Proposition 8

I tried to collect several types of viewpoints on what happened today with Proposition 8:

The Advocate
"Prop. 8 Still Ahead with 95.4% of Precincts Reporting - And the Suits Begin"

The first lawsuit to come out of what would appear to be a win by Yes on 8 will be announced at a press conference later today. Diane Olson and Robin Tyler, the first same-sex couple to be married in Los Angeles County last June, will file suit via. their lawyer Gloria Allred. The new lawsuit will contain a new and controversial legal argument as to why Prop. 8 is unconstitutional.

Feministing
"Ballot results: Pro-choice, anti-gay"

Proposition 8 in California: Passed. This is such a crushing loss. I went to bed last night before the final results were in, and woke up to the news that the people of California actually approved the gay marriage ban. So devastating.

The New York Times
"California Appears Likely to Ban Gay Marriage"

But the decision in California, a trend-setter in so many arenas, was seen by opponents and advocates as an important test of the tolerance for gay marriage.

A total of $73 million was spent in the race, a record for a ballot measure on a social issue, resulting in incessant television and radio commercials from both sides. Advocates of the ban played up their belief children could be taught about gay marriage in schools and opponents likened approval of the measure to denying fundamental civil rights.

The LA Times
California voters approve Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriages

"I think the voters were thinking, well, if it makes them happy, why shouldn't we let gay couples get married. And I think we made them realize that there are broader implications to society and particularly the children when you make that fundamental change that's at the core of how society is organized, which is marriage," he said....
"This is the biggest civil rights struggle for our movement in decades. . . ." said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solomonese, speaking from a Proposition 8 gathering at a brewery in the nation's capital. "The outcome weighs incredibly heavily on the minds of every single person in the room."

Pam's House Blend
Ballot initiatives provide a wake up call to the LGBT community about race

And now I feel that a giant snowball of blame game is about to roll over and crush me on this front. Who voted for Yes on 8 is clear now, as exit polls show 70% of blacks, (with black women at 74%) voted for the amendment. That's about 20 points higher than any other racial group. But the blame needs to be put into perspective - blacks represent only 6.2% of California's population and they were about 10% of those who voted...
I've been blogging for years about the need to discuss race in regards to LGBT issues. I hope that this is now the wakeup call for our "professional gays" out there who represent us to come out of their comfort zones and help bridge this concrete education gap. The belief that white=gay is big part of the problem, and as long as black LGBTs are invisible in their own communities and there is a dearth of color in the public face of LGBT leadership, the socially conservative black community can remain in denial that I exist as a black lesbian.

I tried reading conservative blogs to get a balanced opinion on the topic, but they're so full of Obama hate (and McCain hate!) today that no one is talking about Proposition 8 in a positive way, at least that I could find.