Californians Against Hate: September 2008

Friday, September 26, 2008

New York "Don't Buy Bolthouse" Demonstration

Media Advisory September 26, 2008 Contact: Fred Karger 619-592-2008

Saturday Demonstration at Whole Foods – Columbus Circle in New York

New York, NY – Californians Against Hate will hold a small mid-day demonstration tomorrow, Saturday, September 27th at 12:30 pm in front of the Whole Foods Market – Columbus Circle Store, 10 Columbus Circle, New York, NY. The demonstration is part of a national campaign to ask American consumers to “Don’t Buy Bolthouse” (Farms) fruit, vegetable and coffee drinks, carrots (they are the 2nd largest producer in the world) and Bolthouse Farms salad dressings.
William Bolthouse, Jr. contributed $100,000 to California’s Protect Marriage / Yes on Proposition 8. His huge financial support was one of the main reasons that this constitutional initiative qualified for the November 4th ballot. His money helped enable the committee to hire hundreds of paid professional petition circulators to collect the signatures necessary to qualify this initiative for the November ballot. If passed on November 4th, Proposition 8 would eliminate same-sex marriage in California.

Last week Fred Karger, Campaign Manager for Californians Against Hate sent a letter to Bolthouse Farms Chairman, Andre Radandt (William Bolthouse’s son-in-law) in which he said;

“As of Saturday, September 20, 2008, we will embark on an effort to get the message out to the gay and lesbian community and our millions of friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers all over the United States to “Don't Buy Bolthouse.”

There are many other juices, carrot brands, coffee drinks and salad dressings available without the Bolthouse name attached. Right next to the Bolthouse drinks you can choose from Odwalla, Purely Juice, Naked Natural Energy, Jamba and Evolution. Lots of options – just Don’t Buy Bolthouse.

We have set up a web site, too: http://www.dontbuybolthouse.com/

“William Bolthouse’s $100,000 contribution is an insult to gay and lesbian Americans. Why should we spend our hard-earned money buying Bolthouse Farms’ products only to have it used against us?” concluded Karger.

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Sunday, September 21, 2008

Don't Buy Bolthouse Demonstration & Letter to the Chairman

NEWS UPDATE September 22, 2008 Conatact: Fred Karger

619-592-2008

Don’t Buy Bolthouse Demonstration Kicks Off Don’t Buy Bolthouse Campaign

LOS ANGELES, CA – A group of dedicated volunteers met at the Ralphs Supermarket on Sunset Blvd. in Hollywood on Saturday to demonstrate against Bolthouse Farms because of a $100,000 contribution by William Bolthouse, Jr. to the Protect Marriage – Yes on Proposition 8 Campaign. And the Don’t Buy Bolthouse Campaign was born.

William Bolthouse’s huge financial support was one of the main reasons that this constitutional initiative qualified for the November 4th ballot. His money helped enable Protect Marriage to hire hundreds of paid professional petition circulators to collect the signatures necessary to qualify this initiative for the November ballot. If passed on November 4th, Proposition 8 would eliminate same-sex marriage in California.

We will now embark on an effort to get the message out to the gay and lesbian community and our millions of friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers all over the United States to “Don't Buy Bolthouse.”

There are many other juices, carrot brands, coffee drinks and salad dressings available without the Bolthouse name attached. Right next to the Bolthouse drinks at Ralphs you can choose from Odwalla, Purely Juice, Naked Natural Energy, Jamba and Evolution. Lots of options – just “Don’t Buy Bolthouse.”

We have set up a web site, too: http://www.dontbuybolthouse.com/

William Bolthouse’s $100,000 contribution is an insult to gay and lesbian Americans. Why should we spend our hard-earned money buying Bolthouse Farms’ products only to have it used against us?

On Saturday, Fred Karger, Campaign Manager for Californians Against Hate, released the letter explaining our actions and the reasons why in a letter that was faxed to Bolthouse Farms Chairman, Andre Radandt (William Bolthouse’s son-in-law) on Friday. A copy of the letter is below the photos from Saturday’s Demonstration.

Matt Getting Set Up for the Demonstration An Interested Shopper Getting Some Information and Candy Eric, Mark and Shane Getting Honks of Support From Passer-by Led By Scottish Bagpiper John, an Impromptu March
Down Sunset Blvdin Front of Ralphs

Some Ralphs’ Shoppers Hamming it up With Brian and Derek

Smile for the Camera

Copy of Fred Karger’s Letter to Bolthouse Chairman Andre Radandt

September 19, 2008

Mr. Andre Radandt
Chairman of the Board
Bolthouse Farms
7200 E. Brundage Lane
Bakersfield, CA 93307

VIA FAX 661-366-8072

Dear Mr. Radandt:As you are aware, your father-in-law, William Bolthouse, Jr. contributed $100,000 to Protect Marriage / Yes on Proposition 8 on April 3, 2008. His early huge support was one of the main reasons that this constitutional initiative qualified for the November 4th ballot. His money helped enable the committee to hire hundreds of paid professional petition circulators to collect the signatures necessary to qualify this measure for the November ballot.

Since the day of Bill Bolthouse’s $100,000 contribution, Bolthouse Farms http://bolthouse.com/ has tried to distance itself from the man who helped the company become the world’s 2nd largest carrot producer, while diversifying into many other products including 14 varieties of fruit, coffee and vegetable drinks, all types of whole and cut carrots products and salad dressings. The company has insisted that William Bolthouse “is no longer involved in the operations of the company.”

You, his son-in-law, are Chairman of Bolthouse Farms. Bill Bolthouse ran Bolthouse Farms for decades, until your family sold off a majority interest to Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC http://www.mdcp.com/ of Chicago in 2005. The Daily Deal reported on October 14, 2005 that when you and your father-in-law struck the deal with Madison Dearborn Partners, LLC they purchased 57% of your $1.2 billion dollar company. The Daily Deal as well as other news accounts stated that the family retained substantial ownership. It also appears that your father-in-law retained ownership of Bolthouse Properties and now leases farmland back to Bolthouse Farms. This represents over 7,000 acres of farmland in Kern, Los Angeles, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties. Sounds like “involvement” to me.

There is more.

Under the heading ‘Company History’ on the Bolthouse Farms web site, it states: “Today, the third and fourth Bolthouse generations operate one of the largest carrot operations in the world.” http://bolthouse.com/html/cs_comp_historyn.html

On all of your labels you mention that Bolthouse Farms is a fourth generation company. You are now the Chairman (fourth generation) and your father-in- law would be the third, since the company was founded by his grandfather back in 1915.

In the May 8, 2004 Christian Business Daily article titled, “Bolthouse Farms: Cornering the Market with God’s Principles”; you stated, “Stewardship and integrity have always been a part of the business and have been well-established culturally”…”My job is to preserve that. …the integrity side involves using the business as a platform for ministry.” In the same article it said, “Andre maintains that Bolthouse Farms is very much still the same company.” You made such a strong case throughout this article for sharing the same views as your father-in-law, how can you separate yourself from them now?

Also in the Christian Business Daily article it said, “In 2002, Andre Radandt took over as President and CEO of Bolthouse Farms, while Bill stepped into the role of chairman of the board and took the helm of Bolthouse Properties”, which further supports the roll Bill Bolthouse plays with Bolthouse Properties.

The Wall Street Journal ran a story on August 27, 2008 about Californians Against Hate and Bolthouse Farms was the lead in the story http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121979337416974603.html?mod=googlenews_wj

A few days later I received a call from someone who identified himself as a representative of Bolthouse Farms. He wanted to discuss some kind of compromise between our organization and Bolthouse Farms. He was adamant that Bill Bolthouse was not involved with Bolthouse Farms and “didn’t want me to embarrass myself by taking any action against them.” I asked this gentleman if Mr. Bolthouse owned any of the farmland where Bolthouse Farms grows crops. He told me that he would have to get back to me on that. Three days later, on Tuesday, September 2, 2008, he did and he said that Mr. Bolthouse owned the land and leases it back to Bolthouse Farms. Does your father-in-law lease all 7,000 acres back to the company?

On that September 2nd call, I told your representative that I would make myself available to meet with company officials so they could show me financial and real estate records that demonstrate that William Bolthouse is no longer involved with Bolthouse Farms. I never heard back, so I called him again on Tuesday of this week, after no contact in over 2 weeks. There was still no response to my meeting request.

The gay and lesbian community is in the middle of a campaign to defeat a Constitutional Initiative that will eliminate marriage for same-sex couples in California. All we want is equality, to be treated with respect and dignity and have the same rights that are guaranteed to all.

So, as of Saturday, September 20, 2008, Californians Against Hate will embark on an effort to get the message out to the gay and lesbian community and our millions of friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers all over the United States to, “Don't Buy Bolthouse.” There are many other juices, carrot brands, coffee drinks and salad dressings available without the Bolthouse name attached.

William Bolthouse’s $100,000 contribution is an insult to gay and lesbian Americans. Why should we spend our hard-earned money buying Bolthouse Farms’ products only to have it used against us?

Sincerely yours,

Fred Karger

Campaign Manager

Californians Against Hate

http://californiansagainsthate.com/

619-592-2008

cc: William Bolthouse, Jr

MUST READ STORY FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL ON ALL THE MORMON MONEY COMING IN TO THE YES ON 8 CAMPAING. YOU WILL BE AMAZED. JUST CLICK ON THE LINK BELOW:

Wall Street Journal Story, September 20, 2008

Mormons Boost Antigay Marriage Effort
Group Has Given Millions in Support Of California Fund
By MARK SCHOOFS
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122186063716658279.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

Friday, September 19, 2008

Don't Buy Bolthouse Demonstration

Media Advisory September 19, 2008

Contact: Fred Karger 619-592-2008

Saturday Demonstration at Ralphs in Hollywood

William Bolthouse’s $100,000 Contribution to Yes on 8
Counters Brad Pitt’s

LOS ANGELES – Californians Against Hate will hold a mid-day demonstration tomorrow, Saturday, September 20th at 12:00 noon in front of the Ralphs Supermarket, 7257 Sunset Blvd, Hollywood (4 blocks west of LaBrea). The demonstration is to kick-off the campaign to ask consumers to “Don’t Buy Bolthouse” (Farms) fruit, vegetable and coffee drinks, carrots (they are the 2nd largest producer in the world) and Bolthouse Farms salad dressings.

William Bolthouse, Jr. contributed $100,000 to Protect Marriage / Yes on Proposition 8. His huge financial support was one of the main reasons that this constitutional initiative qualified for the November 4th ballot. His money helped enable the committee to hire hundreds of paid professional petition circulators to collect the signatures necessary to qualify this initiative for the November ballot. If passed on November 4th, Proposition 8 would eliminate same-sex marriage in California.

Today Fred Karger, Campaign Manager for Californians Against sent a letter to Bolthouse Farms Chairman, Andre Radandt (William Bolthouse’s son-in-law) in which he said;

“As of Saturday, September 20, 2008, we will embark on an effort to get the message out to the gay and lesbian community and our millions of friends, family members, neighbors and co-workers all over the United States to “Don't Buy Bolthouse.”

There are many other juices, carrot brands, coffee drinks and salad dressings available without the Bolthouse name attached. Right next to the Bolthouse drinks you can choose from Odwalla, Purely Juice, Naked Natural Energy, Jamba and Evolution. Lots of options – just Don’t Buy Bolthouse.

We have set up a web site, too: http://www.dontbuybolthouse.com/

“William Bolthouse’s $100,000 contribution is an insult to gay and lesbian Americans. Why should we spend our hard-earned money buying Bolthouse Farms’ products only to have it used against us?” concluded Karger.

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Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Californians Against Hate in the News -- A Lot

Thursday, September 11, 2008

News Release - Dishonor Roll Posted

For Immediate Release September 11, 2008
Contact: Fred Karger 619-592-2008

Dishonor Roll Up on Californians Against Hate Web Site

Top 112 Donors to Yes on 8 Campaign

Now Available New Web Site Launched, Too

LOS ANGELES, CA – The much anticipated release of the major donors to Yes on Proposition 8 was published today on the Californians Against Hate web site: http://www.californiansagainsthate.com/

The announcement came in a post by Campaign Manager Fred Karger on the Huffington Post. Proposition 8 changes the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry. The top 10 donors are now up on the front page of Californians Against Hate’s newly redesigned web site, and the remaining 102 donors can be found by using the link directly below the “Top 10.”

The list is current as of August 5 for all donors of $5,000 and more. Donors of $25,000 and more are current as of September 1, 2008. Leading the pack is the Knights of Columbus of New Haven, Connecticut with $1.275 million. This is the political arm of the Catholic Church. Second is the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) of Princeton, NJ which gave $941,000, with the bulk of their money coming in the first 6 months of this year. Their funds were used to hire hundreds of professional signature gatherers in order to qualify the constitutional initiative for the November 4th ballot.

Third is John Templeton, Jr. of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania who gave $900,000. John, Jr. is the son of the founder of Templeton Funds.

Fourth is Howard “Howie” Ahmanson of Newport Beach who gave $600,000. Ahmanson is the heir to the Home Savings & Loan fortune, now owned by Washington Mutual (NYSE: WM). Ahmanson gave his money between February and August.

Fifth is Donald Wildmon’s American Family Association (AFA) of Tupelo, Mississippi which gave $500,000 on July 22nd.

Sixth is Mrs. Elsa Prince of Holland, Michigan who recently gave $450,000. She is on the board of James Dobson’s Focus on the Family and his Washington, DC based political operation, the Family Research Council. Her late husband, Edgar invented the light-up visor vanity mirror, and her son is Erik Prince of Blackwater fame.

Seventh is Dobson’s Focus on the Family of Colorado Springs, Colorado, which gave $412,000 beginning in December 2007. They came though with most of it, $250,000 to jump-start the Yes on 8 campaign when it was broke, after spending $2.3 million to qualify the initiative.

“These people are pouring money into California to eliminate our freedom to marry, like we’ve never seen before,” said Fred Karger, Campaign Manager of Californians Against Hate. “They have put these hateful ballot measures before the voters in 27 states, and have won all but one; Arizona 2 years ago. Now this year they are back on the ballot in Arizona, in addition to Florida and California.

They want to bully us and crush us and end any possibility of same sex couples having the freedom to marry throughout the United States. They are willing to spend tens of millions of dollars to do just that.” The Yes on 8 campaign is now averaging nearly $500,000 per day in contributions of $1,000 or more, according to the California Secretary of State's office; that’s $2.5 million per week.

Californians Against Hate was formed in July of this year to act as a truth squad monitoring the contributors to Yes on 8. It has led efforts to draw attention to these major donors, and in some instances take action against them.

On July 18th, a boycott of Doug Manchester’s hotels was begun http://www.boycottmanchesterhotels.com/ because of his $125,000 contribution. Manchester owns the Manchester Grand Hyatt Hotel and the Grand Del Mar Hotel, both in San Diego, CA. The next action was against Terry Caster, owner of A-1 Self Storage http://a1storage.com/ who along with his immediate family gave $293,000 to qualify this initiative. A "Call Terry Caster" campaign was launched http://www.callterrycaster.com/ and so many calls came in that a separate phone line was installed to field all the calls.

“We will be announcing another action in the next week or so," said Karger. “We want to make sure that the gay and lesbian community, our families, friends, co-workers and neighbors know exactly who is giving this obscene amount of money to take away our freedom to marry here in California. Then people can decide whether they want to give their hard earned money to these businesses or not.”

Our new web site was designed by Day One Creative http://dayonecreative.com/
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Huffington Post Column

Californians Against Hate Releases its Dishonor Roll

Top 112 Donors to Yes on 8 Campaign Posted

The much anticipated release of the $5000 and above donors to California’s Yes on 8 Campaign is now posted on our web site: www.CaliforniansAgainstHate.com

Leading the pack is the Knights of Columbus of New Haven Connecticut with $1.275 million. This is the political arm of the Catholic Church.

Second is billionaire John Templeton, Jr. of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania who gave $900,000. John, Jr. is the son of the founder of Templeton Funds.

Third is the National Organization for Marriage of Princeton, NJ which gave $941,000, with the bulk of their money coming in the first 6 months of this year. Their funds were used to hire hundreds of professional signature gatherers in order to qualify their constitutional initiative for the November 4th ballot

Fourth is Howard "Howie" Ahmanson of Newport Beach, who gave $600,000. Ahmanson is the heir to the Home Savings & Loan fortune, now owned by Washington Mutual, Inc. (NYSE: WM). Ahmanson gave his money between February and August of this year.

Fifth on the list is Donald Wildmon’s American Family Association (AFA) of Tupelo, Mississippi who gave $500,000 on July 22nd.

Sixth is Elsa Prince of Holland, Michigan who gave $450,000 just recently. She is on the board of James Dobson’s Focus on the Family as well as Dobson’s Washington, DC million per year lobbying operation, the Family Research Council. Her late husband, Edgar, invented the light-up visor vanity mirror.

Seventh is Dobson’s very own Focus on the Family of Colorado Springs, Colorado. This $127 million per year operation gave 7 separate contributions totaling $432,000 dating back to December 2007. They came though with $250,000 of that amount to jump-start the Yes on 8 campaign when it was broke, after spending $2.3 million to qualify the initiative.
These mega donations are mostly from out of state organizations and individuals that are pouring money into California to end marriage equality.

They are trying to crush us by flooding the state with far, far right money like I have never seen before. They have put these hateful ballot measures before the voters in 27 states, and have won all but one; Arizona 2 years ago. Now this year they are back on the ballot in Arizona, in addition to Florida and California. Their big spending and bullying ways send a terrible message to an entire generation of young people in California and around the world.

The top 10 donors are now posted on the home page of our newly redesigned web site. They can also be viewed with expanded information on each donor, along with the other 102 donors, by using the link directly below the "Top 10." This list of $5,000 contributors and up is current as of August 5th. Additional contributors of $25,000 and more are current as of September 1, 2008.

These major funders of the Yes on 8 campaign say that the institution of marriage is threatened by same-sex marriage.

What harm is the marriage of my friends Scott and Todd causing these people? They are both executives with big companies in Los Angeles who have been together for 7 years, and were finally able to legally marry. Their wedding and reception was one of the most loving and happy of any of the dozens of straight ceremonies that I have been to.

Their families were all present, as well as over 120 other guests including many co- workers, neighbors and lots of friends. 25 of their wedding guests flew in from all over the U.S to attend their ceremony. It was a wonderful and emotional day for every single person that was lucky enough to witness this couple’s happiness.

We here in California should be extremely proud to know that once again, we are leading the way. History shows that we did so in 1911 by being one of the first states to extend voting rights to women. California also led the way in 1948, when we became the first state to allow interracial marriage; a full 19 years before it became the law of the land.

I am proud to be a Californian, and know that once again we are leading the way. We Californians can hold our heads high with pride, and wonder why so many businesses, people and organizations from far away places like New Jersey, Michigan, Connecticut, Washington, DC and Mississippi are giving so many millions of dollars to strip away equality for all.

We will track this money and publish it on our web site for the world to see. If they want to spend tens of millions of dollars to take away our rights, then we will let everyone know exactly who is doing so. Then fair-minded people can decide if they want to spend their hard-earned money patronizing businesses that then turn around and use that money against them.

Tuesday, September 2, 2008

Response to NOM's Attack Email

Memorandum

TO: Brian Brown, National Organization for Marriage
Maggie Gallagher, National Organization for Marriage

FROM: Fred Karger, Californians Against Hate

RE: Your Attack Email of August 29, 2008

DATE: September 2, 2008

As always, I get a kick out of your emails attacking me (copy below) and our efforts to fight for the long-held California tradition of fairness and equality. All we are doing is fighting for the same rights that you have in New Jersey, the right to marry the person we love. Maggie, you have literally written the book, “Marriage: Why Married People are Happier, Healthier, and Better Off Financially”, and your title makes the best argument for marriage for all people, not just some. It seems like a loving, practical and secure marriage is something that you would want for same-sex couples as well, and it might be good for book sales.

Anyway, back to your attack on our small protest at your $100 per person fund-raiser held at Charles LiMandri’s estate in Rancho Santa Fe a few weeks ago. I am surprised that you accused Californians Against Hate and the 2 dozen protesters in front of the gates to Mr. LiMandri’s subdivision of not being “voices of tolerance and mutual respect in society.” That seems very strange. When you pulled up wth Chuck LiMandri a little before 3:00 pm, it was Mr. LiMandri who demanded that we leave the area because it was private property.

We had previously contacted the San Diego Sheriff’s Department and let them know of our plans; therefore, we stayed right where we were. It is called freedom of speech, guaranteed by the First Amendment. It’s a pretty amazing Amendment that I think you would really like:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

This Amendment to the United States Constitution added rights for all Americans, unlike what you and your people are trying to do now with the hateful Proposition 8; to take away our rights and write discrimination into California’s Constitution for the very first time.

I don’t recall Mr. LiMandri or you complaining when angry demonstrators were all over the state seven weeks ago on June 17th from San Francisco to San Diego, the day that same-sex couples were allowed to marry for the very first time. Hundreds of couples went to city halls and county buildings all over California, and on this very special day were greeted by angry demonstrators shouting at all these happy couples and their families. This doesn’t sound like “voices of tolerance and mutual respect in society” to me.

Please find the Republican Fact Sheet (below) that was handed out to most all of your guests in case you haven’t seen it yet. The quotes of 6 great Republican leaders past and present who led the way on civil rights and the rights for gays and lesbians are cited. I think that you will find it very interesting. These leaders include President Ronald Reagan, President Gerald Ford, Senator Barry Goldwater, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders; all of whom stood up against bigotry. Rancho Santa Fe’s own revered former Congressman Clair Burgener who in 1980 ran against the Grand Dragon of the Klu Klux Klan, Tom Metzger said this, “I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and I think, My God, could this happen? But then, in the cool light of day, I think it won't, that I'm going to win. My God, I don't represent a bunch of bigots, do I?” Clair Burgener received an unprecedented 86% of the vote against his democrat challenger Tom Metzger.

Here’s the Fact Sheet in its entirety:

What Real Republican Leaders Past and Present Said On Civil Rights & Campaigns Against Gays and Lesbians

· President Ronald Reagan (September 1978): At the end of a meeting with gay and lesbian leaders in his Los Angeles office, Ronald Reagan smiled and said, “Don’t think we can allow something like that to happen here in California.” He was denouncing the Briggs Initiative, Proposition 6, which he opposed and would have permitted the firing of gay teachers in California. Reagan, who by then had served two terms as governor, was gearing up to run for President. His opposition is credited with the defeat of the measure by more than 1,000,000 votes.

· Senator Barry Goldwater: The founder of the conservative wing of the Republican Party and nominee for President in 1964 was very outspoken on civil rights. He stated, “To see the party that fought communism and big government now fighting the gays, well, that’s just plain dumb.”

· President Gerald Ford (October 21, 2001): President Ford said the federal government should provide the same benefits for same-sex couples and married couples. Ford told Detroit News columnist Deb Price in a telephone interview that the provisions should include Social Security, tax and other federal benefits. "I think they (same-sex couples) should be treated equally. Period," he said. “…I have a longstanding record in favor of legislation to do away with discrimination.”

· Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger:
When being interviewed by Log Cabin President Patrick Sammon about the Protect Marriage Constitutional Amendment that had not yet qualified for the November ballot (April 11, 2008): "Well, first of all, I think that it would never happen in California (the passage of Proposition 8), because I think that California people are much further along with that issue. And, number two, I will always be there to fight against that."

NBC’s Meet the Press in an interview by Tom Brokaw when asked about same-sex marriage (June 29, 2008): “I think the Supreme Court made a decision there. It was apparently unconstitutional to stop anyone from getting married. It’s like 1948, the interracial marriage, when the Supreme Court of California decided it was unconstitutional and then later on the Supreme Court of the United States followed. So I think it is good that California is leading in this way. There are so many other more important issues that we have to address in California. So I think to spend any time on this initiative is a waste of time.”

· San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders Press Conference (September 20, 2007): “I decided to lead with my heart, which is probably obvious at the moment,” he said. “The concept of a separate-but-equal institution…I am unwilling to send the message to anyone that “they were less important, less worthy or less deserving of the rights and responsibilities of marriage. In the end, I couldn't look any of them in the face and tell them that their relationships, their very lives, were any less meaningful than the marriage I share with my wife, Rana,” said the Republican Mayor of San Diego.

· Congressman Clair Burgener (October 1980): Beloved former San Diego City Councilman, Assemblyman, State Senator and 5 term member of the House of Representatives who ran against Democrat Tom Metzger for Congress in 1980. During that campaign, he fretted at the implications of Metzger's candidacy. “I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes and I think, My God, could this happen? But then, in the cool light of day, I think it won't, that I'm going to win. My God, I don't represent a bunch of bigots, do I?” Republican Burgener told the Los Angeles Times in 1980 when running for reelection to his 43rd Congressional District seat representing San Diego’s Rancho Santa Fe and surrounding cities. Clair Burgener received an unprecedented 86% of the vote against his democrat challenger Tom Metzger, the Grand Dragon of the California Klu Klux Klan.

Copy of Brian Brown’s Email:

NOM Marriage News: California Edition August 29, 2008 Dear Friend of Marriage, If you are reading this you are already one of our band of merry warriors for marriage, and I don't have to tell you about the forces arrayed against marriage, civility, and common sense.You know the kinds of pressures powerful forces in the media, the judiciary, and the old "cultural elite" are putting out on this issue. Gay marriage advocates like to pretend they are the voices of tolerance and mutual respect in society."Pretend" is the operative word here. A few days ago NOM California's own Chuck Limandri and his wife Barbara hosted a fabulous fundraiser in their lovely home. San Diego's famous radio talk show host Roger Hedgecock came along, with congressional candidates Duncan D. Hunter and Michael Crimmins and San Diego City Council candidate Phil Thalheimer, and Protect Marriage's Ron Prentice.It was a fabulous night! Hundreds of our Californians, along with yours truly, came to show their support and respect for Prop 8, to take a stand for marriage as a sacred bond, as the loving expression of our society's highest ideal for families--a mother and father joined publicly in a commitment to care for each other and their children--and for the rights of all Californians to determine the future of marriage.

Guess who also showed up? Fred Karger's Californians Against Hate. As the Wall Street Journal this week made clear, this is part of an organized campaign to intimidate and silence marriage supporters.

In Florida, the anti-marriage campaign is in full swing, launching a series of deeply deceptive television ads. (You can support marriage in Florida by donating at Yes2marriage.org.) Apparently, they have to lie--to pretend that keeping judges' hands off our marriage laws is intrusive government involvement in a private matter.But be not afraid! Even the California media cannot fail to notice the truly extraordinary, historic, and unprecedented coalition for marriage now being summoned--across religious lines and racial lines. Truth never goes out of fashion. Love will triumph even over the attempts to stigmatize it as hate.Thanks again for all you do to help us speak truth to power.

God bless you,

Brian S. BrownExecutive DirectorNational Organization for Marriage

20 Nassau Street, Suite 242Princeton, NJ 08542

bbrown@nationformarriage.org

This Week's Articles: Anti-Gay Marriage Fundraiser in Rancho Santa Fe Attracts Protesters San Diego 6August 20, 2008

Protesters gathered outside a Rancho Santa Fe home Saturday afternoon where the Republican Party of San Diego sponsored a fundraiser for supporters of a constitutional amendment to end gay marriage in California.About 25 protesters held up signs at people driving into the event at the South Pointe Farms development, said protest organizer Fred Karger from the group Californians Against Hate.The event was held at the home of Charles and Barbara LiMandri. Charles LiMandri is an attorney who is active in Catholic and GOP circles, and a leader in the battle to save the Mount Soledad Cross. LiMandri is also the general counsel for the National Organization for Marriage California.Among the speakers were Salvatore Cordileone, auxiliary bishop of the Catholic Diocese of San Diego; Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for Marriage; and Ron Prentice, the chairman of ProtectMarriage.com.Protesters tried to give attendees a fact sheet with quotes on civil rights from such Republicans as Ronald Reagan, Barry Goldwater, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, said protest organizer Fred Karger.About half the attendees took the fact sheet and everyone was polite, he said."I gave one to (KOGO radio talk show host) Roger Hedgecock personally, who is the emcee," Karger said. "He kind of smiled."Recently the state Supreme Court ruled an earlier ballot measure that outlawed same-sex marriage was unconstitutional, prompting the effort to change the constitution to make it illegal again. The fundraiser also and featured congressional candidates Duncan D. Hunter and Michael Crimmins and San Diego City Council candidate Phil Thalheimer."This is truly the fringe element of the Republican Party," said Californians Against Hate Founder Fred Karger. "These people are out of step with the Republican Party.""We hope to inform those attending about the rich history and philosophies of so many Republican leaders who fought for equality and against discrimination and hate," said Karger. An invitation to the "Yes on Prop. 8" fundraiser asked participants to "join us in the battle to save marriage." Congressional candidate Hunter stated his opposition to gay marriage when the California Supreme Court made it legal. "The Court brazenly disregarded the will of the people and sent California down a road that will destroy traditional family values," said Hunter in May. "I am committed to working to make sure this decision is overturned and that these liberal judges understand the gravity of what they have done.

"The Californians Against Hate group has also mounted a boycott of the Manchester Grand Hyatt in downtown San Diego and two other hotels owned by Proposition 8 financial backer Doug Manchester.

Gay Activists Target BusinessesTamara Audi

Wall Street JournalAugust 27, 2008

When William Bolthouse, a California philanthropist, donated $100,000 in March to support a proposition to ban gay marriage in California, calls and emails poured in -- not to Mr. Bolthouse, but to the corporate offices of a company that bears his name -- even though he sold it three years earlier."It wasn't us, it's not our fault," says Jeffrey Dunn, now the chief executive of Bolthouse Farms, whose juice bottles are sold at upscale markets such as Whole Foods.Bolthouse Farms is the latest target in what has become an increasingly bitter political fight in California. As gay-rights activists attempt to defeat the upcoming ballot initiative, called Proposition 8, they are going after not just individuals, but also companies to which they are connected, however tenuously."Mr. Bolthouse has said, 'I'm not connected to Bolthouse Farms at all.' But we don't accept that," says Fred Karger, who runs Californians Against Hate, a new gay-rights group that is leading the charge to identify and publicize corporate connections to significant donors. He notes that Mr. Bolthouse's son-in-law is chairman of the company and that Bolthouse Farms markets itself as a fourth-generation company.

Next week, Californians Against Hate is planning to push its tactic further by publishing a "Dishonor Roll," a list of individual and corporate donors who give $5,000 or more to groups campaigning on behalf of Proposition 8. The list will include the donor's name, employer and the corporate logo of that employer -- even if the company itself didn't donate to the Proposition 8 fight.Mr. Karger said the tactic isn't intended to keep individuals or companies from donating, but is meant to educate the public so consumers can make informed choices. He said including corporate logos of businesses whose employees donate is fair game, since that information is publicly available on government Web sites that track donors. "Our larger message is to other business people," Mr. Karger says. "It's a free country, you can give as much money to this campaign, but we are going to publicize that and people can make a decision on whether or not they want to support those businesses."

Some Proposition 8 supporters see the effort as crossing a line. "To tell a business owner that they can't express their beliefs on an issue is a really stupid thing," said Terry Caster, the owner of A-1 Storage, a self-storage company based in San Diego. Californians Against Hate says Mr. Caster and his family gave about $300,000 to support Proposition 8, prompting the group to make him the focus of a call-in campaign. Mr. Caster said he received a few phone calls a day that petered out after several weeks, and his business wasn't affected.

Mr. Dunn said Bolthouse Farms's bottom line wasn't affected by the publicity and that his company has made an effort to correct wrong information on blogs that said Mr. Bolthouse still owned a large portion of the company.

Same-sex marriage was legalized in California in June after the State Supreme Court ruled a ban was unconstitutional. That set the stage for a ballot proposal to outlaw gay marriage. Both sides see California as the crucial battleground state that could determine how far same-sex marriage rights can be extended. Fund raising has poured in from across the country.

From January to the end of June, the largest campaign to ban gay marriage had raised $2.6 million, according to the California secretary of state's Web site.The largest campaign to protect gay marriage raised $2.5 million during that period. Both sides said they had raised considerably more since then.Some large corporations have waded into the fray. San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric, the state's largest utility by revenue, donated $250,000 to defeat Proposition 8. A spokeswoman said the company received some complaints from its 20,000 employees and six million customers, and it was able to handle the protests internally.

Other companies haven't had it so easy. San Diego's Manchester Grand Hyatt is now the target of a boycott that was kicked off after its owner, Doug Manchester, donated $125,000 to the campaign to support Proposition 8. With the help of a local union, gay-rights activists managed to convince two professional associations to cut back on some events they planned to host at the hotel. A hotel official said both groups are keeping the rooms they have blocked off for their events but moved some meetings and other events to other venues.In an email responding to a reporter's question, Mr. Manchester said, "We have received support from those that are in favor of Prop 8 which has made up for some of what is being lost as a result of the boycott. Nonetheless, we are saddened by all the divisive nature of the movement."A spokeswoman for Hyatt Corp. in Chicago said it doesn't require its hotel owners to follow any particular policy. "We absolutely don't have a position on the proposition itself but we have a really strong, long track record of inclusiveness in terms of the way we welcome our guests and the way we treat our employees. Doug Manchester...in no way speaks for Hyatt," said the spokeswoman.

That distinction may be harder to make as gay-rights groups offer fuller public profiles of private donors. Jennifer Kerns, a spokeswoman for ProtectMarriage.com, the largest fund-raiser for the Yes on Prop 8 campaign, says she expects it will become more difficult to entice corporations to contribute to her cause."The moment [Mr. Manchester] wrote the check, he found himself to be the target of numerous boycotts and protests," she said. "Our side has a significant challenge in that." Ms. Kerns noted that the greater chunk of her group's funding will likely come from individuals and religious groups, such as the national Catholic organization Knights of Columbus, which recently contributed $1 million to the campaign.California

Churches Plan a Big Push Against Same-Sex MarriageJessica GarrisonLos Angeles TimesAugust 24, 2008Early on a late September morning, if all goes according to plan, 1 million Mormons, Catholics, Jews, Muslims, evangelical Christians, Sikhs and Hindus will open their doors, march down their front walks and plant "Yes on Proposition 8" signs in their yards to show they support repealing same-sex marriage in California.It is a bold idea, one that may be difficult to pull off. But whether or not 1 million lawn signs are planted in unison, the plan underscores what some observers say is one of the most ambitious interfaith political organizing efforts ever attempted in the state. Moreover, political analysts say, the alliances across religious boundaries could herald new ways of building coalitions around political issues in California ."Pan-religious, faith-based political action strategies . . . I think we are going to see a lot more of [this] in the future," said Gaston Espinosa, a professor of religious studies at Claremont McKenna College .The greatest involvement in the campaign has come from Mormons, Catholics and evangelical Christians, who say they are working together much more closely than they did eight years ago when a similar measure, Proposition 22, was on the ballot.Mark Jansson, a Mormon who is a member of the Protect Marriage Coalition, said members of his group are also reaching out to Jews, Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus.Organizers say the groups turned to each other because of the California Supreme Court's ruling in May allowing same-sex marriages to be performed in the state. Thousands of gay couples have wed in the state since June 17, the first day same-sex marriages became legal."This is a rising up over a 5,000-year-old institution that is being hammered right now," said Jim Garlow, pastor of Skyline Church, an evangelical congregation in La Mesa. Garlow said that, while he supported Proposition 22, he was not nearly as involved as this time around, when he has helped organize 3,400-person conference calls across denominations to coordinate campaign support for the proposed constitutional amendment."What binds us together is one common obsession: . . . marriage," Garlow said.He added that many people of faith, regardless of their religion, believe that "if Proposition 8 fails, there is an inevitable loss of religious freedom."Other religious leaders vehemently disagree with Garlow and are working just as furiously to defeat Proposition 8. But their efforts have not been as carefully orchestrated as those of the initiative's religious supporters.Susan Russell, a priest at All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena, a liberal congregation that has long supported the rights of gays and lesbians to marry, said "fair-minded Californians" should be concerned about some of the tactics and arguments of faith leaders on the other side."I will defend to my last breath the right of any of those folks to exercise their religion as they believe they are called to do it," she added. "But I'll resist to my last breath, vote, e-mail and blog their right to inflict their religious beliefs on the Constitution of the state of California."Russell said that the idea that the court's decision infringed on religious liberty was a "red herring." Divorce is legal in California, she said, but that doesn't mean that Roman Catholic priests have to perform marriages for people who have been divorced.As the campaign intensifies this fall, both sides in the fight over Proposition 8 say they expect religious leaders and their congregations to continue to play a big role.To demonstrate that there is significant clergy support for same-sex marriage, the group California Faith for Equality has produced a video of priests, reverends and rabbis talking about why they support gay marriage.In one, as Pachelbel's Canon plays in the background, the Rev. Neil Thomas, a minister at Metropolitan Community Church in Los Angeles, looks at the camera and declares: "I absolutely think that Jesus would support the freedom to marry, and because of that, as a follower of Jesus, it is absolutely incumbent upon me to support the freedom to marry as well."Adds Rabbi Zach Shapiro of Temple Akiba in Culver City : "My faith supports the freedom to marry because, as a Jew, I have a responsibility to fight for what is right . . . and to help bring goodness into the world."There are plans in the works to make another video that includes Muslim leaders as well as Spanish-speaking religious leaders.Kerry Chaplin, interfaith organizing director of California Faith for Equality, also said her group plans to work with churches to encourage parishioners to talk to their friends and neighbors about why they should oppose Proposition 8.On the other side, Garlow said pastors are planning a 40-day fast leading up to the election. He is also planning several rallies, including one that he hopes will include 300,000 youths.Catholics and Mormons, meanwhile, are organizing their own congregations to try to sway voters, make contributions and get out the vote.The Knights of Columbus, a Catholic group, recently donated $1 million to the Yes on Proposition 8 campaign.Ned Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference, the public policy arm of the Catholic Church, said it was too early to say whether the coalitions being built around Proposition 8 would carry over into other issues.But, he added: "It's an interesting time to get to know each other in different ways."

An Opportunity for Prop 8 Backers: Latino Voters Against Gay MarriageMike SwiftMercury NewsAugust 23, 2008As he strolled with his girlfriend in downtown San Jose, David Palacios looked like the type of voter who will oppose the November ballot measure to ban same-sex marriage in California -- young urbanite, well-educated, a resident of a Bay Area metropolis. Except that Palacios is Latino. "I'm for civil unions -- not gay marriage," said Palacios, 20, who grew up on the East Side of San Jose and says he is likely to vote in favor of Proposition 8. In a way, Palacios feels marriage is above civil rights. Across California, a majority of whites appear poised to vote against Proposition 8 in November, according to a Field Poll in July. But that same poll found that Latinos, with their social conservatism and strong Catholicism, are in favor of a constitutional ban against same-sex marriage. As a rapidly growing political bloc that could represent nearly one in five voters in November, Latinos represent a major opportunity for the campaign working to pass Proposition 8. The Field Poll found the same-sex marriage measure was leading among Latinos 49 percent to 38 percent. 'Core value' "This issue is as important or more important to the Latino community than the presidential race," said Frank Schubert, campaign manager for the Yes on 8, Preserve Marriage campaign, which plans to advertise in Spanish, and work through Latino churches this fall. "It's a real core value for Latinos, there's no question about that." Whether the Yes on 8 campaign will be able to capitalize is another question, one that political observers say will be tied to the presidential election and to the skill and financial muscle behind the campaign's outreach to Latinos. They predict an uphill struggle. "For those who vote, which is a subset of the Latino community, you're likely to find support for the proposition opposing gay marriage, but those sorts of moral issues do not motivate Latinos to participate," said Louis DeSipio, a political scientist at the University of California-Irvine and expert on Latino politics. More likely to pull Latinos to the polls are economic or immigration issues, he said. Another obstacle is that California is unlikely to be a key battleground state in the presidential election, meaning the McCain and Obama camps are less likely to spend money here to get Latinos and other groups to the polls. "I just don't know if the number of Latino voters will be enough to put it (the gay marriage ban) over the top," said Karthick Ramakrishnan, a professor at the University of California-Riverside who studies immigrant politics. The failure of immigration reform may cause conservative Latinos to question "the extent to which the Republican Party cares about their issues, beyond just abortion and gay marriage," Ramakrishnan said. Another wild card, he said, is the degree to which the Catholic Church gets involved in the campaign this fall. The July Field Poll also found that a majority of African-Americans and Asians expect to vote against Proposition 8. But Schubert disputes those findings. He said the poll underestimates the support for the ban among all groups. African-Americans, he insists, are even stronger supporters of Proposition 8 than Latinos. The Yes on 8 campaign isn't planning to tailor its message to particular groups. "It's the same core message: that traditional marriage is the cornerstone of our society," he said. "The California Supreme Court chose to look at it strictly as a legal contract between Party A and Party B. That is not just myopic, it's potentially devastating to families and society." Religion and culture In San Jose, Palacios, who is studying business and economics at Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, said ties between religion and culture are big reasons why many Latinos oppose same-sex marriage. He believes Latinos, particularly more recent immigrants, feel strongly enough that they might show up at the polls Nov. 4 specifically to vote for Proposition 8. "I think it's because everyone is so culturally Catholic who is Latino," he said. "I think that's one thing that kind of permeates every Latino society." Maria Mendoza, a nurse assistant from Gilroy, struggled to explain her discomfort with same-sex marriage, but agreed that religion is one piece of it. "That's a hard one," she said of same-sex marriage. "I think it's the way we were raised -- it's so Catholic -- and there are set rules -- the way things are supposed to be. "I don't have a problem with it," she said of same-sex marriage. "But I wouldn't say I agree with it, just because of how I was raised." While it's still early in the campaign, many Latinos seem to be struggling with their decision, like Mendoza. The July 18 Field Poll found 13 percent of Latinos were undecided, while just 5 percent of whites and African-Americans or Asians had not made up their minds. That suggests advertising and other campaigning could have more impact among Latinos, said Mark DiCamillo, director of the Field Poll. "They are more in play," he said.

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