Although, I must say: punctuation should NEVER be 'advice' for a fourteen-year-old. It should already be second-nature.

Your age is showing.
Please use some punctuation next time.

Many thanks,

- Smokey

The answer is because he is feeling sorry for himself and looking for sympathy. Obviously, he did not give a rat's patootie about his lesbian sister…or anyone else, for that matter.

Fuck him and the white steed he rode in on. He deserves to be strippd naked and flogged in the village square.

Yeah, I know. That sounds a little kinky. But what the heck. He got his rocks off taking civil-rights away from his sister and the GLBT community.

Shouldn't we be entitled to a little sexual gratification too? ;-)

…A 1,000?

I must have not seen that part. Ha, Okay — fine, I'm wrong in thinking that I previously did. Making an opinion on a ballot is one thing, funding a position and outwardly putting your views out there, erstwhile trying to convince others that your opinion is right is worthy of all the crap you're due. Heck, a 1,000 dollars, for me, is paying a month worth of bills and food. He must've been pretty certain that his perspective was completely the right one — and I can imagine gay or gay-friendly thespians might be a little inclined to frequent his venue that much less.

Sorry about my previous post. :-\

"I am deeply saddened my convictions…have offended others…."

"(re: hurt feelings & betrayal) It was not my intent… I had no idea…"

So, in all seriousness Mr. Eckern, what did you think people would feel or think when you give money to keep them unequal, unprotected, uninsured?

Why did he even bother to craft a statement. The only acceptable one would be "upon further reflection, I can see I was a jerk and was inconsiderate of others. I now wish all people to have the same rights and privileges I myself enjoy and wish I could retract my vote and support of proposal 8."

He continued by saying, "And by 'traditional,' I mean the definition that Utah adopted in order to gain statehood." (Dang that federal government and it's one-wife-per-man rule!)

Taking his job? Dude. He resigned.

As for that stuff about tolerance, I tolerate him just enough to shed one crocodile tear for his pain. That's, of course, because I sympathize more with those like his own sister who might have wanted to enjoy life as a married couple. Even if they didn't, there are lots of other couples who at least wanted that chance. Now, that's been ripped away from them + this guy not only voted to make it happen, but donated funds to ensure that it did as well.

No sympathy, whatsoever.

Tolerance? So we're supposed to tolerate people who fund anti-gay legislation? Sorry, no. I'm through tolerating. No social movement ever got anywhere just asking to be tolerated. I want my full rights, and if you donate money to take them away, expect to be called out for it.

Srsly?

I wasn't going to watch Passion Of The Christ anyway, but now just look at how I'm going to not watch it even harder!

Pay more attention in class.

Seriously.

Well, all I can say is that I hope people are a bit nicer to you than you have been here after you grow up and come out.

After all, I'm just a high school kid wasting time during class. Go San Ramon Grizzlies!

Sleep well.

That's also the way they do it in Chile, if it's of any significance to you guys. ALL (straight) couples have two wedding anniversaries a year: one for the day they got married civilly, and one for the day they got married through the church. The civil one comes first, of course, since you MUST be legally married before going forward with any religious ceremony.

It's not that far-fetched a concept, I must say. And, needless to say, it seems to be the most effective way of separating Church and State when it comes to marriage licenses. Makes sense to me!

So Mr. Eckern expressed his beliefs and he happens to be in an industry that is full of gays, (the country music industry is as well, they just lie about it) so he will have to pay the consequences. What goes around comes around, the world is spinning faster and faster and the universe is just.

I agree. There is only one of two solutions, here:

1) To allow gays and lesbians the right to marry, 're-defining' Marriage to include 'two people' instead of 'a man and a woman,' as was the case up here in Canada.

OR, if the social and religious conservatives don't want to 're-define' marriage because of the supposed sanctity/spirituality of the institution, then:

2) To create two levels of marriages: a legal one and a religious one.

Legal marriage will be the default license that is recognized by the state and imparts full rights and responsibilities to all couples, gay or straight. Religious marriage, in turn, will be nothing more than a certificate issued by religious institutions to symbolize that spiritual blessing the conservatives believe Marriage provides. Religious marriage will have nothing to do with the legal rights and responsibilities of couples; it will be a symbolic (aka 'useless') add-on to make religious people happy.

Of course, because the definition of "traditional marriage" is what is at stake for the conservatives, the legal version will in all likelihood be renamed to something else — something like 'civil union.' This would be fine, I think, if it's the same for EVERYONE – gay or straight.

Of course, because I like being a shit disturber and want conservatives to squirm in their chairs, I say we simply call it 'legal' or 'recognized' marriage instead. That would totally be a backhanded moved that I support!

The big picture is that one who is supposed to be educated, tolerant and accepting, was swayed by propaganda that was an outright lie. If he could be swayed, just think how many others that really do think gay marriage is ok, were persuaded to change their vote based on lies?? I suspect that at least 20% of those voted for the ban, based it upon the fear that gays would "recruit", force it on their respective "churches", that being gay is a "choice"and did not base it upon the truth, the equality of marriage for all.

While we can second guess the campaign to fight Prop 8, it should really be a wake up call to us. Fight fire with fire. Brand the zealots for what they are. Bigots, intolerant and LIARS!!!! Fight to get the tax exempt status of the mormon church revoked. Fight the religious organizations that donated. Challenge their tax exempt status, challenge their propaganda. Show the dirty, nasty, dark underbelly of these religious organizations that promote hate. Inform businesses that donated to it, that you are disappointed in their support of bigotry and not only will you not patronize their business, but will inform others of your decision and encourage them to do the same.

I have started a letter writing campaign to every public person who supported the ban. A paper letter, mailed via the USPS. Email are simply just not as effective. When you write cc the letter to the various News outlets.

HARD COPY LETTERS MAKE A MORE FORCEFUL IMPRESSION!!!

However you wish to do it, email or letter, just do it. Now is the time.

While my efforts by themselves are not effective, when combined with others, it gains strength.

I urge you to contact your politcians, religious leaders, churches, public figures(like Bill O'Reilly, Mike Huckabee and many others) and express your desire for EQUAL rights, and that separate but equal is not equal.

Stand up, make your voice heard, be visible, don't stop at posting on blogs and websites. Do it in person, on the phone etc.

Show them it affected "real" people, not a faceless demographic.

Rosa Parks put a face on the issue of racial discrimination. We need to do the same.

Complacency kicked us in the ass!!!

Stop or I'll bust out cryin'

marriage is not a "belief". so people need to stop saying he was acting on his political beliefs. marriage is a right.

he made a public donation. he put thought into it. $1000 is not a small sum of money.

he deserved this.

You'd think the guy would be a bit more sympathetic given his lesbian sister. I can only imagine how much fun their phone conversations are nowadays.

"Just because Eckern stood up for his beliefs, you militant scrappy bunch of limp-wrists decide to axe him."

We didn't ax him, you asshole, he resigned.

As a gym rat, and I'm sure there are plenty others here, I would personally like to show you just how "limp-wristed" I am.

Awww, shucks! ***blush***