Fight to the Finish

For his part, Jacobs of
the Courage Campaign stresses that even if there has
been preliminary discussion on a ballot initiative,
his group never made a formal announcement.

"We have 700,000
members and they have to vote before we take a position,"
Jacobs says. "They have not voted yet. ... Our intention
is to wait [on a formal announcement] until a decision is
handed down and then we'll ask our members what they want
to do." As far as the supreme court decision, Jacobs
believes it's already been written.

Jacobs later released
the following statement: "At Camp Courage Oakland over the
weekend, Courage Campaign staff conducted a series of
conversations with various marriage-equality activists,
progressive organizers, and grassroots leaders. As Torie
Osborn's closing speech demonstrated, the consensus was
clear: We are ready to go back to the ballot in 2010, assuming
the supreme court rules to uphold Prop 8. But before we can
make the ultimate decision to support an actual ballot
initiative, the Courage Campaign needs to survey our members
and consult with our allies in the polling group formed by
several organizations a few weeks ago. Based on a vote of our
members, we will move forward on a decision along with our
partners in the marriage-equality movement."

Osborn stressed that
political backbiting wouldn't help efforts to reinstate
marriage equality in California: "I think everyone has a
place at the table. This will be owned by lots of people. Robin
Tyler and her troops. [Equality California executive director]
Geoff Kors will play a role. Hopefully he's learned from
his terrible mistakes from the last time around. And he'll
do it better. But this will be owned by lots of
people. It will not be owned by four white executive
directors."