"A CA/NY Kinda Shame" by Gabe Zichermann

If you're on facebook, check out this posting from my friend Gabe. If you're not - read on. Strong words. Strong feelings. That's my Gabe. Atta boy!

A CA/NY Kinda Shame
by Gabe Zichermann

Shame.

It’s a funny word, and one that’s been a theme in my life – and the lives of so many gays and lesbians.

This past week, I spent the majority of my (non-sick-as-a-dog) time volunteering for the no on prop 8 campaign. I felt strongly enough that for weeks I’d planned to come to LA to fight against this ridiculous, unfair and absurdist amendment – even though I’m super busy running a company. More often than not, I heard “you need to go to the Central Valley, that’s where they need reeducation most.”

And I’d reply, each time: “This election is not about getting the fundies to change their minds, it’s about getting our supporters out in sufficient numbers to make a difference.” It turns out, the No on Prop 8 folks had the same conceit.

When I got to LA, I met the earnest and committed volunteers who were driving the Prop 8 campaign. I thought it was encouraging to see the GLBT center in WeHo full of people looking to volunteer on election day. And, with the prospect of a landslide victory for Obama, I believed that momentum was with us.

My friend Darren and I got assigned to a polling place in Eagle Rock, and I spent the day fighting back the flu (thanks, Gatorade!) and fielding text queries from my friends on the East Coast: “how’s it looking?” And good it certainly did look.One after another, heterosexuals came streaming through the polls, most of them telling us that we had their support. Many were even playfully dismissive, making fun of the idea that they’d vote any other way. And even the less-than-a-handful of crazy fundies hardly made a dent in our mood – upbeat and excited though it was.

But once I made it home, and interspersed my Obama celebration with detailed views of the early reporting on Prop 8, I feared we were going to lose. In county after county, the gays and their allies were lazy. Instead of seeing the real threat at their doorstep, they somehow managed to get out of even coming to the polls.

You can clearly see it in the vote breakdown by county – and in the raw numbers. The total votes against prop 8 *roughly* correspond to the total number of gays in California. Now tell me: did no straight folks vote for us? Nope. That’s not what happened at all. I personally met at least 300 straight people that voted to support us, and count among my friends hundreds of others who I know spent days and weeks agonizing over how to defeat Prop 8, often at political risk to themselves. My friend David, for example, using his (very broadly read) professional blog to make a point about the need to crush prop 8 – even though he’s straight.

And while I agree that all minorities that voted for Prop 8 should be ashamed of denying gays their basic rights, the majority of the blame for this lies with us – the gays – and the other millions of complacent Californian liberals that couldn’t get off their asses to vote yesterday.

What’s wrong with you people? Seriously? Is this the California laid-back attitude that I used to love (but am now starting to loathe) rearing its ugly head? How could anyone (let alone 50%+ of SF voters) fail to grasp the gravitas of this election? How did you manage to ignore the fact that your basic rights are at stake?

I, for one, am glad to be going back to New York right now. I used to think of myself as a Californian, but there’s no way around this conclusion: there’s something awful about the Golden State these days, friends. I’m not sure if I’m just growing up, or if something really has changed. Find Myself Here? Nah, I think I’d rather not.

Either way, to all of you who didn’t make it out yesterday while I stood outside alternately freezing and sweating my way through the campaign: shame on you.

On second thought…Fuck You.

How New York of me.