What can you do? Get Proactive and use your voice! That's what you can do:
I have collected these icons for anyone to use for the week or longer, so by all means check them out and yank a few:
- Go to the Human Rights Campaign's Millions For Marriage website and download this flyer:
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Then print it and post as many copies as you can in conspicuous places. - If you haven't already done so, go to www.dontamend.com and sign the petition pledging not to vote for anyone who supports the proposed Federal Marriage Amendment. go to Lambda International and print out a copy of the Marriage Resolution. What is the Marriage Resolution? It looks like this:
Fill it out and fax it or email it back to Lambda at marriage@lambdalegal.org. And while you're at it, make extra copies of it and give it to your friends. Leave copies lying around in strategic places where strangers can see it--your public library, for example, or the computer labs in your school. - If you haven't already done so, go to www.millionsformarriage.com and sign their national petition urging unity and solidarity in the fight to legalize gay marriage. This is also a *commitment* to fighting the fight. Mean it before you sign it.
- The Human Rights Campaign has set up a site where you can communicate your disgust with President Bush directly. I will quote from their direct emailing list:
"Please act right now. Ask President Bush to reconsider his endorsement of "Marriage Protection Week". Tell him that this is a false and misleading campaign to 'protect' families by fostering discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. Ask him to oppose any attempts to build discrimination into the U.S. Constitution." - Call the White House. The White House switchboard is (202) 456-1414.
- Call Congress. The Congressional switchboard is (202) 224-3121.
- Contact your state and local officials. People for the American Way has a nifty little contact database that lets you contact everybody from the President to your local elections authority.
- Contact the Coalition to Protect Marriage and yell at them. A bunch. *Especially* if you are a member of, an affiliate of, or a constituent of any of the following groups which comprise this organization. Take a good look at this list. I've linked directly to their contact pages below. Hell, even if you aren't affiliated with them, email them.
American Association of Christian Schools
American Cause
American Family Association (and as a bonus, check out their subsidiary group NoGayMarriage.com. Ugh, I HATE the AFA, I really, really do.
American Values Institute
Bott Broadcasting
Christian Coalition
Citizens for Community Values
Concerned Women for America (scroll all the way to the bottom, past their "11 ways to fight the homosexual agenda" and their "15 reasons to oppose sexual orientation codes in schools" articles.)
Eagle Forum (email eagle@eagleforum.org)
Faith2Action
Family Research Council
Focus on the Family (Another group I absolutely loathe.)
Free Congress Foundation
Gideon Christian Fellowship Church--New Orleans, LA. Pastored by the Rev. Willie Wooten. Give them a call at (504) 947-9781. :D
Home School Legal Defense Association
INSP TV Network (the Inspiration Network.)
National Religious Broadcasters
Prison Fellowship Ministries and their Wilberforce Forum
Religious Freedom Coalition
Southern Baptist Convention. Sigh. Their site seems to be totally non-functional at the moment, hopefully for the reason that it has been taken over by a horde of angry liberal christians. If any of you are a member of a Southern Baptist church, please contact that church and let them know how you feel.
Thomas Road Baptist Church. This would be Jerry Falwell's church, folks. I really really hope none of you attend. :D
World Magazine. (This appears to be such a radical conservative magazine that it's practically a tabloid.) - Educate yourself. Check out the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's findings and opinions on same-sex marriage. If you're looking for an excellent argument about why religion has absolutely no place in the question of legal marriage, check out this article: "It's Time to Privatize Marriage" by Wendy McElroy.
- If you're one of those people with more money than I have, then check out Freedom to Marry and their Partners, and consider making a donation to any of these coalitions.
- Explore People for the American Way's listing of progressive gay rights organizations. Includes community, state, and national organizations. Just reading about some of these groups, such as the Marcus Wayman Memorial organazation, is mobilizing. You guys from Boston--now would be a great time to think about joining The Freedom to Marry Coalition of Massachusetts.
Thank Dog for Cafepress and freedom of speech. Order Black Thursday's "Support Gay Marriage" tees. Check out Activist Gear's entire anti-Bush selection, though they don't have gay activism slogans. If you're a member of a heterosexual family unit,
constantine has set up a really kickass cafepress shop for heterosexual families to voice their support for ALL kinds of family structures. In addition, check out Over the Rainbow's bumper sticker collection. Browse through the top-100 t-shirt stores and find a political statement that's right for you, and then wear that sucker all over town.
And while you're at it, don't forget to order your Republicans for Voldemort t-shirt.
Many thanks, much gratitude, respect and love to
vanityfair, constantine and ladysisyphus for information in other posts! 