The Harry Potter Alliance

By Paul DeGeorge

October 28, 2008

A Message From Paul of Harry and the Potters

It was almost 5 years ago that the Massachusetts State Supreme Court ruled that that the state’s constitution “affirms the dignity and equality of all individuals” and “forbids the creation of second-class citizens” and that the state had no “constitutionally adequate reason” for denying marriage to same-sex couples. The court gave the state 180 days in which to prepare for same-sex couples to marry, and during that time-period, the state legislature engaged in some pretty serious debate about amending the state’s constitution to invalidate the court’s ruling: a ruling that that noted that “civil marriage has long been termed a civil right. This seemed insane to me! Since when should civil rights be open to popular vote?!?

During the week that this was debated in the state legislature, I would follow live bloggers incessantly during the workday for updates on what was happening. Eventually, this would get to a breaking point where I would leave work early to watch the proceedings at home on public access TV. It was an absolutely incredible and invigorating feeling to witness such a historic moment in the struggle for civil rights. I wanted to hug every person who stood up on that floor and spoke out so passionately against intolerance. In the end, no such resolutions ever appeared on the voting ballot, and this fight, more than anything else, has made me proud to be from the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Unfortunately, just such a measure is on the ballot in California this year. Last May, the California Supreme Court held that individuals of the same sex have the right to marry under the California Constitution, becoming the second state to recognize same-sex marriage. This November, California voters will be faced with Proposition 8, a ballot initiate that Eliminates the Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.

If you live in California and you are able to vote, I ask you to take some time and think about whether or not it’s fair to deny couples the right to marry. Think of any people that you might know that would be affected by this constitutional amendment. Would it be legal to deny people the right to marry based on race or social status? If the answer to that question is no, then why should it be legal to do so based on sexual orientation?

The US election is one week away and we in the HP Alliance are ready to do what we can to VOTE NO ON PROPOSITION 8 by encouraging voters in California to keep same sex marriage legal. Right now, while countries like Norway and states like Connecticut are waking up to marriage equality, California is losing that battle and we need your help in reversing this momentum. We cannot let Proposition 8 pass.

Our world has seen enough intolerance. Enough hatred, violence, and cruelty. We have neither the time nor the energy to make love illegal.

Each one of us in the real world Dumbledore’s Army has the choice to take some time in this next week to encourage voters in California to vote no on Proposition 8. If Proposition 8 passes, some people estimate that it may set the Equal Rights movement back nearly a decade. Instead of letting Californians be stripped of their constitutional rights, we have the opportunity to take action.

If you are in California sign up to encourage your fellow Californians in person or click here to do so by phone.

But if, like me, you are not in California, PLEASE join me in signing up to call Californians (each call will make a difference). Click here to sign up!

And please click here to email any one and everyone you know!

If we as a society are going to authentically emerge from the “dark and difficult times” that we currently face, we will do so only by battling the forces of “discord and enmity” that wish to tear down people’s equal rights with “an equally strong bond of friendship and trust. Differences of habit and language are nothing at all if our aims are identical and our hearts are open’” (GoF 723).

Please join us to get Californians to vote NO on Proposition 8.

If you’re interested in reading some more about Marriage Equality, please see some recent posts on this blog, including a very moving post from Tita, our forum mod, who married her partner in California last week! I’m happy to tell you that the HP Alliance is making Equal Rights a top priority in the coming months. Remus Lupin felt forced to live in the closet around his identity as a werewolf. Rubeus Hagrid felt forced to live in the closet because of his identity as a half-giant. Harry Potter was literally forced to live in a closet because of his identity as a Wizard. Today as we speak a countless number of people are living in the closet as gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgendered. And just as Dumbledore helped make Hogwarts an environment conducive to everyone’s acceptance, let us work to build environments that are safe and supportive to those who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgendered.

In regards to Lupin: a werewolf, marrying Tonks, “a pure blood” we know that “‘Dumbledore would have been happier than anybody to think that there was a little more love in the world,’” (HBP 624).

In loyalty to the spirit of Albus Dumbledore, let’s allow for the state of California to be putting a little more in a world that needs it so much.

Thank you for reading this message!

Keep rocking, keep reading, and keep loving!
Your friend,
Paul T. DeGeorge
Harry and the Potters / co-founder of the Harry Potter Alliance

P.S. PROPS to Connecticut, who recently became the 3rd state to recognized same-sex marriage! Connecticut is no longer just a state we have to drive through to get from Boston to NY: it’s also a pioneer in the fight for equality!

P.P.S. If you are in Florida or Arizona, we urge you to please vote against the ballots to pre-emptively outlaw same sex marriage.