Ex-Mormon Gives $1 Million to No on 8

Ex-Mormon Bruce Bastian has donated $1 million to California's No on Prop. 8 campaign in reaction to the Latter-day Saints Church’s recent public stance favoring the ballot measure. Bastian gave $5,000 in May, but after the church’s formal statement expecting all California Mormons to “do all [they] can to support the proposed constitutional amendment,” which would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, Bastian upped his donation, according to The Salt Lake Tribune.

"The LDS Church has no business stepping their big nose in something that's a legal matter, not a religious matter," Bastian told the Tribune. "Constitutions are meant to protect minorities -- not to take rights away from people."

Bastian, who attended Brigham Young University and went on to cocreate WordPerfect software, grew up in a conservative Mormon family in Twin Falls, Idaho. He has been at odds with the church's view on homosexuality since coming out as a gay man, according to the San Francisco Chronicle.

Utah Mormons have donated $120,550 to support Prop. 8, according to public finance records on ProtectMarriage.com. Donations in excess of $1,000 are recorded and catalogued by Mormons for Proposition 8. Thirty-five percent of donors to ProtectMarriage.com are LDS, contributing close to $5 million collectively.

“Many, if not most, Mormons have responded to the church leaders’ request for assistance on this matter by actively campaigning in support of Prop. 8,” the group says on its website. (Kandice Day, The Advocate)

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: Keola Kamakahi
Date posted: 2008-10-09 2:41 AM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:

1. There are good people on both sides of the same-sex marriage (SSM) issue. 2. There are gay people who oppose SSM and support Proposition 8. I am one. My partner is another. 3. Proposition 8 is about protecting those who disagree with SSM and not about denying rights to same-sex couples. Proposition 8 will not outlaw same-sex relationships. Under California’s domestic partnership law (Family Code 297.5), same-sex couples, like us, enjoy all of the same legal rights as marriage. 4. In other jurisdictions, government recognition of SSM has led to government endorsement of SSM and government hostility to individuals and organizations that disagree with it. 5. Proposition 8 will support freedoms of speech, press, and religion to those who disagree with SSM. That is important.

Name: Jared
Date posted: 2008-09-22 1:01 PM
Hometown: Reno

Comment:

Dee, Whatever your views of mormons may be, I think that it is time for people to plainly admit that this is the perfect forum for both "legal", or judicial, AND religious entities to become involved in. If there is a moral question that becomes legislated, it must include the voices of those in the public. Unfortunately for you, that means that everyone gets to be heard, including people that even disagree with you. There is nothing wrong for people to vote their conscience, even if it is the mormon stance. And let's get it straight, the Mormon church does not teach hate. It is not homophobic. (Unfortunately, some of its members are!). It is for extending financial and medical rights to ALL couples! But not the title of marriage.

Name: Janet
Date posted: 2008-09-18 5:55 PM
Hometown: Minnesota

Comment:

I would also like to add my thanks to Mr. Bastian. That is putting money where your mouth is. This inspired me to donate again to this cause. I live in Minnesota and this does not immediately help me but who knows maybe in the future. But anywhere we can get equality I will put my purse strings. I challenge everyone to donate today to this equality drive. Do it today. It may help you down the road. Donate anything, your time, $10, $20 or like Mr. Bastain $1 million. anything, but please do something. We can't leave this up to everyone else. Read NEWSWEEK there is an article about the loneliness and isolation of GLBT seniors. It was compelling. It also touched on the fact of the people getting older with no legal standing in some cases after the loss of a spouse.

Name: Barb
Date posted: 2008-09-18 5:12 PM
Hometown: Seaside

Comment:

Wow, what an incredible donation! Thank you so much, Mr. Bastian for your support of this cause. It is so sad that so much money is being spent on such a simple human right but spend we must in order to keep the rights we have worked so very hard to obtain. After participating in the marriages in San Francisco 4 years ago, having it annuled and then winning our rights via the California Supreme Court, I am so thankful to be married to the person I love. Separation of CHURCH and STATE is a Constitutional LAW, people. Equality for all. No exceptions. No extraordinary rights; EQUALITY. May your life be filled with joy, Mr. Bastian.

Name: Barb
Date posted: 2008-09-18 5:11 PM
Hometown: Seaside

Comment:

Name: Dee Smith
Date posted: 2008-09-18 4:54 PM
Hometown: M

Comment:

Thank you Mr. Bastian. You are to be commended for your generosity. The Mormons are a discriminated religious group and it is interesting that they too are very biiased by trying to stop gay marrriage which is legal business and not religious business. Some of their sect are still practicing poligimy and that is a marriage between one man and many women. They try to downplay this but it exists in many places covertly. In my neighborhood the Mormons were so hateful as to shut down a food bank run from a private house because it was run by a Catholic. Shame on them getting involved in legal matters when they have enough of their own to contend with.

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