RENWL

Classic Saturday Night Live: Dan Akroyd about to give the business to co-anchor Jane Curtain

Well, we know of one group of gay folks who aren’t exactly whistling Dixie these days about the recent installation of openly gay California Assembly Speaker John Perez. We just received a press release from the Restore Equality 2010 (RE 2010) peeps and they’re none too happy about Speaker Perez’s recent statements concerning the status of the 2010 effort to get an initiative on the ballot to repeal Proposition 8. Lester Aponte posted the press release in the comment section of our piece John Perez Says Hi! EQCA Told Me To Tell You The 2010 Repeal Prop 8 Effort Is Dead.

To be fair, the press release isn’t necessarily a dissertation telling Speaker Perez how many ways he can go to hell. But reading between the lines we can clearly see that Aponte and the rest of the RE 2010 crew are hotter than catfish grease.

Since we wouldn’t want anyone to have to go frantically searching through comments for the thing—the press release— for our readers convenience we’re posting it in its entirety right here:

For Immediate Release

March 5, 2010
Contact:
Sean Bohac, State Advisory Panel Chair
PHONE: 619-218-3192, email: sean.bohac@restoreequality2010.com
Ian Hart, Communications
PHONE: 510-847-1981, email: ian.hart@restoreequality2010.com

Speaker Perez’s Marriage Equality Assessment “Greatly Exaggerated”
Endorsements Keep Window Open to 2010 Proposition 8 Repeal

Los Angeles, Calif. Mar. 5, 2010 – Restore Equality 2010, the campaign working to repeal California Proposition 8 via the ballot box this year, is calling on new California Assembly Speaker John A. Perez to wait until April 13 for a final assessment of the effort to win back marriage equality. Perez, the first openly gay speaker of the California State Assembly and a 2012 repeal supporter, told reporters this week, “There is no practical way to get it on the ballot in 2010.” Citing recent party endorsements throughout the state, Restore Equality 2010 maintains that the window for a repeal effort is very much open.

“With apologies to Paul McCartney, rumors of Restore Equality 2010′s death have been greatly exaggerated,” said Sean Bohac, Chair of Restore Equality 2010′s State Advisory Panel. “Our deadline is still more than five weeks away, and the support for our campaign continues to grow.”

Passed by a slim majority in 2008, California’s Proposition 8 eliminated the state constitution-guaranteed right to marriage for the state’s same sex couples. Restore Equality 2010 has led an effort to repeal the proposition this year. The campaign cites recent opinion polls, changing attitudes, and historical precedent as evidence that such a repeal is winnable. Several parties and individuals have endorsed Restore Equality 2010′s efforts in recent weeks, including the Fresno County Democratic Party, the Southbay Democratic Club, Green Party chapters, and various LGBT and civil rights organizations. On Wednesday, the San Diego chapter of Democracy for America announced its endorsement of the repeal effort.

Restore Equality 2010, aided by its cross-party allies, has until April 12 to collect just under 700,000 signatures to qualify the repeal for the November ballot.

“We urge Assemblyman Perez to allow California voters time to be heard,” said Bohac. “If the Speaker wants to wait until 2012 to fight for marriage equality, certainly he can wait until April 13, 2010 to let all California voters have their say.”

Restore Equality 2010 is a grassroots campaign dedicated to passing a constitutional amendment in 2010 that guarantees marriage equality for all Californians. It envisions a California where all people can marry the person of their choice, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.It works to find common ground and build coalitions among California’s diverse communities. More information is available at www.restoreequality2010.com.

Possibly Related Posts:

• John Perez Says Hi! EQCA Told Me To Tell You The 2010 Repeal Prop 8 Effort Is Dead
• RE 2010 Update: Eugene Hedlund New Campaign Manager; John Henning Bye Bye
• The 5 White People In Charge Of The 2010 Marriage Equality Campaign