Utah faces boycott after Mormon work for Prop 8

[Starry Messenger]

"The church encouraged its members to work to pass California's Proposition 8 by volunteering their time and money for the campaign. Thousands of Mormons worked as grassroots volunteers and gave tens of millions of dollars to the campaign.

The ballot measure passed Tuesday. It amends the California Constitution to define marriage as a heterosexual act, overriding a state Supreme Court ruling that briefly gave same-sex couples the right to wed.

The backlash against the church — and by extension Utah — has been immediate. Protests erupted outside Mormon temples, Facebook groups formed telling people to boycott Utah, and Web sites such as mormonsstoleourrights.com began popping up, calling for an end to the church's tax-exempt status."

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5j3xrKGCR3_Lr31cirVMS_5fY_8igD94ADR9G0

http://www.mormonsstoleourrights.com/

Protest at the Oakland temple this Sunday from the link above:

Where: Oakland Mormon Temple
4766 Lincoln Ave.
Oakland, CA 94602

When: Sunday, 9 November 2008, 12:00 Noon

[poverlay]

1. Good. They have my complete support. When these horrible bigots start interfering with my life I

want to interfere with theirs. Not a very charitable or forgiving thought I know, but the Mormon's are bullys. They need to be knocked back a pace and led to know that this sort of invasion of privacy is not ok no matter how much the thought of two men or women having sex gives them the heeby geebies.

[Starry Messenger]

2. How Prop 8 Skews the Initiative Process

http://sanfrancisco.about.com/b/2008/11/07/how-prop-8-skews-the-initiative-process.htm

"When you consider how much momentum and money for Prop 8 came from out of state, and with anywhere from 40 to 70 percent of the funding coming from the Mormon church or its members, its no surprise that some of the backlash against Prop 8's passage is directed at the church. This morning Thom Hartmann fielded comments and questions on his radio show about the connection between Prop 8 and the church and future political aspirations.

To be fair, other religious groups and financing interests were involved with Prop 8. And obviously, not all Mormons supported Prop 8. The point is that with or without the church's involvement, the campaign behind Prop 8 represents another skewed interpretation of the initiative process in California, which in this case, was not organically engendered from within California's constituency.

Hiram Johnson, a California Governor and Senator in the early 1900s, helped bring the initiative process to California as a way for citizens to have some direct form of redress against entrenched power, most notably the railroad interests at that time. The reforms included the power of initiative, referendum and recall"

I have a google news feed for mormons prop 8 and there are some really good listings today. I will post them to this OP instead of spamming the board with a lot of new posts.

[AuntPatsy]

3. Good, these people need to be shut down...

[Starry Messenger]

4. 'No More Mr Nice Gay' as Mormons face vote backlash

"Earlier this week, 52.5 per cent of voters in the supposedly liberal state decided to back Proposition 8, a ballot measure that adds 15 words to the constitution, saying that: "Only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognised in California."

The development marked a massive setback for gay rights and left 18,000 couples, who had married in the five months since California legalised same-sex weddings, in legal limbo.

In the large and traditionally laid-back gay community, it also left a sense of injustice. Proposition 8 passed with the assistance of a $70m (£44m) campaign largely funded by out-of-state donations from Mormons. "It's taken something like this to make us realise the need to be more aggressive and angry and active," said Mr Ginnes, a graphic designer from West Hollywood. "People didn't think they were going to lose the vote, so they didn't realise it was worth fighting for. "

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/no-more-mr-nice-gay-as-mormons-face-vote-backlash-1001083.html

[Starry Messenger]

5. Prop. 8 protesters target Mormon temple in Westwood

"Members and leaders of the Catholic Church and other Christian churches were also heavily involved in the campaign to pass Proposition 8. The Knights of Columbus, which is tied to the Catholic Church, gave $1 million, and several evangelical groups gave millions more. But they have not come under the same kind of attack.

Leaders of the No-on-8 campaign said they did not believe they were engaged in Mormon-bashing. "This is not about religion," said Jacobs. "This is about a church that put itself in the middle of politics."

Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, said she had grown up in the Mormon Church and thought it was "very disappointing what the church has done and the alliances they have made with churches that don't even like them and have called the church a cult.""

http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-protest7-2008nov07,0,3827549.story?page=1

[hisownpetard]

6. What is the legal process by which the involved churches can have their tax-exempt status revoked?

Since it's common knowledge that the Mormons poured millions into passing Prop.8,
how can there by any argument to the contrary?

It would be phenomenal if this were accomplished, but I assume the process would be a really difficult one
since churches regard their tax-exempt status as sacrosanct - unlike the rights of other Americans.

[Starry Messenger]

7. I'm curious too.

I hope some more people look at this thread and chime in. I found this link:

http://lds501c3.wordpress.com/

It's very information heavy and I'm still chewing through it.

[Starry Messenger]

13. I found something that looks promising:

http://lds501c3.wordpress.com/2008/10/29/how-to-file-an-irs-501c3-complaint/

I posted an expanded version of the link in reply #12

[FtWayneBlue]

16. Excuse me, but

I think that there is an incorrect idea floating around DU that religious organizations cannot speak out about issues without risking their tax-exempt status. This is untrue. They cannot endorse candidates or political parties, but they do have a right to speak on issues.

I am all for civil rights for everyone - - - including freedom of speech.

I don't think that corporate personhood exists to allow them to fund candidates or political parties, but I do think that religious organizations have the right to address issues. Other churches such as UCC and UU are speaking in favor of GLBT rights - and should be allowed to continue to do so.

[Starry Messenger]

20. They are in violation for influencing legislation:

"Section 501(c)(3) of US Code Title 26, which governs tax-exempt organizations, reads (emphasis added):

(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.

(The “otherwise provided” clause does not apply, as the LDS Church, being a church, is a disqualified entity as described in subsection (h).)"

http://lds501c3.wordpress.com/2008/10/29/how-to-file-an-irs-501c3-complaint/


No one is attempting to trample on free speech rights. But thank you for your input.

[FtWayneBlue]

17. Excuse me, but

I think that there is an incorrect idea floating around DU that religious organizations cannot speak out about issues without risking their tax-exempt status. This is untrue. They cannot endorse candidates or political parties, but they do have a right to speak on issues.

I am all for civil rights for everyone - - - including freedom of speech.

I don't think that corporate personhood exists to allow them to fund candidates or political parties, but I do think that religious organizations have the right to address issues. Other churches such as UCC and UU are speaking in favor of GLBT rights - and should be allowed to continue to do so.

[Starry Messenger]

18. Thanks for the kick. n/t

[Mz Pip]

19. Speaking out is one thing

Funding is another.

We certainly have been critical of Bishops telling their parishoners that they will go to hell if they vote for the Democrat. This is worse IMHO. If the churches support candidates with more than just words, I think we have a problem.

[cloudythescribbler]

8. Targeting the Mormon CHURCH as an institution, but not Mormons or the State of Utah, makes sense

After all, it is very important to be properly modulated and very specific about one's political targets. You can take this to the bank that the stuff going on now and in the future in response to the passage of prop 8 (some of which I have signed on to organizationally) WILL (fairly or not) create a SUBSTANTIAL backlash that will be seriously considered if not supported in the MSM

[Starry Messenger]

9. That's the headline from the news story.

But it's a good eyeball grabber. Plus the PR will focus the issue on the institution I believe. I just found a link I'm going to post to my OP with a pre-filled out form to complain to the IRS about the tax-exempt status of LDS.

[cloudythescribbler]

21. I'm not saying you or even the headline are wrong -- but this strategy, pursued by MANY , sucks

it's the kind of strategic thinking that failed to stop prop 8 in the first place

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. Good!

[Atman]

11. I'm cancelling a snowboard trip to Utah

Fortunately, I hadn't paid for it yet, but was intending to go with the local ski club in February. Fuck 'em. I don't want to step foot in Utah now. There are plenty of other big mountains I haven't ridden yet.

.

[hisownpetard]

14. That's terrific. Good for you.

[Starry Messenger]

12. ***Action Item***

http://lds501c3.wordpress.com/2008/10/29/how-to-file-an-irs-501c3-complaint/

How to File an IRS 501(c)(3) Complaint

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the “Mormon” or LDS Church) has gone too far in promoting the 2008 California Proposition 8, which would claims to amend the California state constitution to define marriage as one man and one woman in order to supersede a state supreme court opinion issued earlier this year.

Section 501(c)(3) of US Code Title 26, which governs tax-exempt organizations, reads (emphasis added):

(3) Corporations, and any community chest, fund, or foundation, organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, testing for public safety, literary, or educational purposes, or to foster national or international amateur sports competition (but only if no part of its activities involve the provision of athletic facilities or equipment), or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals, no part of the net earnings of which inures to the benefit of any private shareholder or individual, no substantial part of the activities of which is carrying on propaganda, or otherwise attempting, to influence legislation (except as otherwise provided in subsection (h)), and which does not participate in, or intervene in (including the publishing or distributing of statements), any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for public office.

(The “otherwise provided” clause does not apply, as the LDS Church, being a church, is a disqualified entity as described in subsection (h).)




(Please read the whole link...there is a pre-filled out PDF form in this blog that you can finish as advised and mail in as directed! VERY COOL!!)

[Starry Messenger]

15. Calif. win emboldens coalition of religious groups

This link has been posted before but one quote just finally jumped out at me:

"Proposition 8 says nothing about education, but gay-marriage opponents say allowing same-sex weddings would have affected what California public-school students are taught. Gay-rights groups disputed that, noting that the schools already are required to teach tolerance of gays and lesbians.

"Those lies penetrated," said Martinez. "People believed that we were going to force gay marriage into the classroom, and there is no getting around people wanting to protect their children and to make decisions for their own family."

Perhaps the most crucial faith-based ingredient of the California campaign was the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The Mormon church was invited into the coalition by San Francisco's Roman Catholic Archbishop George Neiderauer, who previously spent 11 years as bishop of the Catholic diocese of Utah."



http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hZmLBrL36NObNyMR0ghXN7vB5hYwD94ADAB80

(emphasis mine)

[Bippity Boo]

22. Sorry, Battlestar Galactica fans, you can't watch the final season to find out how it ends...

...the show was created by a Mormon. Dang.

[Starry Messenger]

23. kick n/t

[Starry Messenger]

24. Prop 8 aftermath

http://www.feministing.com/archives/012067.html

"Thousands of protesters took to the street on Wednesday night, and over a thousand protested outside of a Mormon temple yesterday afternoon - the Mormon Church bankrolled a big portion of the proposition's campaign.

For more, see The Advocate for videos of Wednesday night's protest.

In related news, AMERICAblog reports that famed attorney Gloria Allred will file a lawsuit against Proposition 8:

Attorney Gloria Allred and her clients, Robin Tyler and Diane Olson, will hold a news conference today November 5, 2008 at 12:00 noon at 6300 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1500 L.A. to announce a new lawsuit against Prop. 8. Prop. 8 intended to ban same gender marriages in California.

Ms. Allred and her law firm represented the couple in their victory before the California Supreme Court. Her clients became the first to marry in Los Angeles County in June."