Etheridge, DeGeneres Respond to Prop. 8 Passing

As California's LGBT community reacts to today's news that the No on 8 campaign has decided to concede to being defeated at the polls, Melissa Etheridge and Ellen DeGeneres have each issued statements in response to Prop. 8 passing.

Melissa Etheridge: "Today the gay citizenry of this state will pick themselves up and dust themselves off and do what we have been doing for years. We will get back into it. We love this state, we love this country and we are not going to leave it. Even though we could be married in Massachusetts or Connecticut, Canada, Holland, Spain, and a handful of other countries, this is our home. This is where we work and play and raise our families. We will not rest until we have the full rights of any other citizen. It is that simple, no fearful vote will ever stop us... that is not the American way."

Ellen DeGeneres: "Watching the returns on election night was an amazing experience. Barack Obama is our new president. Change is here. I, like millions of Americans, felt like we had taken a giant step towards equality. We were watching history.

"This morning, when it was clear that Proposition 8 had passed in California, I can’t explain the feeling I had. I was saddened beyond belief. Here we just had a giant step towards equality and then on the very next day, we took a giant step away. I believe one day a “ban on gay marriage” will sound totally ridiculous. In the meantime, I will continue to speak out for equality for all of us."

Keywords: 2008 Election Barack Obama California marriage Prop 8

Related stories from Advocate.com

2009-07-02: The Faces of Federal Prop. 8
2009-06-20: The Great Undoing?
2009-06-03: The Upside of Prop. 8
2009-05-29: Pastors: No Marriage for Straight People
2009-05-28: Aftermath: Day of Decision

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: deeply saddened by all the ignorance.
Date posted: 2008-11-22 12:44 AM
Hometown: twin falls ID

Comment:

I'm saddend by the ignorance and hate towards mormon and other religions and racial groups that believe same sex marriage is wrong. I believe being gay is wrong because marriage is meant to join a man and a woman, with the purpose of creating children and building eternal families- there isn't any eternal progression through same sex partnerships. I have a right to vote to keep something sacred that I believe to be sacred. I am a poor mormon, I have been poor all of my life, I have never loved money. The comment that states mormons love their money is extremely ignorant. I have never heard hate or oppression ever taught accross a pulpit at the LDS church and I've been to many chapels and classrooms. I like Ellen a lot, she's hilarious, and seems to be a very sweet woman. I disagree with her views on marriage but that doesn't mean I hate her. You can vote for what you believe to be right and I will vote for what I believe to be right.

Name: Jim
Date posted: 2008-11-10 5:37 PM
Hometown: Central IL

Comment:

I agree with LeCinephile We don't want to do anything detrimental to human rights anywhere, but we should pull the support we've provided the various racial minorities over the years. We cannot stand with those who would support inequality for us. It hasn't been enough to try and educate the minority communities. We have to hit them where it hurts them the most. Not in their churches, but in their pocketbooks. No support of any black or hispanic small business. No support of black or hispanic candidates. It isn't enough to boycott Mormon owned businesses. (It's good, but it isn't enough.) And what would be wrong with picketing black or hispanic churches? Black churches should especially be publicly shamed.

Name: Jason Brown
Date posted: 2008-11-10 4:39 AM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:

I am a heterosexual male, so this Prop 8 obviously doesn't affect me in any way. But I still think that it's absolutely absurd. I cannot imagine NOT being able to marry the person I love. I read a comment that stated, "The Bible clearly defines marriage as between one man and one woman". Well maybe, but the Bible also states that Polygamy is okay (Solomon was heralded as the wisest king of all; he had 1000 wives). The Bible states that sex with a prostitute is okay for the husband but not for the wife. It also supports slavery and sex with a slave, marriage with girls aged 11-13, and treatment of women as "property". I can't stand it when people misuse the Bible's words. If you can show me, in the Bible, where Jesus himself says, "Love one another, unless that person's a homosexual", I will pay you $100 out of my own pocket. Until then, stop all of this bigotry!

Name: Kirk Rader
Date posted: 2008-11-10 3:04 AM
Hometown: Reno, NV

Comment:

The GLBT comunity has been the victim of an electoral lynching, presided over by Grand Wizard Obama. Every smug, self-congratulatory appearance by Obama or his proxies lauding the "historic change" represented by his success is a direct insult to every GLBT citizen of the United States. Bigotry is alive and well in this country. We are, evidently, expected to accept that "separate but equal" is discrimination when applied to African Americans but not to GLBT citizens. What part of "equal protect" doesn't Obama, the consitutional scholar, understand? Or is it that he understands all too well and was happy to throw us under the bus, as has become a time-honored tradition in the Democratic party?

Name: Zippy the LDS clown
Date posted: 2008-11-07 8:46 PM
Hometown: Wash DC

Comment:

The best way to teach these LDS freaks a lesson is to boycott not just SUNDANCE in Utah but--year round-- boycott LDS-owned/run businesses: Dell Computers Marriott Hotels & Resorts Jet Blue Albertson's ...to name a few...And dont forget to wear some rainbow-colored/tie dyed temple undergarments when you protest at their precious temple grounds!! LOL They hate it when ppl deface their undergarments. This cult LOVE LOVE LOVE's their money--otherwise they wouldnt have temples in rich neighborhoods like LaJolla, CA, Silver Spgs, MD & near Universal Studios in Fla. Hit them in the pocketbook....PS: Florida had the highest number of mormons (& their businesses) living there than in Utah.

Name: LeCinephile
Date posted: 2008-11-07 7:36 PM
Hometown: Los Angeles

Comment:

No one wants to say it, and few want to believe it, but Mormon money didn't win the day with Prop 8, African American biogtry did. Even as more African American families lose loved ones to AIDS, this community is in deep denial. I'm generalizing of course but this pervasive hostility cannot be denied. Perhaps the time has come to withdraw support from groups that don't reciprocate? Perhaps the time has come for political retribution, starting in the state house and in local government. If it seems unseemly to picket the black churches then let's look to examine the tax records of their institutions, subject their high- living hate preaching leaders to scrutiny and withold votes for their pet programs. It's time to close those checkbooks to those who seek to be less disenfranchised at the LGBT community's expense. Payback. It works.

Name: Vanessa
Date posted: 2008-11-07 12:54 PM
Hometown: Oakdale,Ca Now Cambridge,ON canada

Comment:

Ok I will say this again..We have had same sex marriage in Canada for 5 years and the whells have not fallen off the damn bus...Study after study show that we are as good if not better at raising children that heteros so there goes that excuse..No church is forced to marry a gay couple here so poof there goes another ,and as for the "its not Gods plan" crap ...What happened to "GOD is my only judge". If you feel that strongly then don't marry anyone of the same sex yourself and leave us alone to live our lives.I had to leave California where I was born and raised to marry my wife of 5 years (together 10). I refuse to live in a country that consideres me a second class citz. SHAME on the blacks for practicing the same biggotry they have been subjected to..

Name: Bork
Date posted: 2008-11-07 1:49 AM
Hometown: Portland, OR

Comment:

"Their thinking it right, and our thinking it wrong, is the precise fact upon which depends the whole controversy. Thinking it right, as they do, they are not to blame for desiring its full recognition as being right; but thinking it wrong, as we do, can we yield to them? Can we cast our votes with their view, and against our own? In view of our moral, social, and political responsibilities, can we do this?" A. Lincoln speaking of slavery. The topic we are concerned with is quite different, but the nature of the disagreement is the same. Right now the majority of Californians believe that it is wrong for same sex couples to marry. As our collective moral fiber continues to unravel, I'm sure that will change. And, when it does, God help us.

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