Political Stuff - Ref 71

So today there were demonstrations against Ref. 71 in several places. We went by a couple to show support for the Vote Yes on 71 crowd. There are a lot of vote no folks out, with a lot of hate based signs. Later this evening, following the comments on line about the reactions of the Vote Yes folks, I am compelled to write about social action.
First of all, you should know that I have been involved in a heterosexual relationship for over 30 years, more than 28 of which under the blessing of a legally sanctioned marraige. Perhaps if I had realized the scope of the issue I would have held off that official sanction until everyone could enjoy the priveldge. I also can perform marraiges, and have. I think that marraige is a contract, and the state should not discriminate against anyone in their civil rights. The whole religious issue is not the state's business and needs to be hashed out in the various churches. If some churches don't want to marry certain people, so be it, others will.
Today people talked about "flipping off" the vote no side, yelling back and such, which was commented on as "sinking to their level", and really doesn't encourage people to sway to our side.
There has been a lot of on-line reporting about Focus on the Family and other out of state organizations ouring money into Washington to defeat this referendom, and I think one of the biggest steps we can all take is very simple. Find out who is putting up the $$ and boycott them. Randall Terry's group has put tons of money into Operation Rescue and other anti- abrtion campaigns, so I have boycotted his business, Dominos Pizza, for years.
A small thing perhaps, but I know that at least I won't be contributing to the forces of hate in that way.
That is also why it is so important to follow the Supreme Court hearings on releasing the names of those who signed the petitions to put the Referendum on the ballot. If we can no longer know who is proliferating these things, we have no ability to make informed decisions about it. Part of the actions we can take is to notify those who contributed and signed the petitions that we won't do business with them, that is an action that does change minds and behaviors. And, the weird and senseless inititatives will proliferate because they can be conducted secretly. I always have considered signing a petition to be putting my pen and name out there, taking a stand, and knowing me, ususally as an act of defiance.
I truely do believe in the words of old spiritual:
None of us is free
None of us is free,
None of us is free
If one of us is chained
None of us is free.