Ellen DeGeneres Spends $100,000 to Broadcast 'No on Prop 8' PSA

The Bay Area Reporter has a story that Ellen DeGeneres has purchased $100,000 of television air time for the No on 8 campaign to run a message she taped urging California voters to defeat Proposition 8. Given Ellen's wide popularity and the fact that putting an actual face on victims of one's bigotry can have a effect in changing minds, I applaud Ellen's actions and hope that many California voters will think be fore they fall for the fear and hate-based bigotry being disseminated by proponents of Proposition 8. Here are some highlight highlights:

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Out television talk show host Ellen DeGeneres finally put her money where her mouth is. After weeks of criticism from the gay press and bloggers, DeGeneres has purchased $100,000 of television air time for the No on 8 campaign to run a message she taped urging California voters to defeat Proposition 8, which would eliminate same-sex marriage in California. The announcement was made Friday morning by the No on 8 campaign.

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In the video message, DeGeneres says that she believes "in equality for all people. Proposition 8 does not. Please, please, vote no on Prop 8." She also mentions her own wedding; in August she married longtime partner Portia de Rossi.

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Here's what the PSA says:

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"Hi, I’m Ellen DeGeneres. I got to do something this year I never thought I’d ever be able to do: I got married. It was the happiest day of my life. There are people out there raising millions of dollars to try and take that right away from me. You’ve seen their ads on TV. They’re twisting the truth, and they’re trying to scare you. I believe in fairness. I believe in compassion. I believe in equality for all people. Proposition 8 does not. Please, please, vote no on Prop. 8."