Going ‘Gaga’ for gay marriage
Leilani Albano | 12-24-2009 | Comments |
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To listen to the audio story, click on the player Braving cold temperatures, Angelenos went in droves to watch their favorite celebrity, Lady Gaga, perform at the Nokia Theater, in downtown LA.
Along the way, they were greeted by same-sex marriage activists with Restore Equality 2010 who were asking for their support. “We really need your help? So are you registered to vote in LA?” asked Andy Cabrera to a group of girls.
Last night’s signature gathering at Lady Gaga’s “Monster Ball” concert was one of a series of events to kick off the anti-Prop 8 campaign.
Restore Equality 2010 wants to collect one million signatures by April 12, in order to qualify to get on the ballot for next year’s elections.
Their ballot measure would introduce a constitutional amendment that would restore same-sex marriage rights in the states. “It’s a basic civil right. That it’s your right to have.” said passerby, Karen Louth. “It doesn’t really matter. Gay, straight, bi – everyone deserves to express their love in a marriage.”
Gay audiences are drawn to Lady GaGa, who has been using her celebrity power to draw attention to gay rights. Recently, she attended the San Francisco Gay Pride Parade and spoke at the National Equality March in Washington DC.
She also credited her gay followers for her success.
Said Restore Equality organizer, Lester Aponte: “We are coming to this particular concert because of low-hanging fruit. She is very gay friendly. And the crowd is young and they are very forward thinking. And so we get a lot of signatures in that particular crowd.”
In the 2008 elections, 52% of California voters favored banning same-sex couples and 48% were opposed.
Los Angeles County had roughly the same results.
Some gay rights activists blamed the loss on anti-Prop 8’s leaders, who they claimed made no direct contact with voters. They said they relied on online contributions instead.
In contrast, Aponte said Restore Equality is going door-to-door to communities of color, that were ignored in last year’s campaign. “It’s directed specifically to East LA, and Inglewood and South LA and neighborhoods where the No on 8 campaign simply didn’t have any outreach at all the last time.”
Andy Cabrera, who is a Restore Equality District Representative, said Latino and black voters may not always agree, but said talking to them helps. “They’re borderline, he said. “Instead of being 100 percent accepting of gay marriages or a gay relationships, now they are more along the fence.”
RE’s efforts to pass a constitutional amendment granting same sex marriage rights by 2010 are not welcomed by some mainstream gay groups, like the Courage Campaign and Equality California.
These organizations fear another failure at the ballot box. “At this point, we don’t think a ballot proposition would be successful,” said David Comfort, spokesman for the LA-based Equality Network. “There is just not the funds, the volunteers necessary to gather something along the lines of a million signatures to qualify.”
Rather, Equality Network, is advocating for federal laws that expand gay rights, and putting an end to anti-gay measures, like the military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy..
But Jane Wishon, with Restore Equality disagreed. “You keep losing until you win. If it’s important, if it’s fundamental, then you can’t give up. No matter how much you have to try,” she said.
Restore Equality will be continue collecting signatures through Wednesday.
Tags: anti-prop 8 lady gaga leilani albano restore equality 2010 same sex marriage