The No on 8 folks want you to be quiet and not complain.

While in Las Vegas over the past weekend, I received this e-mail (printed below) from the No on 8 campaign (which I made donations to for the purpose of increasing their advertising dollars):
Dear Terry,This has been an incredibly difficult week for Californians who are disappointed in the passage of Proposition 8, which takes away the right to marry for same-sex couples in our state. We feel a profound sense of disappointment in this defeat, but know that in order to move forward we must continue to stand together as one community in order to secure full equality in California.In working to defeat Prop 8, a profound coalition banded together to fight for equality. Faith leaders, labor, teachers, civil rights leaders and communities of color, Republicans, Democrats, and Independents, public officials, local school boards and city councils, parents, corporate law firms and bar associations, businesses, and people from all walks of life joined together to stand up against discrimination. We must build on this coalition in order to achieve equal rights for all Californians.We achieve nothing if we isolate the people who did not stand with us in this fight. We only further divide our state if we attempt to blame people of faith, African American voters, rural communities and others for this loss. We know people of all faiths, races and backgrounds stand with us in our fight to end discrimination, and will continue to do so. Now more than ever it is critical that we work together and respect our differences that make us a diverse and unique society. Only with that understanding will we achieve justice and equality for all.
Dr. Delores A. JacobsCEOCenter Advocacy Project
Lorri L. JeanCEOL.A. Gay & Lesbian Center
Kate KendellExecutive DirectorNational Center for Lesbian Rights
Geoff KorsExecutive DirectorEquality California

[Here's a link to LOS ANGELES TIMES coverage of the demonstrations against certain Yes on 8 backers: http://www.latimes.com/news/local/politics/cal/la-me-protests9-2008nov09,0,7280462.story; also, here's a link to poet/writer/blogger T. J. Sullivan's photos of the protests outside the Mormon temple in West L.A.: http://www.laobserved.com/intell/2008/11/protesters_descend_upon_mormon.php]

This is just another sign of the disdain for protest in America--to far too many, it's just so unseemly and immature and you might make the people who disagree with you REALLY MAD.

As long as the protests don't cause physical harm and/or destruction of property, the protestors are within their rights to confront and complain at the homophobic, bigoted troglodytes who claim to act in Jesus' name and according to His teachings.

And there's the lingering question of whether or not the No on 8 campaign did enough to reach out to African-American and Latino communities and try to open a few of the many closed minds regarding equal rights to marriage regardless of sexual orientation.