It is true. I have watched this video many times and it never loses it's magic. More importantly, supporters and friends across the country have shared their thoughts and feelings upon viewing this clip, which most often involve tears as well. There was a diary a couple weeks ago which shared some personal reaction to viewing this clip.
Watch now as Frank Reifsnyder with his wife Diane, shares the story of his family: Son Frank, his husband Jim Reifsnyder-Smith & their beautiful children Milo and Kaylee. Frank & Jim celebrated their one-year wedding anniversary on June 16, 2009.
Groups across the state are coming together this Sunday in Los Angeles to discuss next steps in an action meeting to repeal prop 8 in 2010. While not everyone is convinced 2010 is the right choice, what is agreed is that equality must be restored and the work must begin now. TruthandHope.Org will do its part by creating a supportive media campaign to amplify the efforts on the ground, community by community with ads created to target each market with local stories and outreach to each demographic. This is a massive undertaking, but it is the right thing to do and the clear path to victory.
Why do the tears matter? Simply put: the raw emotion and irresistible connection a viewer experiences when they witness genuine stories featuring subjects who they learn are more like themselves than different is vital to this effort. When Frank shares that "it may not be the family we had imagined, but it is the family we have and love. We wouldn't change it for anything.", this is no longer a story within the context of the same-sex marriage debate, but it's a story that is relatable to most of us, even if the details may be different, for who really has the "family they imagined?"
We firmly believe that this is not an LGBT issue, but a progressive issue, a democratic issue, a human issue. We further believe that support for Equality cannot be picked and chosen based on subgroups, but can only exist in one form, which is Equality for all and in all forms.
We are honored to do our part and here is how you can help right now:
1) Join our mailing list at TruthandHope.org and share this video and/or this diary with ten people
2) Join our Facebook group and invite anyone you know who supports equality
3) Contribute what you can today. Every $25, $50, $100 or more supports production and airing of these ads that share the stories necessary to change hearts and mind, not for a moment but forever.
Thank You For All That You Do,
Eugene Hedlund
Founder/Chair
TruthandHope.Org