Comments on: EQCA’s Geoff Kors Needs To Quit His Jive Lyin’ Ways

By: Justice for all

Justice for all — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 18:30:39 +0000

I see so many people with Restore Equality 2010 shirts and clipboards all over San Diego. It's wonderfull. I even see them tableing at concerts, coffee shops ,and night clubs here. There are so many volunteers. This campaign is VERY much alive. Kudos 2010!

By: derrick9

derrick9 — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:47:58 +0000

Lesbian Warrior you'd have to contact Courage for that info. It depends on where you live. Are you apart of a Courage team? If so, contact your team leader. We're pretty sure they shared that on their team conference calls.

By: Lesbian Warrior

Lesbian Warrior — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 06:40:49 +0000

I didn't know that the Courage Campaign was allowing the different regions to decide what they wanted to do. How come this wasn't more publically announced? I thought they completely gave up and I was really mad thinking that they sold out just like EQCA. How do we find out if our local Courage Campaign chapters support going back in 2010?

By: Eric Ross

Eric Ross — Tue, 26 Jan 2010 03:44:41 +0000

Hi Derrick. I think you missed the part where I wrote that "the LGBT community also rallied for the police officer who shot Oscar Grant to be removed, and to have stricter oversight on BART police." This was done before and after his dad was invited to the meeting.

In regards to Rick Jacobs pulling out of the 2010 campaign, that's not entirely true. While the Courage Campaign as a whole is not backing the campaign, Rick has let individual regions decide if they want to support or not. For example, Wendy Aragon and Tracy Green are both Deputy Field Officers with the Courage Campaign, and they are both Regional Reps for Restore Equality 2010. Many Courage Campaign Equality teams are on board with the 2010 campaign as well. Marriage Equality USA is also doing the same thing. They are allowing their individual chapters decide whether or not they want to support the 2010 campaign as well, and many of them do. Gregory Rivera is a chapter leader with MEUSA, and he is also a Regional Rep with RE 2010. MEUSA also recently put a link to the RE 2010 website on their homepage to keep their members in the loop with what is going on, and to let them jump on board if they are interested. We have connections with Courage and we have connections with MEUSA. The campaign is alive and well, as can be seen by the recently revamped website, the hiring of a campaign consultant, and a new strategy called 10 for 10. I’d be happy to chat about this in more detail if you’d like, but in the mean time, be on the lookout for a big statewide event on Feb 6th.

By: 2010 Supporter

2010 Supporter — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 21:23:22 +0000

I don’t know about the rest of the state, but the campaign is pretty big up here in the Bay Area and they’re always having events. I went to a fundraiser that they had at Club Trigger a few weeks ago, and that place was packed! They’re having another one on Feb 5th and I’ll be going to that one too.

By: Michael Ukestad

Michael Ukestad — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 20:05:32 +0000

When it comes to the Courage Campaign, would we really want Rick Jacobs onboard ANY effort to repeal Prop 8? I would hope not. I mean, this individual has been quoted as saying something along the lines of "frankly, the pro-marriage equality argument is most effective coming from the mouths of straight allies." How on earth can someone with half a brain come to that conclusion? It's been consistently proven that the probability of a person supporting marriage equality rises significantly if that person knows someone who is gay or lesbian. That's why it is so imperative that we come out and tell OUR stories, OUR way.

These "in the closet" campaigns fail miserably. We learned that the hard way with Prop 8 and Question 1. This shameful tactic will be done away with, according to RE2010. On their website they state, "we will run an aggressive and 'out of the closet' campaign where the LGBT community is not hidden in the ads." What a refreshing and commendable NEW approach.

The folks at RE2010 are a breath of fresh air. And they have my unwavering support.

By: Alan Goldberg

Alan Goldberg — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 19:15:54 +0000

I didn't know their was a Restore Equality 2010 campaign until my co-worker told me about it at lunch last week. He said their organized and working hard at collecting signatures all around California. He also said theirs another big statewide event coming up February 6. I'm there and I'm bringing my wife and a couple friends. I don't need those big organizations to say go, I like that's it grassroots. How did all those other companies start out? Grassroots. I'm actually on the phone with my wife and WE say, LET'S ROLL! Thanks guy's

By: Derrick Mathis

Derrick Mathis — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:52:49 +0000

Yes, Eric. We did mention EQCA's lack of support of minorities. What does that have to with RE 2010? No one said LGBTs didn't support minorities. And in the case of the meeting—so what?! You invited Oscar Grant's dad and—-what? Yea, exactly. Nothing. Please don't insult me or anyone else by saying that's your way of offering "support" to a minority group.

And RE 2010 as far as we're concerned IS DEAD. There is no campaign. It died when Rick Jacobs pulled out of it. If you want to busy yourself entertaining that thought that's your business. We know better.

By: Eric Ross

Eric Ross — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 17:31:16 +0000

I just wanted to respond to 2 statements in the article.

When talking about Geoff Kors, you wrote that he and " his staff’s single-minded destruction of the 2010 marriage equality effort." I just wanted to mention that the 2010 effort is still going on and is starting to get national attention, including a mention in the New Yorker. There is a big statewide event coming up on Feb 6th too, so be on the lookout. People can sign up at http://www.RestoreEquality2010.com to learn more.

The second part that I wanted to talk about is the LGBT community working with minorities. You mentioned Oscar Grant, and I’m not sure if this is well known; however his father was invited to the San Francisco town hall (which was held in a church) where the Bay Area Regional Representatives for the 2010 campaign were elected. His father couldn’t show up, but wrote a moving letter in support of our community that was read at the event. Many people from the LGBT community also rallied for the police officer who shot Oscar Grant to be removed, and to have stricter oversight on BART police.

It’s reasons like this that I support RE 2010. They are truly committed to restoring marriage equality in California and are doing so by building coalitions with communities of color, communities of faith, and rural communities.