Good As You

Great news, especially after having read an article earlier about a poll that showed a slight lead in voters who would support the initiative. Still, I wish this article said more about the poll, who was taking it and what the details were.

Good news like this is all the more reason to get fired up about the political battle we'll have to fight and the image campaign we'll likely have to lead. Time to donate!

Personally, IMO, I hope that any campaign avoids using words that offend people who might vote yes on the initiative. I think we're in a time where we can win more swing voters with balsamic than vinegar, and I think the most effective campaign would be one that disarms the opposition by showing how we're no threat to them, and by showing that we are their families, their friends and neighbors.

I wonder if a tactic to take in winning at the ballot box is to not try to convince people to like gay marriage, but that unless they really think it is worst thing in the world, they shouldn't oppose it and stop other people from doing it. Lots of people don't like abortion, interracial marriage or adoption or a host of other things, but wouldn't go so far as to stop others from doing it. Yet with gay marriage, there is this mindset that just because you don't particularly like it, you should go to great lengths to stop it.

I also think we need to make sure everyone knows how restrictions on marriage not only hurt gay people but their children as well. There is a good case for the fact that the children of straight people are entitled to more benefits and security than the children of gay people. Marriage would change that.

Wouldn't it be great to get Ellen DeGeneris and George Takei to get involved with ad campaigns, since they are plannning weddings in Califonia? We have no lack of high profile people who can speak for us.

zortnac, the earlier poll you mentioned was done by the LA Times, this most recent one is a Field Poll. And Field is considered one of the more better pollsters in California. But you really can't ever rely on polls. This is not going to be an easy battle for us to win (Prop 22 garnered 60% of the vote in 2000), but it may be winnable.

In 2000, we didn't have a stupid war in Iraq, we hadn't had 60 or so serious ethical violations in the US House and Senate, we didn't have a president with approval ratings in the teens, we did have a mild recession - but not a severe recession with $4.25/gallon gasoline, and we hadn't seen the National Debt skyrocket to $9.4 Trillion either.

There are a lot of issues that should give pause to those who voted their one issue in 2000, but mostly that they were sold a bill of goods by the factions who promised them that everything would be sooooo much better if we stomp on the queers.