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Prop. 8: Mormons v. Brad Pitt

by: Julia Rosen

Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 16:00:15 PM PDT

The newest major donor to the No on Prop 8: Equality for All campaign is one Brad Pitt. It comes at a key time in fundraising over the initiative that would take away the right for gays and lesbians to get married. The Yes side is seeing a major surge in donations, flooding into their coffers. In fact, they are out raising us right now, Brad Pitt's donation included.

The Mormon church is getting heavily involved in the campaign. It looks like about 35% of contributions to the other side have come in from Mormons, or at least that is what they are claiming over at this Mormons for 8 website. A high percentage of the large checks are coming from Utah.

Here is the question: is a religious institution trying to buy this election and change the California Constitution?

They aren't just donating. They are fueling their GOTV activites. Mormons have been invading neighborhoods en mass. They are not using walk lists, but rather descend in large groups to knock doors and try and pass out the million yard signs they think is going to win them this election. It's flat out creepy. It freaks out entire communities and usually the No on 8 campaign hears within a few minutes where the Mormons have decided to invade on any given day.

Look, I don't have anything specific against Mormons. It's just that when a specific religious institution decides to play a large role in a political battle, it weirds me out. Separation of chuch and state....

I know many of you have seen the polls and think we are going to win the battle over fundamental rights here in California. But I have news from you. The other side is winning the fundraising battle. They are energized with volunteers and are counting on a sort of Bradley effect to put them over the top. This is from an email from Dale Bankhead, the campaign manager for No on 8 (flip it):

Julia Rosen :: Prop. 8: Mormons v. Brad Pitt

You've probably heard that the polls show our side ahead. Some are saying that victory for our side is a sure thing. Don't be fooled! This race is too close to call. The ugly truth we have learned from defeat after defeat in states across the country is that people lie on polls, especially about how they feel about LGBT people. In contest after contest, from Wisconsin to Colorado, we have gone into election day with polls showing our side with 7 to 10 points more support than we actually received at the ballot box.

This thing is close. Want anecdotal evidence? Key campaign staffers and leaders within the gay community are somehow squeezing their long awaited personal weddings in right now. They are not running the risk that they will not be able to get married after the election. So they are taking time out of working on the campaign to get married themselves.

The No on 8 campaign needs your help. This is THE biggest campaign in California and we can't win it without money and volunteers.

So give via the Calitics ActBlue page directly to the campaign. And sign-up to volunteer. They need people in their offices making calls and IDing voters. This weekend there are a ton of field activities to participate in, as the Mormons and others on the Yes side try and pass out their million lawn signs.

[UPDATE] by Julia: Here is the quote from Pitt. It's a good one.

Because no one has the right to deny another their life, even though they disagree with it, because everyone has the right to live the life they so desire if it doesn't harm another and because discrimination has no place in America, my vote will be for equality and against Proposition 8.

As Larry points out in the comments on the dkos version of this post, the Yes side is outraising us 3 to 2 right now. So give if you can.

Tags: Prop 8, Mormons, Initiative, 2008, (All Tags)

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Prop. 8: Mormons v. Brad Pitt | 17 comments

On the other side (8.00 / 2)

William Bolthouse, founder of the Bolthouse Farms juice and produce company, gave $100K to oppose equality. Help raise awareness and boycott Bolthouse Farms:

LOS ANGELES - A demonstration will take place this Saturday, September 20th at 12:00 noon in front of Ralphs Supermarket, 7257 Sunset Blvd. (Rock 'n Roll Ralphs) to kick-off our Don't Buy Bolthouse campaign (see flyer attached and below).
William Bolthouse gave $100,000 to the Yes on Proposition 8 Campaign to eliminate same-sex marriage in California. Why should we spend our money on Bolthouse Farm products, only to have that money used against us to take away our rights?
1. Please come for just an hour from 12:00 noon until 1:00 pm
2. There will be a free, very cool, Don't Buy Bolthouse T-shirt for you
3. Music and other surprises
4. Please send this around to your email list asap
Thank you very much for your help as we let everyone know who is funding Yes on Proposition 8 Campaign.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG.

by: Brian Leubitz @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 18:24:15 PM CDT

by: you @ soon

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I assume ... (0.00 / 0)

... that "Bolthouse" is also their brand name. If not, do you have a list of their brands?

Also, do you have a list of products by brand-name from other companies that are supporting Prop 8?

by: Airpower @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 18:31:32 PM CDT

[ Parent ]

by: you @ soon

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Yup (8.00 / 1)

They're mostly marketed under the "Bolthouse Farms" name.

Here's the consumer website: http://www.bolthouse.com/consu...

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG.

by: Brian Leubitz @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 18:34:42 PM CDT

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by: you @ soon

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Thanks (0.00 / 0)

This link is helpful to find retail outlets in one's area that sell Bolthouse Farms products:
http://www.bolthouse.com/store...
Just enter your zip code.

Listed below are some of the stores near me that carry Bolthouse items. It might be worthwhile to request these stores to discontinue carrying the Bolthouse Farms product line:

Albertsons
Andronico's
Bel Air-Nob HillRaleys
Costco
Food 4 Less
Food Maxx
Mollie Stone's
Nugget Market
Ralphs
Save Mart
Walgrens
Whole Foods
WinCo

by: Airpower @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 18:56:15 PM CDT

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by: you @ soon

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As for the list of Prop 8 supporters (8.00 / 1)

Check out Californians Against Hate. They're doing some good work on exposing the people who are supporting Prop8.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG.

by: Brian Leubitz @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 18:37:07 PM CDT

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by: you @ soon

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Brad Pitt at Clinton Global Initiative (0.00 / 0)

Just thought I'd share another politically active moment.

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG.

by: Brian Leubitz @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 18:31:27 PM CDT

by: you @ soon

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This ... (0.00 / 0)

... is a reason that out-of-state contributions from any entity to any election, campaign, political action committee, or public office holder in California should be prohibited.

Also, California corporations should not be allowed to contribute to any California political activity either.

by: Airpower @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 18:35:52 PM CDT

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i'd go a step further (0.00 / 0)

and restrict any donations to the constituency of the election in question. for city council, only donors in the city; for congressional or state assembly, only those in the district; for statewide, only state citizens, and so on.

surf putah, your friendly neighborhood central valley samizdat

by: wu ming @ Thu Sep 18, 2008 at 03:13:00 AM CDT

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by: you @ soon

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Illegal. (0.00 / 0)

$=Speech

by: jackfolsum @ Thu Sep 18, 2008 at 19:37:03 PM CDT

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by: you @ soon

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One report (0.00 / 0)

says that the Pro-8 forces are raising 10 million a month.

This was always going to be a tough battle. We'll have some fun stuff you can do soon.

by: David Dayen @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 18:58:23 PM CDT

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Another No on 8 Event (0.00 / 0)

September 23 Event in San Francisco. All donations will be matched by the host committee.

http://www.eqca.org/mypage/Sep...

I'm proud to work for Kamala Harris for AG.

by: Brian Leubitz @ Wed Sep 17, 2008 at 19:17:01 PM CDT

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Sex appeal on both sides ... (0.00 / 0)

So the "No on 8" campaign has Brad Pitt.

And "Yes on 8" has hot Mormon boys: http://www.mormonsexposed.com/

by: paulhogarth @ Thu Sep 18, 2008 at 11:43:56 AM CDT

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Churches and Prop 8 (0.00 / 0)

The separation of church and state actually has more to do with the government not dictating what churches believe and also making sure we do not have one national religion that everyone must follow.

Every group of people (including churches) has the right to speak their mind on political issues. They can speak, raise money, post signs, whatever. No on Prop 8 supporters (individuals or groups) have this same right. We cannot complain about how the system works when we are all using it.

Also, specific to Mormon donations, when I looked at the website in reference -- it shows the majority of donations (in dollar amount and quantity) coming from within California.

by: Amy @ Sat Sep 27, 2008 at 10:11:16 AM CDT

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So, no national religion (0.00 / 0)

except that churches get to enforce their morality on other churches and other people whose actions aren't hurting anyone? Because that's what's going on. The LDS hierarchy thinks that gay people shouldn't have the same rights Mormons do, so the LDS hierarchy is working to make sure that's true.

Funny, I seem to recall the Mormons (and the Baptists, way back in the day) being all about individual freedoms. Apparently, once a church has enough power, it stops thinking that freedom for minorities is important.

Nobody is saying that the LDS (or any other church) doesn't have the right to speak out about issues they think are important. But it's worth considering what it means when a church reaches out to interfere with the rights of everyone else, based on what the church hierarchy believes. One is forced to remember that for a long time, the LDS hierarchy thought that black folks were inferior. And of course, the Southern Baptists separation from the national Baptist organization was based on that.

by: jsw @ Sat Sep 27, 2008 at 13:01:19 PM CDT

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the issue at hand (0.00 / 0)

How is any church enforcing anything on anyone else? I think churches and people and organizations on both sides of this issue are stating what they believe and trying to convince others to think the same way. It is politics and it has worked this way forever.

I am for equality and will be voting that way come November. I am just really baffled by the hate-filled words coming from both sides. It seems hypocritical to stand up for what you believe by dragging your opposition through the mud. Hatred doesn't solve anything. Our political system is set up to have opposing sides so that there can be discussion of the issue and eventually balance.

All of this anti-Mormon, anti-Southern Baptist, anti-gay . . . it is reminiscent to antisemitism pre-WWII. And no one wants the extreme that happened there. We really should make sure our emotions are in check -- even when considering those that are different than we are.

by: Amy @ Sat Sep 27, 2008 at 17:21:10 PM CDT

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"Hate-Filled"? (0.00 / 0)

Wow. So, how, exactly is pointing out the history of the LDS Church with respect to how people treated LDS members, and its actual activities (which it is not hiding, and which seem to be driven by the people who run it) with respect to how the LDS Church treats others "hate-filled".

One can tolerate the intolerant, but one is not required to treat with respect their attempts to strip rights from others that they enjoy. And that refusal to respect the actions of people who are trying to strip rights from others -- the same rights that they themselves enjoy -- is not "hatred".

by: jsw @ Sat Sep 27, 2008 at 19:02:35 PM CDT

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wow. (0.00 / 0)

It just seems counter-intuitive to continue harping on the opposing groups than to discuss why it is important to vote no on Prop 8. I'm not singling anyone out . . . I am reading these same things on message boards all over. I agree with tolerance for all people, even when you disagree over principles.

by: Amy @ Sat Sep 27, 2008 at 22:22:41 PM CDT

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