A quarter of a million dollars is raised to fight the proposed anti-gay amendment.
Sunday night at the Mondrian Hotel’s Skybar brought out a sizeable chunk of gay Hollywood and those who love them (and also recognize their power.) The filled-to-capacity event raised close to $250,000 to benefit Equality California and Love Honor Cherish, two key organizations that have mobilized to defeat Proposition 8, which would amend the California state constitution to eliminate marriage rights for same sex couples.
Chad Allen, Heather Tom, Eric McCormack, Dana Delaney, Marissa Jaret Winokur, Thomas Roberts, Katherine Joosten, Eduardo Xo and Loni Anderson were some of the boldface names in attendance.
But it was Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the true star of the evening, who wowed the crowd not only with his announcement of his $25,000 donation to the campaign to defeat Proposition 8, but also with his passionate speech that embraced the gay community and took aim at the backers of prop 8, calling their intent “bigotry.”
Villariagosa linked the cause to defeat prop 8 to the civil rights movement, recalling his outsider status as a Latino who had to fight his way into a city politic dominated by a white world. He cajoled and coaxed the crowd into giving more than they already had given; in this case $100 was the minimum donation to attend the event. The mayor also made light of the whiplash nature of his evening, having come directly from a function at the Reagan Presidential Library prior to the Mondrian fundraiser.
A silent auction was an aspect of the benefit, with everything from a Gus Van Zant-signed script of his forthcoming film, Milk, (about Harvey Milk, the gay San Francisco council member who was gunned down because of his championing of gay rights legislation) to a noninvasive “lipo-smoothing” session ( I don’t even want to know what that is) to a wedding cake with same sex “toppers.”
Somehow, I didn’t fall into the pool in the dizzying swirl of elites. But in an election season where the future of the country is at stake, the point was also made that my future as a gay man in California is also up for grabs.
More coverage at Out in Hollywood.
This is so blatantly and intellectually dishonest!
Prop 8 is designed to amend the CA state constitution to ALLOW same sex marriage. To say that a ‘No’ vote defeats Prop 8 is disingenuous, and a society mind fuck. Typical of the Left.
Gay is OK, but, sheesh -at the very least, TALK STRAIGHT.
Truman, nice try. In related news, Palin says she was cleared of any wrong doing in Troopergate.
Truman, to save you the trip to actually find and read your voters guide, the exact text:
“PROPOSITION 8
This initiative measure is submitted to the people in accordance with the
provisions of Article II, Section 8, of the California Constitution.
This initiative measure expressly amends the California Constitution by
adding a section thereto; therefore, new provisions proposed to be added areprinted in italic type to indicate that they are new.
SECTION 1. Title
This measure shall be known and may be cited as the “California Marriage
Protection Act.”
SECTION 2. Section 7.5 is added to Article I of the California Constitution,to read:
SEC. 7.5. Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.”
I hope you see the difference between your comment and what is actually being voted on.
I’m glad to hear they raised a good amount of money. I just got an email from HRC asking for more money. Sadly I can’t afford to give, but luckily people last night could.
BTW, I’ve always been a big fan of Mayor Villaraigosa, and this is just another reason why.
Sorry for my ass html coding.
My above comment is referring to Chal’s comment that Milk “was gunned down because of his championing of gay rights legislation”
how about that there’s an idi villaraigosa fan in the house….
You totally proved my point Frazgo –
“This initiative measure expressly amends the California Constitution by
adding a section thereto; therefore, new provisions proposed to be added areprinted in italic type to indicate that they are new.”
Not only is the above quote lefty double-speak, it’s frickin incomprehensible!
Reality: “NO’ on 8 AMENDS (SUPPORTS) Prop 8 – ‘YES’ DEFEATS Prop 8.
That kool-aid is some strong shit you drink.
Truman..a yes vote puts 8 into law, the italics is the change, which if passed makes marriage only between a man and woman is the only version in CA. ITs not double speak of any kind a vote yes limits the scope of marriage and that is not what Chal, myself, my wife or many others want.