california

Meet the Activists Who Won’t Wait Until 2012 to Repeal Prop 8

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Just because Equality California thinks we need to wait until 2012 to repeal Prop 8 doesn’t mean the activist crowd is falling into line. Since EC’s Geoff Kors and Marc Solomon released its political strategist-fueled “road map” yesterday that involves hunkering down for three years, plenty of other groups have voiced their dissatisfaction — and intent to stick with 2010. Oy!

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It’s not just the Courage Campaign’s Rick Jacobs who, listening to members, is still going ahead with 2010. There’s Equality Network’s David Comfort (pictured) — already known for taking shots at Equality California — who’s gone on the attack once again. In an email, Comfort calls EC’s decision to wait “a clear example of an established LGBT organization’s lack of leadership on equal rights. … Unlike the Courage Campaign, they have now decided to go ahead and ignore their membership. Therefore, we can no longer support them as they no longer support nor represent the LGBT community.”

Hot damn!

But Comfort isn’t the only one.

The indie group Yes! On Equality, spearheaded by Chaz Lowe, also isn’t having this “wait till 2012” business. In a statement, Yes! says: “We are extremely disappointed, but not surprised, by Equality California’s decision today to wait until 2012 to go back the ballot for marriage equality in California, especially since every poll we conducted shows majority support within the LGBT community (including 70 percent of EQCA’s own membership) to put a marriage equality initiative on the ballot next year.”

Okay, but what about all those consultants Equality California hired, telling them it’s better to wait? Blashphemy, says Yes!: “Every indicator and every consultant we’ve met with (including those that ran Barack Obama’s campaign and Winner Mandabach Campaigns, which has run more “yes” ballot initiatives than any other consultant or firm in the country) tells us we an win marriage equality back in 2010.”

Lowe, you’ll recall, claims to be the first to file an official 2010 repeal effort.

While EC has the backing of three gay minority groups (API Equality-LA, HONOR PAC, Barbara Jordan / Bayard Rustin Coalition) with its decision to wait until 2012, it’s clear others are charging along for a repeal two years earlier.

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