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I have been pretty tough on the Mormons - and deservedly so in my view - who have been providing a disproportionate amount of the funding for the "Yes on 8" crowd. As with anything, however, not all Mormons are religious zealots/bigots who seek to deprive same sex couples of equality under the civil laws. A case in point is the family of Steve Young, a former 49er's quarterback and more significantly, the great-great-great grandson of Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon church. According to Andrew Sullivan, the Young family has contributed $37,000 to support the efforts to defeat Proposition 8. Here are some highlights from the San Francisco Chronicle:
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The signs on the front lawn of former 49er quarterback Steve Young's Peninsula home say "No on Prop. 8," which normally wouldn't be much of a story in the Bay Area, a gay-friendly region which is the center of opposition to the effort to ban same-sex marriage in the state. But Young isn't only a Hall of Fame quarterback. He's also the great-great-great grandson of Brigham Young, the second president of the Mormon church. The church has pushed hard and publicly for Prop. 8 and Mormons have pumped millions into the campaign. Young also isn't just any church member. During his years in the NFL, he was one of the nation's most visible Mormons.
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Given all that, it's surprising to see Young's family lining up on the opposite side of the church, especially after Mormon leaders in Salt Lake City sent a letter last June that asked all California church members to do all they could to support the Prop. 8 effort by "donating of your means and time to assure that marriage in California is legally defined as being between a man and a woman." While it's Barb Young's name that appears on the checks, she made it clear in a statement issued today through Equality California that the contributions are a family affair
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"We believe ALL families matter and we do not believe in discrimination, therefore, our family will vote against Prop. 8," she said. I am very passionate about this issue and Steve is completely supportive of me and my work for equality.
