CA: Gay Marriage Opponents Identified Online ( Federal Judge says OK )

ktvu ^ | Monday, February 2, 2009 – updated: 8:02 am PST February 2, 2009 | ktvu

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Supporters of Proposition 8 were publicly identified Monday after a judge decided last week that their identities could not be kept secret.

A federal judge on Thursday denied a request to keep the names of donors to California's anti-gay marriage initiative secret, saying the public has a right to know who's giving money to state ballot measures.

Supporters of the initiative, which was approved by voters in November, had sought a preliminary injunction to hide the identities of those who contributed to their campaign.

They had asked the judge to block disclosure of late donors, who gave in the final weeks of the campaign or shortly after the election.

They also asked him to order the state to remove the names of all contributors to Proposition 8 that already had been posted on the secretary of state's Web site.

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

H/T to Flopping ACes:

Sunshine and Harassment [Reader Post]

***********************EXCERPT*************************

Posted by: Larry Weisenthal @ 5:42 pm

A decision by a Federal judge in the California Proposition 8 (anti-gay marriage) aftermath is an ominous canary in the coal mine for free speech.

Our democracy depends on transparent, open speech. In the 15 years that I’ve been an active participant in Internet discussion groups, I have always signed my own name, because I believe that the First Amendment is meaningless, if citizens cannot openly express their ideas, without fear of reprisals. Only in totalitarian states must the citizenry resort to anonymous forms of communication.

I know that the vast majority of people who comment on the blogosphere do wish to maintain their anonymity. It’s not my intention in this post to debate whether or not this is good or bad for a democracy. But one of the most important areas of political speech is that of money donated to support candidates or ideas or ballot measures. The question is this: should people be allowed to contribute money anonymously, as they are allowed to state ideas anonymously?

The federal judge in the California Proposition 8 case has just ruled that political donors have no right to privacy.

Basically, what has happened is this. In the November election, California’s Proposition 8, essentially banning same sex marriage, passed by a margin of 52% - 48%. After the election, opponents of Proposition 8 were outraged, and began to target supporters of Proposition 8 with various types of harassment, which ranged from picketing and boycotts of churches and businesses to personal confrontations at the level of individuals, e.g.

In his suit, which is also being argued by the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal group, Mr. Bopp alleges a wide range of acts against supporters, including “death threats, acts of domestic terrorism, physical violence, threats of physical violence, vandalism of personal property, harassing phone calls, harassing e-mails, blacklisting and boycotts.”

In one instance, a supporter found a flier in his neighborhood calling him a bigot and listing his employer. In another, white powder was sent to a Mormon temple and a facility run by the Knights of Columbus, the Catholic group, which contributed more than $1 million in support of Proposition 8. Other supporters, including the director of the Los Angeles Film Festival, Richard Raddon, have been forced to resign because of their backing of the measure, while some businesses have been boycotted because of Proposition 8.

I am one of the many Californians who voted for Barack Obama but who also voted for Proposition 8. I explained my reasons for doing so (voting for Proposition in a previous Flopping Aces blogpost back in November, 2008:

[Mojave]

"Our democracy depends on transparent, open speech."

"Anonymity is a shield from the tyranny of the majority..." --United States Supreme Court, McIntyre v. Ohio Elections Commission, 514 U.S. 334 (1995)

[an amused spectator]

Try hounding the federal judge with the same stuff he visited on the Prop 8 supporters, and see what that gets you, Saxon dog!

[an amused spectator]

In the 15 years that I’ve been an active participant in Internet discussion groups, I have always signed my own name, because I believe that the First Amendment is meaningless, if citizens cannot openly express their ideas, without fear of reprisals. Only in totalitarian states must the citizenry resort to anonymous forms of communication. - Larry Weisenthal

So, Larry - what do you think of The New Boss' tax-cheatocracy?

Give you the warm totalitarian fuzzies, does it? ;-)

Lots of us on Free Republic used to go by our real names, when we first started.

I'll tell you, Larry - you just weren't p*ssing the Right People off...

[Auntie Dem]

I suppose this means the names of those who opposed Prop 8 are available too?

What’s good for the goose is sauce for the gander eh?

How about a boycott of San Francisco, or hollyweird freaks and their movies, music, books, etc, etc,. Oh, I’m already doing that.

Frankly, as a Utah resident, I’m grateful for the fag boycott of our state. The fewer of them that come here the better.

[proudpapa]

I’m sure Judge Morrison England Jr. wouldn’t mind if i told you his address and phone number are available on Zabasearch.com

[JSDude1]

I donated, but if they want a war (the far left gay nazis)..

[Hildy]

The difference is the gay mafia are vicious..they will do anything. Last week I told a very old friend of mine who happens to be Gay...known him for 35 years...that I was a conservative Republican. It never really came up as over the years we've only kept in touch periodically. He immediately told me to drop dead. Doesn't want me in his life. He said, get this, that he detests people like me...closed minded hypocrites. This guy is a Yale educated lawyer about 53 years old.

Oh, I wrote him back. First I told him I've known he was gay for 35 years and I never gave a rat's ass about it. I went on to tell him that the reason he is so angry is because he hates himself and no amount of society approval, gay parades, hate laws and marriage vows will ever change that fact. I told him he was the hypocrite, not me...

I figured I might as well give him a REAL reason to hate me!

[OneWingedShark]

*nod* - If you’ve already served the time, then what’s the crime?

[GOP Poet]

Wow. I am sorry to here this happened to you. Yet not at all surprised. It is getting very bad everywhere and not just the gays but the active supporters that are straight. We are starting to see some very aggressive communications (if you could call it that) from some family members that is just so inappropriate and wholly out of line. Nazi party is all I can say. I do not have to tell you to be prepared because you already know what is up.

Unfortunately many of us can't just hide out in a hidey hole in conservative areas (oh I wish I could live in such an area!) are going to have to find some alternatives and quick. Things are getting worse and worse where I am standing and I really do not know where to turn honestly. I fear at some point it may come down to us defending ourselves and our rights (if the constitution still exists) with guns and lot of them. Hope not. It sure wouldn't be because we conservatives are not otherwise gifted, intelligent, creative, awesome people. It would strictly be because we are leaving in a facist society and are trying to protect ourselves, our country, and our God.

Great letter to your 'friend' by the way.

[GOP Poet]

here=hear

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

That’s so sad. :( I have friends of all beliefs. It’s such a shame he’s so childish. Oh, well. Certainly HIS loss.

[lentulusgracchus]

Flash: If he's like that, then he was never your friend.

Friends don't write off friends like that.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Here’s a list of the ‘NO’ donors (just some):

http://achievementgap.wordpress.com/2008/10/27/honor-roll-no-on-prop-8-donors-contributors/

[lentulusgracchus]

We are starting to see some very aggressive communications (if you could call it that) from some family members that is just so inappropriate and wholly out of line.

Stand your ground. Tell them where to go -- use Saxon English, that's what it's for.

If they get ugly and violent, well, make careful plans a) to win and b) to make sure they regret whatever they had in mind for you. If that means someone loses a shotgun fight, well, too bad, but just make sure it was his fault, and he lost.

Do right, be right, and survive to write the book.

[TeleStraightShooter]

I went on to tell him that the reason he is so angry is because he hates himself and no amount of society approval, gay parades, hate laws and marriage vows will ever change that fact. I told him he was the hypocrite, not me...

True.

[Hildy]

That’s my point...it is a war out there.