Help get the word out about the detrimental effects this amendment might have on Arizona’s families. Talk to everyone, your friends, co-workers, family members, grocery store clerks, and church members. Tell them how this will affect you personally.

You may want to talk about how:

• It is already illegal for two people of the same sex to marry in Arizona and how this initiative is a waste of money.
• Arizonans already voted on and defeated a similar amendment in 2006. Extremists groups are pushing policy too far to the right.
• We have more important issues to focus on, like the economy, jobs, the price of gas and food, education, and health care.
• Phoenix politicians are trying to change our laws and intruding in our private lives.

We have added two new resources on our web site to help you do this.

1. Write to the media: If you want to write a letter to the editor or a guest opinion, we have information on where to send it. We also have a list of web sites for 53 local newspapers around the state.
2. Give Media Interviews: What do you say when a reporter walks up to you and asks for your opinion? We have several suggestions on how you can put a human face on the issue.

If you’d like to be part of the No on Prop 102’s Media Rapid Response Team, contact  Vicki Gaubeca at .

The Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce (TGLBTC) opposes Proposition 102, the Arizona Constitutional Amendment that would put into our constitution wording similar to current statute that limits marriage in Arizona to people of the opposite gender.

The TGLBTC believes this Amendment is unwise, ill-timed and wasteful of public resources. Just two years ago, the people of Arizona soundly rejected a similar proposition. But now, radical activists, funded largely with out-of-state dollars, would once again enshrine into our constitution a negative, discriminatory, hateful message that a certain class of people is not welcome in Arizona. As a part of our Constitution, it could eventually come into conflict with evolving national policy, causing undue expense and legal wrangling – all of which could be avoided by simply leaving the current statute intact

Supporters of Prop 102 have argued that this initiative is solely a ‘social issue’ and not a concern for businesses. We strongly disagree! Proposition 102, if successful, can only worsen the current economic crisis. By positioning Arizona as unfriendly to the GLBT community and potentially to domestic partnerships in general, it rekindles past stereotypes of our state and once again hampers our ability to compete with neighboring states. It discourages inward movement of individuals, families, educators and corporations and drives out those who are already here. Thus, Prop. 102 is both anti-business and anti-economic development.

The Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce encourages all business and professional organizations and business leaders to oppose this ballot initiative and to focus our efforts around what is really important to businesses large and small — economic growth and development.

The Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce is committed to helping our members grow their businesses and succeed by providing a forum to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender business community and its allies for the purpose of networking, creating increased visibility and strengthening relationships among business community members.

Timothy Kincaid, at the blog Box Turtle Bulletin, shares his thoughts on why all three anti-marriage amendment battles — in Arizona, California, and Florida — are important. About Arizona, he writes:

Arizona has the distinct privilege of being the only state to date that has rejected efforts to instill anti-gay marriage discrimination into its constitution. Anti-gays have claimed that the only reason for their failure was because their last attempt in 2006 also sought to ban other forms of partner recognition and are now offering a “more benign” amendment that only bans same-sex marriage.

The Arizona battle is of tremendous importance.

If anti-gays win in Arizona, this will send a message that persistence pays off. And then future states (like Florida, if we win there) can expect that they will be back each election with an increasingly “nuanced” amendment until they win. But if Arizona rejects Proposition 102, the financial backers of anti-gay marriage amendments will be a bit more reluctant to throw their money into losing efforts.

This state has the unique opportunity to tell anti-gay organizers that “no” means “no” and not to come back for more.

You can read the whole thing here.

From Arizona State University’s online campus paper:

A ballot measure Arizona voters will decide this November has proved polarizing. If the measure passes, marriage would be defined in the Arizona Constitution as a union between a man and a woman.

A citizen initiative that similarly aimed to outlaw same-sex marriage in the state constitution — but also could have prevented the state from offering domestic-partner benefits to unmarried same-sex or opposite-sex couples — was narrowly defeated in 2006.

Proponents of this election’s Proposition 102 say it is about letting the people speak for themselves. Opponents call it prejudice.

“We don’t believe that discrimination of any sort should be written into the constitution. It is a waste of Arizona voters’ time and money,” said Becky Corran, co-chair for the organization No on Prop. 102. “Prop. 102 is a mean-spirited effort to mobilize the conservative vote. Why do this when a law already exists?”

Read the rest of the article here.

The Tucson GLBT Chamber of Commerce is joining forces with Wingspan and the No on Prop. 102 campaign to defeat Prop. 102, the proposition to create a constitutional amendment outlawing same-gender marriage.

Please help us meet our goal of raising $102 from 102 people to defeat Prop. 102 TODAY. Email or call Ben McDonald (520) 891-1231 or .

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE-OUR DEADLINE IS SEPT. 13.

Money will go directly toward radio ads with Beth Walkup, UA President Emeritus Peter Likens, and Congressman Raul Grijalva. Can you help fight back against this divisive and discriminatory amendment by making a donation TODAY?

We are in a good position to defeat Prop. 102:

• Polls shows most Arizonans see this as a waste of time and want real action on real problems
• We already defeated this type of proposition in 2006
• Same-gender marriage is already illegal in Arizona
• Polls in California show that 54% oppose a similar measure there, and analysts believe Arizona is poised to defeat Prop 102 AGAIN!

HELP DEFEAT PROP 102 AGAIN!!!

Can you help TGLBTC by donating $102 or whatever you can afford? Your donation will show the force of our GLBT business leaders in helping defeat Prop. 102.

Email or call our PR Chair, Ben McDonald to donate $102 at 891-1231 or

Visit VoteNoProp102.com for more information and visit the chamber’s website, www.tucsonglbtchamber.org for their position on this amendment.

Thank you for you help and solidarity!

These editorials in the Tucson Citizen show broad-based support for defeating Prop 102:

Our Opinion: Vote no on gay marriage ban
Proposed constitutional amendment would codify discrimination
Tucson Citizen, Sept. 8

Discriminatory gay marriage ban has no place in AZ
Tucson Citizen, Sept. 8

Other communities across Arizona are organizing to defeat Prop 102, including Flagstaff, Prescott and Bisbee. For more information about these groups or to start your own, contact Becky Corran, .

Attend the Arizona Together Opposed to Prop 102 messaging training in Phoenix and Tucson this weekend.

Training will be held in Phoenix on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2008, 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm at Scottsdale Congregational Church — 4425 N. Granite Reef Road, Scottsdale.

Training will be held in Tucson on Sunday, Sept. 14, 11 am to 1 pm at the campaign office for Grijalva for Congress — 452 South Stone Ave, Tucson.

The training will be presented in partnership with the Ballot Initiative Strategy Center (BISC). to RSVP.

Do you want to help distribute No on Prop 102 literature on door-to-door walks, make phone calls, participate in community outreach and coalition building? Would you like campaign materials to distribute at church, work or social gatherings? If so, please send an email to Becky Corran, .

Are you interested in writing editorials and letters to the editor? Do you have a story you would like to share with the media? Would you like to be part of the media response team (media coaching provided)? Would you like to produce a Youtube.com video or create a blog? Do you have marketing (ad agency) or public relations experience? If so, contact Vicki Gaubeca, media committee chair, at .