by Karen Ocamb

The state of the LGBT movement in California just gets “curiouser and curiouser,” as Alice in Wonderland might say, as new groups form, established groups struggle and competing leaders, alliances and cliques shift in secret, leaving many LGBT grassroots activists and allies confused about whom they can trust in the toxic post-Prop. 8 activist environment.

Yes on 8 backers have noted the internal chaos. In an interview with L.A. Weekly, Yes on 8 Campaign Manager Frank Schubert said traditional marriage advocates are “getting ready for a new campaign,” but they are not worried about opposition. The loss by the No on 8 campaign has “pretty much obliterated” the gay leadership structure in California, Schubert told the Weekly, so it’s “difficult to know what the other side will do, since there isn’t anyone in charge anymore.”

In fact, established organizations continue their work, preparing to respond to the anticipated ruling from the California Supreme Court upholding the validity of Prop. 8, as well as laying the groundwork for a possible initiative campaign. Equality California recently hired Marc Solomon, the executive director of MassEquality, who successfully defeated attempts to repeal marriage equality in Massachusetts. EQCA also hired Andrea Shorter of Marriage4All to build community coalitions. And the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center is holding focus groups with Yes on 8 voters to understand what shaped their views.

The biggest grassroots effort to emerge has been the Courage Campaign, a non-gay, online progressive organizing group founded by gay politico Rick Jacobs. He has joined with the Milk movie team to do outreach, launched an online pledge effort to overturn Prop. 8 and organized “Camp Courage” training sessions with longtime organizer Torie Osborn as a key leader. Christopher Street West President Rodney Scott is also a consultant.

Robin Tyler, an original plaintiff in both marriage lawsuits is working with longtime Chicago-based activist Andy Thayer to organize a national response to the court’s ruling through the website dayofdecision.org. The Feminist Majority, Join the Impact, EQCA and the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center are participating.

Original marriage activist Molly McKay from the California chapter of Marriage Equality USA  is also organizing a statewide effort. And one of the post-Prop. 8 grassroots groups —youth-oriented Equal Roots—appears to be working with everyone.

However, as Schubert noted, there is no coordinated effort, goal, strategy, message or timeline to regain marriage equality.

Possible California gubernatorial candidate Gavin Newsom, mayor of San Francisco, told Frontiers in L.A. he thinks 2010 is a good time to try to repeal Prop. 8.

“If my rights were just stripped away, I’d demand that we go back at this and not give up until we get it. And so I don’t know why we would want to wait,” Newsom said after a town hall meeting in Santa Monica March 17.

Newsom also agrees with Rick Jacobs on the need to hold a constitutional convention to reform the rule requiring two-thirds of the Legislature to pass a budget. However, neither Newsom nor Jacobs thinks the issue of marriage equality should be considered at a convention.

“I couldn’t agree more [with Jacobs],” Newsom said. “The devil is in the details, there’s no doubt about that. You have to have a parameter. To open back up some of these social issues would be deleterious. It would be a huge mistake. Focusing on the nuts-and-bolts issues of entitlements and set-asides and focusing on tax-revenue issues is what needs to be focused on in those rules and regulations. But opening up constitutional protections and the rights of people, I think, would be a big mistake.”

Frontiers asked if changing the way the state Constitution is amended—which Chief Justice Ronald George noted during oral arguments over Prop. 8—should be discussed.

“I think it has to be, and [Justice George] made the case of Massachusetts and two legislative cycles and the contrast with this state,” Newsom said. “If, indeed, you can amend the Constitution—and it’s a simple amendment and not a revision—and strip rights away from people, we’ve got a serious issue then with the constitutional threshold. And I think that’s a legitimate point for a conversation in a constitutional convention setting that doesn’t necessarily target social issues per se, but addresses the broader issue of what’s really an amendment, what’s really a revision to our Constitution.

“This a broad-strokes idea that I think is long overdue. It is a process that is required,” Newsom said. “The very nature of our inability to substantively reform government in this state [must be addressed], and I just think we can’t argue for creeping mediocrity or failing more efficiently. I think there needs to be some order of magnitude change in the state. So again, [we need] thoughtful, judicious parameters: Who are the delegates? [We must] thoughtfully, judiciously determine a process that won’t allow it to get out of control and unruly.”

EQCA Executive Director Geoff Kors sees things differently. “If there is a constitutional convention, prohibiting discrimination against minorities, including marriage for same-sex couples, must be included in a broad package of reforms,” Kors said. “We believe civil rights are as important as how a budget is passed, and our right to marry the person we choose is as important as the percentage of legislators needed to pass a budget. If LGBT rights and marriage equality are part of a broader progressive agenda, as those advocating for a constitutional convention have stated, then that can’t simply be lip service. Our rights should not be treated as secondary to other issues.”