Our homemade ad for marriage equality is literally votes away from becoming a finalist in “Project: Pushback” … but we need your help. Would you vote for us?
All you have to do is click on the “HEART/I LIKE” icon on the vid below (or here), or pass it on to a few friends.
Just Like Anybody Else from Project Pushback on Vimeo.
First Look: at my shortened marriage equality spot. I submitted it to Project Pushback. You can also help by embedding or forwarding the ad using the tools in the player below.
Thanks everyone!
After the disastrous No on 8 campaign (which Robin Tyler and I talked about), I’m really glad to see cool new grassroots sites like this one launched by my buddy Rick Garman.
Here’s a little background about this important site and how you can help:
How did you come up with the idea for Citizens for Equality and the “We Are” Campaign?
RICK: I actually came up with the idea of an elected body of representatives for the gay community a long time ago when I got frustrated with what I saw as a lack of true leadership and leaders. But it was what I believe was a disorganized and poorly run campaign against Proposition 8 (along with my questions about whether gay marriage is the actual battle we should be putting all of our resources and energy behind) that made me finally do something about it.
The “We Are” campaign became the launching pad for Citizens For Equality as a way to get people involved and engaged. I got that idea from the sorryeverybody.com website where people sent in pictures of themselves with sign apologizing to the works for the 2004 election of George bush.
I love that all the images use the words, “We Are” — why did you choose that language?
I wanted “We Are” for it’s positivity. To show the world that we are just like everyone else. We are doctors and lawyers, mothers and fathers, husbands, wives, strong, weak, young, old, worried about the economy, worried about the environment, bowlers, card players, Christian, Jewish… We are human and if people can see that, they may be a little less inclined to do things like vote yes on Prop 8. Imagine hundreds, thousands…. More… of those photos saying We Are… What a statement that will make!
What are you asking folks to do?
People can get involved in a variety of ways. They can send in a picture through the website and encourage others to do the same. All of the instructions and guidelines plus a bunch of suggestions are on the site. And remember, our straight friends can participate too. People can also join the organization by filling out a simple form.
We are also actively seeking people to be on the steering committee that will set up the elections for (hopefully) late 2009 and people will be able to register and vote for their representatives and on other issues. We’ll be seeking candidates and advisors also of course. But the best way to stay informed is to join on the website.
The restaurant manager who created controversy with her $100 contribution to the “Yes on Prop. 8″ campaign has resigned from the legendary El Coyote Mexican Cafe in Los Angeles.
Marjorie Christofferson, who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, is also resigning as a member of the restaurant’s board of directors, according to a news release issued by Frontiers.
Will Christofferson’s resignation be seen by the LGBT community as reason enough to cease a boycott of El Coyote? We’ll soon find out.
Billy Schoeppner, the restaurant’s acting manager, told Frontiers: (more…)
by Bronson Page
Brothers and sisters, we are off-topic, and losing style points. This is not a Marjorie Christofferson issue. It’s not an El Coyote issue. It’s a civil rights issue. We need to remember that and keep our eyes on the ball, lest we devolve further into angry mobs for whom nobody could feel compassion. Attacking an elderly woman in Palm Springs? Seriously, that’s despicable.
Defending our position against all sorts of fire-breathing ignoramuses has really crystallized this issue for me. I’m clever, but I didn’t go to law school, and I can’t say it any better than this, (more…)
The recent efforts to boycott Los Angeles’ historic El Coyote Mexican Cafe remind me of the Coors beer embargo in the late 90s. The gay community was largely in support of the boycott, but at HERO Magazine, we took some heat for accepting advertising from Coors when it was demonstrated that the company (as distinct from the Coors family) was actually very supportive of LGBT causes.
The best result for an LGBT boycott of El Coyote would be a real apology by the co-owner, Marjorie Christofferson, coupled with an action that shows she’s sincere (e.g., a big donation to the Lambda Legal Defense Fund). A manager at El Coyote told me that the restaurant already plans to make hefty donations (a $10,000 figure was volleyed) to Lambda Legal and the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center.
But I wouldn’t hold your breath for an outright apology from Ms. Christofferson, a lifelong Mormon. She made it clear to me that she would not apologize for her faith, nor could she change her convictions. “I will not [make a contribution to repeal Prop. 8],” she said. “I cannot change a lifetime of faith.”
Watch the video of Ms. Christofferson’s speech, and my follow up question. (Thanks to Lisa Derrick at Firedoglake.com for the video).
The gay community is angry about the passage of Prop. 8, and we have a right to be. We have a right to demonstrate, and yes—even a right to boycott. We can bring giants down if we want to. But I submit that an El Coyote boycott isn’t the right place to put our energy right now. (more…)
Here’s part 1, Marjorie’s Christofferson’s remarks:
Here’s part 2, where I ask Ms. Christofferson: “Would you be willing to make a personal donation to repeal the amendment?” Video after the jump… (more…)
In a dramatic, closed door lunch meeting, the owner of a renowned Mexican eatery in Hollywood expressed regret in her decision to donate $100 to the “Yes on Prop 8″ campaign, but her remarks before a group of about 60 members of Los Angeles’ LGBT community fell short of an outright personal apology.
“I’m sick of heart that I’ve offended anyone in the gay community,” said Marjorie Christofferson, co-owner of El Coyote Mexican Cafe for 17 years. “I have had, and do have family, friends, and people I work with of course who are gay…and you are treasured people to me.”
The tall, frail Christofferson stood in the center of the group. She appeared to be shaking during her prepared remarks which lasted about 3 minutes. Her daughters flanked her to prevent her from fainting, according to a restaurant employee. At several points during her speech, Christofferson simply became too emotional to continue.
El Coyote has become the latest casualty in the local outburst against the passage of Proposition 8, an anti-marriage amendment to the California State Constitution. Dozens of e-mails and websites, including the popular online local guide, Yelp.com, have urged boycotting the legendary cafe in recent days.
Christofferson, who is a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, insisted that her donation was personal, and reflected her religious faith.
“I’ve been a member of the Mormon Church all my life,” she said. “This was a personal donation. In like fashion, any employee here would be free to donate, worship or support anything of their personal choosing. Over the years, El Coyote has financially supported many charities and thousands of dollars most particularly have been given to the gay interests and charities. The restaurant does not support any political group.”
In the only question taken by Ms. Christofferson after her remarks, and before those gathered, I asked her directly if she would personally make an equal donation to the campaigns to repeal Proposition 8.
“I cannot change a lifetime of faith,” she said.
Moments later, the same group which had been invited for lunch and margaritas grew increasingly verbal, apparently reacting to the lack of a direct apology from Ms. Christofferson, and she left the building in tears. The group continued to meet for another 30 minutes, before dispersing for what appeared to be a looming boycott. One demonstrator was already shouting outside.
Still, there were some dissenting voices in the room. One woman compared the angry gathering to Nazi Germany, when Hitler’s military singled out individual Jews in a witch hunt for their religious beliefs. “Why are we singling out one restaurant?” the woman asked. “Are you ready to go up against every single restaurant in the city?”
Should the gay community boycott El Coyote?
Openly-gay restaurant manager Billy Schoeppner, announced that El Coyote would make two $5,000 contributions, each to the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center and the Lambda Legal Defense Fund. He also asked those gathered to suggest any possible or practical ways the legendary establishment could avert a full-on boycott and PR war by the Los Angeles LGBT community.
Another manager, Arnaldo Archila, outrightly denounced Ms. Christofferson in a forceful statement.
“We don’t share her views as the management,” said Mr. Archila, a native of El Salvador. “They don’t press us to do anything that we don’t want to do, and we never talk about politics or religion. I don’t understand why we got connected to something going on at the top.”
Other restaurant employees also spoke, including a waitress who tearfully worried what would happen to the 89 families that receive some financial support from El Coyote if a boycott were to occur.
Mr. Schoeppner told me privately that in addition to making contributions to the aforementioned charities, that the restaurant was planning to take out full page advertisements in the LA Weekly and Frontiers Newsmagzine to avert a boycott.
“I understand boycotts and protests have been planned. Let me personally take the responsibility for your pain and anger,” said Christoffsen. “El Coyote is no part of what I have done. The only people you will truly hurt are the hundreds of families of mixed origins and sexual diversity who rely on El Coyote to feed their families.”
No cameras were permitted in the rear dining room where the meeting was being held, to the chagrin of some bloggers. A demonstration was set for Thursday night. Watch the video of Ms. Christofferson’s speech, and my follow up question.
The past few days since Proposition 8 was passed have been remarkable. What’s surprised me most are the number of women I know who are pretty united in their anger and sadness over the passage of the anti-marriage amendment to the California state constitution.
Ying, in Utah, writes:
“Even from this wacko state that I live in, there are many that are opposed to “8″ and just this last weekend, LDS Mothers Against 8 rallied in SLC.”
Last night, a text from my friend Alexis:
“RU coming 2 the rally? We have 2 show them that they can’t take away our rights.”
My mom writes:
“I can’t even imagine the hurt you and Bronson must be feeling today after California citizens voted to pass Prop 8. You and Bronson are in [our] thoughts and prayers. We pray that together we will seek to find a peace that brings us to open a dialogue respectful of one another’s values.”
“It is better to light a single candle than to curse the darkness.”
-Eleanor Roosevelt
As the election returns were pouring in, one of my friends from college asked me last night what I thought about the anti-marriage amendment passing here in California and “what this means” for us.
We may have lost the battle, but we’ve won the greater war by electing Barack Obama president.
I know that California Attorney General Jerry Brown has said that our unions will stand, but in reality, the passage of Proposition 8 likely means that the California Supreme Court will eventually have to decide on the fate of the 18,000+ couples who wed while they had the right to marry. I’ve also heard there’s a possibility that the state high court could repeal the amendment as incongruous with the “equality clause” in the California constitution.
The bigger picture here is that we now have a president-elect who believes in change, and holds that “equality is a moral imperative” for gays and lesbians saying: “I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.” Obama supports both the Matthew Shepard Act and Employment Non Discrimination Act, indicating he will sign them both into law. He advocates the complete repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) because “federal law should not discriminate in any way against gay and lesbian couples, which is precisely what DOMA does.” Most importantly, Obama will appoint justices to the Supreme Court who will stand for human rights. (more…)
