I received a request from Adam Bink of Courage Campaign and Prop 8 Trial Tracker.
Prop8 Trial Tracker needs your help.
They're halfway to their $12,000 goal to keep Prop 8 Trial Tracker on track. I donated and encourage you to, as well.
Because, one of the frustrations of reporting on LGBT issues is the lack of coverage of in the mainstream media. This is by no means unique to LGBT. Granny Doc struck a cord just days ago with Charlie Sheen? REALLY??? lamenting, with all the things gong on in North Africa, the Mid-East, and Wisconsin, CNN is focusing wall-to-wall coverage on Charlie Sheen.
The problem of our terrible media is even more pronounced on LGBT issues because even the Mideast, Wisconsin and North Africa rate higher on the media's priority list than say:
But even in local markets, we won't hear much about these in the news. I'm far more inclined to ascribe laziness and a genuine lack of resources than pure malice.
Which is why we need Prop 8 Trial Tracker and outlets like them. They are our reporters, they are our citizen journalists. They are on the ground, gathering the stories, the pictures the videos, every inflammatory hateful quote. And they have become a resource for the mainstream media as well.
One can really not put a dollar value on Prop 8's work following National Organization For Marriage this summer. Who can forget this picture?
Or the video they shot interviewing him and posted to Prop 8 Trial Tracker:
This story was picked up by the mainstream and delivered a crushing blow to the credibility of National Organization for Marriage and Maggie Gallagher. These people always existed, but we just needed to get out and show them to the world. We need Adam Bink and his big, beautiful mouth. These are some results they've already delivered:
- Live-blogging the trial, bringing it into Americans' homes in an unprecedented way
- Covering the two National Organization for Marriage bus tour, exposing their supporters' anti-gay hatred, how fringe they are as they were outnumbered at nearly every single rally, scoring dozens of negative press hits including Newsweek, and making their credibility take a huge hit.
- By becoming the #1 Google result for "Prop 8 trial," interested parties who follow the link will see a gay-positive side of the story.
We need them out on the ground doing this work. They serve this stuff up and hand it out, to the newspapers, to the TV reporters and producers, and of course to bloggers. I'm just one of the many bloggers that utilize the resources they create and gather. I've linked to their quotes, stories, pictures and videos many times.
Daily Kos' JPMassar is a fan too, he says:
I've been keeping up with the Prop 8 Trial Tracker Site ever since it came online as Judge Walker was holding court in Perry v Schwarzenegger. It's an excellent resource for all that is happening legally in terms of LGBT equality. For those of us geeky enough to want to read legal briefs and motions, it can't be beat. 'Kathleen', a frequent poster on the site, is always first up with links to briefs, motions and decisions.
They are also the site to go to for keeping tabs on NOM and its activities. The site's association with the Courage Campaign provides updates on the myriad activities that that organization is doing to support LGBT equality.
If its up-to-the-minute information, if it's facts and well-reasoned opinions, or if it's a lively discussion you want, if any site is worthy of your sending them a few dollars to keep them operating, this is it.
They are an invaluable resource. Let's keep them in business.
Donate to Prop8TrialTracker so they can keep up the damn good work.
Please note: As with any fundraising effort, even if you can't give, you can contribute by helping get the word out. Recs, Tweets, Facebook posts can be as valuable as getting out your own credit card! Your social network has value too. Thanks!
Update: I should have thought to remind people that Courage Campaign was in part responsible to for massive and very lopsided turnout at New Hampshire's House hearings on marraige equality just weeks ago. I wrote about it here in A Crimson Tide.
The picture speaks for itself, grassroots supporters of marriage equality wore red:
They do good work. They get results.