UNBELIEVABLE: Yes on 8 to out businesses that contribute to No on 8

[thoreau]

So YES ON 8 - is writing extortion letters to contributors to No on 8 promising to publish them on a list of companies that don't support 'traditional marriage'... and apparently such letters and unmitigated intimidation is not illegal.

These people are EVIL!

from the SF Chronicle:

Leaders of the campaign to outlaw same-sex marriage in California are warning businesses that have given money to the state's largest gay rights group they will be publicly identified as opponents of traditional unions unless they contribute to the gay marriage ban, too.

"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."

Sonya Eddings Brown, a ProtectMarriage.com spokeswoman, estimated that 36 companies were targeted for the letter and said those that do not respond with a contribution would be highlighted in a press release and on the campaign Web site.

She called the tactic "a frustrated response" to the intimidation felt by Proposition 8 supporters, who have had their lawn signs stolen and property vandalized in the closing days of the heated campaign.

Comments

[squalidbear.livejournal.com]

I have no problem with transparency in donations. I am fine with the fact that my name is on the donor list for NO on Prop 8 because, conversely, I want to see who donated to YES, so I can elect to withdraw my funding from them. What I really objected to about this letter was the threatening nature of it, like donating to NO was some shameful act that these corporations had been called on. "help us correct this error" - FUCK YOU!

[low-fat-muffin.livejournal.com]

yeah - the smarmy church lady bullshit voice - of "we know you didn't mean to do this" loving caring scary stepford wives horseshit.

[notdefined.livejournal.com]

This will continue unless one of the companies says enough it enough and presses charges. Slanderous comments are one thing, but extortion is something else entirely and very illegal. If it was proved that this qualifies as such they would be in very deep weeds on several fronts.