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01/08/2009
Well they've already altered one law, why not another?
The anti-gay side's latest attempt to stop the big, bad gays from "harassing" them? To completely change campaign finance law, natch:
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Alliance Defense Fund allied attorneys together with ADF attorneys filed a lawsuit Wednesday on behalf of ProtectMarriage.com and the National Center for Marriage California to prevent harassment of citizens who gave as little as $100 to support Proposition 8. The lawsuit documents incidents of harassment and retaliation by opponents who have targeted Proposition 8 supporters after their identities and employers were made public by the state as required by California campaign finance law.
“Putting the names and employers of the people who supported Proposition 8 on the Internet for anyone to see has caused serious problems. No one should worry about getting a death threat because of the way he or she votes,” said James Bopp, Jr., lead attorney for the supporters of Proposition 8. “This lawsuit will protect the right of all people to help support causes they agree with, without having to worry about harassment or threats.”
...
“Our laws should ensure free participation in the democratic process, and not result in compromising the free speech and association rights of guaranteed to all Americans,” said ADF Legal Counsel Tim Chandler, who is serving as local counsel in the case. “Citizens shouldn’t have to choose between being involved in the democratic process and subjecting themselves to acts of vengeance.”
The lawsuit challenges parts of California’s campaign finance laws that require people who donate as little as $100 to have personal information revealed on the Internet as unconstitutional violations of free speech. The lawsuit also challenges parts of the campaign finance laws that require reporting of donations after a proposition has been voted on as unconstitutional.
ADF attorneys file suit to stop harassment of Calif. marriage amendment supporters [ADF]
Funny, we have zero problem with any and everyone knowing about our pro-gay donations. We welcome them. So even though the anti-gays are chalking their latest legal effort up to that big, bad harassment boogeyman that they've embracing since 11/5, we have to wonder: Is it really more for the sake of future stigma that they want their rights-stripping votes to be stealth?
Whatever the reason, this is completely ridiculous. But then again, this is a movement that measures their legitimacy in how fully the disrupt gay people's lives -- so we guess ridiculousness is really relative in this instance!
*ALSO: Read ADF's filing:
Your thoughts
The lot of them are crybabies. Donations to political action are public record. They're just pissed because the information got up on the net at record speed.
Too bad. Should have thought about that before you signed that petition, or before you gave $50 to Yes on Prop 8.
Posted by: Tony P | Jan 8, 2009 6:11:57 PM
How soon they forget that they took advantage of the current law to EXTORT money from businesses who donated to keep this thing from passing.
Posted by: RainbowPhoenix | Jan 8, 2009 7:05:47 PM
I think we can all agree that illegal harassment should be prosecuted.
However, boycotting is NOT illegal harassment. (Or maybe they should go check out what the AFA does...)
Illegal harassment should be dealt with where it exists. Not just knee-jerk hiding everybody who could be criticized for anti-gay marriage support.
The anti-gay side (e.g. AFA) is very active in exposing what they label as "support" for gay causes. Very active in asking for boycotts.
In fact, there was one anti-gay organization threatening pro-gay marriage supporters with public exposure if they didn't donate to the anti-gay marriage cause as well...
Why do I suspect that the ADF will in no way condemn these actions...
Posted by: foundit66 | Jan 8, 2009 7:32:12 PM
The one thing that should be pointed out, is that this should raise a big red flag for all of the other minorities in California. If they are successful in convincing some "activist" judges to rule in their favor on this, it wouldn't affect anything retroactively, but would only apply to future initiatives.
What that tells me is that, if they are successful in ensuring that Prop 8 isn't overturned, then EVERY OTHER MINORITY that they want to target COULD BE ATTACKED WITH IMPUNITY. I mean, seriously, what other motive could they possibly have for bringing this suit.
We could be in store for a long (perpetual) string of initiatives (from those lying liars) geared toward stripping all minority rights from individuals in California.
Posted by: Dick Mills | Jan 8, 2009 9:02:53 PM
Many of the people who are now bitchin' certainly made their contributions at least partly so that they could demonstrate to their peers, and potential customers, how "upstanding" they are. Nobody (except themselves) truly knows how they voted, no matter what they may delare their vote to have been. This is not only (the usual, and persistent) hipocracy we get from these folks, but also pure cowardice. Is this how one stands by their "convictions"?
"Some of my best friends are bigots"
Posted by: Cedlitz | Jan 9, 2009 10:21:22 AM
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