Lambda Legal on Proposition 8: Racial Scapegoating is Destructive and Unacceptable

(New York, November 14, 2008) — In the wake of the passage of Prop 8 in California, Lambda Legal Executive Director Kevin Cathcart issued the following statement:

"As an organization that has fought for so many years for marriage equality — and continues to do so — we join with many others in expressing our disappointment and outrage at the recent passage of Prop 8 in California. We are also deeply disturbed at the racial scapegoating and blaming in which some members of the LGBT community, allies and media have engaged. The focus on data from exit polls that are misleading or simply wrong misses the important point: A bare majority of voters approved Prop 8, including voters from every racial and socioeconomic group and in every region of the state. Blaming black voters or any other people of color is foolish. If we had 400,000 more "no" votes from any racial, ethnic, age and religious group — or rather, from all groups together — we would have won.

"We all need to continue to direct our energy to educate and motivate our community and allies to achieve equality. And we must also fight discrimination wherever it exists. Our opponents spent millions of dollars to produce a barrage of deceitful ads intended to frighten and mislead voters. Our challenge is to continue to expose the scare tactics and misinformation. When we defeat the lies, we win.

"'Divide and conquer' is the oldest political strategy in the world and we must not fall victim to it. People of all races, ethnicities and faiths are part of our LGBT communities, and we have fought together for equality and must continue to do so. The passage of Prop 8 threatens not only marriage equality but the very meaning of the equal protection guarantees of the California constitution. That is why the LGBT legal groups are working together with other civil rights advocacy organizations to challenge Prop 8 as an invalid vote to change the fundamental principles of the California constitution. The lesson of this struggle is clear: we must fight and win together."

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Contact: Public Information Officer, Erin Baer; Office: 212-809-8585 ext.267; Email: ebaer@lambdalegal.org