Is yet another huge LGBT victory about to be lost at the finish line?
Remember when defeat was snatched from the jaws of presumed victory in CA's Prop 8, ME's Question 1, and in the MD House of Delegates?
We may be on the verge of another such heartbreaking 11th hour loss. Recently, the Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful Education Act (SB 48) passed all the legislative hurdles to become law.
Oh, how we celebrated! Chris Love waxed euphoric the milestone that LGBT Americans contributions to this country's history would now be included in California's school history books. The celebration diary declared, "Landmark LGBT Education Victory in CA: FAIR Education Act Passes!" and made the rec list.
What could possibly go wrong?
How about CA's Jerry "Governor Moonbeam" Brown vetoes it?
The possibility is looking very real. Equality California is sending out this urgent plea for help:
Opponents of LGBT equality are flooding Governor Brown's office with emails, letters and phone calls, trying to get him to veto the FAIR (Fair, Accurate, Inclusive and Respectful) Education Act (SB 48, Leno). We can't let them succeed.
Governor Brown needs to hear from us all every single day this week about this bill. I emailed you in the past few days to ask you to contact the Governor about this bill, which would ensure that LGBT history -- and the history of our civil rights movement -- is taught in public schools.
The governor has just six days left to sign the bill, but it could be signed as early as today! Tell him you want him to sign SB 48. There are three easy ways to take action:
1. Call him at 1-916-445-2841. Choose English or Spanish, then press 2 to share your opinion on current legislation. Press 1 to say that you want to voice your opinion on SB 48. Then hit 1 again to say you support this bill. If the lines are busy, try again -- our opponents are jamming the lines.
Governor Brown's contact form web page if you can't get through by phone
Whether it's "Praying the Gays Away," re-institutionalizing the Federally mandated closet of DADT, or wiping us from history books, or opponents will stop at nothing to erase gay people from the American experience. Let's not let them win this one.
Come on Governor Brown! I really can't believe we have to lean on you, and the organizing forces of hate groups can intimidate you.
Come on, California! You have an opportunity to really lead the nation here. This is a groundbreaking first of it's kind piece of legislation. You have an opportunity to reclaim your progressive credentials back from New York.
Or you can confirm everyone's worst fears that CA is a dysfunctional state, that even with Democratic supermajorities is incapable of moving forward.
Your choice.
Thanks to Cooper888 for alerting me to this Equality California tweet:
Thank you, @JerryBrownGov, for signing the #FAIREducationAct! The Act will make a tremendous difference for #LGBT youth in schools.
The Governor's Press Office confirms the bill has been signed here.