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Opinion: New Proposition 8 strategy: Donate, or else

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Yes on Proposition 8--the campaign that is going all out to ban same-sex marriage in California--has sent out a slew of missives complaining about the lawn signs that have been ripped from their supporters’ lawns. No doubt about it, it has happened, and it’s a nasty trick (and something that crops up for various campaigns in just about every campaign season).

Strange to say, though, Prop. 8 directors somehow saw this as justification for sending letters to about three dozen companies that donated to the opposite campaign. OK, we’re all for free speech, and complaining about someone else’s closely held beliefs is fair game. But in this case, the Yes on 8 people demanded equal contributions to their campaign, or they would ‘out’ the donor:

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‘Make a donation of a like amount to ProtectMarriage.com which will help us correct this error,’ reads the letter. ‘Were you to elect not to donate comparably, it would be a clear indication that you are in opposition to traditional marriage. ... The names of any companies and organizations that choose not to donate in like manner to ProtectMarriage.com but have given to Equality California will be published.’

The pro-8 campaign continues to confuse support for same-sex marriage with lack of support for traditional marriage. In any case, why make life so difficult for the Yes on 8 campaign? They shouldn’t have to go to all the trouble of sending out threatening letters if what they want to do is publicize a list. Anybody out there willing to freely give your name as a No on 8 donor so that the other camp can expand its list without having to pay money for postage? (And leave the Yes on 8 lawn signs alone.)

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