Equality
California -- the group that spearheaded the No on 8
campaign -- has conceded defeat on Proposition 8.
"Sadly, fueled by
misinformation, distortions and lies, millions of
voters went to the polls yesterday and said YES to bigotry,
YES to discrimination, YES to second-class status for
same-sex couples," Geoff Kors, executive director of
Equality California, said in a release.
The proposition,
which constitutionally bans same-sex marriage in the
state of California, passed with 52.5% of the electorate.
While millions of absentee and provisional ballots
remain outstanding, it doesn't seem likely that the
tide will change enough to turn around the decision.
"While the
election was close, and millions of votes still remain
uncounted," said Kors," it has become apparent that we
lost."
Kors commended
the efforts of No on 8, admitting that from the outset,
the group knew they were up against tough odds. The only
state to defeat a same-sex marriage ban was Arizona in
2006, though another marriage ban passed in that state
on Tuesday.
Together with
Center Advocacy Project CEO Delores Jacobs, L.A. Gay
& Lesbian Center executive director Lorri Jean, and
National Center for Lesbian Rights executive director
Kate Kendall, Kors vowed to not give up on the fight
for equality. He quoted activist and writer Anne
Lamott: "Hope begins in the dark, the stubborn hope that if
you just show up and try to do the right thing, the
dawn will come. You wait and watch and work: you don't
give up." (Neal Broverman, The Advocate)