Results tagged “prop 8”

November 4, 2009 2:47 PM

We gave Integration, Starline's gay-friendly weekly dance night, a shout out last week -- but it appears this week is the real party. Tonight, Integration is celebrating one year of holding down that Wednesday spot. They set an attendance record last Wednesday. We're guessing it's gonna be big again tonight.

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On a related, but more serious note, there's also a civil rights rally scheduled today at Shaw & Blackstone, marking the one-year anniversary (how about boo-iversary?) of Prop. 8 getting passed.

Mike Oz

June 23, 2009 11:51 AM

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It's all the local news and stuff from the blogosphere that you need to Fres-Know. It's been a while, so we're giving you a big one. Don't dare say it.

KMPHATE? The top item on the GLAAD blog is about how KMPH aired a paid, anti-gay infomercial on Sunday. We have to ask: WWKD -- what would Kopi do? [GLAAD Blog]

HIGH JINX: If an airplane has trouble, but only bloggers care ... is it news? Mike Scott thinks so and is all over it. [CBS 47]

CAR DASHING: Two girls paid top dollar to meet Kim Kardashian at The Edge on Friday night. After hours of waiting, that didn't happen, so they dashed outside, intercepted Kim as she left, got invited into her limo, then sent the pics to a vacation blog. [On Location Vacations]

GET OFF MY LAWN! Do you hate people? Wish they'd leave you alone? (I'm thinking of one blogger in particular) Or do you just wish those pesky solicitors would stop knocking at your door? Either way, check out this hilarious sign. [On Edge 559]

Mike Oz

June 2, 2009 4:10 PM

Lots of people are talking -- especially on Twitter -- about crowd estimates given in Bee articles for the two Prop 8 rallies held over the weekend. There's a short article in Tuesday's state and local section that addresses the issue. From the story:

Police and organizers of Saturday's rally for same-sex marriage put the crowd at between 2,500 and 5,000 people. For Sunday's event, supporting the traditional definition of marriage, estimates came in between 300 and more than 3,000 people.
Organizers of Sunday's event said that more than 3,000 people attended. Fresno police spokesman Jeff Cardinale on Monday said officers estimated attendance at 1,000 on the high end and at 300 to 600 on the low end.
The Rev. Jim Franklin of Cornerstone Church in Fresno, who organized Sunday's "Still Standing in the Middle for Marriage" rally, said the number was arrived at after organizers handed out cards asking people to sign in during the event. Franklin said the card system was put into place to get an accurate count. "Those are our numbers and how we got them," he said.

From what I understand after talking to newsroom folks, I'd like to offer a couple of points:

Point No. 1. For both articles, which were written by different reporters, two different sources were sought: the organizers themselves and the police. Reporters aren't trained in crowd-counting techniques -- and, believe me, it's hard to estimate the size of any crowd after it reaches a couple of hundred people -- and so they rely on other sources.

Sunday's story about the Saturday rally included both sources: Organizers said cumulative turnout was 4,000 to 5,000. Fresno police estimated Saturday's crowd peaked at 2,500 to 3,000 people. Monday's story about the Sunday rally included the organizer estimate of more than 3,000 but did not include a police estimate because the police at the scene would not give it to the reporter.

Did this make for an ideal story? No. But when the police won't talk, there wasn't anything the reporter could have done on deadline. It's nice that the police came back with an official estimate on Monday, but that didn't do much good on Sunday night.

Donald Munro

June 1, 2009 11:07 AM

I caught a cold. What did you do this weekend?

Did you head to one of the gay marriage rallies? There was the pro rally on Saturday and the anti rally on Sunday. Here's a video from Saturday by The Bee's John Walker.

Mike Oz

May 29, 2009 2:59 PM

Just remember the sunblock ...

1. GET FUNKY: Spoken Funk is going down tonight at the Tower Theatre -- a mix of poetry, comedy and music put on by the folks behind Black Light Poetry.

Pretty awesome that an event that started on the Palomino's patio last summer has worked its way up to the Tower. Read a little more about it in my weekend music roundup.

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Mike Oz

May 29, 2009 10:24 AM

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Am I the only one getting a kick out of the contrast happening in downtown Fresno this weekend? On one hand, there's motorcycle and music romp Fulton RevFest -- which is put on by the city, but is also heavy with KMJ sponsorship.

If I had to guess, I'd say the uber-conservative KMJ crowd probably isn't going to be a few blocks over at the Meet in the Middle 4 Equality, the state-wide gay rights rally at City Hall. It starts at 1 p.m. and is expected to draw a "at least a couple thousand people," including actress Charlize Theron.

I'm curious how many Fresnans will be going to both events. I'm planning to. I just hope the two sides don't meet in the middle -- say Eaton Plaza -- for a brawl.

Mike Oz

May 26, 2009 10:20 AM

From the Associated Press:

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- The California Supreme Court has upheld a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage, but it also decided that the estimated 18,000 gay couples who tied the knot before the law took effect will stay wed.

The decision Tuesday rejected an argument by gay rights activists that the ban revised the California constitution's equal protection clause to such a dramatic degree that it first needed the Legislature's approval.

The announcement of the decision caused outcry among a sea of demonstrators who had gathered in front of the San Francisco courthouse awaiting the ruling.

Reminder: Fresno will be at the center of the gay rights fight this weekend, as Meet in the Middle for Equality rally is scheduled here. There's also a Day of Decision rally scheduled for 6 p.m. today at City Hall. More details here.

Mike Oz

May 6, 2009 3:48 PM

I've been hearing a lot about Meet in the Middle 4 Equality lately and figured it's worth a post here, as it could be a historic event when all is said and done. MM4E is a statewide gay rights rally planned for Fresno's City Hall on the Saturday after the Prop. 8 verdict comes down from the California Supreme Court. More info here.

The hope from organizers is that people will come from the North and South to Fresno, where they believe their message is most needed. Here's a video that explains the rally:

Mike Oz

March 4, 2009 11:37 AM

So Thursday will be a big day in the ongoing legal battle over Proposition 8. The state supreme court is expected to issue an opinion on whether to uphold the November ballot measure that banned same-sex marriage. The secondary issue at play is what will be done with the 18,000 couples who are already legally married.

In the following video, some of them and their families make it clear where they stand on forced divorce:


"Fidelity": Don't Divorce... from Courage Campaign on Vimeo.

I'm not giving an opinion here. But when I came across this video a couple of weeks ago, I found it fascinating to see such an out pour of what can only be described as love -- and the heartbreak that could be in store for these families.

Anyone care to share their thoughts?

Also, there's a scheduled vigil at 6 p.m. tonight outside the Fresno County Clerk's Office, if anyone's interested.

Will

January 2, 2009 12:09 PM

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It looks like 2009 is stacking up to have some great entertainment options, as Bee reporters rounded up in today's 7. There's a new No Doubt CD (and tour), The Watchmen movie (sweet trailer), Metaliica's version of Guitar Hero and the 15th year of the Van's Warped Tour.

So, what entertainment are you looking forward to this year?
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I'm already counting the days for a couple movies: "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" (July) and "New Moon" (November). I just discovered a new book, "The Graceling," which will have a prequel in November (and another book probably the following year). Plus, I can't resist American Idol and all Simon's sass.

My fellow Beehivers (at least the ones who are here) also chimed in:

Kathy Mahan

December 3, 2008 11:10 AM

Remember all those political videos with all the celebrities talking, which now in hindsight, seem even more lame? This makes up for all of them.

Funny or Die brings us Prop 8: The Musical, with appearances by Jack Black, John C. Reilly, NPH, Sarah Chalke, Margaret Cho, Darrell and Karen from The Office and more.

Mike Oz

November 13, 2008 3:45 PM

theater190.jpgHow raw is the electorate after the passage of Prop. 8? When it comes to the theater world, the greater Central Valley is making national news. The New York Times reports:

The artistic director of the California Musical Theater, a major nonprofit producing company here in the state's capital, resigned on Wednesday in the face of growing outrage over his support for a ballot measure this month that outlawed same-sex marriage in California.

Scott Eckern had given $1,000 to the Yes-on-8 campaign. He said in a statement that his donation stemmed from his Mormon religious beliefs. Angry online activists demanded his resignation, and some Broadway luminaries had talked about boycotting the theater with their productions. Here's the Sac Bee's take on the story. The Bee asked in an online forum: How do you feel about boycotting businesses to make your feelings known on Prop. 8?

[Photo: Sacramento Bee]


Donald Munro

October 23, 2008 2:55 PM

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I knew that when I wrote about same-sex marriage in my column last Friday, that it meant the my inbox was going to get slammed. And it did. But not in the way I figured.

Between e-mails, phone calls and comments on the column itself, reaction was overwhelmingly in my favor. The e-mail account was 20 pro and five con. Here are some examples of each;

Most e-mails were like these:

From Renee:
I just wanted to thank you for writing what I was thinking.

I have been happily married to my husband for almost 20 years and I see no reason why anyone would want to deny someone else happiness. Who are we to say what should make a person happy.

Thank you for speaking up for love and happiness....

Mike Oz

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