By Luke Thomas
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November 4, 2008
A press release released yesterday by the Yes on Prop 8 campaign, condemns a recent No on Prop 8 ad produced by the Courage Campaign.
The ad, entitled Home Invasion: Vote NO on Prop 8, depicts two canvassers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints invading a lesbian couples’ home.
“We’re here to take away your rights,” one canvasser says and then tears up the spouses’ marriage certificate.
According to the Courage Campaign, the Mormon Church has poured over $20 million into the campaign to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry, contrary to the constitutional provision of equal treatment under the law, and is now attempting to censor free speech in violation of the first amendment, demanding television stations refuse to air the ad.
Here’s the press release from ProtectMarriage.com:
Protect Marriage/Yes on 8 Campaign Demands No on 8 Campaign Call on Television Stations to Refuse to air “Courage Campaign” Television Commercial.
Contact: Chip White, ProtectMarriage.com, 916-251-4392
CALIFORNIA, November 3 /Christian Newswire/ — The ProtectMarriage.com- Yes on 8 campaign today condemned as “bigoted and intolerant” a new ‘No on Proposition 8’ television commercial scheduled to run on TV stations tomorrow and demanded that No on 8 campaign leaders, including US Senator Dianne Feinstein, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom and California Schools Superintendent Jack O’Connell publicly denounce the ad and urge television stations to refuse to run it.
The ad, produced by a group called ‘Courage Campaign Issues Committee’ and viewable here, depicts supposed missionaries from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints conducting a home invasion of a lesbian couple’s home to steal their wedding rings and rip up their marriage license.
“This ad reaches new lows of religious bigotry and intolerance,” said Yes on 8 Chairman Ron Prentice. “We hope that the leadership of the No on 8 campaign – including Senator Feinstein, Mayor Newsom and Superintendent O’Connell — as well as all Californians regardless of their position on Proposition 8, will not only condemn the ad but join us in asking television stations to refuse to air it. After all, the No on 8 campaign has been running their own television commercials saying we must all oppose discrimination and intolerance whenever we see it. The bigotry this ad shows to members of the LDS church demands action now.”
Echoing Prentice’s call, Yes on 8 Campaign Manager Frank Schubert tonight emailed Steve Smith, Campaign Manager for the No on Proposition 8 Campaign the following request:
“Steve – Below find a link to a deplorable No on 8 television commercial hitting the airwaves tomorrow. This commercial depicts faux Mormon Missionaries invading the home of a lesbian couple, ransacking the house in search of the couple’s marriage license, taking the couple’s wedding rings, etc. This is a blatant display of religious bigotry that has no place in political discourse. We urge Equality for All, Senator Feinstein, Superintendent O’Connell and the No on 8 Campaign to immediately denounce this commercial and join us in urging television stations to refuse to air it. After all, we must always oppose discrimination and intolerance whenever we see it.
“Thank you for your immediate attention to this matter.”
Separately, an interfaith coalition of religious leaders representing many faiths will be releasing a statement condemning the ad. That statement will be available shortly.
Luke Thomas
Luke Thomas is a former software developer and computer consultant who proudly hails from London, England. In 2001, Thomas took a yearlong sabbatical to travel and develop a photographic portfolio. Upon his return to the US, Thomas studied photojournalism to pursue a career in journalism. In 2004, Thomas worked for several neighborhood newspapers in San Francisco before accepting a partnership agreement with the SanFranciscoSentinel.com, a news website formerly covering local, state and national politics. In September 2006, Thomas launched FogCityJournal.com. The BBC, CNN, ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, New York Times, Der Spiegel, San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Magazine, 7x7, San Francisco Examiner, San Francisco Bay Guardian and the San Francisco Weekly, among other publications and news outlets, have published his work. Thomas is a member of the Freelance Unit of the Pacific Media Workers Guild, TNG-CWA Local 39521 and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists.
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January 13, 2010 at 10:46 am
Grow up, Mormons. We are not turning the other cheek on this one. Don’t expect touchy feely responses to your hateful, lying campaign to take away rights from people you have nothing to do with. The Mormon Church response to an ad that finally has some teeth in it made me donate even more to Courage Campaign just now. Thank you for the reminder.