Maze Set-up to Oppose Prop 4 (check out the pic, too!)
http://www.stanforddaily.com/
Prop 8 Supporters Remain Active Under Pressure
http://www.stanforddaily.com/
Vote No on Prop 8 Editorial from the Daily's Editorial Board (yay!)
http://www.stanforddaily.com/
Op-Ed: Bible Should Not be Used to Back Prop 8
http://www.stanforddaily.com/
Letter to the Editor on Prop 8 and Letter to the Editor on Prop 4
http://www.stanforddaily.com/
TONS of press in the Daily today!!!
Friday, October 31, 2008
Op-Ed in Daily written by ASSU Exec
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Join us in voting no on Prop. 8
by Fagan Harris (with introduction by Jonny Dorsey)
Stanford Student Petition against Prop 8
Monday, October 27, 2008
STANFORD STUDENTS SIGN THE PETITION HERE
The California Supreme Court has unequivocally held that same-sex couples have a lawful right to marry under the California constitution. Proposition 8 threatens to overturn the aforementioned decision and eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. This proposition has created a social movement on campus uniting students, staff, and faculty of all sexual orientations for the sake of freedom and marriage equality.
We the undersigned students of Stanford University acknowledge that marriage equality is a fundamental civil rights issue and that marriage should not be denied to any individual based on sexual orientation. We firmly reject Prop 8 as an attack on our community. We value all members of our community equally, and we know that Prop 8 singles out individuals for discrimination. Because Prop 8 would dissolve the marriages of valued faculty, staff, students, and alumni and prohibit thousands of students from marrying the person that they love, we vow to vote no on Prop 8.
We the undersigned students of Stanford University also encourage Stanford students and the broader community to vote no on Proposition 8, which would take away a fundamental right from current and future students, faculty, and staff.
Sincerely,
Yes on 8 Banner in violation of OSA guidelines
Late Monday night, SCME members were alerted to news that a Yes on 8 banner had been put up, covering the marriage equality banner.
The Office of Student Activities eventually removed the Yes on 8 banner for violating OSA regulations.
*Unfortunately, our banner had been up for more than 10 days (also in violation of banner guidelines), so they took ours down too.
Boo :(
STAMP and the Prop 4 Maze of HORROR!
Hey "Vote Down 4 & 8" and STAMP peeps,
The MAZE e-flier that you received is an interactive theatre project developed by the Stanford Theatre Activist Mobilization Project (STAMP) and Stanford Students for Choice. It has people walk through the awful trials and tribulations vulnerable girls would have to undertake in order to access reproductive health care beginning Nov. 5, 2008 if Prop 4 passes. The installation will be up all week Mon-Fri in White Plaza 12-1
Please forward the e-flier, encourage your friends to walk through the maze, and take a walk through the maze yourself - we hope that it will conceretely communicate why Prop 4 would endanger the lives of the 10% of girls who currently don't tell their parents about their abortions for reasons of abuse, incest, and other horrible circumstances.
Photo Exhibit in White Plaza Week of Oct. 27-31st
Stanford Marriage Equality Photo Exhibit
Starting Thursday, October 27, a photo exhibit featuring the weddings of same-sex couples in the Stanford community (including faculty, students, and alumni), will be on display in White Plaza. Our exhibit features wedding photos and biographies of these community members, as well as some general information on same-sex marriage in California. They have generously shared some of the happiest moments in their lives with us through our exhibit, and we hope that their stories are touching and moving to everyone who comes!
MASSIVE THANK YOU to Ronny and Norris for putting this all together!
Remobilization Committee Meets!!
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Sunday at 5PM in the Women's Community Center Conference Room,
Student leaders from across campus met to discuss the Prop. 4 & 8 Remobilizing the Stanford community in the last few days before the election.
Goals:
1) Engage student groups, Greek life, community centers, dorms in the campaign with personal appeals and face-to-face approach
2) Spam the online petition
3) Promote Thursday's Rally and the MAZE of Horror
4) Promote Tuesday's Phonebank No on Prop 8 and Sunday's No on Prop 4 phone banks
**5)Get as many people to come to Saturday's MEGAPHONEbank from 12-8PM in the WCC as possible.
Take-home message: "WE CAN'T COME THIS CLOSE TO VICTORY AND NOT PULL THROUGH!"
Events leading up to Election Day
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Ongoing events:
- The Marriage Equality Campaign Fundraiser is active and needs your help! Join our Facebook Event, donate, and say why your T-shirt matters to you! Also, invite everyone you know with a T-shirt! http://www.facebook.com/event.
php?eid=31493104031 - Marriage Equality Photo Exhibit is on display now in Tresidder Union
- Watch Colton Margus’s amazing No on Prop 8 video featuring students (editing/marketing by Cory Quinn):
Monday-Friday, Oct 27-31:
- Go to STAMP's Maze of Horror in White Plaza from 12-1, open from Monday-Friday, and experience the consequences of Prop 4 passing firsthand!
Tuesday, October 28:
- No on 8 Phone Bank, 6-9pm, at Koret Pavilion (behind Hillel House)
- EMERGENCY Dorm Captain Meeting
Tuesday, October 28th
5:30pm to 6pm
Koret Pavilion.
- No on 8 Rally, 12-1pm, at White Plaza. Featuring Yul Kwon, winner of Survivor and Stanford alum and more speakers
- http://www.facebook.com/event.
php?eid=32263613927
- No on 8 MEGA Phone Bank, 12-8pm, location TBA (probably WCC). This is our last phone bank, so we will be phone banking all day, and providing ongoing, one-on-one training for phone bankers! Lunch and dinner provided. Come anytime you're available and bring all of your friends and housemates
- http://www.facebook.com/event.
php?eid=36724010517
- No on 4 Phone Bank, Women's Community Center, 1-4pm
- Vote! Email all your friends and fellow students to remember to vote!
- Marriage Equality Campaign Thank-You Celebration, 8-10pm, at the Women's Community Center
Planning and Remobilization Meeting Notes
Petition for Faculty and Staff
Jay Lee's Email about Tabling
Event: Tuesday Phone Bank
Event: Rally with Yul Kwon et al
Stanford Daily Editorial Board
Event: Marriage Equality MEGA Phone Bank
Event: Marriage Equality Thank-You Celebration
T-Shirt Fundraising on Facebook
- Greg already has all email addresses and has a good website for setting it up
- Greg, Jamie, Amanda will come up with the text of the petition and send it out
- Matt will email people to say that it's up now!
- put it up!
- On average we're about 2-3 points behind, though it varies a lot
- Jamie: "We can't come this close to victory and not pull through"
- No matter what the polls say, we CAN'T be complacent!
Jay Lee's Email about Tabling
- Matt will resend to list incase anyone is interested
- Catch: "looking for things to do that aren't phone banking?"
- Dorm Captains have been relatively inactive; we need to add leadership to them (Jamie says Erik would be great, Laura is also amazing, Jeff has experience as dorm captain and is committed as well)
- New Dorm Captain leadership should help dorm captains to be aggressive!
- Fagan says tell them: "This is Sunday. You need to do THIS on each of these upcoming days."
- Give them a timeline/schedule! (based on my digest) - give them some STRUCTURE!!
- Jamie: "Emergency"
- Dorm Captain To Do for this week:
- forward along flyers and invite to Facebook events
- pester EVERYONE who got a shirt (pester them personally, also get their names/emails and forward along to Marriage Equality Core)
- pledge 3 people a day to come to our Mega Phone Bank
Event: Tuesday Phone Bank
- Location: Koret Pavilion
- Tuesday, October 28, 6-9pm (the usual)
Event: Rally with Yul Kwon et al
- Thursday the 30th, 12-1pm, White Plaza
- Featuring Yul Kwon, winner of Survivor and Stanford alum, and hopefully more speakersk
- Have a collection jar for our shirt fundraiser (don't phrase it as a "problem")
- Use the rest of the Just Married balloons!
- Laura needs to order us helium
- Greg needs to talk to Yul about logistics
- Is he going to talk about 4&8, or just 8?
- When's the best time for him to talk? (12? 12:30?)
- We should get more speakers besides Yul and the Marriage Equality Core
- Rabbi Mychal, - religious perspective
- Jonny should speak (introductory remarks, we as execs endorse this, not center stage!)
- Mariachi Girl: Jeff & Amanda
- Publicity:
- Matt will create a Facebook event as soon as more details arise (whether we have Red Mango, etc) and add to Stanford Events Calendar
- Jeff will add to other event calendars and contact Kirsti Copeland, Academic Director of Flomo (kbc@stanford.edu)
- publicize on main events calendar - Kirsti Copeland kbc@
- Jonny and Fagan will email their press/publicity person about Palo Alto Daily/SJ Mercury
- We need a Remobilization Committee to be in charge to re-activate community involvementa and reach more students
- For the queer community
- For the community at large: all diversity groups and service groups, Greek community
- Jonny/Fagan are going to contact VSO's (diversity groups, service groups, Sigma Nu, all) involved with our Tues phone bank, Thurs Rally, and our Mega Phone Bank
- Remobilization Committee is meeting Sunday night, dinner from 6-7 and feed them
Stanford Daily Editorial Board
- No on 8 editorial Oct 30
Event: Marriage Equality MEGA Phone Bank
- Saturday, Nov 1, 12-8pm
- Location: hopefully Koret Pavilion, but may conflict with Saturday services. Otherwise WCC or Terra.
- Training will take place all day (one-on-one if necessary)
- Lunch and Dinner served
- Matt will create Facebook event and Flyer
- Create door signs "I saved gay marriage" for people who stayed the whole time, a la Dance Marathon: Matt will find someone to do this
- Greg will email Noah about KoPa's availability for Saturday
Event: Marriage Equality Thank-You Celebration
- Wednesday, November 5th
- 8-10pm @ Koret Pavilion
- Regardless of the results of the election, should be a lot like our kick-off event
- Conflicts with QSA meeting, but our main focus is allies/people who aren't normally involved with Queer events/activism
- Jamie: Karaoke
T-Shirt Fundraising on Facebook
- ChipIn not displaying correctly; Matt will write this on the event info; Greg will post updates to the wall
- Matt will keep pestering people (event guests and email lists)
- Dorm captains also need to pester people who have shirts
- Contacting alumni after election day for funds that we don’t raise
Phone Banks 10/25, 10/26, 10/28
Hey everyone,
There are only 10 days until the election and our opposition is still ahead in the polls. We are closing the gap though, but we need your help to call voters and get out the vote. How will you feel if 10 days from now gay and lesbian marriage is banned in California? How will you feel in 10 days if a women's right to chose is taken away for minors and they are forced to obtain unsafe, illegal abortions?
We have only 10 days left to impact this historic election. Please come help us - we promise it will be worth your time. Be part of a historic civil rights movement and help a minority group that needs you. Either way, this race is going to be incredibly close, so our work here at Stanford might prove the deciding factor!
We hope to see you there,
Stanford Vote Down 4 and 8
Stanford Coalition for Marriage Equality
Stanford Students for Choice
Saturday 10/25: No on 8 Voter Contact Event
1:00-4:00pm
Women's Community Center (433 Santa Teresa)
Lunch provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, laptop (if you have one), and a friend!
Sunday 10/26: No on 4 Voter Contact Event
1:00-4:00pm
Women's Community Center (433 Santa Teresa)
Lunch provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, laptop (if you have one), and a friend!
1:00-4:00pm
Women's Community Center (433 Santa Teresa)
Lunch provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, laptop (if you have one), and a friend!
Sunday 10/26: No on 4 Voter Contact Event
1:00-4:00pm
Women's Community Center (433 Santa Teresa)
Lunch provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, laptop (if you have one), and a friend!
Tuesday 10/28: No on 8 Voter Contact Event
6:00-9:00pm
Koret Pavilion (behind Hillel House)
Dinner provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, laptop (if you have one), and a friend!
6:00-9:00pm
Koret Pavilion (behind Hillel House)
Dinner provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, laptop (if you have one), and a friend!
With 13 YES votes and 1 ABSTENTION, the Undergrad Senate takes a stand for equality!!!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Senate Resolution
To Support Marriage Equality for All Couples
US Bill XIV
Authors/ Sponsors: Yvorn "Doc" Aswad-Thomas, UG Senator
Ana Diaz-Hernandez, UG Senator
Date: Tuesday, 14 October 2008
Action Requested: Approval; requires a 2/3 majority vote
Whereas the California Supreme Court has unequivocally held that samesex couples have a constitutional right to marry under the California Constitution
Whereas Proposition 8 stands to overturn the aforementioned decision and eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry
Whereas this proposition has created a social movement on campus uniting students of all sexual orientations for the sake of marriage equality
Whereas the ASSU has championed civil rights issues regarding race, ethnicity, nationality, gender, religion, political affiliation,
Whereas we hold that sexual orientation should be no exception
Whereas we acknowledge marriage equality as a Civil Rights issue and believe that marriage is an undeniable right
Whereas we call on Stanford students and the broader community to vote no on Proposition 8, which would take away this undeniable right from current and future students, faculty, staff
And we call on Stanford University to make a public statement against the proposition, as has been done in many California peer institutions
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the Tenth Undergraduate Senate of the Associated Students of Stanford University acknowledges marriage equality as
civil rights issue and encourages the Stanford community to take action by voting No on California Proposition 8.
beautiful story from No on 8 event 10/21/08
A story a few of you may have heard already:
Last night during our voter contact event a woman said to me,
"Honey, let me tell you something.
I'm a black woman;
I'm 71 years old;
and I've been discriminated against my whole life.
I refuse to discriminate against anyone like I've been discriminated against, so I'm going to vote NO."
Let's spread the No on 8 wildfire because gay = beautiful & this is our America.
Love love love to all the amazing people working their asses off,
L
Save Stanford's Campaign for Marriage Equality!
Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Please donate and help us recover the costs of our expansive and monumental on-campus efforts!
http://www.facebook.com/event.
Polling gap is closing!
Sunday, October 19, 2008
The gap is closing!! Whatever happens on election day, it's going to be WAY TOO CLOSE.
Currently (as of yesterday) the vote is split thusly:
Yes: 48%
No: 45%
Not Certain: 7%
SurveyUSA
-Erik
No on Prop 8 phone bank Results 10/18/08
Saturday, October 18, 2008
Hey Everyone!
So we had the BEST PHONE BANK YET this last Saturday! We made over 1400 dials (!) and get over 100 NO votes! We need to keep this up so please make it to Koret Pavilion tomorrow, Tuesday, from 6:00 -9:00 for training and (of course) free food!
Bring your cell phones and chargers - some phones may be provided (but not many).
Also bring your laptops - especially you veterans! Direct dialing is one of the reasons we had such an amazing phone bank on Saturday, so keep 'em coming.
We only have 15 days until the election!!! Earn some karma and as always, bring along some friends.
See you there!
-Matt-
Daily: STAMP stages same-sex proposals
Friday, October 17, 2008
STAMP stages same-sex proposals
Theater group takes guerrilla approach to protest Prop. 8
Some choose simple engagements with flowers and candlelit dinners. Others take the audacious route and propose on-air or in sports stadiums. But then there are some, at least here on the Stanford campus, who propose in classrooms and lecture halls.
Members of the Stanford Theatre Activist Mobilization Project (STAMP) conducted 20 staged proposals between same-sex couples and straight couples in over 12 different classes and at the CoHo this week. The effort was organized in order to express opposition to California Proposition 8, which, if passed, would effectively ban same-sex marriage in the state.
The effort was organized by STAMP co-founder Amanda Gelender ‘09 and Vera Eidelman ‘09, the group’s “guerrilla theater” director. Gelender and Eidelman wanted to use drama to place students — especially those who may not be familiar with Prop. 8 — in the moments of joy that same-sex couples share with each other on a daily basis. The actors and organizers hoped that allowing their audiences to become part of such a special moment for any couple — gay or straight — would push them to consider whether or not the consequences of Prop. 8 are ultimately beneficial.
“So we recreated these moments of joy that represented the beauty of marriage and the remarkable power of two people committing to a life together,” Gelender said. “We wanted to convey, on a human level, what society would have to lose if we ban same-sex marriage.”
Since its founding in 2007, STAMP has worked to produce plays and other theatrical pieces — such as last year’s “In Darfur” and “Hair” — that relate to current political issues. These endeavors, claim STAMP leaders, stem from the belief that theater can evoke emotions that other forms of activism may not be able to.
A three-day series of improvisational performances began on Oct. 6 after three weeks of preparation. Gelender and Eidelman have also worked collaboratively with the campus’ Vote Down 4 & 8 campaign. Likewise, some members of the Vote Down campaign participated in the performances. Training culminated in a workshop last Sunday that sought to help first-time performers get accustomed to techniques in improvisational theater.
For Charlie Syms ‘11, one of the actors in STAMP’s campaign against Prop. 8, this was his first time working in guerrilla theater.
“It was really nerve-wracking to be part of this because I wanted to be true to what STAMP was doing,” he said. “That was a concern for me. Are people going to believe that I’m actually proposing?”
The answer, for the vast majority of students who witnessed the performances, was yes.
In fact, many were so emotionally invested in the performances that the proposals brought them to tears. A few students were even disappointed when they later learned the proposals were staged.
“I thought that it was very powerful seeing that between two people,” said Michael Madderra ‘11, who witnessed a proposal last Monday in his Political Science class. “But at the same time, I would have preferred knowing that this is a reenactment of what it really is like outside of campus. I’d prefer more honesty. I would have more trust in that.”
Mass emails were sent out Monday evening to various Stanford chat lists in response to students’ requests for an explanation, and on Tuesday and Wednesday, STAMP officers told students about their goals and the role of theater in efforts to defeat Prop. 8. Some classes even held discussions following the performances.
Plans are also underway for an open discussion about Prop. 8 moderated by STAMP, as well as similar performances in cafes in surrounding communities.
Stanford presence at Redwood City No on 8 Conference/Rally - Check out the AMAZING coverage by major news outlets!
Hey everyone,
Thanks to Edgardo, Laura, Chrysanthe, Sekhar, Matt, I Jay, Greg and Sammie for coming out to the press conference/rally today!! Stanford was very well represented and the t-shirts were a huge hit!
Our work on Prop 8 at Stanford is featured in major news outlets including NBC, ABC, and CBS! Check out the links below for coverage, pictures, and to watch a video of the rally. I will send out additional links if more coverage surfaces.
Pictures:
A few pics are attached, here are links to more pics:
http://www.billwilsonphotos.
http://symbiote.smugmug.com/
Media Coverage:
CBS Coverage - You can also watch the video of the rally on the right side of the page - the part about Stanford is at 22 min. 25 sec
ABC 7 News Coverage
Prop. 8 Unites Priests, Pols and Parents | NBC Bay Area (NBC Coverage)
http://www.examiner.com/r-
--
Amanda Gelender
No on 8 phone bank 10/16/08
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Thanks to Everyone who came to the Thursday Phone Bank! We had an amazing turnout and are getting in touch with the last few undecided voters out there. There's still a ton of work to be done, and with the election only 18 DAYS AWAY we really need everyone to come and get on the phones.
Thanks also to Kenzie and Jen for stepping up as Phone bank coaches/trainers!
SCME/STAMP at Rally in San Mateo
San Mateo County Community Leaders Urge
NO on Prop 8
Clergy, labor, education, and community leaders across
San Mateo County rally for equality by opposing Proposition 8
WHAT: Community leaders from across San Mateo will come together to express their shared opposition to Proposition 8, the initiative on the California ballot that would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. These leaders represent many diverse interests, viewpoints, and cultural histories, yet their perspectives converge when it comes to a shared belief in the need to protect right of every Californian to marry the person they love. Speakers will touch on the meaning of freedom and equality in relation to love and family.
WHERE: Old Courthouse Square (2200 Broadway Street) Redwood City
WHEN: 10 AM, Thursday, October 16, 2008
WHO: Rich Gordon, San Mateo County Supervisor
Unitarian Universalist Reverend Vail Weller
Dave Pine, Trustee of the San Mateo Union High School District
Shelley Kessler, San Mateo County Central Labor Council
Amanda Gelender, Stanford Student and STAMP (Stanford Theater Activist Mobilization Project) Founder
Laurie Carter, PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays)
Background: Proposition 8 would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California, inscribing language into our state constitution to allow discrimination against a single minority group.
Interviews with speakers and guests available before and after the event.
Physicians' Perspectives on Prop 4 & 8
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
The election is hot hot hot in California, not to mention the country, this year, with very many issues that are important to the health of your patients.
But I thought it was all politics? No indeed! Come hear local physicians speak on the potential health impacts of prop 4 (parental notification about abortion) and prop 8 (ban on gay marriage).
But I thought it was all politics? No indeed! Come hear local physicians speak on the potential health impacts of prop 4 (parental notification about abortion) and prop 8 (ban on gay marriage).
Please join us for:
Health Impacts of Prop 4 & 8
DATE: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 5:30-6:30pm
LOCATION: Alway M104
Featuring Dr. Cynthia Kapphahn, Pediatrician
Health Impacts of Prop 4 & 8
DATE: Wednesday, October 15, 2008 5:30-6:30pm
LOCATION: Alway M104
Featuring Dr. Cynthia Kapphahn, Pediatrician
LUNCH PROVIDED - RSVP to caceres@stanford.edu
sponsored by Ob/Gyn Interest Group, LGBT-Meds, Peds Interest Group and MSFC.
No on 4 & 8 Events this week:
Wednesday 10/15: Health Impacts of Prop 4 & 8
5:30-6:30pm
Alway M104
Featuring Dr. Cynthia Kapphahn, Pediatrician
Thursday 10/16: No on 8 Voter Contact Event
6:00-9:00pm
Koret Pavilion (behind Hillel House)
Dinner provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, and a friend!
Saturday 10/18: No on 8 Voter Contact Event
1:00-4:00pm
El Centro Chicano
Lunch provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, and a friend!
Sunday 10/19: No on 4 Voter Contact Event
1:00-4:00pm
Women's Community Center
Lunch provided. Bring a cellphone, charger, and a friend!
STAMP guerilla theatre in lecture halls across campus!
Today, students from STAMP and Vote No on Prop 8 and Prop 4 performed 12 marriage proposals across campus. The proposals were not real, but the emotions we felt while performing were. We hope you felt as strongly as we did as you watched.
We sought to create moments of joy that represent the beauty of marriage, an institution that we are fiercely fighting for. We hoped to show you, on a human level, what society has to lose if it bans same-sex marriage. Moments like the ones we all experienced today can be snatched away on November 4. Please don't let that happen.
If you were touched by what you witnessed or heard about today, please Vote No on Prop 8. Prop 8 would take away people's right to marry.
Look forward to more performances tomorrow and Wednesday. Perhaps you'll see us at a class or cafe. And if you do, we hope you enjoy the moment!
No on Prop 4 Phone Bank 10/12/08
Sunday, October 12, 2008
1-4PM at the Women's Community Center
hosted by Stanford Students for Choice
Op-Ed in Daily: The Law of Love
Op-Ed: The law of love
I am the Presbyterian Campus Minister for the United Campus Christian Ministry at Stanford University. I am opposed to Proposition 8, which will eliminate the right to marry for same-sex couples, for two reasons.
The first reason is entirely secular but nonetheless important. Prop. 8 is unjust because it will make gay and lesbian members of our community second-class citizens who have most of the rights, but not all the rights that the rest of us enjoy. It allows the rights of a minority to be taken away by the vote of the majority. Those of us who may be in the majority today may find ourselves in the minority tomorrow or the next day. Would we want our rights eliminated by a vote of the majority, however well rationalized? I dare say we would not.
Second, as a Christian, I believe that Prop. 8 violates the law of love. This may require some explanation. Jesus’ ministry was directed towards those who were the outcasts of society whether they were the poor, the sick and lame, non-Jews (such as Greeks and Samaritans) or sinners — in other words, all those who were considered to be ritualistically “unclean.” Jesus’ ministry was a ministry of inclusion, not exclusion. Jesus broke down the walls of division and proclaimed that the reign of God is without borders. The Apostle Paul goes so far as to proclaim: “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:28, New Revised Standard Version)
Why does the reign of God have no fences or borders? Because the love of God knows no limit — it is boundless. Contrary to what you may have heard, there is no “in” group or “out” group. So what does this have to do with the law of love? It means that we are guided not by the religious checklist of “do’s” and “don’ts,” but by a higher and truer law of love. Does that mean that anything goes or that there are no guidelines? Quite the contrary, we are compelled to speak and act for those things in life that expand, enlarge and spread the message and actions of love. It means that we must surrender to the mystery of love and to the realization that our attempts to fence it in and define it are at best feeble and perhaps even arrogant.
I have been fortunate enough to know many same-sex couples, and they have never failed to deepen my understanding of love and commitment. Just as we once thought that the definition of family was Ozzie and Harriet and 2.4 children, so now we know that families come in all shapes and sizes, colors and genders. The law of love, like the laws of nature, will not be controlled or confined. Such is the law of love, always breaking boundaries. It’s time to get out of the way and let love have its way. Our world will be the better for it.
The Rev. Geoff Browning
Campus Minister, United Campus Christian Ministry at Stanford University
The Stanford Daily: Students Rally Against Props 4 & 8
-->Check out the BEAUTIFUL full-page color photospread of our rally in the Daily!!
Students rally against Propositions 4 & 8
Pro-choice and same-sex marriage advocates unite in White Plaza
Students strolled toward White Plaza at noon yesterday, donning bold and colorful paraphernalia in the name of equality. As their fellow peers sped along on their bikes, they dispersed across the plaza, waving signs and yelling a rallying chant of, “Vote no on four and eight!”
The Student Coalition for Marriage Equality (SCME) — an unofficial campus club centered on the upcoming election and an offshoot of the Queer-Straight Alliance — organized yesterday’s rally with help from Stanford Students for Choice (SSC) in hopes of promoting awareness about California Propositions 4 and 8. These state measures, if approved by voters, would require minors to notify their parents prior to obtaining an abortion (Proposition 4) and would eliminate the rights of same-sex couples to marry (Proposition 8).
Students who attended the rally were joined by LGBT activist Candace Gingrich, half-sister of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich. Attendees received free buttons and white placards, and some also sported uniforms illustrating their support of same-sex and reproductive rights. The graphic of the free t-shirts provided by SCME, for example, showed a heterosexual couple juxtaposed against gay and lesbian couples — with the lesbian couple holding a “Just Married” balloon — and each couple separated by equal signs.
The primary objective of these campaigning efforts against Propositions 4 and 8 is education. Student organizers believed that very few people knew about the propositions, and for them, the information in the general election packet alone does not serve as a sufficient source on which voters should base their decisions.
“Because the rhetoric involved is deceptive and is not necessarily straight-forward, the main effort that we’re doing for this campaign is clarifying the proposition and its practical application,” said SSC Co-President Emily Gasner ‘09.
While the gathering was small, those who showed up were eager to fight for what they believe is a crucial human rights issue, and to display their support for peers directly affected by the propositions. It was their sense of urgency to alert the Stanford campus and the public about Propositions 4 and 8 that fueled the energy in the rallying cheers.
“What brought me out here was reading through the general election packet, and the very first line for (Proposition) eight says ‘a constitutional amendment to deny the right,’ and I stopped there,” said Yvorn Aswad ‘11. “I couldn’t go any further because how can anyone phrase this in any good light if the first sentence is ‘to deny the right’? That brought me out to come and support.”
Temo Peranda ‘10 hoped to “put faces onto the proposition.”
“This is a humanistic thing and you have to realize yourself that these people are you,” he said. “What if your rights are taken away?”
Most of the attendees were concerned about the chances of defeating these propositions, especially after the San Jose Mercury News recently reported that both propositions are currently holding more public favor in opinion polls. Though the difference is minimal — about five percent — the rally organizers believe the Stanford student vote could play a large role in blocking the two propositions.
1000 No on Prop 8 shirts distributed to students across campus in 3 days!!
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Students scramble to get the last of the XS, S, M, XL, XXL Stanford No on Prop 8 Shirts!
Tuesday 10/7 phone bank Results
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
We had over 20 people come to call undecided voters and made about 1000 dials. We also spoke with 105 voters who agreed to vote NO on Prop 8!
Update: Prop. 8 Polling Myth is Debunked
Monday, October 6, 2008
CBS 5¹ poll:
"...likely California voters overall now favor passage of Proposition 8 by a five-point margin, 47 percent to 42 percent. Ironically, a CBS 5 poll eleven days prior found a five-point margin in favor of the measure's opponents."
No on Prop 8 Voter Contact Event 1-4PM 10/4/08 Terra House
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Results:
We dialed an impressive 1280 times and spoke with 149 undecided voters...
Got 5 people to donate money and/or donate their time to a future voter contact event...
Got an incredible 107 people to commit to voting NO on 8...
And were able to provide 13 'on the fence' people with more information about the proposition!
THANK YOU to Matt W. for taking the lead on Phone Bank Training/Coaching!
Momentum from Connecticut's Legalization of Same-sex Marriage
Wednesday, October 1, 2008
Connecticut Ruling Overturns Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Filed at 12:01 p.m. ET
HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) -- Connecticut's Supreme Court ruled Friday that same-sex couples have the right to marry, making the state the third behind Massachusetts and California to legalize such unions.
The divided court ruled 4-3 that gay and lesbian couples cannot be denied the freedom to marry under the state constitution, and Connecticut's civil unions law does not provide those couples with the same rights as heterosexual couples.
"I can't believe it. We're thrilled, we're absolutely overjoyed. We're finally going to be able, after 33 years, to get married," said Janet Peck of Colchester, who was a plaintiff with her partner, Carole Conklin.
Connecticut will join Massachusetts and California as the only state to allow same-sex couples to marry.
"Interpreting our state constitutional provisions in accordance with firmly established equal protection principles leads inevitably to the conclusion that gay persons are entitled to marry the otherwise qualified same sex partner of their choice," Justice Richard N. Palmer wrote in the majority opinion that overturned a lower court finding.
"To decide otherwise would require us to apply one set of constitutional principles to gay persons and another to all others," Palmer wrote.
Gov. M. Jodi Rell said Friday that she disagreed, but will not fight the ruling.
"The Supreme Court has spoken," Rell said in a statement. "I do not believe their voice reflects the majority of the people of Connecticut. However, I am also firmly convinced that attempts to reverse this decision -- either legislatively or by amending the state Constitution -- will not meet with success."
The lawsuit was brought in 2004 after eight same-sex couples were denied marriage licenses and sued, saying their constitutional rights to equal protection and due process were violated.
They said the state's marriage law, if applied only to heterosexual couples, denied them of the financial, social and emotional benefits of marriage.
Peck said that as soon as the decision was announced, the couple started crying and hugging while juggling excited phone calls from her brother and other friends and family.
"We've always dreamed of being married," she said. "Even though we were lesbians and didn't know if that would ever come true, we always dreamed of it."
Open Meeting and Kickoff Recap!
We had over 70 STUDENTS attend last night kick-off!!
Here are some things we accomplished last night:
- Designed and painted a beautiful, unique banner for white plaza
- Signed up a whole bunch of students for STAMP'S "GORILLA" THEATER
- Signed up over 50 students for this weekend's voter contact events
- Stormed every undergraduate dorm on campus except the Row Houses, Suites and Mirrielees (who don't have dorm meetings at the same time)
- Signed up 25 more dorm captains
- Trained a whole bunch of people to talk about the issues
- Distributed nearly 1000 door signs
ACS and Outlaw bring Dennise Herrera to Stanford
ACS and OUTlaw bring you
San Francisco City Attorney
DENNISE HERRERA
on Marriage Equality in California,
Local Politics and the Law
with an introduction by Prof. Jane Schacter
Wed. 10/1 11:45AM
Lunch Served!
DENNISE HERRERA
on Marriage Equality in California,
Local Politics and the Law
with an introduction by Prof. Jane Schacter
Wed. 10/1 11:45AM
Lunch Served!
Dennis Herrera is the first Latino to serve as City Attorney of San Francisco. He is widely viewed as one of the Bay Area's and California's most prominent and successful legal practitioners.
As the City Attorney, Herrera was responsible for litigating the California gay marriage cases, which he won in the California Supreme Court this June.
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