Descent into thuggishness: Backers of Prop. 8 try extortion

Illustrations are screenshots from videos supporting Prop. 8 found on YouTube.

This is so bald I find it hard to believe, but apparently there is undisputed evidence.

Leaders of the campaign to outlaw same-sex marriage in California are warning businesses that have given money to the state's largest gay rights group they will be publicly identified as opponents of traditional unions unless they contribute to the gay marriage ban, too.

ProtectMarriage.com, the umbrella group behind a ballot initiative that would overturn the California Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage, sent a certified letter this week asking companies to withdraw their support of Equality California, a nonprofit organization that is helping lead the campaign against Proposition 8.

"Make a donation of a like amount to ProtectMarriage.com which will help us correct this error," reads the letter. "Were you to elect not to donate comparably, it would be a clear indication that you are in opposition to traditional marriage. ... The names of any companies and organizations that choose not to donate in like manner to ProtectMarriage.com but have given to Equality California will be published."

from an Associated Press story,
San Francisco Chronicle,
October 23, 2008

Searching out what entities gave to who in legally mandated campaign finance reports is not unusual for campaigns -- but using the information to make threats is over the top. It's not as if the donors to No on Prop. 8 didn't know their actions would be public. Signers of the letter, which Yes on Prop. 8 campaign spokespeople confirm is authentic, include leaders of the California Catholic Council and the Mormon Church.


We're seeing "religious" groups instigating terror and hooliganism here. They think God is on their side. They are afraid.

Fortunately other religious leaders aim to calm fears. In my church, all eight Episcopal bishops in California, despite their own differences about what the church should do about gay marriage, have opposed monkeying with the California constitution to impose anyone's religious views. And much of the mainstream Protestant community agrees:

"I think it's really important for the community at large to see that there is a large and strong Christian voice that stands in opposition to this," said Pastor Scott Landis of the Mission Hills United Church of Christ. "And it’s standing on the side of fairness."

Personally I like what the Rev. Susan Russell (disclosure -- I have the privilege of working with her) has said repeatedly: Prop. 8 "takes us down a slippery slope from democracy to theocracy."

If Californians get out and vote on November 4, if we make ourselves part of the Obama wave we'll get to see sweeping the country, Prop. 8 will go down to defeat according to the most recent polls. But the No on Prop. 8 campaign still needs funds to get the message out that this is important. How about a donation against extortion and theocracy?