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September 24, 2008

Spielberg Adds $100K to the No on 8 Campaign

Steven Spielberg and his spouse, Kate Capshaw, followed in the footsteps of Brad Pitt and chipped in a $100,000 donation to fight Proposition 8, the constitutional marriage amendment that would take away the rights of gays and lesbians to marry in California.

"By writing discrimination into our state constitution, Proposition 8 seeks to eliminate the right of each and every citizen in our state to marry regardless of sexual orientation," the couple said in a written statement released Monday. "Such discrimination has NO place in California's constitution, or any other."

Despite a recent spate of celebrity gifts to defeat the ban, backers of the measure are still winning the money game, outraising the No on 8 campaign $17.8 million to $12.4 million, according to Tuesday's Los Angeles Times.

Financial backing is critical to the ability of both sides to air ads promoting their position, with weekly spots costing anywhere from $3.5 million to $5 million in order to ensure that state voters view them seven to 10 times.

Alongside the cash injection from the entertainment industry, the Los Angeles Times reports that San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom will attend a $5,000-per-person New York fund-raiser Thursday with New York State governor David Paterson, a longtime supporter of marriage equality. (The Advocate)

Keywords:  California marriage 
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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: Kate Doolan
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 9:46 PM
    Hometown: Chelsea, Australia

    Comment:

    Thanks Steven! More money than Mary Cheney!


  • Name: tj
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 9:28 PM
    Hometown: Wyoming

    Comment:

    Wow, Paul. I've got a college degree, I'm a US military vet of GWI (disabled), with a LOT of SoCal mil service. I can read... and all I can say to your comment is "Huh?" We're talking equal civil (not religious) rights here for all Americans, regardless of "orientation". Send the "husband"-"wife" definitions back to the religious "freedoms" from which they come (there are sixty such separations among just the "christians" in the single county in which I live). Talk about confusing something so as to "divide To conquer"! I guess it just proves that the greatest temptation known to man or woman is power over others. Sheesh! tj, Wyoming


  • Name: Paul Benedict
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 4:27 PM
    Hometown: Lancaster

    Comment:

    Proposition 8 does not write discrimination into the California constitution. There is no law, nor would there be any law, in California forbidding gays from getting married. The orientation forbids the marriage, not the law. Californians have a right to be recognized as "husband" and "wife," not just party "A" or Party "B." That's the recognitio of our marriages that 'the right to marry' requires. Same-sex unions are not the same as historic marriages. No redefinition can change that. All we can do is make ourselve party to a state that demands its citizens lie.


  • Name: Gerald
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 2:29 PM
    Hometown:

    Comment:

    I applaud Spielberg and Pitts very generous donations. Isn't it unbelievable that in '08 Republicans feel the need to pursue such a stance rather than focusing on much more important issues like: economy, hunger, war, etc.


  • Name: Ritchyrd
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 2:19 PM
    Hometown: Phoenix

    Comment:

    Well it is nice to see them give money to No on 8, But what about Arizona where we have a No on Prop 102 WE can use all the money we can get to bring it down. Two years ago we stopped an similar Prop and we can do it again if we have some help.


  • Name: clark
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 12:39 PM
    Hometown: los angeles

    Comment:

    It's amazing to see how Discimination is still such a big part of our lives in such a progressive state. Thank you Steven for your continued support against all discrimination. c


  • Name: Eli Jeremiah
    Date posted: 2008-09-24 12:11 AM
    Hometown: Tulsa, OK

    Comment:

    Steven Spielberg is awesome--the guy is as moral as he is talented. I will always remember his moving speech about gay-straight equality at an HRC event in 2001 when he resigned from Boy Scouts of America. This almost makes me forgive him for Indy IV. Almost. Many thanks to Spielberg, his wife Kate Capshaw, and Brad Pitt for their generous support. I love how people always say Hollywood is so gay-friendly and yet we can only get a few celebrities to publicly support us. They all want that magic "gay following", but they also don't want to alienate bigots. Oh well. At least Brad Pitt, David Beckham, and Steven Spielberg are A-listers. We've got the cool people on our side.


  • Name: Donnie
    Date posted: 2008-09-23 9:56 PM
    Hometown: Los Angeles

    Comment:

    Another gay friendly allie coming to the aid of the gay community. I am proud he has donated SUBSTANTIALLY to NO on 8. But where are all the the other well to do GAY celebrities that have NOT open up their wallets and come to the foreground in this important election??? We all know who YOU are!


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