House and Senate. This is definitely one of them. While I support gay marriage, I also want to add that perhaps "marriage" has no place in the state constitution. Instead, the state constitution should talk about "civil rights" for everyone. Then whoever performs the ceremony (clergy or otherwise) can call the ceremony whatever we like (I will call it a marriage).

[If you have to lie...]

Hey Stop redefining, You said when polled "they said no just to be cool" or was it perhaps that they knew in their heart of hearts that discrimination is wrong and there is no reasonable way to justify taking rights away from people. You have the right to believe what you want. This is, after all the USA, but so does everyone else. Just because something two adults do behind closed doors is "icky" doesn't mean you have the right to tell them they can't. Just because it violates Biblical law doesn't either. I'm a happily married straight guy and gay marriage is no threat to me. It is not opening the door to a slippery slope. One word prevents almost all of your sides inevitable new types of marriages. "Consent." Animals can't give consent. Neither can children. How 'bout we let adults decide what's best for themselves and the rest of us can mind our own business.

[Don]

How'd you miss this one?:

http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=44445393973

[David Sarno]

Ha, ha, thanks Don!

[Jim Bacusse]

Who cares? Why all this fervor? Does it get people off, and get out all their rage with their own dull lives meddling in the lives of others? What does anyone care whether anyone gets married these days. If gay people want to marry, they should have that right in the free USA.Your own god forbid someone tries to take rights away from the right fighters. Gays will marry and you will lose. Keep your money, or better yet lose it all in the game of pate you are playing, We love, and that tears you apart. Go and get some love in your life. :-) Peace, Love, Gay Marriage, out. Become free of hatred of your fellow man.

[Tsunami]

Gays can still be together no rights have been stripped check out this website http://www.lgbt-lawyer.com/CM/Custom/GLBT-Family-Law.asp

The only thing this prop 8 did is difine what marriage means but doesnt limit the rights of gays. This is stupid as to what is being said and done. Be together just dont call it marriage is all. Has nothing to do with hate or wisj=hing ill on the gay comunity. This going to churches and beating up people and causing conflict on both sides is wrong.

[Observer10]

Question to straight America. Would you let your children be cared for or taught by someone who can't tell the difference between same-sex marriage and other banned marriages like incest, polygmany and beastiality? Let's out the real sexual deviants. Oh, I know let's ban them! Let's vote on it. Maybe, by 2020 we can ban their organizations completely. All we need is the will of the people by simple majoirty. And, they won't be able to appeal to court because of the Prop 8 precedent.

[Laura C]

"The will of the people" is not a substitute for actual legal knowledge of the California constitution. If "the will of the people" is not constitutionally correct, the CA Supreme Court will make sure that the laws are interpreted according to the state constitution - meaning, possibly overturn Prop 8's passage. What's so outrageous about that?

[Chris]

yes hello fate is cruwel and teh gods says 'no ye shall not marrys' and ten california saty it not for a man and a man to lie together that is an unfortunate yes

[lobsterjesus]

I notice that all the people supporting Prop 8 on this particular discussion board do not seem to have an awareness of proper grammar, punctuation and spelling. If you cannot proofread your postings before hitting "submit", maybe your opinions won't sound as meaningful as they do inside your small minds.

[Randy]

Even without the courts, this proposition will be overturned by the people of California, and marriage will be legalized in two, four, or six years. Year-by-year, opinion is rapidly shifting, because love is on the side of same-sex couples. Change is coming to California. And anti-gay hate is only going to accelerate it. In a way, thanks!

[John Bisceglia]

Great. Since PROP HATE passed our very expensive gay organizations are planning to sign MORE petitions "demanding marriage rights and equal protection under the law" and plan MORE "marches on Washington, D.C."

Yeah...those approaches have been so effective these past few.....decades.

Doesn't anyone realize how their tax money is the MOST powerful thing they control?

Doesn't anyone feel sick when they pay FULL taxes for UNEQUAL rights, confirming they are society's most worthless?

FACT - Government is RESPONSIBLE to ALL of its citizens, yet we have embraced our role as SUB-Americans so well that we are oblivious to how pathetic it is to beg-plead-donate money for a right we ALREADY deserve....years ago!

When I tell America to "PAY MY TAXES", I also include my fellow LGBTQ Americans who seem to have NO PROBLEM with taxation without equality. Do you really think you deserve rights....if you are willing to pay for them (Prop 8 donations), or willing to be taxed despite being DENIED those rights...rights that are doled out like candy to other Americans?

Too harsh? I apologize - I am no longer able to march or donate or hold signs. All I have are my words and my tax dollars; I AM STILL IN CONTROL of those 2 things.