Activist Groups React To Mozilla News

Courage Campaign

“Across the country, the LGBT community and progressive activists are heartened by Mozilla’s decisive action to remove Mr. Eich as the CEO of their for-profit and nonprofit ventures. It is a testament to the power of online grassroots organizing. The decision to hold its CEO to the same high standards of inclusion and equality that the company advocates, Mozilla once again reaffirmed its credibility as a thoroughly progressive institution. Let this be a clear message to those at other progressive institutions around the country -- homophobia and bigotry are not progressive values, and will not be tolerated.”

CREDO

“We applaud Mozilla’s announcement and its strong stand for equal rights,” said Becky Bond, CREDO’s Political Director. “Mozilla is not just company, it’s a movement supported by tens of thousands of volunteers around the world. Mozilla is a non-profit organization fighting to keep the web open and free for all of us. They put people above profit, and fight for user choice and privacy. Mozilla’s mission is vitally important to every grassroots movement, including the work that we do here at CREDO.”

NOTE: There have been few public reactions to the Mozilla story by LGBT groups, who seem have largely left the issue to grassroots activists. GLAAD has issued a one sentence statement: "Mozilla’s strong statement in favor of equality today reflects where corporate America is: inclusive, safe, and welcoming to all."

Petition Of The Day

Read more.

New Campaign: Mitt Gets Worse

American Bridge 21st Century and Courage Campaign Super PAC have launched an anti-Romney campaign modeled on Dan Savage's "It Gets Better" project. Clip description:

Julie Goodridge was a lead plaintiff in Goodridge v. Dept of Public Health -- the lawsuit that brought same-sex marriage to Massachusetts. In this video, Goodridge shares her family's encounters with Gov. Mitt Romney, including a meeting with Romney, which Goodridge describes as "the most frustrating experience in the entire marriage case."

So far there are about a dozen clips posted to their channel.

Prop 8 Standing Reactions

Human Rights Campaign

“With today’s decision, the case challenging Prop 8 returns to federal court and we are one step closer to ending discrimination against loving California couples. Thousands of California families remain in legal limbo and we urge the Ninth Circuit to quickly issue its decision. We thank the courageous plaintiffs, the American Foundation for Equal Rights, and the Olson-Boies legal team for their continued fight for the equality of all Californians.”

Courage Campaign

"Allowing the Prop 8 proponents to have special rights in Court may open the floodgates to wealthy special interests to do the same. The judges of the 9th Circuit must determine if people who had enough money to buy a ballot measure that calls for people to vote on each other's rights should have special rights in federal court. Regardless, we are confident that justice and love will prevail."

Lambda Legal

"While a disappointing ruling, this case is now back in federal court, where we expect a quick victory. The ruling addresses only a procedural legal question. The key question underlying this case is whether the U.S. Constitution permits a state electorate to treat one group of people unequally to everyone else by depriving them of what the state's high court has held to be a fundamental right. A federal court has already ruled that it may not. We look forward to seeing that decision upheld so that same-sex couples in California may once again enjoy the freedom to marry."

National Center For Lesbian Rights

"In the bigger picture, this is good news for same-sex couples in California. Prop 8 is blatantly unconstitutional for many reasons -- not only because it deprives same-sex couples of a basic right, but because it was enacted for the sole purpose of targeting a particular group in order to deny them equal protection of the laws. It is likely the Ninth Circuit will issue a ruling fairly quickly, since they agreed to hear the case on an expedited basis. But even if they do, it likely will not be soon enough to permit the Supreme Court to hear the case during its current term."

More to come very shortly....

Senate DOMA Vote Reactions

Log Cabin Republicans

"Today's hearing in the Senate Judiciary Committee makes clear what we already knew - that while the nation is fast approaching a tipping point in favor of respecting all marriages, we are not there yet," said R. Clarke Cooper, Log Cabin Republicans Executive Director. "There is much work to be done before we cross the finish line. Today's hearing was a principled discussion about the meaning of federalism, the priorities of our nation in a challenging time, and what marriage means in America today. Passing the Respect for Marriage Act will require determined and strategic outreach to leaders on both sides of the aisle, and the courageous leadership of more Republicans like Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), who has already signed on to DOMA repeal."

National Gay & Lesbian Task Force

“This vote marks an important step toward recognizing our common humanity, and moves us closer to ending a grave injustice against thousands of loving, committed couples who simply want to provide and care for each other as other married couples are allowed to do. It is shocking and an outrage that, in modern-day America, legally married same-sex couples are being singled out and selectively denied fundamental rights by their own federal government. The Respect for Marriage Act respects and protects the rights of these couples to live free of this government-sponsored discrimination. We thank the Senate Judiciary Committee for passing this bill today, and urge the full Senate to follow suit. DOMA has only served to hurt families, and it is long past time to wipe it from the books once and for all.”

Freedom To Marry

“Today’s vote represents real progress toward a repudiation of the radically unfair, misnamed Defense of Marriage Act,” said Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry. “We are one step closer to eliminating DOMA’s gay exception, which unfairly withholds the federal protections and responsibilities of marriage from loving and committed same-sex couples who are legally married.” The committee held its first-ever hearing on the bill in July, when witnesses harmed by the discriminatory law and experts including Wolfson testified on the hardship DOMA inflicts on same-sex couples and their families.

Courage Campaign

"For the first time in history, the Senate Judiciary Committee voted to make gays and lesbians whole people,” said Rick Jacobs, the chair and founder of the Courage Campaign, an online, grassroots political organization with more than 750,000 members around the country. "This truly historic vote today should never have been necessary because this absurd law should never have been on the books. Thanks to Sen. Dianne Feinstein, we have a bill that can move to the Senate floor where fair-minded people who believe in a nation united, not divided, can end federal discrimination against gay and lesbian couples legally married in six states and the District of Columbia. Sadly, the Republicans think this is a partisan issue, but then some thought the same about the other great civil rights issues of this nation. Eventually, America is just."

Courage Campaign To John Boehner

Yesterday the Courage Campaign flew the above banner over a California GOP golf tournament fundraiser attended by House Speaker John Boehner.

ACTION ITEM: Sign Complaint About Deceptive SB 48 Petition Gathering

Please consider signing the Courage Campaign's complaint about the lying ways that our enemies are gathering signatures to repeal California's SB 48.

What Will Historians Write?

A new message from the Courage Campaign calls for help in fighting the repeal of California's LGBT history bill.

DOMA Repeal To Advance In Senate

Responding to pressure from the Courage Campaign, Sen. Herb Kohl (D-WI) has agreed to become the tenth and final vote needed to advance the bill to repeal DOMA out of the Senate Judiciary Committee. While the repeal effort has a reasonable chance of success in the Senate, it is, of course, doomed in the GOP-dominated House.

Parents Pay Tribute To Fallen Soldier Son Who Died In The Closet Due To DADT

Watch this.

(Tipped by JMG reader Amber)

Prop 8 Reactions

Lambda Legal

"Because the federal appeals judges said they need clarification, we look forward to a decision by the California Supreme Court confirming that initiative proponents lack legal standing to continue the Perry case. They are not law enforcers, and have the same limited rights as everyone else to litigate only when their own rights are at stake, not merely to assert their opinions about others' rights." Initiative proponents also cannot step into the shoes of the attorney general, the governor or other state officials. The reason for this is basic: the governor and attorney general are elected by the people to represent all the people, not just one point of view on one issue, out of countless, competing concerns. Most importantly, state officials swear an oath to uphold the federal and state constitutions, including their abiding promises of equal protection and due process for everyone. Initiative proponents take no such oath, and have no such duties.

AFER

“More than six months ago, the federal district court declared unequivocally that Prop. 8 is unconstitutional and that it causes grave harm to gay and lesbian couples and their families each day that it is in effect. We look forward to assisting the California Supreme Court reach an answer to the question before them so that the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals can affirm the district court’s ruling and end the state-sanctioned discrimination of Prop. 8. The American Foundation for Equal Rights is committed to achieving the freedom to marry for all Americans. We look forward to taking this case to the U.S. Supreme Court, which 14 times before has declared that marriage is a fundamental right for every American.”

NCLR

For same-sex couples waiting to marry, and for all LGBT Californians waiting to be treated as equal citizens, the knowledge that they must endure further delay is incredibly painful and frustrating. Prop 8 should never have been permitted on the ballot. The rights of a minority should never be put to a popular vote. Prop 8 was a toxic, anti-democratic measure that continues to wreak havoc in the lives of real people and families. The court should move as quickly as possible to resolve this issue. It is clear that California law does not give initiative proponents the power to override elected state officials who have decided not to appeal a federal court decision holding that a challenged state law is unconstitutional. The California Supreme Court should rule accordingly, and the Ninth Circuit should affirm Judge Walker's ruling. Prop 8 is blatantly unconstitutional, and it is past time for it to be gone.

Equality California

For same-sex couples waiting to marry, and for all LGBT Californians waiting to be treated as equal citizens, the knowledge that they must endure further delay is incredibly painful and frustrating. Prop 8 should never have been permitted on the ballot. The rights of a minority should never be put to a popular vote. Prop 8 was a toxic, anti-democratic measure that continues to wreak havoc in the lives of real people and families. The court should move as quickly as possible to resolve this issue. It is clear that California law does not give initiative proponents the power to override elected state officials who have decided not to appeal a federal court decision holding that a challenged state law is unconstitutional. The California Supreme Court should rule accordingly, and the Ninth Circuit should affirm Judge Walker's ruling. Prop 8 is blatantly unconstitutional, and it is past time for it to be gone.

Courage Campaign

“Today’s California Supreme Court ruling does not change the fact that a federal court has ruled Proposition 8 unconstitutional, but it does mean that thousands of loving LGBT families remain in legal limbo---unable to exercise their constitutional right to access the security and recognition that only comes with marriage. It is unfortunate that while many California families are able to marry at a time and place of their choosing, equally loving LGBT families must endure months and years of legal uncertainty. They have waited long enough. That is why we are asking the California Supreme Court to move expeditiously to resolve the standing question once and for all. And we are confident that no matter what their decision, Judge Walker’s ruling will ultimately be upheld and the days of second class citizenship for thousands of California families will be relegated to the dustbin of history.”

Legal Teams Arriving At Ninth Circuit Court

At this writing, the legal teams from both sides and the original Perry V Schwarzenegger plaintiffs are fielding quite the media circus outside the Ninth Circuit Court in San Francisco. Adam Bink is live-blogging the proceedings over at the Courage Campaign's site and you can follow the latest action on Twitter at the hashtag #Prop8.

HRC & Courage Campaign To Carly Fiorina: Reject The Extremists At NOM

NOM has spent over $220K supporting Carly Fiorina. HRC and the Courage Campaign want Fiorina to reject their support as religious extremism.

HRC & Courage Campaign To File Joint IRS Complaint Against NOM's Ruth Institute

The Human Rights Campaign and the Courage Campaign announced today that they intend to file an IRS complaint against the Ruth Institute, which is an arm of the National Organization for Marriage. The complaint demands that the IRS "revoke the Ruth Institute’s tax-exempt status and seek an injunction to prevent future violations by either the Ruth Institute or the NOM Education Fund." View the complaint here (PDF). Via press release:

The complaint makes clear the Ruth Institute “has repeatedly and flagrantly violated the political campaign activity prohibition of section 501(c) (3) by intervening and participating in multiple candidate campaigns. In the past year Ruth Institute resources have illegally been used to advocate for a U.S. Senate candidate as well as local and statewide judicial candidates.” HRC and the Courage Campaign cite the repeated involvement of the Ruth Institute in Carly Fiorina’s Senate race and in judicial elections in California and Iowa as clear violations of federal law. “The evidence that the Ruth Institute and the NOM Education Fund repeatedly stepped over the line into illegal activity is indisputable,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Even fringe groups like NOM, its associates, and its affiliate groups must abide by federal law. Is the Ruth Institute nothing more than a front and funnel for NOM's political activities? We trust the IRS can unveil the truth."

“Time and again, NOM has shown itself as a radical extremist group bent on attacking families and undermining election laws,” said Courage Campaign Chairman and Founder Rick Jacobs. “By openly flouting IRS regulations governing charities, NOM is effectively forcing taxpayers to subsidize its political activities. This is not just the height of arrogance, it’s against the law.” Pursuant to the federal tax code, as a charitable organization, the Ruth Institute may not participate in any campaign activity for or against political candidates. Violation of this prohibition can result in stiff penalties against the organization and its officials as well as potential revocation of its tax exempt status by IRS.

CALIFORNIA: Courage Campaign Staffer Attack By NOM Bus Tour Supporter

The Courage Campaign reports that the man pictured above attacked their cameraman during a stop on NOM's bus tour in California.

The man, who claimed to be the owner of the property, angrily told Anthony that this was private property, and quickly struck Anthony in the arm, knocking the camera to the ground. Our tour camera has been damaged, and we’re not sure that footage can be recovered. (Update: Anthony is shaken up, but fine. Thanks to all of you for inquiring.) The Santa Ana police were quick to respond. They quickly stopped the Vota Tus Valores Bus from making a quick getaway, and a complaint has been filed with the police for battery. More to come on the legal proceedings as it comes in.

NOM's latest hate tour has been even more unattended than the last one with little to no advance publicity for its stops. Many are wondering what the actual purpose of the entire tour may be.

Quote Of The Day - Brian Brown

"I looked at the website. Gee, they've discovered that NOM is a coalition of people of diverse religious views who believe gay marriage will hurt marriage as a social institution. They didn't need a whole website to ‘expose’ that; I could have told them. We're flattered. HRC is a $40 million organization whose heavy-handed attacks on NOM only prove that we are the key national organization fighting for marriage as one man and one woman. We've grown from a $500,000 to a $10 million organization in just three years because so many Americans recognize that we are a key player in the fight for marriage." - NOM head Brian Brown, responding to the NOM Exposed website.

LAUNCHED: HRC & Courage Campaign Collaborate On "NOM Exposed" Site

The Human Rights Campaign and the Courage Campaign today launched NOM Exposed, a site devoted to unmasking the players, major backers, and strategies of the National Organization for Marriage. Via press release:

As the National Organization for Marriage, or NOM, embarks on a fall election campaign to defeat candidates who support full marriage equality, the Human Rights Campaign, in collaboration with the Courage Campaign, unveiled "NOM Exposed," a live, interactive website which reveals NOM's deep anti-gay affiliations, its long connections to the Mormon and Catholic churches and its quest to keep voters in the dark about its financing.

At the same time, HRC announced the formation of the NOM Project to follow the ongoing political work and propaganda of NOM as it attempts to influence elections and legislative campaigns across the country. The project will be led by Kevin Nix, a longtime LGBT advocate and political and media consultant. A former communications director at both Servicemembers Legal Defense Network and the Family Equality Council, Nix also worked at Media Matters in the 2004 presidential cycle.

"NOM and its leaders project a message of tolerance yet NOM Exposed shows that behind the well-trained talking points is an anti-gay animus and moneyed connections that it is loath to reveal," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "This website is not static. Working with the Courage Campaign, we will be watching the campaign trail and documenting NOM's political buys and bedfellows. We will connect the dots for voters."

NOM Exposed is one of the most extensive takedowns of the enemies of the LGBT movement that I've seen on the web yet, and I've only just begun to dig in. Take note of the site's "Rogue's Gallery" and start from there. This is fantastic.

Brian Brown Vs. Rick Jacobs

Things got very heated when NOM's Brian Brown finally met the Courage Campaign's Rick Jacobs at the final stop on NOM's Hate Tour in DC. WATCH THIS.

Red-Caped Catholic Nutters Support NOM At Hate Rally In Pennsylvania

At the second-to-last stop on NOM's Hate Tour, the red-caped nutjobs from the Catholic American Society for the Defense of Tradition, Family and Property showed up to spew their usual bile. Listen as their baby-faced rep connects same-sex marriage to bestiality and declares that single-parent families are not actual families at all.

NOM Tour Tracker Interviews Brian Brown

Adam Bink writes on NOM Tour Tracker:

Notice that Brown refuses to answer virtually all the questions on the grounds that he doesn’t accept the nature of the questions because he if answers it in the hypothetical, it somehow means he accepts the right of same-sex couples to wed. Translation: If Brown affirms what Blankenhorn affirms, it would box him into the corner of accepting that the freedom to marry would benefit same-sex couples, their children, and society.