I love the UNICEF website. I can't be nearly as eloquent, so I'll simply quote:

Whatever it takes to save a child

Everything that UNICEF does is for one purpose: to help children survive. Almost 10 million children die needlessly every year. We believe that every child has the right to survive, and we will do whatever it takes to save a child.

UNICEF is on the ground

Every moment of every day, UNICEF is on the ground providing lifesaving help for children in need. We provide families with clean water and sanitation, we vaccinate against childhood illness, and we help protect children against malaria. We provide nourishment to fight malnutrition, and we care for children affected by AIDS. We protect children from abuse, and we give them an education. We are here to make sure that all children lead a healthy, humane, and dignified life.

UNICEF donates 93% of it's total income to it's efforts. It receives no income from the assessed dues of the United Nations. Budget allocation goes as such:

UNICEF’s total income in 2007 was $3.013 billion and total expenditures were $2.782 billion. Of the money UNICEF spent on programs in the field, 52.4 percent went into childhood survival and development, 20.3 percent went into basic education and gender equality, 10.5 percent went into child protection, 9.3 percent went into policy advocacy and partnerships, 6.4 percent went into HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment, and 1.1 percent was spent in other areas.

Then you ask, "What has UNICEF done?" I'd first like to tell you a story about one of my students. She grew up in Sierra Leone, and would have had to walk a very long way for water, if not for a well that had been built. It became the center of her community. And the builder of that well? UNICEF.

The UNICEF website says that over the past sixty years, they have done a number of things.

Since 1946, UNICEF has led a tireless crusade against disease and suffering, advocating low-cost, practical solutions to the problems facing the world's children. And statistics show that these solutions have been extraordinarily effective:

• A generation ago, 70,000 children died each day. Today that number has been cut by more than half.
• Thirty years ago, 1 in 4 children died before the age of five. Today that number is less than 1 in ten.
• In 1980, 10 percent of the world's children were immunized against the six killer diseases. Today, that number is over 75 percent.
• This year, 3 million more children will live to their fifth birthday than in 1990, and tens of millions will lead healthier, more productive lives.
• In 2008, for the first time in modern history, the number of children dying before the age of five fell below 10 million.

My goal is to raise $3,000. I full believe the University of Missouri can do it. Fifty cents is a can of coke. It can mean the difference between life and death, based on a vaccination that costs less than a dollar. Measles kills six hundred children every day.

You can read a heartbreaking story here called "Sierra Leone: In Honor of Fatima" about the effect of tetanus on a young mother and her baby girl.

The Fieldnotes of UNICEF are unbelievably heartbreaking, and so very convincing on why sitting around and doing nothing is the worst choice we can make.

I will have my Yellow Fever vaccination one week from today. It will keep me safe for the next ten years, minimum. I have had so many of my vaccinations already. Many children will never even have the chance to live out the first week of their life, because they have been infected by a disease they never had a chance against.

For all that I have, for all that we have, shouldn't we want to help others?

Help me do it.

But I do remember growing up as one of the only Asian kids in an all-white suburb of Chicago, and learning very deeply the lessons of being the Other. Even though my family was very fortunate and strong, even though my parents were the hardest working people I knew, and provided my brothers and me with every advantage and comfort they could, while instilling in us an appreciation for hard work, intelligence, reason, compassion, and joy in life, the simple fact was they could not protect me from the consequences of being half-Korean in a culture that had no room and very little tolerance for difference.

School was the place where I learned many, many wonderful things, but it was also where I learned in 4th grade that when four 5th graders beat me until I couldn't stand, and then kicked me as I lay in the snow, calling me "gook", and "nip", and "chink", that the beating was nothing compared to the shame of looking up and seeing a crowd of other kids watch and do nothing to help me. The alienation of that moment was a lesson I will never forget.

It was a lesson to be repeated and reinforced in a thousand ways, which I will not recount here, but thankfully my children have never known one day when they were derided, or ignored, or abused because of their heritage. I truly believed this lesson of my childhood has become weaker over time; that the politics of hatred have faded from the national discourse, and we were truly emerging from the long, angry night.

Until now.

This presidential campaign has been the most exciting political event I have ever seen, and I feel deeply fortunate to have been able to witness it. I was impressed by Obama from the very beginning, and I was even excited by the best candidates from both parties. They offered a clear hope for changing the disastrous course the Bush Administration has taken the country.

I had already decided that Barack Obama was by far the best candidate for president, for reasons other, far better writers than I have expressed, but, despite the closeness of the race, I felt there was little I could add to the conversation. However, since John McCain has chosen to revitalize his campain through demagoguery, anger, and specious, hateful, lies, I now have something to say.

Oliver Wendell Holmes said "A mind once stretched by a new idea never regains its original dimension." But I have found that the mind can all too easily relax into familar patterns of thought. America has matured and learned many things, but the lessons of compassion and understanding must be continually learned. I may not have understood the larger political issues of my childhood, but I know what I lived through. America has grown, but as a nation we have learned through great pain that fear, anger, and hate remain powerful forces in the world, both abroad and sadly, as the past few days of Republican campaigning have shown, at home. Out of desperation, McCain is grasping at the darkest elements of our nature, and thereby threatens to erase not only Obama's chance to be President, but decades of national growth towards the idea that we are all created equal.

Through condescending and cynical tactics, McCain and Palin have shamelessly tried to manipulate the "Joe Six-Packs" and the "Hockey Mom's" of the nation, to say that they understand "Main Street" America. But as this speech by former United Mine Workers President Richard Trumka, who is now secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO shows, this only serves to draw a false distinction between the "elite" and the "common", to exacerbate and antagonize, and create divisions.

The tactics of fear and hate must not be allowed to regain their sway. We have a chance to take a brilliant step forward as a nation, and given the current political and financial crises we face, we must call upon our highest ideals, our bravest virtues to meet them. I believe one candidate represents our best hope for leading our continued growth as a nation and a society. Please join me, and help elect Barack Obama as our next President.

But I suppose when you undertake something like this, you're accepting that you will have to put your face out there along with your hopes and goals.

If you've come to my website because you saw the College of Education article, or the Maneater article (which, at the time this is posted, has not yet been published), welcome. Look around at my articles, at the links I've provided, and find something you can put your heart into. Blog along with me, come back to read what I find compelling, or simply satisfy your curiosity to know who am I. I'm glad you've taken a few minutes to read.

The Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF campaign will have it's own, more detailed post.

The Global Advocate’s Conference came to a close tonight and we can only go back to each of our countries better people, better Advocates for children.  I had not realized how many partners we have in this fight against poverty.  It is so assuring to know that other Christians around the world are doing their part through Advocate's Networks in other countries.  As we all take directions from our leader, Christ, we will accomplish a mighty work.  This is truly the body of Christ – loving, serving, suffering together, giving, praising God.  It is not a building or a certain denomination, race or fellowship.  It is a world-wide body of believers and nothing is going to stop the mighty growth of this entity.

We have been so blessed by the worship with Graham Kendrick.  He has taught us new songs, shared scriptures that we have actually put to music together, and has brought us together in unity in so many ways.  One day we were called to repent as a nation, each individually, for the abuse, neglect and harm brought against our children.  We gathered around each of our flags in separate groups and brought our corporate sins before Him.  It was a moment I will never forget. 

 But our unity and fellowship was not limited to the nations that came; we were also united with our fellow believers here in the Dominican Republic.  I am overwhelmed by the outpouring of love for us from children, parents, Pastors, project directors, country office staff, LDP students, translators, kitchen and waitress staff and by our tour guides.  We can never repay them for the kindnesses shown to us. 

 We have a huge global need to help those who are hungry, broken, and in darkness; and it takes a global effort to bring comfort to those who suffer.  The word “compassion” means “to suffer with,” and this is truly what we have done this week.  We visited homes today and prayed with the families.  We took gifts to the projects we visited.  We sat down and played with the children, took their photos and let them take our photos.  We giggled and danced and sang with them.

 I truly believe we need the poor as much as they need us – they have given us their joy, contentment, humor, love and blessings this week many times.  I know I will return home with less greed, selfishness and materialism.  I know that I will remember I have a whole army of Compassion Advocates all fighting alongside me for the children among us who have needs.  Our speaker tonight, Tony Neeves, said that we are part of a huge network--a huge army.  We were certainly united in heart and mind tonight as we prayed again for our countries, for the wonderful Dominican Republic staff that have served us this week, and as we sang together again in worship. 

As I have thought about the love I have for so many friends across the United States, in the Dominican Republic and all around the world, I am reminded that we each have our own stories of pain, hardship and suffering.  We also have our stories about why we are Advocates today.  It is these stories of hardship that have caused us to speak up for children in need.  It is the reason we are filled up with the love of Christ.  

I know God has done a mighty work in all of us, and I give Him all praise for His gracious love and blessing.

In case you haven't encountered it (them?) before, the Just Posts is (are?)¹ a monthly roundtable of posts from around the blogosphere on topics of social justice and activism. They are posted on the 10th of each month, and anyone can send in nominations to jen, Mad or Su.

I usually take it upon myself to nominate posts that I've come across each month. And since there's no limit on how many one may contribute, and since I read so many great blogs, I like to nominate a generous-sized serving. I'm a bit lazy (and maybe even a bit timid) when it come to letting people know about the nominations. However, this month, I'll put them out here in the open. (And spread a little more link love.)

For September, I nominated posts by leslie of adventures in randomness, den of Work + Play ≠ Dull Boy, magpie of Magpie Musing, Emily of Wheels on the Bus, girlgriot of if you want kin..., Rebecca of Flying Tomato Farms, Holly of Cold Spaghetti, and of course, by my heroes jen and Mad. (And, as I've confessed before, I also submitted one of my own posts.) Go have a look and see which posts I nominated! Just click any of the buttons below.²

Posts about topics of social value benefits writer and reader alike, and the Just Posts are a great way to spread awareness and share ideas and ideals. I really encourage any of you out there to participate, either by writing and nominating posts of your own, or by nominating posts by others who have inspired you and made you think. And certainly I encourage you to go read! (Go. Now. What are you waiting for?)

------
¹ Number agreement can be such a tricky beast...

² For the August round-up, I nominated posts by wreke of Wreke Havoc , Holly of Cold Spaghetti, YTSL of Webs of Significance, girlgriot of if you want kin... and Neil of Citizen of the Month.

October 11th marks the day of National Coming Out Day! Wazooooo.

So, having said that... I am gay. Yes, I dig the chicks. A lot. I know, I lied and said I wasn't.

The reason why I'm so touchy-feely about my sexual orientation is because one, I'm a private person, but two, it was mostly out of fear of homophobes.

A couple people at Tafe know that I'm gay - though one person I told decided to treat it as a piece of gossip and told someone else, who we'll call Mr. X (I think she may have told a few other people as well). Now when Mr. X asked if I was gay because someone told him, I got really angry. The world out there is still pretty homophobic, and to go around telling people that I'm gay was a really dangerous thing to do. What happens if the word gets out to the wrong type of people? What if it's the work place? Did you know gays can get fired for being simply that - gay.

So Mr. X told me to relax, because apparently, telling people that you're gay is the same telling people you're straight. I was slightly offended by the amount of straight privilege from his sentence, but in a way, it was kind of true. Yeah, the world says that telling someone you're gay is different from telling somebody you're straight (because of so many reasons I won't get into now), but that doesn't mean I have to adhere to what the world says.

When I found out it was National Coming Out Day, I knew it was a day to come out to people that don't know you're gay, but I didn't realise that this is the day that queers increase their invisibility and raise awareness that yes, we're queer, we're here, get used to it. I realised how important it is to come out to people. Yes, I may be sticking my neck out here. I could get harassed or even worse, gay-bashed, but that's something I'm going to have to deal with. Because if people don't know I'm gay - that I'm a human being like everyone else, that I pay my taxes, that I contribute to society - how else am I going to show that queers are just as equal as straight people? If I don't come out, how is this going to affect the next generation? I certainly don't want the burden of knowing that they have to suffer as well just because I was too scared to make a mark in my footstep.

So, if you're a closeted queer, make sure you come out to as much people as you can. If you're straight, you can help out too. Think someone you know is gay? It's as simple as asking them, and making sure you educate them about National Coming Out Day and the importance of coming out. Wear symbols of queer pride, and if someone asks you about that symbol, tell them about it.

Some links of interest for those of you who are interested:

• Rainbow flag
• The Coming Out Project
• "I Think My Boyfriend Is Gay"
• FBI statistics on hate crimes towards LGBT people
• Palin Ignores Coming Out Day (I love the comment posted by "Kelly Anne". What a douche. If you don't realise that being intolerant is wrong, then we already have a problem with each other. I also love how she calls being gay a "lifestyle". And then she turns it around on Obama by pointing the finger at him. Typical Republican.) 
• Experiencing gay-bashing
• LGBT progression... in the South!

via YouTube - Londoners Protest British Economic Rescue Plan

I went the other day to pick out my new wheelchair, and to fill out the paperwork for the wheelchair dealer to send in to the State of Minnesota so I could get my request approved by Medical Assistance, and two things stuck out, for me.

First thing: I had to get a prescription for my wheelchair. Why? I am clearly disabled and in need of an alternative method of locomotion. My legs won't cut it. Why do I need proof that I need a chair? Are there people who are abusing wheelchairs? Are people overdosing on wheelchairs? Is there some illegal underground trafficking of wheelchairs that I don't know about? Well, okay, with this one, if more people lose their social security, and MA and all that, this may happen. But as far as I know, this has not become an issue.

And secondly, when I was filling out the paperwork, I was asked my Social Security # and my MA card's number, of course, and my address and phone number so they could contact me, of course. But then, out of the blue, Question #5 read, verbatim: "What is your role in society?" I thought "What the bloody hell?" I didn't know where to start. But I knew what they were getting at. Again they don't want to be giving away wheelchairs to just any bum off the street! You never know what the hell they'll do with 'em! So I told them about my job where I am in a hectic office environment where I put on a lot of miles, not to mention the fact that I have a life and occasionally I, imagine this, go places!

But I didn't need that. It's National Disabled Employment Awareness Month for cryin' out loud, and they want to know why I need a functional wheelchair? They don't ask walkies that question when they buy a pair of shoes, do they? Nope. Just us.

If you'd like to hang out, I'm phonebanking with No on Prop. 8 every Tuesday and No on Prop. 4 every Thursday, and I'm doing precinct walks (dropping off fliers) for Yes on Prop. K on various days/nights every week. I would love some company. Anyone up for precinct drops? It would be good hanging out time, and it'd go much faster with another person. -watches friends flee- Also, I forgot that October was the Month Of Music, so if anyone's interested in coming along to Idomeneo, Boris Godunov, L'Elisir d'Amore, or Joshua Bell, let me know. -watches people run away even more quickly-

Kickass voter registration status tool for San Francisco-registered voters. It lets you check your registration status online.

(my windows look something like that, minus the No on 8 sign, which I haven't picked up yet)

When you promote a grotesque program like Gov. Sarah Palin’s Alaska wolf slaughter, expect gruesome results.

A startling example: In June, after gunning down 14 adult wolves from a helicopter, officials from Gov. Palin’s Department of Fish and Game rounded up 14 orphaned wolf pups and methodically shot each one in the head in clear violation of a state law.

State law prohibits the targeting of pups -- a practice known as denning. Maybe that’s why Palin’s officials tried to cover it up, making no mention of the brutal pup executions in the state’s June 30 press release on the killings. To date, none of the officials involved in the incident has been held accountable.

This story needs to be told before the Nov. 4 election. Please watch our new video on Palin’s wolf-killing record and share it with every animal lover you know.

Gov. Palin could be just a heartbeat from the presidency. Do we want a vice-president who violates the law and champions savagery toward animals?

You are all invited to Art for Kid's Sake, a benefit that I am organizing for two San Francisco charities: Opportunity Impact and Burt Children's Center. Please join us for food, drinks, and art at the West Bay Conference Center on November 11 from 6-9 p.m. Buy your ticket now ($40 before October 21 and $50 after).

We will be having a live and silent art auction that will include work by Lynn Hershmann Leeson, Tony Labat, John Roloff, Mike Giant, and Matt Irving, just to name a few. Hope to see you there!

"Let no one be discouraged by the belief that there is nothing one man or one woman can do against the enormous array of the world's ills -- against misery and ignorance, injustice and violence... Few will have the greatness to bend history itself; but each of us can work to change a small portion of events, and in the total of all those acts will be written the history of this generation...
It is from the numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man (or a woman) stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he (or she) sends a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring, those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance."

There is hate, anger, despair, frustration, vitriol, anxiety, insecurity and violence surrounding each of us every day.  Watching some of the political rallies of the last week, it has become disturbingly commonplace.  Whether we choose to incorporate those negative emotions into our mental matrix, to expel them on others because "misery loves company," is a decision we make.  At times, watching the course of this campaign from way back, watching people scream at each other because they refused to embrace their common humanity, it has been discouraging.

But I'm sure that it was at times discouraging for my great great grandmother to be born into slavery and to live through emancipation and into Jim Crow; I'm sure it was at times discouraging for my grandfather to spend the last years of his life battling a disease that ate him slowly enough for him to know and dread it, but quickly enough for him to lament; I'm sure that marching, protesting, writing and speaking to inspire a nation to rise up to its better self was at times discouraging for Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and I realize that these trials and tribulations are important, but, in the immortal words, "this too, shall pass."

And what then is our legacy, as citizens of this country and this world in 2008?  What is the legacy that I leave to my seven and nine year olds?  How are we carrying on the traditions and ideals handed us in the founding documents?  How shall we hand over our country and the world to those who come behind?

I choose to think that we leave it as we live it.  That the daily example my children and students see in my actions, words and love for them will propel them to live their lives with love, compassion, honesty, joy, exuberance and empathy.  That in my giving to them all that I can, they will in turn give of what they have and who they are to be and become great people.  That President Clinton was right when he said that people, "are more impressed with the power of [your] example, than by the example of [your] power."  Dr. King put it another way:

Yes, if you want to say that I was a drum major, say that I was a drum major for justice. (Amen) Say that I was a drum major for peace. (Yes) I was a drum major for righteousness. And all of the other shallow things will not matter. (Yes) I won't have any money to leave behind. I won't have the fine and luxurious things of life to leave behind. But I just want to leave a committed life behind. (Amen) And that's all I want to say.

If I can help somebody as I pass along, If I can cheer somebody with a word or song, If I can show somebody he's traveling wrong, Then my living will not be in vain. If I can do my duty as a Christian ought, If I can bring salvation to a world once wrought, If I can spread the message as the master taught, Then my living will not be in vain.

It is up to us to be those "numberless diverse acts."  It is up to us to "help somebody as [we] pass along."  This is why writing, reading, speaking, sharing, actively participating in civil service is so necessary, right now!  And how we do is as important as what we do.  Our actions speak louder than our words. Reading these words, and others inspires me to go out and ask friends and family, "are you registered to vote?"; inspires me to keep typing in the hopes that one more word will encourage someone to reach up to their better selves, rather than fall down into selfishness and despair; encourages me to keep on "working for the good."  It's funny . . . I've heard some people say, "all Senator Obama offers is Hope."  My response is, "Isn't that a great place to start?"

I'll leave you with a little inspiration from MC Yogi.  I think he's feelin' what I'm feelin'!

I have come a long way and now have some key steps to take.  I am doing it consciously, having learned so much.  I'm looking forward, though, to having more time to write articles and books.  This story needs to be told.

I'm grateful to the cops with integrity, to the supervisors who act with integrity, to the crime victims advocates who understand everything.  I am even becoming grateful for the obstacles and for the liars among us, because there would not have been a reason to stay on this road, but for the criminals and the liars.

What a road.   Wow.  It's been impressive.  On to the next steps as the road turns.

Have a good weekend!

Kate

Maryland State Police Put Activists' Names on Terror Lists

(Washington Post) October 9 - The Maryland State Police classified 53 nonviolent activists as terrorists and entered their names and personal information into state and federal databases that track terrorism suspects, the state police chief acknowledged yesterday.

Police Superintendent Terrence B. Sheridan revealed at a legislative hearing that the surveillance operation, which targeted opponents of the death penalty and the Iraq war, was far more extensive than was known when its existence was disclosed in July.

The department started sending letters of notification Saturday to the activists, inviting them to review their files before they are purged from the databases, Sheridan said.

"The names don't belong in there," he told the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. "It's as simple as that."

The surveillance took place over 14 months in 2005 and 2006, under the administration of former governor Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R). The former state police superintendent who authorized the operation, Thomas E. Hutchins, defended the program in testimony yesterday. Hutchins said the program was a bulwark against potential violence and called the activists "fringe people."

Sheridan said protest groups were also entered as terrorist organizations in the databases, but his staff has not identified which ones.

Stunned senators pressed Sheridan to apologize to the activists for the spying, assailed in an independent review last week as "overreaching" by law enforcement officials who were oblivious to their violation of the activists' rights of free expression and association. The letter, obtained by The Washington Post, does not apologize but admits that the state police have "no evidence whatsoever of any involvement in violent crime" by those classified as terrorists.

Hutchins told the committee it was not accurate to describe the program as spying. "I doubt anyone who has used that term has ever met a spy," he told the committee.

"What John Walker did is spying," Hutchins said, referring to John Walker Jr., a communications specialist for the U.S. Navy convicted of selling secrets to the Soviet Union. Hutchins said the intelligence agents, whose logs were obtained by the American Civil Liberties Union of Maryland as part of a lawsuit, were monitoring "open public meetings." His officers sought a "situational awareness" of the potential for disruption as death penalty opponents prepared to protest the executions of two men on death row, Hutchins said.

"I don't believe the First Amendment is any guarantee to those who wish to disrupt the government," he said. Hutchins said he did not notify Ehrlich about the surveillance. Ehrlich spokesman Henry Fawell said the governor had no comment.

Hutchins did not name the commander in the Division of Homeland Security and Intelligence who informed him in March 2005 that the surveillance had begun. More than a year later, after "they said, 'We're not getting much here,' " Hutchins said he cut off what he called a "low-level operation."

But Sen. James Brochin (D-Baltimore County) noted that undercover troopers used aliases to infiltrate organizational meetings, rallies and group e-mail lists. He called the spying a "deliberate infiltration to find out every piece of information necessary" on groups such as the Maryland Campaign to End the Death Penalty and the Baltimore Pledge of Resistance. When Hutchins called their members "fringe people," the audience of activists who filled the seats in the hearing room in Annapolis sighed.

Some activists said yesterday that they have received letters; others said they were waiting with anticipation to see whether they were on the state police watch list.

Laura Lising of Catonsville, a member of the Baltimore Coalition Against the Death Penalty, received her notification yesterday. She said she wants a hard copy of her file, because she does not trust the police to purge it. "We need as much protection as possible," she said.

Both Hutchins and Sheridan said the activists' names were entered into the state police database as terrorists partly because the software offered limited options for classifying entries.

The police also entered the activists' names into the federal Washington-Baltimore High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area database, which tracks suspected terrorists. One well-known antiwar activist from Baltimore, Max Obuszewski, was singled out in the intelligence logs released by the ACLU, which described a "primary crime" of "terrorism-anti-government" and a "secondary crime" of "terrorism-anti-war protesters."

Sheridan said that he did not think the names were circulated to other agencies in the federal system and that they are not on the federal government's terrorist watch list. Hutchins said some names might have been shared with the National Security Agency.

Although the independent report on the surveillance released last week said that it was part of a broad effort by the state police to gather information on protest groups across the state, Sheridan said the department is not aware of any surveillance as "intrusive" as the spying on death penalty and war opponents.

The police notified the protesters at the recommendation of former U.S. attorney and state attorney general Stephen H. Sachs, who was appointed by Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) to review the covert monitoring. In a report last week, Sachs also recommended regulations that forbid such spying on protest groups unless the state police chief believes it is justified.

"I can't imagine getting a letter that says, 'You've been classified as a terrorist; come in and we'll tell about it,'" said Sen. Bryan W. Simonaire (R-Anne Arundel). Two senators noted that they had been arrested years ago for civil disobedience. Sen. Jennie Forehand (D-Montgomery) asked Sheridan, "Do you have any legislators on your list?"

The answer was no.

Dear Maryland Police Persons:

Here's the lowdown on me, just so's ya know.

I'll make it easy for you.

QuakerDave -

Pacifist.

Anti-war.

Anti-military recruiting

Anti-death penalty

Guilty as charged.

Are you all angry yet?

(H/T to Driftingfocus for the head's up.  Go check out her cool new blog.)

Just months after the California Supreme Court ruled for marriage equality and full equal treatment under law for LGBT people, our equal rights are endangered by Prop. 8, a proposed constitutional amendment to overturn the Dear friends and colleagues:

Just months after the California Supreme Court ruled for marriage equality and full equal treatment under law for LGBT people, our equal rights are endangered by Prop. 8, a proposed constitutional amendment to overturn the California Supreme Court decision.  Early polls showed Prop. 8 headed for defeat, but the religious Right responded with a huge influx of out-of-state money to fund anti-gay TV and radio ads.  The Mormon Church has directed its members nationwide to donate to the Prop. 8 campaign, and as a consequence, tens of millions of dollars for Prop. 8 are pouring into California. Almost half of Prop. 8's money comes from the  Mormons, with the rest mostly from other organizations of the religious Right, such as the Knights of Columbus and Focus on the Family.  The result of this well-funded campaign is a dramatic increase in support for Prop. 8 in the polls, with recent polls predicting a close victory for the ban on same sex marriage.

Prop. 8 has given the religious right the license to demonize LGBT people via television ads like this one:

 It's ironic that "Milk" is just being released, as this campaign is reminiscent of the 1978 Briggs Initiative, with ads using children to spread the fear that gays and lesbians are "recruiting" youth.  We won in 1978, and now, 30 years later, we can win again, but we must come together now to fight for our rights.

Led by San Francisco psychiatrist Rob Daroff, MD, SF Bay Area LGBT psychiatrists and other health professionals have already raised over $90,000 to fight Prop. 8. Now there is a challenge grant—if we can donate $5,000 more to the campaign against Prop. 8 by this Sunday, we have a donor who will match that $5,000.  Please donate to the No on 8 campaign.

The religious right recognizes that this campaign could be a tipping point for same sex marriage nationwide.  So far, money from outside of California has been overwhelmingly for Prop. 8, to ban same sex marriage.  We hope that our friends and colleagues from outside of California will recognize the importance of this campaign, and help preserve our rights, by giving money to the No on 8 campaign.

Thank you,

Dan Karasic, MD
San Francisco, CA