I've been blogging about Proposition 8 for months,  and have pretty much said all I want to say about it, but October 29 is Write to Marry Day, and I just got back from a No On 8 phone bank, so I figured I'd say O HAI. My previous (public) posts about why everyone in California needs to vote NO, and why everyone else in the US who doesn't suck needs to send money and make phone calls, are here , here,  here, here, here, and here,  and something good Obama did for marriage equality -- although he hasn't done nearly enough -- is here.  To understand why Prop 8 is so very evil, you can look at my happy happy joy joy posts about marriage equality in California (with awesome wedding pictures!), here , here,  here,  here, and here.  I posted beautiful No On 8 videos that will make you cry here (Jewish mom), here (kids with queer parents), and here (Itzhak Perlman!).

So tonight was the second No On 8 phone bank in Baltimore, sponsored by Equality Maryland. We went around the room and introduced ourselves, saying why we were volunteering.  I said, "I've already donated all my money, and this is the other thing I can do."  It's true -- I gave another $100 yesterday, and I am pretty much tapped out at this point.  I suppose I could max out a credit card or make an early withdrawal from my IRA, like those wacky, wacky Mormons, but I've stuck with donating actual discretionary income.

Today we were calling people in Anaheim and Stockton.  California is fascinating -- I called many, many people who were not native English speakers.  We did have a Spanish-speaking caller tonight, who was calling back all the Spanish speakers we couldn't talk to last week because of the language barrier.  We needed a Vietnamese speaker, though.

I talked to a couple of Yes voters, but no one was mean.  I talked to several No voters, including a couple who'd voted early.  When people say they're voting No, we're supposed to ask them if defeating Prop 8 is a high priority for them, and make a pitch for them to volunteer or donate.  When I asked one guy if it was a high priority, he said "Yes, because it's a fundamental right of every American."  I wish everyone thought like that.

Almost all the volunteers in Baltimore have been women.  We had two men last week, and just one tonight.  Last week someone asked whether this meant women are more interested in marriage than men.  I think it means women are more likely to volunteer (in general) than men.  It would be interesting to know who's getting married -- whether it's dykes or fags in greater numbers.  All I have to go by are the announcements in the NY Times Style section -- I do dramatic readings at the dining room table every Sunday -- and they skew a bit toward men.  But that's not who's getting married, that's who has an announcement in the Times.

Lots of the TImes announcements are for New Yorkers.  David Patterson is a real prince, a gentleman and a scholar.  If thedeepquiet  and I lived in NY, we'd be married already.  Her BFF lives in San Francisco, and I have family there, so it's kind of the obvious thing to do.  I fantasize about Governor O'Malley recognizing California marriages here in Maryland, but I don't think he has the stones.

It's a terrifying situation.  I can't bear to think about all the people who will be hurt if we lose.  Will all those marriages be undone?  Will they tell Phyllis Lyon, "Sorry, you weren't married after all"?  And what will David Patterson do for those New Yorkers?  I don't understand how people can be so mean.  But I'm doing what I can.