The Mormon Church and their allies who have taken over the Yes On 8 campaign aren't hiding it anymore. Their entire argument for banning same-sex marriage has nothing to do with taking away the right of gay people to marry - if it was they'd straight-up lose. Instead, they are offering a whole array of residual effects, like claiming that this would force homosexuality to be taught in public schools (not true) and churches will lose their tax exemptions (not true) and your son will be forced at gunpoint to gay marry the neighbor boy (not true, and not what they're claiming, but it might as well be).
The entire point is to allow people an outlet to hide their prejudices and to make it seem like a vote to ban the protected rights of hundreds of thousands of citizens is actually a vote to protect their own rights. It's Machiavellian and really ugly. The No side is fighting back, finally presenting a spot calling out the lies.
Until now, this had been a weird meta-campaign where nobody was talking about the real issue, just their "feelings" and their faulty assumptions of scenarios that would never happen. Hopefully this will change the debate. Because there's a lot of concern right now. Two recent polls show Prop. 8 winning, though not over 50% yet. Their ads are having an effect and they have lots of money, a big chunk of it from Utah. The Mormon Church is trying to buy the California state Constitution and they're sending in an amry to see to the job.
Mormons living outside California have been asked to volunteer for a telephone campaign to help pass a ballot initiative banning same-sex marriage in the state.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is part of a coalition of conservative groups backing Proposition 8, which would amend California's constitution to limit marriage to a man and a woman.
Church elder L. Whitney Clayton said members may be asked to call friends and family at home in California before the Nov. 4 election to encourage support for the measure. The out-of-state phone campaign would be on an "if-needed" basis.
The words "tax" and "exempt" come to mind, but that's a battle for another day. A ban in California would set the equality movement back for a long time.
California initiatives are battles waged more on the airwaves than on the ground. The No campaign has to be able to compete. If you can, donate to No on 8. That's number one. And give some of your time. Pass around this ad from the Courage Campaign. Spread the word. We have to defeat any and all attempts to enshrine discrimination into our state constitutions.