This past May, I caught up with documentary filmmaker Reed Cowan, who didn't shy away from answering some pointed (and personal) questions about 8: The Mormon Proposition. As the first NYU grad in my family's six generations of Mormons, go figure that I'd be personally interested in both Mormonism and film (nevermind Mormons on film!).  In other words, since that initial interview with Reed, I've been anxiously hoping that he'd keep me in the loop as the film progressed.  After bugging Reed for an update, he's now brought me up to speed:

CB: Since we last spoke, I've heard through the grapevine that a certain Dustin Lance Black provided the narration for 8:TMP, and Bruce Bastian is now on board as Executive Producer.  How did that happen?

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Last year, California sent more Obama campaign volunteers to the swing states than any other part of the country - in part due to a website called "Travel for Change." Now, the same activists who organized that effort are working to send volunteers to Maine - where in 55 days, voters will determine the fate of marriage equality.  The "No on 1" campaign has welcomed volunteers who can travel to Maine and commit to working for at least a week.  Now, thanks to "Travel for Change," supporters can donate money or airline miles to make that possible.  Many Californians dejected at the passage of Proposition 8 want to help, and with "Travel for Change" they now can get the resources to make a real difference in Maine.   As the right treats Maine as ground zero in their effort to halt the march towards marriage equality, defeating Question 1 on November 3rd can have a national impact in the fight for same-sex marriage.

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Bumped from the diaries -- Jonathan... I was just talking about writing a post on this today, but it looks like there's a good one in the diaries worth noting already.

In just 77 days, Maine voters can set the national agenda for marriage equality.  The state legislature passed same-sex marriage earlier this year, but now the right has collected enough signatures to put a referendum ("Question One") on the November 2009 ballot - and has hired the same political consultants who successfully passed Proposition 8.  Supporters of marriage equality, however, are determined not to repeat the same mistakes we made in California - and will run an inclusive field campaign with a pro-active and pre-emptive message that (with the right resources) can bring about victory.  It does not cost a lot to win campaigns in Maine (only $3 million), and voter turnout is expected to only be about 500,000 people.  In other words, the campaign is winnable - but has not yet received the national attention it deserves.  While Californians are divided on whether to repeal Prop 8 in 2010 or 2012, they can set aside their differences by helping us win in Maine.  If we prevail on November 3rd, it will be easier to take our rights back in California.

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