DATE: 30 Sept. 2008
TO: My Political E-Mail List
SUBJECT: NO on Prop 8. YES for Civil Rights.
My cousin Doug, who is gay and not ashamed of who he is (and neither am I), brought this to my attention. My wife, Frances, and I don’t feel our marriage is in any way threatened by any other couple’s marriage; and we wouldn’t have wanted anyone else to tell us that we couldn’t marry because of their personal beliefs.
http://www.noonprop8.com/news/articles?id=0162
Prop 8 Opponents Call TV Ad False and Misleading
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 29, 2008
CONTACT: Ali Bay
PHONE: (916) 717-1411
SACRAMENTO — A new television ad released today by the proponents of Proposition 8, uses scare tactics and out-and-out lies to mislead voters into eliminating a fundamental right from their fellow Californians.
Prop 8 would eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry — but the proponents’ first ad doesn’t touch the real issue — instead focusing on education, religion and fear to divert attention from the real consequences of Prop 8.
“The lies and scare tactics used by the proponents of Prop 8 are nothing more than an attempt to mislead voters,” said Steve Smith, senior strategist for the NO on Prop 8 campaign. “As other folks have said about other political advertising, this spot is full of lies, lies and more lies.” “Prop 8 eliminates a fundamental right to marry for same-sex couples, many of whom have been together for years. The proponents of Prop 8 know most voters do not support singling out specific members of our community to be treated differently under the law. That’s why they’re trying to scare voters into believing Prop 8 is about something other than taking away fundamental rights from our friends, neighbors and family members who are gay or lesbian.”
Following are the real “facts” about the issues raised in the spot.
Fiction vs. the Facts
Proponents of Prop 8 make many misleading assertions in their new television ad. Here’s what’s fiction and what’s fact:
Fiction: People can be sued over personal beliefs.
Fact: California’s laws already prohibit discrimination against anyone based on race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation. This has nothing to do with marriage.
Fiction: Churches could lose their tax-exemption status.
Fact: Nothing in Prop 8 would force churches to do anything. In fact, the court decision regarding marriage specifically says “no religion will be required to change its religious policies or practices with regard to same-sex couples, and no religious officiant will be required to solemnize a marriage in contravention of his or her religious beliefs.”
Fiction: Same-sex marriage would be taught in public schools.
Fact: Not one word in Prop 8 mentions education, and no child can be forced, against the will of their parents, to be taught anything about health and family issues at school. California law prohibits it. A Sacramento Superior Court judge has already ruled that this claim by the proponents of Prop 8 is “false and misleading.” In fact, the “case” that is cited in the ad is from Massachusetts ... the proponents knew what California law said, so they used another state, again to mislead voters.
Fiction: Four Activist Judges in San Francisco ...
Fact: Prop 8 is not about courts and judges, it’s about eliminating a fundamental right. Proponents of Prop use an outdated and stale argument that we’ve already voted on this, that judges should not protect rights and freedoms, and that somehow what happened in the past should be the guide to our future. This campaign is not about what happened nearly nine years ago. This campaign is about whether Californians, right now, in 2008 are willing to eliminate a fundamental right for one group of citizens.
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