Candlelight Vigil until a decision is made

[dangerpudding]

So we have a number of prop 8 cases coming before the California Supreme Court in the near future. I don't think I'm alone in wanting to do something through all of this to show support. In discussion this evening, we came up with an idea

Comments

[dicedork]

I think my response would greatly depend on the answer to the question "To what end?"

[dangerpudding]

Let me give this one a try.

Why does one take part in peaceful activism? Why does one do things like silent vigils, protests, and other things that may or may not make an obvious difference, especially right away?

There's a Quaker principle of Bearing Witness - to quote from one of their informational sites "Quakers are recognised for their witness for peace and their practical commitment to human rights and social reform. They work through quiet processes for a world where peaceful means bring about just settlements."

While the focus I intend here is the re-legalization of same-sex marriage, the real goal is to draw attention. It's about educating, it's about being seen to be the peaceful person, it's about quietly being there.

This will have more effect if we lose - but will still have done good if we win. This is about organizing. This is about showing the world who this injustice affects. This is about being prepared for the next time a group tries to take rights in this way.

[dicedork]

Then I'd say I'm pretty interested. I would just be uncomfortable if there were some sort of push to affect the judicial rulings--which I am happy are insulated from such influence.

[caramida]

I'm interested.

[brian1789]

I'm willing to help.

[plantgirl]

I'm intrigued. However, there are some family health issues that might affect my ability to commit to things until I get more info (both from my family, so I know what is needed there, and about what you're planning, and how I might help make it happen).

[breakpoint]

Honestly? The "No on 8" crowd is still too hurt to be very effective. Looking like a bunch of left-wing touchy-feely hippies is not going to change the minds of a bunch of conservative, right-wing voters.

I say voters because you're not going to really do anything to affect the opinions of a judge (at least not any judge worth a damn) unless you're actually presenting in court. So let's assume that anything that happens now is actually prep work for "whatever's next", which presumably will be yet another ballot measure.

I was just up in Redding, population 100,000 ("and we vote"), and let me assure you, the more candles you light the more they're going to roll their eyes. You need solid arguments grounded in good, conservative, respectable laws (and yes, some of the civil rights foundations are old enough that they're considered conservative at this point).

You also need to be willing to play dirty pool and get very, very sneaky. You need to recruit outside California (you can post to the Internet from anywhere

[breakpoint]

IMPORTANT EDIT

This line should (thank you, Safari) have read:

You need to make anyone who doesn't believe in total equality on this issue feel like a total idiot, but the trick is, you cannot do it by insulting them.

Not directly, at least.

[elfwreck]

The goal is not to change the minds of conservative, right-wing voters, especially those that still think a woman's purpose is to bear children and support her man.

The goal is to change the minds of the middle-of-the-road, just wants to enjoy life and maybe have a beer in the evening, don't care what those freaky people are doing as long as it's not in my face voters. And those sometimes can be reached by touchy-feely hippie activism with candles and gentle chanting and signs with pointed, simple slogans.

The strategy is reach as many people as possible. In different ways, because different people are open to different forms of the message. Every bit of activism helps; not everyone can present in court; not everyone can write coherent, passionate letters to the editor; not everyone can go on talk shows

[breakpoint]

No.

The effect may well be to change the minds of moderate voters but only if the goal is to change the minds of conservative voters. A strategy effective on moderate targets will have a moderate chance of success on moderate targets, and a slim chance of success on hard targets. A strategy effective on hard targets will have a moderate chance of success on hard targets, and an excellent chance of success on moderate targets.

Your religion is, frankly, statistically irrelevant compared to the bulk of the population, and this is precisely the type of uncomfortable truth that "liberal" people are not willing to accept when trying to take an objective look at their opponents.

The basic problem is that most liberals have lost their ability to stereotype. This is probably a good thing in day to day life but it is a serious problem for political strategy. There is a reason we are sick of people in positions of power stereotyping each other-- this is one of the critical skills that got them elected. Quickly breaking people into a

New friend!

[ysabetwordsmith]

I saw you over on householding and came here to browse. I've added you to my Friends.

I think that laws designed to deny rights to certain groups of people are bad laws and should not be allowed.