Easy Way to Contribute to Marriage Equality New York

A donor has agreed to give $1 for every New Yorker that subscribes to the MENY newsletter between NOW and December 31st (up to a maximum of $5,000). This is a great way of raising necessary funds for Marriage Equality while also building our grassroots efforts in New York State.
So, what can you do?

1) Check over your subscription by following the link at the bottom of this email.
2) Send this link (and fundraising explanation) to all your friends, family and neighbors and ask them to subscribe using the link below.

Act Now, today is the last day of this offer.

http://www.marriageequalityny.org/subscribe.html

Change.org: First Round Voting Ends Today

In an earlier post I asked you to vote up an idea for change titled All Children Deserve Loving Families.

The first round of voting ends today, 12/31/2008 at midnight Pacific time.  This idea is currently in 6th place in the gay rights category and needs 214 more votes to make it to the second round.

Please go and vote it up today.  Please promote this idea by emailing it to all your friends, sharing it on social networking sites, and promoting it on you blog.

All Children Deserve Loving Families: Vote at Change.org

Dana from Mombian was invited by Change.org to submit an “Idea for Change in America”.  Change.org will present the top 10 ideas for social change to the Obama administration on inauguration day.  Her idea is titled: All Children Deserve Loving Families and here is what she had to say:

Every child in America deserves a loving family. The rights of children to find a loving home through adoption or fostering shall not be withheld on account of the prospective parent’s sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. An adult in a committed relationship with the sole legal parent of a child, whom the legal parent acknowledges as a second parent, shall be recognized under the law as such, even if the two parents later separate. Furthermore, the relationship of a parent to a child, if recognized by a state or jurisdiction, shall be recognized by all states and jurisdictions.

Please visit Change.org and vote it up!

Promote this idea and post the widget above on your webpage.

What a Great Christmas Present for It’s Daddies. Plural.

Congratulations to Paul & Chris at It’s Daddies. Plural.  There new baby daughter arrived on Christmas morning a few days early.  Christmas presents don’t get any better than that.  Go on over and read about their day.

Petition Obama for Change

I just received this message from the Human Rights Campaign. Sign a petition asking President-elect Obama to support HRC’s Blueprint for Positive Change — A Five-Point plan for LGBT Equality in America.

On Wednesday, the Presidential Inauguration Committee invited anti-LGBT and Prop 8 supporter Rev. Rick Warren to give the invocation at the Presidential inauguration.

Within hours, this announcement unleashed a deservedly loud cry from the Human Rights Campaign and the community at large.

We have a chance to turn all of our energy and outrage into action. Make no mistake - this is a moment of  opportunity we must not squander.

President-elect Obama may not change his mind on Rev. Warren but he can turn the corner on this controversy by officially committing to HRC’s Blueprint for Positive Change — a concrete plan for LGBT equality.

Use the link below to ask President-elect Obama to support HRC’s Blueprint for Positive Change — A Five-Point plan for LGBT Equality in America.

http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/positivechange?rk=kdz0yfKawPqTW

We just signed the petition. How about you?

Spread the Cheer Challenge: 24 Hours Left

Only 24 hours left for the Spread the Cheer Challenge for the Family Equality Council.  They are only 26 donations away from meeting the challenge of 300 donations by Dec. 20th.  If they make the 300 donations they will win a $25,000.00. The amount of a donation does not matter, only that they get 300 unique donations.

Here are some words from Jennifer Chrisler, the executive director of FEC:

It’s officially down to the wire—it’s now or never. We only have 24 hours left in our Spread the Cheer the Challenge! Over the last month, families have been making contributions, both small and large, to help us reach our goal of 300 donations by midnight, December 20th. If we reach our goal of 300 donations we will win $25,000 for our families. Hold your breath: we are only 26 donations away from our goal! I’m literally biting my nails as the seconds tick away.

Last month, I wrote to you about our many accomplishments in 2008. A week ago, Kara & Nina touched on our plans for 2009. Just a few days ago, Jeff Friedman spoke about why equality is so important to his family. And now it comes down to you.

What does equality mean to you and your family? For just a moment, envision a world in which all families—yours included—are treated equally. Is it a world where you can safely travel from state to state without worrying about proving your family’s existence or having the necessary paperwork? Is it a world where you are able to visit your partner in the hospital without hassle? Is it a world where all loving families are respected, protected, celebrated and valued? Now I ask you: what is this vision worth to you? Please contribute to equality today.

In this challenging economy we know that every dollar matters. Here is the impact of your donation:

• $25—Allows us to be a watchdog for your family for one day of the year by tracking every piece of LGBT legislation and case law in the United States.
• $50—gives one family the tools to tell their story and be a vocal supporter of equality in their community.
• $100—organizes 1 online training for LGBT families.
• $250—provides childcare during an LGBT family event or training.
• $500—places a family field organizer in a battle-ground state for 1 day.
• $1,200—floods 1 state capital with hundreds of LGBT families for a lobby day.

With less than 24 hours left on the clock, your time to act is now. What can you do to help us reach our goal? First and foremost, please donate. Second, get your friends and family to donate. Every contribution—big or small—counts towards our goal of 300 donations. Anything you can do to spread the word will make a difference.

Since we are just 26 donations away, your donation will make or break this challenge.

As the year winds down, I want to take a moment to thank you for our continued support. Our organization is only as strong as our supporters. Without you, our work is not possible. Thank you for being so strong, thank you for putting your family first, thank you for sharing our vision of equality. Together, we will—and are—making a better world for our children.

Please donate through our Green Dads fundraising badge.

Rant: On Obama’s Choice of Rick Warren for Inauguration Invocation

Our good friend Vince agreed to let me post his email rant on the Rick Warren choice by O’bama:

I guess the ballot initiatives weren’t enough of a kick in the gut.

Here are some email addresses to respond, regarding Obama’s selection of Rick Warren (all addresses are either to Obama and/or inauguration related organizations)

• emmett@pic2009.org
• parag.mehta@ptt.gov
• http://change.gov/page/s/yourstory
• activist@democrats.com

Here is an example of what I wrote.  Granted it was out of hurt and anger, and when I take a deep breath, I’m not ready to give up on hope (however the “h” is now lowercase).

It’s simple.  I thought I had lived to see something amazing, and I guess Obama becoming president in America is still pretty amazing.  But I’ll have to pass on his inauguration.  You see my life, the life of my partner of 32 years, the life of our twelve-year-old daughter, our lives together – tenuous and fragile in America – are not made more real or less real by opinions or politics – just safer or more dangerous.  There are no sides to be taken about our lives.

But everyone has a right to their opinion?  We have to reach across the table.  No.  I’m sorry.  Some things are just wrong whether they’re said or done by a bigot on the street or a bigot in the Vatican and by any Rick Warren in between.

There’s no fool like an old fool, I guess that’s exactly what I’ve been since Obama won the primary.

ps:  Speaking of Rick Warren:

“He’s devoted his life to performing good works for the poor and leads the evangelical movement in addressing the global HIV/AIDS crisis.”

Maybe if he and other church leaders would have acted when it was still a “gay” disease, there might not be the current pandemic.  I buried many men to a resounding church silence or condemnation.  And changed the diapers of babies with AIDS when they were still treated like modern-time lepers.

Write on folks!  They need to hear our stories.

Vince

The Battle For Same-Sex Marriage Comes To Maine

Could Maine be the next battle for same-sex marriage? Check out this post from Box Turtle Bulletin:

It looks like Maine may emerge as the next battleground for same-sex marriage. Equality Maine had 250 volunteers at 86 polling places on election day asking voters to sign postcards supporting same-sex marriage to send to state legislators. Equality Maine’s goal was “only” 10,000 signatures; they collected 33,190. Meanwhile, the Religious Coalition for the Freedom to Marry has been holding press conferences around the state to build support for same-sex marriage.   (Read More …)

The Spotlight: Proud Parenting

For this week’s Spotlight let’s visit Proud Parenting.  Proud Parenting is The Gay Parenting Network, a social networking site for the GLBT parenting community.

There is a full range of social networking functions like; friends, profiles, photo posts, and a guestbook that will be familiar to anyone that uses social networking sites.  Yet it’s easy enough for anyone new to join.  I see new faces everytime I stop by and there are plenty of opportunities to make friends.

On the front page there are current news stories posted of interest to the GLBT parenting community, including a picture of Ricky Martin holding his twin boys.   The front page also has a list of parents topics that link to related posts.  The topics include things like Adoption and Travel & Vacations.

We have a Green Dads profile at Proud Parenting, come on over and visit us.

People of Faith, Standing on the Side of Love

A video produced by the Unitarian Universalist Church following the Proposition 8 decision in California.
We are members of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Albany.

Next Page »