News Release: San Diego Office Opens + Boycotts

Californians Against Hate Opens San Diego Office

Californians Against Hate Opens San Diego Office

Californians Against Hate Opens
San Diego Office

SAN DIEGO, CA – Fred Karger cut the ribbon earlier this week, or rather the caution tape, to officially open their first real office in the 301 University Building. The 301 Building is very unique. It houses a dozen different LGBTQ organizations in San Diego for very low cost in the old No on Prop 8 headquarters.

“We are excited to have an official office, and we’re thrilled to be in the 301 Building” stated Californians Against Hate founder, Fred Karger. “There are lots of new young activists working out of here, and it’s a wonderful place to be. Lots of future leaders all under one roof. It’s very encouraging to see, and we’re glad to be a part of.”

“Having an office in San Diego will enable us do more on our two remaining boycotts, Doug Manchester’s Hotels and Terry Caster’s A-1 Self Storage Company. Manchester gave $125,000 of very early money to qualify and pass Proposition 8, and Caster gave a whopping $693,000. We have led successful boycotts of both companies for over a year. Now we can ramp them up and utilize more volunteers in San Diego,” concluded Karger.

If you’re in the neighborhood, stop by. If you would like to volunteer, let us know: info@californiansagainsthate.com

Thank you!

Manchester Hotels Bleeding $1 Million
per Month = $16 Million

Recent estimates have determined that Manchester’s two remaining hotels are losing a combined total of well over $1 million per month. This loss is a direct result of the 16 month old boycott started by Californians Against Hate and Unite Here, Local 30. The downtown Manchester Grand Hyatt and the new resort property, the Grand del Mar are “bleeding money in canceled and lost bookings.” Sales at the properties are reportedly way down.

Swedish model, modeling a Boycott Manchester Hotels T-shirt at Stockholm Gay Pride Festival Last Summer.  Over 1 million people turned out for the 5 day celebration. This is part of the Manchester Hotels Global Boycott.

Swedish model, modeling a Boycott Manchester Hotels T-shirt at Stockholm Gay Pride Festival Last Summer. Over 1 million people turned out for the 5 day celebration. This is part of the Manchester Hotels Global Boycott.

Last April, hotel officials admitted to having lost $7 million in the first 9 months of the boycott, and the longer it goes on the worse it gets.

Five for Fred Gets off to Great Start

A BIG thank you goes out to so many people who pulled out their MasterCards, Visas and American Express cards and donated to Fred’s Legal Defense Fund, Five for Fred

It’s actually very easy to help Fred. You just need to go to the www.fiveforfred.com web site and click on the bright red DONATE button in the upper right part of your screen. It directs you to the ever so easy to fill out donation sheet. It only takes 42 seconds to make a difference. If you haven’t donated to help defray Fred’s mounting legal bills, please do it right now: Five for Fred

Contributions of $5.00 (the price of a latte + tip) and up have come in from generous donors in 25 states – from Arizona to Wyoming. It has been incredible, and is really helping to make a dent in the bills. Please help if you can.

Thank you one and all!!!!

News Release: I am starting a legal defense fund

ACTION ALERT
December 2, 2009
Contact: Fred Karger
619-592-2008

I am starting a legal defense fund

Please Get out Your MasterCard – I Need Your Help!

www.FiveforFred.com

It’s been three months since I was subpoenaed by the National Organization for Marriage and Protect Marriage, the official Yes on 8 campaign committee that raised $40 million last year.  They served me with a subpoena on Labor Day weekend as part of their federal law suit to end disclosure of all campaign contributions in California.

In one fell swoop, these rabid opponents of LGBT civil rights want to forever hide the identity of all their donors, and stop me from my pursuit of truth and transparency. They want to continue to raise millions and millions of dollars to ban same-sex marriage while keeping their donors’ names secret.

They want to silence me by dragging me through our costly legal system. They are clearly doing this to harass me and hurt me.  They don’t like the fact that two states, California and Maine, are investigating the National Organization for Marriage due to the complaints that I filed.

www.FiveforFred.com

I have retained a highly regarded California law firm, Stevens, O’Connell and Jacobs to represent me.  I am very fortunate to get such excellent attorneys to go up against the well funded and powerful lawyers on the other side, James Bopp and the Alliance Defense Fund.

I will not be intimidated, but I cannot fight these huge national organizations and their lawyers myself.  I need your help.

www.FiveforFred.com

I am truly a citizen activist.  It is just my laptop and me. I am more committed than ever to gathering and publishing information that is essential to a full and fair debate over Proposition 8 and the forces behind it. But those forces are trying to silence me by making my First Amendment rights too costly to exercise I cannot cover all of the legal bills that will be necessary to fight these mega organizations with unlimited resources.

Some friends and I have set up Five for Fred to help cover my legal expenses in dealing with the subpoena and matters related to it.

I have received a huge outpouring of support these past two months.  Many of you have asked what you could do to help me.

So I am asking you to contribute a minimum of $5.00.  If enough people donate the price of a latte (with tip), it will be a HUGE help.

Please ask your friends and family members to support Five for Fred, too.  Post a link on your Facebook page, tweet, forward to your friends and please send whatever you can to help right now.

www.FiveforFred.com

My hometown City Council of Laguna Beach recently presented me with a Proclamation from the city supporting me, a copy of which is below.  And Cindy Frazier, the editor of the Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot wrote a beautiful and moving front page column detailing my plight, From Canyon to Cove: NOM Calls out Karger.

I am incredibly appreciative of the support I have received, and truly, it has helped me get through this tough time.

Please take a moment to donate to Five for Fred, and remember to forward this request to your friends, family and co-workers.

I am more motivated than ever before. I will continue to fight for our rights, and to draw attention to those organizations, religions, corporations and individuals whose goal is to stop us from attaining full civil rights.

Thank you very much for your help!

Best personal regards,

Fred Karger
Founder
Californians Against Hate
Five for Fred

City of Laguna Beach Proclamation Recognizing Fred Karger

proclamation_425

Click to enlarge

News Coverage: Standoff: Manchester Boycott Leadership vs American Historical Association

sdgln

Standoff: Manchester Boycott Leadership vs American Historical Association

Both Sides Pushing for Most Fruitful Solution

Morgan M. Hurley, CopyEditor Fri, 11/27/2009

Photo credit: Fred Karger Advertising the Manchester Hyatt Boycott at Stockholm Pride

Photo credit: Fred Karger Advertising the Manchester Hyatt Boycott at Stockholm Pride

Cleve Jones is furious.

This coming January, the American Historical Association (AHA) is holding their 124th Annual Meeting at the Manchester Grand Hyatt here in San Diego, despite their knowledge of the ongoing boycott against that property and repeated appeals for them to move venues.

The Grand Hyatt’s owner not only contributed $125,000 to Proposition 8, he helped get it on the ballot. Prop 8 ended marriage equality for millions of Californians when it was narrowly passed in November 2008.

The AHA, founded in 1884, is a Washington D.C. based organization made up of 15,000 scholars and educators across the country, a large number of which are also in the LGBT community. It is the oldest and largest professional organization in the United States.

“I am profoundly disappointed that gay historians will be the first LGBT people to violate this boycott,” said Jones. “It is a slap in the face of the hard work of the LGBT community in San Diego.

“San Diego’s gay community has come so far after decades of struggle in this conservative city, and to have these out-of-towners come in and thumb their nose up – it’s unconscionable.”

Jones, a long-time gay activist and co-founder of the NAMES Project and AIDS Memorial Quilt, is currently the International Director of LGBT Community Programs for the labor union, UNITE HERE (which includes Hotel and Restaurant Employees). SDGLN.com spoke with Cleve at the union’s Local 30 offices in San Diego.

Although the Manchester property is not unionized, UNITE HERE has taken an official stance behind the boycott for several reasons. Most importantly, Jones pointed out, are the large numbers of gays and lesbians within the hospitality industry. Secondly, the LGBT community is also an important target market for the industry.

“UNITE HERE supports full equality for LGBT rights and fights for protections, ENDA inclusive language and health care benefits for employee partners in all contracts, which we just succeeded with in Hawaii,“ explained Jones. “We also look for any opportunity to further relationships with progressives by getting involved in things such as Proposition 8, local elections, and other contracts to support LGBT workers.”

Doug Manchester, a resident of La Jolla, says he contributed $125,000 to Prop 8 on behalf of ProtectMarriage.com because of his Roman Catholic beliefs, but also said that despite this, gays and lesbians are welcome at his hotel.

Said Jones, “He was the second largest individual contributor to get Proposition 8 on the ballot and he has a history of providing financial support to extreme right-wing, anti-gay, anti-worker organizations. He’s a bad guy.”

The boycott was launched in the spring of 2008 as a result of GLAAD pulling major events that corresponded with San Diego Pride out of the Hyatt. The action came after word got out of Manchester’s contribution. Since then, over $7 million dollars in contracts with the Manchester Grand Hyatt have been thwarted as a result of the boycott. Taking into account figures on individual cancellations and other potential lost revenue not tracked or included- it could be millions more.

Several different organizations are providing leadership for the boycott: Californians Against Hate, Courage Campaign, Equality California, and UNITE HERE. Leaders of the boycott have worked closely with dozens of organizations – many of which had been booked years in advance – encouraging their participation and helping them find loopholes in their contracts, if necessary. These same people have offered their services to the AHA but they have not been responsive.

Citing a contract that they finalized six years ago, the AHA states that if they could get out of their contract without facing bankruptcy or extreme hardship, they would. Their cancellation fee is $750,000.

“We looked at the contract very closely,” said Arnita Jones, Executive Director. “There is an anti-strike clause, and if the workers at the Hyatt were participating, we could have opted out, but there are no workers from the hotel on the picket line, and there is no official strike.”

Cleve feels their explanation for moving forward with the contract falls a dollar short.

“This is a labor sanctioned boycott. An official labor boycott,” he said. “I don’t want to lecture historians, but the AHA is being used by Manchester to violate the boycott.”

After the passing of Proposition 8, LGBT members of the AHA brought forth the issue at a smaller annual conference of the AHA last January. As a result, the AHA adopted a resolution, full of ways they could step into the conversation. Much to the chagrin of the boycott leadership, moving their annual meeting from the grounds of the Manchester Grand Hyatt was not one of them.

One of the first things the resolution did put forth was the creation of a LGBTQ Task Force “to take a careful look at all professional concerns of the community – at Grad school, in employment – what can be done to make it more welcoming, more equal, with less discrimination,” explained Arnita.

In addition, a Working Group was launched to advertise, request a call for papers and structure a series of special sessions on same-sex marriage to take place at the Hyatt during their Annual Meeting. In a press release announcing the resolution, the 2010 annual meeting was identified as “an opportunity to seize a significant teaching moment.”

“The AHA has a rich body of research on (the institution of) marriage throughout history, and it’s always been evolving,” she continued. “We think it is very important to take these sessions into the Hyatt and have a scholarly conference, with no specific point of view in mind.” On the AHA website, the Executive Committee refers to the sessions as “scholarly findings that should increase public understanding of the complexity and fluidity of marriage practices.”

The 15 special sessions, according to the AHA website, fall under a special event titled, “Events of the AHA Working Group for Historical Perspectives on Same-Sex Marriage.” The sessions span each day of the four day conference, with Paper and Panel Topics on a wide range of related subjects, such as: Gay Marriage and Proposition 8, Reflections; Access Denied: Comparative Biopolitics of Marriage Restriction; Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, Don’t Marry; and, Male Couples and the Meanings of Same-Sex Love in Turn-of-the-Century Europe and America.

Arnita said the focus of these sessions will be on marriage over time and place, equality in other countries, and changes to marriage in the US. “Just in the last half century, things such as social security and health benefits have been added to marriage. In the early 19th century, women even didn’t have the same rights in a marriage. Marriage has never been static.”

Cleve Jones and others behind the boycott, including Californians Against Hate founder Fred Karger, already upset that the AHA will continue with their conference at the Hyatt, are offended that the AHA would consider holding any session with a LGBT focus inside the hotel that is in the midst of a boycott for LGBT reasons.

“This adds insult to injury – it is outrageous,” said Jones. “It is arrogant of the AHA and not helpful in any way. I recognize it is inconvenient, but standing up for one’s principles is often inconvenient.”

Karger agrees. “If they really want to make a statement, they’d take those sessions outside of the hotel.”

Both men stated they’d be happy to help the AHA find alternative spaces to conduct the special sessions, so people involved do not have to cross the picket line or violate the boycott.

Although the location of the conference remains a touchy subject- the AHA isn’t backing down.
Said Arnita Jones, “It has never been our intention to offend any member of the LGBTQ community. On the contrary, this mini-conference on historical perspectives of same-sex marriage is designed to make a serious and lasting contribution to the conversation on marriage equality. The 15-session event is a major focus of our annual meeting.

“The mini-conference will address the diversity of approaches to marriage and family over time and place,” she continued. “It is a direct response to arguments used by proponents of Proposition 8, that marriage has been the same through the ages and is now changing for the first time. By voting to hold these sessions in the Hyatt, the AHA members wanted to take this information to where we felt it was needed most.”

The AHA also states they are not paying for the meeting spaces, meaning Doug Manchester will not make any money from the meetings specifically. In keeping with their desire to make the sessions as public and as accessible as possible, they’ve even extended an invitation to Manchester, himself.

In addition, alternative hotels in the area have been offered up to the 5,000-6,000 expected attendees, and many are taking advantage of those alternatives. The AHA leadership is also encouraging membership dialogue and debate regarding their decisions, and promises to keep attendees informed of developments.

None of these concessions matter one bit to Cleve Jones, who feels the boycott still needs to be honored.

“Boycotts are a very important weapon and an effective tool,” said Jones. “They give people of conscience who are not directly affected by an issue or struggle the opportunity to support that struggle.”

Now a union employee himself, Jones referenced Cesar Chavez’ 1965 nation-wide boycott of grapes in support of the farm workers union, which lasted five years and ended in agreements suitable to both parties. The whole nation participated in the boycott while the previously unsuitable conditions the boycott was bringing attention to, affected only a specific group of individuals.

“Manchester did real damage to our community. One would think that historians of all people…..” his voice trailed off. Jones has started SleepWithTheRightPeople.com which focuses on gay friendly hotel properties so travelers can plan accordingly. The website also highlights individual LGBT hospitality employees.

Karger, who has been directly involved in assisting organizations out of their contracts; is a little more sympathetic, he understands the predicament of rigid contracts, how binding they can be, and the difficult situation they can put organizations in.

“I appreciate their position, but I hope they will never go back to the Manchester Hyatt again.”

The leaders of the boycott repeatedly stated throughout each interview that the AHA is not considered the enemy to the LGBT community; they just don’t want the AHA supporting the enemy by following through with their conference at the property in question. The AHA, on the other hand, truly wants to educate the masses, including Manchester, with their focus on topics related to the challenges that have always surrounded marriage, as well as the LGBT community.

Both the boycott leadership and the AHA have such strong opinions, and both sides feel they are pushing for the right outcomes. In the end, it appears they will need to agree to disagree, but there may be bruised egos left behind on both sides.

Only one thing is for sure, Cleve Jones will be on the picket line come January, to personally welcome the gay and straight historians of the AHA upon their arrival to Doug Manchester’s Grand Hyatt hotel.

Source: For more information about the boycott click HERE »

8: The Mormon Proposition Trailer

8: The Mormon Proposition, a film by Reed Cowan. View at YouTube.

Learn more about the film at www.mormonproposition.com Read Fred Karger’s article on 8: The Mormon Proposition at the Huffington Post:

8: The Mormon Proposition Will Knock Your Socks Off

By Fred Karger, Founder, Californians Against Hate

Producer Reed Cowan’s amazing new documentary is ready for its close-up.

This could well be the movie of the year. Take a look at the web site, read all about the movie and see who is behind it. You will be even more impressed.

I received a call from Reed earlier this year. He was coming out to San Francisco to film all the activities around the oral arguments being made before the California Supreme Court in San Francisco in the case to overturn Proposition 8.

Having played a very active role in uncovering the massive involvement of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church) in last year’s Prop 8 campaign, Reed asked me to be in his documentary.

I went up to San Francisco on Wednesday, March 4th to be a part of history, and see this filmmaker begin his journey. I met Reed and his partner Greg in front of the Castro Theater at 6:00 pm. That is the spot where the march to City Hall was about to begin on a chilly San Francisco night.

There were thousands and thousands of demonstrators gathering, ready to begin their solemn candlelight vigil to City Hall. We were recreating the famous nighttime march of 30 years ago, right after Harvey Milk was assassinated.

Reed grew up Mormon in Utah, and knows firsthand the inner workings of the Church. He knew that there was an incredible story to tell, and he spent the better part of a year putting every aspect of this documentary together.

All his hard work, and that of so many others who participated in this strong indictment of the Mormon Church and its leaders, will undoubtedly change history.

I have watched this filmmaker every step of the way over the last eight months. I went to Miami for a second interview in April, and this summer, Reed dispatched a film crew to my home for some final questions. He is very thorough.

8: The Mormon Proposition will explain once and for all just how the Mormon Church operates, and how they have led the fight against marriage equality all across the United States since Utah became the first state to ban same-sex marriage in 1995. 29 states have followed Utah’s lead, and the Mormon Church has made sure of that.

The film also goes into great depth about how the Mormon Church has destroyed so many lives and families in its desire to impose its will on others.

Please tell the world about this incredible documentary. It is a film for all to see.

Thank you Reed Cowan and everyone else who gave up so much and worked so hard to make Reed’s dream a reality.

Reid rips LDS Church’s Prop. 8 support

This is an amazing story in today’s Salt Lake Tribune by Matt Canham of the Tribune’s Washington, DC bureau. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in the highest ranking Mormon elected official in the U.S.

Reid rips LDS Church’s Prop. 8 support

Politics » Majority leader calls it a waste of church resources and good will.
By Matt Canham
The Salt Lake Tribune

Washington » In a meeting with gay-rights activists last week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid criticized the LDS Church for backing a ballot measure banning same-sex marriage in California, saying the leaders of his faith should have stayed out of the contentious political fight.

Reid, a Democrat from Nevada, is the highest ranking elected official who is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He previously has not commented on the flood of Mormon money and volunteers who helped propel Proposition 8 to victory in November.

But three organizers of the past weekend’s National Equality March said Reid brought up the topic during a conversation in his office.

“He said that he thought it was a waste of church resources and good will,” said Derek Washington, a Nevadan who worked as the outreach director for the march. “He said he didn’t think it was appropriate.”

Reid spokesman Jon Summers would not discuss the private meeting, but he didn’t deny the conversation took place.

“While Senator Reid agrees with his church that marriage is between a man and a woman,” Summers said, “he also believes that the resources that went into the Proposition 8 effort could have been put to better use.”

LDS Church officials declined to comment Monday. But Frank Schubert, campaign manager for the pro-Prop 8 movement, said: “All churches have not only the opportunity to speak out on important public issues, but really a moral obligation to do so.”

The Mormon Church, headquartered in Salt Lake City, repeatedly has fought attempts to legalize same-sex marriages. California’s Prop 8 was no different. Church leaders announced their support in a letter that was read during Sunday services in meetinghouses throughout the Golden State. LDS officials called for financial donations and volunteers. Members of the church did not disappoint.
More than 1,000 Utahns contributed either individually or through a business to the Prop 8 fight, giving $3.8 million. More than 70 percent of that cash went to groups backing the gay-marriage ban. Utah ranked second only to California in the amount given to the ballot battle.

The LDS Church kicked in nearly $190,000 in in-kind contributions to ProtectMarriage.com, the leading pro-Prop. 8 group. In the end, Prop 8 passed with 52 percent of the vote.

Marchers in Sunday’s equality rally, which drew tens of thousands to the U.S. Capitol, repeatedly referenced the Prop 8 defeat in signs, statements and even face paint. But when organizers sat down with Reid, it wasn’t a topic they intended to raise. They wanted to thank him for supporting the march and push him on their desire for federal action giving gay Americans the ability to get married, serve openly in the military and fight workplace discrimination.
Reid signed a letter supporting the march and encouraged a sustained lobbying campaign.

In the meeting, those present touched on issues most important to them. Dan Choi, a veteran of the Iraq War, who was booted from the military under the
“Don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, thanked Reid for lobbying President Barack Obama on his behalf. Robin McGehee, of California, talked about her own family. Then, McGehee said, Reid brought up his LDS faith and discussed a recent meeting with Mormons in which he criticized the Prop 8 efforts.

“He personally said they needed to be focused on other things,” she said, “and he felt it was harmful for the church to focus on such a divisive issue.”

mcanham@sltrib.com

Fred Karger’s Statement on Being Subpoenaed

This is my statement on the subpoena that I received from the Protect Marriage Campaign & the National Organization for Marriage. These two powerful and rich organizations are trying to silence me.

My story was published in the Huffington Post yesterday.

Please take a few minutes to read it. Thank you very much!

Fred Karger

Link: Huffington Post

Fighting For Civil Rights Has Consequences

I think of myself as a citizen activist. But that hasn’t always been so.

I began my odyssey on July 18, 2008 when I called for a boycott against San Diego hotel owner Doug Manchester. Mr. Manchester gave $125,000 of very early money to qualify Proposition 8 for last November’s California ballot. Why spend our money at his two hotels, The Manchester Grand Hyatt and the Grand del Mar, only to have it used against us?

I then led three other boycotts of mega-donors to the campaign to end same-sex marriage in California. Terry Caster, who owns A-1 Self Storage with 40 locations throughout California, is our other ongoing boycott. Mr. Caster gave a whopping $693,000 to ban same-sex marriage in California. When he was asked why by a reporter from the San Diego Union-Tribune he replied, “those kinds of marriages would create a ‘sick society.'”

Two other boycotts were settled after meeting with their CEOs. The founder of Bolthouse Farms gave $100,000 to Prop 8, and the Garff family of Salt Lake City’s Garff Automotive Group also gave $100,000 to Yes on 8. Both companies are now very active and generous supporters of the LGBT community.
And then there is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church). They raised and spent an inordinate amount of money, $30 million of the $40 million Yes on 8 raised, yet the church only reported $2,200 in non-monetary contributions.

So, I filed a complaint with the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC). Although the FPPC investigates fewer than 5% of the complaints it receives, it continues to investigate my charges of numerous campaign reporting violations by the Mormon Church. That ongoing investigation (FPPC Case #08/735) is
in its tenth month.

I have also been focusing much attention on the National Organization for Marriage (NOM). It has so many similarities to numerous other Mormon Church created front groups, that I filed a supplemental complaint with the FPPC and asked them to investigate.

Apparently, NOM feels it is above the law. It decided to hide its federally required tax forms for 2007 and 2008. They don’t want anybody to see how they spend their millions and millions of dollars. I have filed numerous complaints with the IRS, and have called for a Congressional investigation of this two year old National Organization for Marriage.

Finally, I filed a complaint in Maine dealing with the campaign there to ban same-sex marriage. 99.999% of all the money raised to hire the professional signature gathering firm to qualify Question 1 for the November 3, 2009 ballot came from only four religious organizations. Those were: NOM ($160,000), the Roman Catholic Diocese of Portland ($100,000), the Knights of Columbus of Washington DC — a two person office — ($50,000) and Focus on the Family ($31,000). Money laundering charges will be heard by the State of Maine Commission on Governmental Ethics and Election Practices on October 1st against the campaign committee, Stand for Marriage Maine and the National Organization for Marriage. The five member commission will hold its hearing in Augusta to decide if they, too are going to investigate NOM.

It appears that I have angered some pretty powerful people.

On Saturday morning, September 5, 2009 I was served a subpoena in a federal lawsuit where the old Prop 8 campaign committee, ProtectMarriage.com has filed suit against every major California election official from the Attorney General, Secretary of State, all five commissioners of the FPPC (who are in the middle of the investigation of the Mormon Church) to the big county registrars of voters. The lawsuit attempts to end reporting of contributor names in California. California was the first state in the nation to implement this type of law when the voters passed the Political Reform Act of 1974. It has worked well over the past 35 years, but NOM and its allies obviously do not believe in transparency.

By subpoenaing me, they are forcing me to spend lots of money on attorneys to represent me throughout the proceedings.

The subpoena calls for me to produce all emails, correspondence, faxes and all stored information that deal with my activities with Californians Against Hate from January 18, 2008 to the present. They demand to see all correspondence pertaining to three of my four web sites: www.CaliforniansAgainstHate.com , www.BoycottManchesterHotels.com, and www.BoycottA-1SelfStorrage.com. They left one out. It is our second most visited web site: www.Mormongate.com. Must have been an oversight.

They have also demanded to know how I received all of our research information and how it was disseminated. They also want to see “any and all” financial records. How ironic, I have been trying to view the required financial information from NOM for over 6 months. NOM refuses to release any of its finances, even to the IRS, as required by federal law. The Mormon Church will also not reveal any of its expenditures.

So what better way to persecute me, than to drag me through the legal system.

Unlike all these mega-organizations, it is just my laptop and me. I really am a citizen activist.
It has been a real rollercoaster of emotions over the past 14 days. Last Tuesday, the state’s top legal newspaper, the Daily Journal ran a front page story about my plight. It is a great article by reporter Matthew Pordum.

Well, that triggered an outpouring of calls, emails, Facebook messages, tweets, you name it. The first call that I got was from Cleve Jones, Harvey Milk’s former aide, and one of the leading LGBT activists in the country. “What can I do to help?” he asked.

Wow, then it really hit me, I am not in this alone. It has been pretty much non-stop all day, every day. Lots of lawyers calling and offering assistance — some I knew, many I didn’t. I received so many offers of help, including some of the most moving notes of support that I could ever imagine. This has been quite the emotional experience.

In my 59 1/2 years, I have never been subpoenaed, but there is a first time for everything.
So to everyone who reached out to me, and to those who back my efforts, a big thank you for believing in me. I feel we must stand up to those whose goal is to destroy the LGBT community.

Our opponents want to send a message to all of us that we are second class citizens, who are not entitled to the same rights as our mothers and fathers, brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, co-workers, neighbors and our friends who happen to be straight.

This will not deter me. I will continue to bring attention to those companies and individuals who spend millions and millions of dollars to stop us from attaining full and equal civil rights.

San Diego Yes on 8 “Celebration”

San Diego Yes on 8 “Celebration” BIG BUST
Only 200 to 300 People Show Up Sunday

SAN DIEGO, CA – Considering that every major Evangelical and Christian leader in San Diego spoke at and helped organize Sunday’s Yes on 8 campaign rally, we raise the question, where were all the people? Where were all their parishioners and supporters? On a Sunday, no less. Only 200 to 300 people showed up according to the San Diego Union-Tribune and the Los Angeles Times. This is the same leadership that expected 80,000 people at Qualcomm Stadium for “The Call” the Saturday before last November’s election. Maybe 8,000 showed up. They even had James Dobson speaking to a nearly empty football stadium.
Jim Garlow (pictured above) of Skyline Church and Miles McPhearson of the Rock Church (Miss California’s Church) + 15 other religious and political leaders could only muster a couple hundred people to come to the San Diego County building right after Sunday services – pathetic.

Jim Garlow had 6 (count ‘em, 6) bodyguards with him all day! There were lots of San Diego police at the Rally, but Pastor Garlow brought his own militia.

There were no Mormon speakers on the program, in spite of all they did to pass Proposition 8. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons) have a huge presence and a big Temple in San Diego . Maybe this is why;

The Wall Street Journal quoted Master of Ceremonies, Pastor Jim Garlow, as saying, “I would not, in all candor, have been meeting them (Mormons) or talking with them had it not been for” the marriage campaign. Rev. Garlow said he had developed a “friendship” with the Mormons he met, although he feels the theological differences remain “unbridgeable.”


Nice way to treat the Mormons who raised $30 million to pass Prop 8!
Brian Brown, Executive Director of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), brought his entire family to San Diego from their home in New Jersey . That’s his wife and 6 small children. Maybe they got free rooms at the Boycotted Manchester Grand Hyatt downtown. Owner Doug Manchester gave a very early $125,000 to qualify Prop 8 for last November’s ballot.

Brown who works for Maggie Gallagher at NOM in Princeton , NJ was the featured speaker. Not quite the star quality of Charlize Thereon and Eric McCormack who spoke at Saturday’s No on 8 – Meet in the Middle 4 Equality Rally in Fresno , but Brian did a good job of rallying the couple hundred faithful.
Between Pastor Garlow’s 6 Body Guards and Brian’s 6 kids, they had a built in crowd. Are Yes on 8 supporters feeling ashamed and not wanting to go out and “celebrate?” We’re thinking, probably yes.
We at Californians Against Hate applaud all of the fair-minded people who stayed at home Sunday and did not turn out to “celebrate” the rights of millions of Californians being yanked away from them last November 4th.
Miss California ’s Pastor, Miles McPhearson, with Garlow looking on.

It was interesting to see that the bulk of those who did make it were all quite elderly.

We thought this was the best part of the Rally, the time keeper!

Well, it was one for the record books:
“Most Disappointing Victory Rally of 2009.”

More News From Californians Against Hate — Check it out.

CAH – News Coverage #17

New York Times Editorial — http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/29/opinion/29sat2.html?_r=1&th&emc=th

Los Angeles Times — http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2008/11/california-offi.html

Boston Globe — http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles_of_faith/2008/11/mormons_facing_1.html

The Colorado Independent — http://coloradoindependent.com/16550/prop-8-fallout-continues-with-mormon-campaign-cash-investigation-%E2%80%98dishonor-roll%E2%80%99

Contra Costa Times — http://www.ibabuzz.com/politics/2008/11/21/self-storage-firm-boycotted-for-prop-8-support
Winston-Salem Journal —
http://www2.journalnow.com/content/2008/nov/26/mormon-churchs-role-in-prop-8-to-be-probed

Washington Blade — http://www.washingtonblade.com/2008/12-5/news/national/13688.cfm

Examiner USA — http://www.examiner.com/x-443-Chicago-Gay-Examiner~y2008m12d5-Equality-Illinois-hosts-Marriage-Equality-community-forum-at-Center-on-Halsted-on-Dec-6

The Bottomline — http://psbottomline.com/tbl_news.html
Fox News —
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,459544,00.html Fox News. Com — http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,457086,00.html

NBC 4 San Francisco — http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Gay-Rights-Activist-Files-Complaint-Against-Mormons.html

Local News 8 – Idaho Falls, ID —
http://www.localnews8.com/Global/story.asp?S=9412307&nav=menu554_2_2

Gay & Lesbian Times — http://www.gaylesbiantimes.com/?id=13628
Christian Broadcasting Network —
http://www.cbn.com/CBNnews/488832.aspx

Catholic News Agency — http://www.catholicnewsagency.com/new.php?n=14457

Voice of the Deseret — http://voice-of-deseret.blogspot.com/2008/11/american-family-association-defends-lds.html

Edge Boston — http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=84115

Love Journal — http://culturesite.livejournal.com/151425.html

California Acorn — http://www.thecamarilloacorn.com/news/2008/1128/letters/010.html

Niqnaq — http://niqnaq.wordpress.com/2008/11/26/distractions-from-class-struggle

Progressive Involvement —
http://www.progressiveinvolvement.com/progressive_involvement/2008/11/mormons-investigated.html
Pride Depot —
http://www.pridedepot.com/modules/wordpress/?tag=terry-caster
The Soap Box —
http://theesoapbox.blogspot.com/2008/11/what-happens-if-youre-on-gay-enemies.html
DigiActive —
http://www.digiactive.org/2008/11/24/campaign-protests-against-proposition-8
F6 —
schrodt@ku.edu

Lez Get Real — http://lezgetreal.com/2008/11/money-bible-and-new-world-order.html
The Tattler —
http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2008/11/proposition-8mormon-church-probed-by.html

Vox Verax — http://voxverax.blogspot.com/2008/11/nyt-editorial-prop-8-campaign-money.html
Robert’s Virtual Soapbox —
http://virtualsoapbox.wordpress.com/2008/11/30/nyt-pieces-on-prop-8-the-black-vote-and-yes-to-probing-the-mormon-cult

NGBlog — http://nlsngrc.blogspot.com/2008/11/afa-wildmon-mormons-played-vital-role.html

San Diego New Service — http://sandiegonewsservice.com/?p=155

Stop the Mormons — http://www.stopthemormons.com/?p=473

Debate Politics — http://www.debatepolitics.com/breaking-news/40572-probe-into-lds-church-s-prop-8-donations-going-forward.html

Solo Homo — http://solohomo.blogspot.com/2008/11/little-good-news-today.html

Jonathan Turley — http://jonathanturley.org/2008/11/30/california-opens-formal-investigation-of-mormon-churchs-role-in-financing-proposition-8

The Town Hall Webblog — http://marlettsmith.com/blog/index.php/2008/12/02/interesting-items-1201

Political Mpressions — http://politicalmpressions.wordpress.com/2008/12/02/conscientious-consumerism

360 Degrees — http://360degrez.blogspot.com/2008/12/those-peace-loving-liberals-attack.html

Breeder Boy — http://breederboy.net/?p=4247

Daily Kos — http://www.dailykos.com/storyonly/2008/12/1/93516/9878/149/667005

Southern Illinois Catholic — http://soilcatholics.blogspot.com/2008/12/so-mormons-are-not-allowed-to.html

UNI Freethought — http://unifreethought.blogspot.com/2008/12/prop-8-musical.html

Watch Dog San Mateo — http://www.watchdogsanmateo.com/2008/12/do-you-store-your-stuff-at-1-storage-do.html
They Gave Us a Republic —
http://www.theygaveusarepublic.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=1423

Religion Clause —
http://religionclause.blogspot.com/2008/11/focus-continues-on-mormon-leadership-of.html