town hall, but this time with more thinking and better spelling

So I was a mad typing machine and a terrible speller as I live blogged the LA Gay & Lesbian Virtual Town Hall Meeting. More than 270 people clicked in, but one wonders how many Mac users got turned away because they didn’t know there was a number to call for listening in (Microsoft technology used for the Town Hall didn’t allow Mac folks to join in). Yikes!

Things were pretty no nonsense on moderator Karen Ocamb’s end, since she kept it moving and did a pretty good job when it came to follow up questions. Assembly Member-elect John Perez and Join the Impact creator Amy Balliett ended up double booking and didn’t take part.

This is what I took away from the conversation:

 

• The No on 8 campaign never expected the kind of influx of cash from groups like the Mormons that flooded into California in the fall.
• The No on 8 leadership committee structure sounded so complicated it’s a wonder anything ever got done. 
• The No on 8 campaign was prepared for one scenario where kids were used by the Yes on 8 forces, but had to catch up when Yes folks chose a kids strategy they were not prepared for.
• A tremendous amount of education needs to be done with people of color communities if marriage equality is going to garner a majority of votes and support from those communities.
• There was a complacency about Prop 8 failing from the general community until the Mormon money train pulled into town.
• No on 8 leaders on the Town Hall call really blame that lesbian teacher who made her wedding a “teachable moment.” They are also pretty disappointed in Barack Obama’s position that was No on 8 yet still unsupportive of same-sex marriage. Very confusing and not at all helpful.
• There is serious concern about the idea of a 2010 ballot measure pushing for marriage equality, because leaders are worried it could impact the current California Supreme Court rulings over the validity of Prop 8.
• Shannon Minter, the legal voice on the call, says he is bullish on their case, but you can’t guess what the Court will do. 

 

If you were looking for an exchange on why LAGLC exec director Lorri Jean went on vacation for a month this summer, keep looking. Karen didn’t bring it up.