The clock is now running, and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has a decision to make about his legacy. Marriage equality legislation now awaits the governor, and our community has an opportunity to let him know that hundreds of thousands of families need him to stand with us on the right side of history.

There is still hope to change his mind, and with 8 days before the bill reaches his desk, we have an opportunity to let our stories be told and convince the governor to support true equality. The governor can be the first in our nation’s history to support and sign legislation to end marriage discrimination, and what a legacy that would be.

This is why Equality California is launching 12 Days of Equality, a statewide campaign asking the community to engage the governor and persuade him to reconsider his hasty decision to veto marriage equality. This is a fundamental civil rights issue, and we need to help him open his heart to the loving, committed families that would be protected and provided for under equal marriage laws.

The governor already has one strike this year against LGBT rights. Alongside his intent to veto marriage equality, he has vetoed Assembly Bill 866, carried by Assemblymember Leland Yee, which aimed to prevent discrimination in political campaigns by adding sexual orientation to the Voluntary Campaign Fairness Pledge. Under this bill, candidates and their staff would agree not to use homophobia or anti-gay tactics to divide and misinform voters. The governor’s reasoning was vague, but one thing is clear: Excluding one group of people from the rights and protections granted to others is unacceptable.

The governor also has other LGBT legislation on his desk, including legislation to strengthen civil rights laws when it comes to business practices and public accommodations, laws to protect public employees’ pension rights, and joint home-ownership protections for domestic partners. We remain hopeful that these LGBT rights laws will be signed into law. Last year, the governor signed every Equality California sponsored bill, legislation that covered issues ranging from insurance equality to extending protections in the workplace. Thus, while we are extremely disappointed in what appears to be a change in the governor’s position on LGBT equality, we are still optimistic that we have a chance to educate and convince him that signing the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act is the right thing to do. Discrimination and second-class treatment is wrong, and if he is truly the governor of the people, for the people, then he should represent all families and communities.

The people’s elected representatives have said it is time to end marriage discrimination. Polling shows Californians are moving toward support of marriage equality, which is a major positive shift in public opinion. Californians are now equally split on this issue. Hundreds of thousands of families are sharing their stories with fair-minded Californians and with the governor, and we need the community to get out of their homes and into the streets, and let the governor know it is time for the government to stop discriminating against loving and committed relationships.

If the governor truly opposes discrimination, as he stated, he should publicly oppose any legislation or ballot initiative that would eliminate our civil rights protections. We call on the governor to look into his heart and be on the right side of history. The time for marriage equality is now, and this state is ready to make all families equal under the law.