Will Hollywood Fight Prop 8?

http://www.variety.com/article/VR1118004191.html?categoryid=13&cs=1&ref=ssp

Excerpts: (click above link for full article)

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With political activists promising to push for a ballot measure as soon as 2010, the role of the entertainment industry -- through activism, money or creative might -- is likely to be greater than it was before last November's election.

Before that vote, many showbiz workers focused their energy on the presidential election rather than on Prop. 8, and the protests got more vocal after the fact. Showbiz activists are vowing this won't happen again.

The movement may get a showy start tonight as the Courage Campaign, led by docu producer Rick Jacobs, and other groups plan to stage a rally outside the Beverly Hilton Hotel this evening, when President Obama is holding a fund-raiser for the Democratic National Committee. The fund-raising event is expected to draw a host of industry donors and entertainment from Jennifer Hudson and Earth, Wind & Fire.

Dustin Lance Black, the Oscar-winning screenwriter of "Milk," is planning to speak at a "Meet in the Middle" rally in Fresno on Saturday, with the city chosen as much as a geographical halfway point as it is a way to reach voters outside of liberal enclaves.

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Potential donors to a new initiative campaign are expressing caution about a new effort to win same-sex marriage. Philanthropist David Bohnett, co-founder of the Internet firm GeoCities, who contributed more than $2 million to the marriage equality campaign, told Karen Ocamb of Frontiers this month that he "will participate in initiative when we see credible and independent data that we can win with 60% or more of the voters in California, and I believe we have (the) right coalition and campaign leadership in place."

Bragman said a win won't be possible unless the deficiencies of the previous campaign are addressed. "We also have to be careful. If we do it next year and we lose again, it is really going to hurt," he added.

It was very generous of him to donate $2M last time around. I could understand him being cautious. Hopefully, his caution will translate into leadership and good business decisions in how this effort is formed and executed. Ultimately, though, it's up to the gay people and their supporters to fund the effort and make it work. Is it as important to them as it is to the enemy?

For all the excuses about the last campaign failing to "educate" the black voters ( which I think is rather insulting and I'm not particularly averse to insulting people of any race) , locally I found a disturbing problem with GAY PEOPLE in Florida's anti-Amendment 2 campaign. Young gay people who didn't give a shit. Young gay people who can't see beyond their youthful self obsession. Young gay people who really didn't give it much thought.

Look at the crowds at Westwood and the Castro. How many young gay people did you see? What was the average age? 35? Aren't young people supposed to be at the forefront of activism? Where are they?

Which makes me hopeful. Young people have been out in force during the protests and rallies here and are heavily involved in the local orgs.

I'm glad to hear that NY ha a better turn out.