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Stop the Hate: Vote No on 8

Activist Robin Tyler enlists the help of some notable friends and takes the campaign against California's proposed gay marriage ban into her own hands.

By Anne Stockwell

An Advocate.com exclusive posted August 20, 2008

Robin Tyler, Frances Collier, Angela V. Shelton, Diane Olson

“I felt compelled to make these PSAs,” Robin Tyler reflects in an e-mail after a long day on the film set where, at her urging, a parade of celebrities spoke out on-camera against Proposition 8. “We have allowed the radical right to brand ‘saving marriage for men and women’ as a religious issue. We have to rebrand the issue for what it is. This is not spiritual. This is about hate, and it definitely will not hurt our side to tell the truth.”

True to her longtime feminist allegiances, Tyler’s homegrown ad campaign will be a collaboration among women, including Peg Yorkin and Katherine Spillar of the Feminist Majority Foundation. A couple dozen actors and activists were already on board for an August 17 shoot organized by the FMF at the Beverly Hills offices of Ms. magazine. The goal? To film a series of ads supporting pro-choice and pro-immigrant positions. Thanks to the volunteer efforts of Tyler and the lesbian organization POWER UP, which provided the crew, pro-gay also made the cut.

Nobody was sure whether all the actors showing up for feminism -- including Tyne Daly, Christine Lahti, and Camryn Manheim -- would do the same for gays. But everybody did, with Tyler behind the reception desk banging out speeches to suit each individual. Yet each one, even those as short as one line, ended with Tyler’s slogan: “Stop the hate. Vote no on 8.”

Story continues on next page...

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Stockwell is editor at large of The Advocate.

Keywords: California marriage

Related stories from Advocate.com

2009-01-07: Prop. 8 Exit Polling of African-Americans Way Off, Experts Say
2009-01-07: Jerry Brown’s Argument to Void Prop. 8 Under Attack
2009-01-03: NYT Columnist Calls Out Obama on Warren Selection
2008-12-30: Constructive Impatience
2008-12-23: Jerry Brown's About-face: Void Prop. 8

Reader Comments

These comments are reproduced as written by visitors to this Web site. They have not been edited for content, grammar, or spelling. The viewpoints appearing here are those of the writer, and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or views of advocate.com, The Advocate, or its affiliates.

Name: CRYSTAL
Date posted: 2008-12-28 9:43 PM
Hometown: M*WN

Comment:

HEY I REALLY DON'T UNDER STAND WHAT THE CHURCH IS DOING I WAS A MORMON AND I REALLY DON'T BELIEVE THEM ANYMORE THEY REALLY SEEM TO HATE ON EVERY ONE I REALLY... SEE IT THEY HATE ON INTERRACIAL COUPLES AND NOW THERE HATEING ON GAYS THE GAYS DID NOTHEN TO THEM THEY ARE JUST BEING LIKE HITLER IN A WAY TRY TO KEEP WHITES WITH WHITES AND WOMEN WITH MEN THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND CHANGE AND I REALLY CRY FOR THAT IF THEY CAN NOT EXEPT CHANGE THE RELIGOUN THAT THEY HAVE TRY TO KEEP SO DEAR WILL SURELY FAIL IN THE LONG RUN... EVERY RELIGON WILL FAIL THAT CAN NOT EXEPT GAY !!!!!!!!!!!!! I HAVE EXEPTED THAT GAY IS WHAT IS GOING TO GO IN THE WORLD JUST AS THE BLACKS AND THE ASIANS THE JEWISH AND THE IRISH... HOW CAN WE JUDGE ON WHAT WE DON'T KNOW, HOW DO THEY FEEL...WHY ?? WHY NOT JUST LOVE WHO EVERY YOU ARE AND WHAT EVER YOU ARE .........LOVE ALWAYS CRYSTAL....

Name: Pete
Date posted: 2008-12-10 7:55 PM
Hometown: San Diego

Comment:

Many of the supporters of prop 8 were surprised at the backlash. Haytt Hotels, the Morman and Catholic Churches, Hoehn motors, and so on were shocked that tens of thousands lashed out at them over the loss of civil rights. None of these bigotts thought so many would stand up against them; and the rallies, boycotts, e-mails (demanding explanations from business that supported 8) and calls for justice need to continue. Only this pressure will make them think twice next time. Unfortunantly this also means complete boycotts, such as Sundance. Only putting them in the light and showing their ugly side with acomplish this. Everyone write the letters and e-mails (no threats, just demand explanations) and keep up the boycotts!

Name: m.c. starr
Date posted: 2008-10-22 11:45 PM
Hometown: ridgewcrest calif

Comment:

first it was the jews...then the blacks and now the gays..this whole hate campain is nothing but a mormon hate campain..in ridgecrest california yes on 8 signs werte destroyed or slashed about the whole city this tuesday oct 20..all the yes on 8 people are mormons..(remember mormons and the little girls in granny dresses in texas..i don't care if 10,000 gays get married it will never stop straight couples from marring..their so called protect stuff is a lie to cover their hate..they twist the bible to justify their hate and when someone with REAL bible knowledge shows them what the bible really says they back into a cornor and talk about their traditions..they don't care to know what jesus said about their traditions verses truth m.c starr ridgewcrest calif

Name: nat g
Date posted: 2008-10-22 3:25 AM
Hometown: los angeles

Comment:

Has the entire gay community become unconscious zombies being led to the slaughter by Kors, Smith, Lake and Company?! I can't believe people aren't outraged that we are going to lose the right to marry because of utter incompetence from the No On 8 "leaders". We're being throttled in advertising by the most standard attack adds and the best they can do is respond with milk toast it ain't fair complaint ads (at least they're better than the fuzzy drivel that came before). How can these fools let the whack job far right fundamentalists put them on defense??!! There's miles of video tape of those psycho prop 8 supporters saying the most offensive garbage that would completely alienate them from most voters and make the Gavin Newsom loop sound like child's play. Prop 8 has got to be glued to it's scary far right backers, who, by the way, can also be used to alienate the black community from the measure. If we don't get down and dirty we lose, period.

Name: kiearstan miller
Date posted: 2008-09-22 5:37 PM
Hometown: pacific grove

Comment:

Love is good Love is great No on HATE No on EIGHT I believe every individual has the right to choose whom they want to marry or not marry. It is appalling to me that there even has to be a debate. Its the right of every citizen of this country gay, straight, bi, transgender, black, white, purple or green to engage in the pursuit of happiness. When did loving someone and wanting to share your life with them become something people are afraid of? With all the hate, atrocity, unrest in the world you would think everyone would support two people who want to vow to love one another. But....of course not. So. I was on my sister for years and especially lately to register to vote. She registered last week. Now, not only will I be voting NO ON 8 in November but so will she and my mother.

Name: R. Zeke Fread
Date posted: 2008-09-02 6:21 PM
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Comment:

My Dear Robin and Diane Excellent article, thanks to the Advocate for posting it. I'm with you all the way on the "Stop the Hate Vote No On 8" campaign and look forward to working with you again. You continue to dedicate yourself to fighting for our equality, know how much it's appreciated. We stopped Dr? Laura and I'm sure the coalition of gay and gay friendly supporters you've gathered together will help defeat Prop. 8, as well. We can ill afford to remain silent, we must have to have our voices heard. If we fail to do so, the religious right fundies will continue their attempts to dictate who should and shouldn't be allowed to marry the person they love We sure could use your talent, connections and energy here Florida again for our "Vote No On 2" camping.

Name: R. Zeke Fread
Date posted: 2008-09-02 6:20 PM
Hometown: Tampa, Florida

Comment:

Name: Andy Thayer
Date posted: 2008-08-31 11:15 AM
Hometown: Chicago

Comment:

Yes, your so-called "smart way," Erica, the ubber expensive poll-tested way, has lost us 24 out of 25 state marriage referendum campaigns. These campaigns have repeatedly de-gayed our issues & at most only promoted warm & fuzzy images of LG people that have been stunningly innocuous & ineffective, for all the millions of dollars wasted on them. It IS very important to call people who organize against our equal rights "haters." The more effective anti-gay bigots like James Dobson wrap themselves up in sugary-sweet images of family, Christianity, and the flag, etc. They know that most Americans have grown to dislike unabashed bigots like Fred Phelps. They know that if they're going to successfully peddle bigotry, they have to cloak it. We beat Laura Schlessinger & Anita Bryant largely because we exposed them for the haters they are. We peeled away their soft supporters who didn't want to also be seen as bigots.

Name: Neil
Date posted: 2008-08-23 3:26 PM
Hometown: NY

Comment:

Ladies & Gentleman, Gay & Straight: I hope that each and every one of you FINDS a WAY to promote No on 8! This is about equality for all. Send e-mails, speak out at your children’s schools, speak up at church, the market, the office, the ball game! Make videos - go door to door - DO SOMETHING PRODUCTIVE and stop whining about those people who have already put themselves out there for change. PLEASE DON’T SIT AT HOME AND THINK that the stupid commercial (currently running on TV) will make the difference. PEOPLE MAKE THE DIFFERENCE! Thank you Robin Tyler for getting in to make a difference. Thank you Advocate for sharing this story. Thank you everyone who is getting out and doing something!!!

Name: Bill
Date posted: 2008-08-23 12:37 PM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:

Melissa, Respectfully, you honestly don't think that as one prong of the No on 8 campaign it would be effective to run ads highlighting the fact that children of gay couples will become second-class citizens themselves if Prop 8 passes? To emphasize the very real fact that these kids will be denied all protections that marriage provides California's children? I disagree. I think that well-crafted PSAs in this vein it would significantly blunt right-wing arguments that choose repeatedly to emphasize gay couples only and make no mention of our children. One of their hallmarks is to make this about grownups only. They are notoriously silent about our children. There's a reason for that. They know that if the rights of our children are mentioned it will weaken their argument. Over 25% of California's gay households are raising children. To ignore this is, I think, a mistake.

Name: Clevelandphil
Date posted: 2008-08-21 9:49 PM
Hometown: Reseda

Comment:

If you want straight men to vote no on 8, stop bashing them. I've read a lot of male-bashing comments on this website, especially in the Susan Powter section by gay men. If you yell about the crappy way you're treated by society, you might just be a little kinder to others. Instead you have Sheila Kuehl who perpetrated the myth that men beat their wives on Superbowl Sunday or Gay favorite Gloria Allred, who calls men rapists and wife-beaters, who molest their daughters. Not to mention the colleges where radical feminists and their gay friends scream at men. So start acting like the good gays like Huell Howser and Camille Paglia and Prop 8 will be defeated and you can get married--------then the real nightmare begins.

Name: Bill
Date posted: 2008-08-21 8:31 PM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:

I've heard the No on 8 campaign's polling data have made them shy away from featuring same-sex couples with children in their ads and PSAs. My experience shows it would be a huge miscalculation. Meeting our family has made way more than one right-winger back up and think again about gay marriage. When I talk about the protections marriage provides our children, you'd be surprised at how many people have responded with some variation of "Oh. I never thought about that angle." It definitely makes them stop and think. Our children will be the ones on the playground whose parents are not allowed to be married. Try explaining that to a 7-year-old. With 25% of California's gay households raising children, it boggles my mind that the protections that marriage provides our children are not being highlighted front and center. It may be the only argument that sways some of these Yes on 8 people who are forever going on about protecting children.

Name: Robin Tyler
Date posted: 2008-08-21 8:00 PM
Hometown: North Hills

Comment:

Thank you so much for your comments. This PSA Is not just for our community. It will be going everywhere. 2. Does not cost a cent, as we are all volunteers. I don't think the truth will push the middle away. No one wants to be thought of as supporting discrimination or something that is harmful or hateful toward any minority. We must redifine the issue, and not allow the radical right to hide behind 'religion', with the same excuses they used to justify slavery and their fight against interacial marriage. We do not have one civil right on a Federal Level,not the right to work, to serve, to marry, to keep our children. We do not have one right that we asked for in the first (1979) march. It is time to stand up, and fight back. Stop the hate, vote no on 8.

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