From an email I received earlier today:

For events in your community click the courage campaign link on the right side of this blog. Hope to see everyone out. PS: I heard the movie is spectacular.

"Without hope, not only gays, but those who are blacks, the Asians, the disabled, the seniors -- the 'us's' -- without hope the 'us's' give up. I know that you can't live on hope alone, but without it, life is not worth living. And you, and you, and you have got to give them hope." - Harvey Milk, "Hope Speech," 1978

Dear adrienne,

On a chilly night last February, my wife and I joined thousands of other San Franciscans on Market Street to celebrate Harvey Milk's life and legacy.

We were extras in the film "MILK" and we were recreating the march, and candlelight vigil of over 30,000 people, that took place the night Milk was assassinated 30 years ago. That night, we felt the hope that Milk talked about all his life.

And, as straight activists, we felt empowered to stand up for gay rights -- for equality.

Now, you have a new and meaningful opportunity to stand up for LGBT rights -- for marriage equality.

On Saturday in Sacramento, will "you, and you, and you" attend a Courage Campaign screening of "MILK" and then participate in a "Light Up the Night" candlelight vigil, organized by our friends at Join the Impact?

We're calling this special event "MILK plus LOVE" and we want you -- and your friends, family and neighbors -- to be there. Courage Campaign members just like you are organizing these screenings on Saturday at 40 movie theaters in communities across California. All you need to do is RSVP now so they know how many people are coming (and then buy your movie tickets at the theater before the event):

http://www.couragecampaign.org/MILKplusLOVEsacramento

At the Courage Campaign, we believe that the only way we are going to be able to repeal Prop 8 in California is by having frank, honest discussions with our friends, our colleagues, and, yes, our families. We need to talk about the meaning of marriage and emphasize the core argument that, in America, separate is NOT equal.

That's why we want you to invite your "us's" -- your friends, family and neighbors -- to this special event. Not just the friends that agree with you, but the friends who may not have fully considered why marriage equality is a fundamental civil right.

Forty screenings of "MILK" have been organized across California by Courage Campaign members just like you on Saturday afternoon. In many of these communities, participants will watch "MILK" and then walk or drive to "Light Up the Night," the nationwide candlelight vigils organized by the Join the Impact to draw attention to the 18,000 same-sex couples who were married in California before Prop 8 passed in November.

You can "give them hope" on Saturday. Even if you've already seen "MILK," will you support these volunteer organizers by coming to "MILK plus LOVE" and inviting your "us's" -- especially those who might not otherwise see "MILK" unless you invite them? All it costs is the price of a movie ticket. Click here to RSVP now for Saturday's screening and candlelight vigil:

http://www.couragecampaign.org/MILKplusLOVEsacramento

Restoring marriage equality to California is about much more than just LGBT rights. And the LGBT rights movement is part of a much broader progressive movement to change America

As Harvey Milk's "Hope speech" -- and his commitment to social justice -- exemplified, the future of California and the country depends on all of our communities coming together in common cause.

On Saturday, please come together with your community and attend a screening of "MILK" and a candlelight vigil to "Light Up the Night" for equality.

Thank you for everything you are doing to make Harvey Milk's vision for America a reality.

Robert Cruickshank
Public Policy Director

..............

Courage Campaign Issues is part of the Courage Campaign's online organizing network that empowers over 300,000 grassroots and netroots activists to push for progressive change in California.

To power our campaign to repeal Prop 8, please contribute today:

Ashton Kutcher on prop 8

Lovely P wanted to make sure you all saw this one:

"since she has the jon stewart interview up there... ask her to add wanda sykes"

Okay, here it is:

I hear you on the booze, Wanda... you tell 'em!

This is from Sara:

I have been using Myspace a LOT lately to network and get information out there about rallies, meetings, etc. I had the pleasure of meeting a girl online from San Diego. She created a whole seperate Myspace for straight allies: www.myspace.com/str84equality. She gathered a car load of people for a rally at the Capital in November. One of the guys in her car had just gotten into an accident but sat in the car for the 8 hour trip here and back just to show us support. He is Christian and doesn't believe homosexuality is right, but still feels everyone should be equal. The car load of straight allies left on a Friday night, drove 8 hours to get here Saturday morning, and left to go home after the rally. They just wanted to show support! The best part? One of their signs read "I don't know what God told you but he just texted me OMG!! WTF??" It was a pleasure to get to meet them and we plan on making road trips back and forth to visit each other.

Jon Stewart on gay marriage to Mike Huckabee

This is a must see:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/47991/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart-tue-dec-9-2008

I meant to do this a few days ago, but got caught up in life stuff. Speaking of vociferous support from our straight allies, there is a great blog that ya'all need to check out.

http://straightnotnarrow.blogspot.com/

I've been following the blog for a while now and they post some great stuff. Please stop by and show them your love!

Kindness of strangers

I was walking with my homemade sign to the protest after the passage of Prop H8 and a middle-aged man stopped and asked me what I was doing. I told him about the legislation that had passed and in a thick accent, he said, "What, that shit passed? So I got called a gay for nothing?"

I wanted to hug him! Thanks for taking crap from your communities for standing up against bigotry. We know you don't have to. It might not directly affect you. But you fight anyway. This is why we will eventually win. Because there is compassion in the world.

A couple of friends of mine and I started this blog because in spite of the passage of prop 8 we have been shown so much love from our friends and allies, we thought it would be great if everyone had a place to go to share their stories of support.

It's a way to perpetuate the positive aspects of this movement and the inspirational support from vociferous straight folks who also support our rights. For anyone who has been active in the gay movement for long enough, you know on a deeply personal level how meaningful it is that there are now loudmouthed straight folks out there fighting with us.

For example, I was standing outside the County Clerk's Office in Sacramento waiting to get my marriage license application for a rally. I was there before most other people showed up. Some yes on 8 folks inevitably showed up with their signs. Waiting to get married were two straight couples and their families. When the yes on 8 folks walked right up to the entrance of the office, the straight couples and their families all told them to leave. They said "why do you even care who gets married or not? Why don't you leave people alone, you bigot!" And later, several of them came up to us and told us that they supported us, and our right to marry each other.

So please perpetuate this kindness! Drop us an email and we'll post your stories, pictures and videos in this blog so that everyone can read these stories of courage, kindness, and support.