10 for 2010-- Marriage Equality Lives In The Golden State

-by Christian Schneider

This weekend in California, Restore Equality 2010 is launching a statewide event, called 10 for 2010. Volunteers from across the state will be meeting in their communities for training to be leaders and for signature gathering. RE2010 needs to collect 1 million signatures in about 100 days to put Marriage Equality back on the Ballot in 2010.

This weekend is the ramp up event for Feb 6th, where thousands of volunteers from across the state will come together with the goal of collecting over 100,000 signatures in one day.

How did I get involved in all of this? I guess it started working with Jim Neal as his Field Director in the 08 Democratic Primary race against now Senator Kay Hagan from North Carolina. Jim was also an openly gay man. I never saw Jim as a "gay" candidate, I saw him as the best candidate. And now, I don't consider him my "gay" friend, he is just my friend. On that campaign he taught me a valuable lesson which I have repeated time and time again. "Vote for what you want, not what you think you can get." 

I moved out to California recently to be closer to my family. I was hoping to try to settle into a "normal" life and leave campaigning behind me for a bit. Then I came across RE2010 and their story was compelling. RE2010 is a statewide grassroots organization of volunteers and a coalition of organizations who are dedicated to restoring equality in 2010 because they believe Californians shouldn't have to wait to be considered equal.

I agree with them, no one should have to wait to be considered Equal. The time is now to be visible and outspoken. Whether this goes to the ballot in 2010 in 2012 or gets decided in the courts, we need a strong visible movement now. I believe you have to keep banging into the wall of discrimination until you knock it down. You can never wait for it to just fall down by itself. 

So we will be hitting the streets this weekend to fight for Equality and we need your help. Let us show you through our work that this is possible. Jim Neal has made a pledge of $1 for every volunteer who shows up to be trained on today and will pledge to raise matching funds of 10 dollars of every donation today. Will you match his donation? Every dollar makes a difference. As I mentioned this is a grassroots movement and we need to properly support our volunteer program. Join us in making history.

UPDATE: Special DWT Bonus Today

The first dozen donors today-- who give at least $25 to Restore Equality 2010 here at ActBlue will get a "thank you" from DWT in the form of a double CD package, Quixotic by Matt Keating. (If you want to donate but don't want us to send the 2-CD set, just add one penny to your contribution.)