Finally. To paraphrase the man himself, here's the best motherfucking No on Prop 8 ad of this motherfucking campaign:
Background from No on 8:
Using historical footage, the ad reminds voters of three particularly bleak periods in state history:
-- Japanese American Internment: Authorized by President Roosevelt in 1942, the Army ordered all people of Japanese descent, whether citizens or non-citizens, living in CA to be interned in permanent "relocation centers." Those centers remained operational until the end of the war. Former Supreme Court Chief Justice Earl Warren, who was California Attorney General at that time, later wrote that the internment was "not in keeping with our American concepts of freedoms and rights of citizens."
-- California's Ban on Interracial Marriage: In 1948, California became the first state in the nation to wipe away a state law banning interracial marriages. In the 1967 case of Loving vs. Virginia dealing with the remaining state bans, the United State Supreme Court ruled that: [T]he freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness by free men. Marriage is one of the 'basic civil rights of man,' fundamental to our very existence and survival."
-- Racially Restrictive Covenants: These covenants were widely enforced in the early 20th century to discriminate against African Americans, Jews and other ethnic groups by prohibiting the lease or sale of property. The covenants were widely used in the Central Valley against Armenians. They were declared unconstitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1948.
And yes, that is Mildred and Richard Loving, the plaintiffs in the test case for interracial marriage:
In 2007, on the 40th anniversary of the Loving vs. Virginia decision, Mildred Loving wrote: "I am still not a political person, but I am proud that Richard's and my name is on a court case that can help reinforce the love, the commitment, the fairness, and the family that so many people, black or white, young or old, gay or straight seek in life. I support the freedom to marry for all. That's what Loving and loving, are all about."
So let's give No on 8 the power to roadblock this ad:
You can donate here.
NOTE: A commenter reminds me that today is the last day to donate. Step up, give what you can, and give it today. :)
You can take action here.
And, if I did this right, you can Digg it here.
UPDATE: Thanks for putting this on the rec list. Several commenters rightly note that it's NOT too late, as my intro above had suggested. So I changed it. :) So donate, vote, and GOTV.
UPDATED AGAIN: A commenter helpfully reminds me I forgot to include the ad's
transcript. Here it is:
The full text of the ad follows:
"It wasn't that long ago that discrimination was legal in California.
"Japanese Americans were confined in internment camps.
"Armenians couldn't buy a house in the Central Valley.
"Latinos and African Americans were told who they could and could not marry.
"It was a sorry time in our history.
"Today the sponsors of Prop 8 want to eliminate fundamental rights.
"We have an obligation to pass along to our children a more tolerant, more decent society.
"Vote No on Prop 8 it's unfair and it's wrong."