Dear Editor:

I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the leaders, volunteers and foot soldiers, of all ages who worked long hours sacrificing their time, money, energy and expertise in the fight against Proposition 8. All of you put forward a hardball campaign with dignity, respect and grace. To this, I thank you.

From 2000 to 2008 the margin of yea or nay votes went from a 20 percent spread to a 4 percent spread. This may not have been the complete outcome all of us wanted however it is a huge accomplishment. We may have lost this battle however we are winning the war.

In addition, I have observed a certain impatience from the 20 somethings in California and the LGBT community regarding the passage of Proposition 8. I think this is another huge accomplishment. Our fore fathers and mothers, if you will, in the fight for equality and gay rights from the dark ages of 70’s to now, have done their job well if the whipper snappers of the LGBT community are impatient and rightly so with the continuing battle for our rights and equality.

Thank you to the sometimes unsung heroes for paving the road and clearing the trees so the younger members of our community can very loudly, say no to discrimination, inequality and most importantly invisibility. As someone who came of age in the distant 1980’s, I am proud to continue to be visible and loud alongside each and every one of you until this fight is won and kept.

Never give up. Never give up. Never give up.

Daniel Logan

Dear Editor:

I was alarmed when I read that Adria S. was asked to take down her “Mormon Hate Out of My State” sign at a recent rally. The “No on 8” people botched the TV campaign with their “nicey-nice” approach and now they’re trying to curtail free speech.

As a former Mormon, I know that the only stimulus the LDS Church responds to is bad press. The Mormons don’t react well to logic, kindness or dissent from within. Unfavorable P.R. is the only thing that can make them back off.

There was a very cool TV spot created by CourageCampaign.org that featured 2 Mormon missionaries tearing up the marriage certificate of a lesbian couple. I was disappointed that it never got any air time. The ads run by the “No on 8” campaign failed to convince voters. We need to try a different tack.

Mike Grant

Dear Editor:

My partner and I volunteer for a few organizations in the San Diego area that aren’t connected with the GLBT community. We have found it to be, without exception, a wonderful and rewarding experience. I cannot tell you how many times I have heard comments like “We haven’t ever had any gay people volunteer for us” or “We have never considered a volunteer outreach program in the GLBT community”. Through Volunteer San Diego (volunteersandiego.org), we have found opportunities to make a difference in the lives of countless San Diego County residents. There are hundreds of possible volunteer positions on the site, including things like equestrian riding therapy, Hospice,

wildfire recovery, feeding white sea bass, hiking trail monitoring, etc. They can be ongoing or one time only positions. It also lets the non-GLBT community see INDIVIDUAL GLBT folks in a very positive, loving, nurturing, caring way. It makes it easier for someone to vote NO on a Prop 8 issue when they have a positive role model in their mind’s eye. Volunteering “out there” is a win/win situation for all. If you are looking for a way to change the public’s perception of us, I strongly encourage you to get out there and volunteer.

Steve Sallis

Dear Editor:

I know that it is just a gossip column but “Nicole” seems to have lost total perspective. He is also not factual in his Nov. 6 tirade against the San Diego Democratic Party Central Committee and others. How rude and ironic to call the hard working volunteers there “old queens” and criticize their impressive work this election. For the first time since FDR a majority in our county voted for a Democrat for President. For the first time in 24 years San Diego County has more registered Democrats than Republicans. There are now 547,000 Democrats in San Diego County that the party represents. Nicole represents only himself.

It seems if anyone dares to oppose his big ego he lashes out without the facts or any objectivity. The money spent by the party on behalf of Stephen Whitburn was raised entirely by Stephen and his supporters – it’s money that the party would not have otherwise had. He criticizes Rep. Filner, Donna Frye and Richard Barrera and others simply because they supported Stephen. I think both candidates were good but don’t we get to decide for ourselves? Are we not entitled to our own opinion and vote?

Jess Durfee works more than full time without pay for our party and Nicole bitches at him over and over. Jess has done a wonderful job organizing hundreds of volunteers and raised new record amounts for our local party.

Who appointed this bitter person as our spokesperson? Nicole does not speak for me or anyone I know.

Jim Dax

Dear Editor:

I never fully understood how deeply my own marriage was undermined by same-sex couples until California voters approved a Constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. My 15-year train wreck of a marriage has miraculously been transformed by Proposition 8. My husband and I are now able to communicate. My prince has stopped drinking, gambling and beating me. And now that he’s dumped his mistress, he even has time to help our daughter with her homework! It is truly beautiful.

Thank you Proposition 8 for protecting my marriage. I can only hope we continue to erode that pesky old separation of Church and State, and impose even more public policy crafted by Biblical fundamentalists. When are the public stonings of blasphemers, adulterers and non-believers?

Jennifer Coburn

Dear Editor:

Thank you for your great coverage of “No on Proposition 8” and the presidential election! This is, in essence, my generation’s Stonewall and history-in-the-making for the GLBT community.

President-elect Obama’s win marks a monumental “paradigm shift” for GLBT people nationwide and I look forward to a compassionate new leadership that acknowledges, embraces and furthers our equal rights under the Constitution.

However, I am dismayed that Obama and Biden do not support gay marriage, as was expressed in the vice presidential debates. Transcript:

Gwen Ifill (moderator): “Do you support gay marriage?”

Senator Biden: “No. Barack Obama nor I support redefining from a civil side what constitutes marriage. We do not support that.”

We may not have the staunch support of the executive branch or individual states in this crucial matter, but we can and have taken our fight to the courts and to the streets in record-breaking numbers. The U.S. Supreme Court will one day hear our cries, re-define marriage nationwide and force states to grant equality to all its citizens regardless if the electorate votes to suppress those rights.

We continue to go it alone on this fight, but YES WE CAN and YES WE WILL make change and usher in an exciting new era of civil rights.

Robert Arends