PROP 8 WITNESS ADMITS FEDERAL ANTI-GAY LAWS CONSTITUTE "OFFICIAL DISCRIMINATION"

Acknowledges that the "Defense of Marriage Act" and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" discriminate against gays and lesbians

SAN FRANCISCO, CA -- Rick Jacobs, Chair of the Courage Campaign Institute, released the following statement in response to Proposition 8 defense witness and supporter Prof. Kenneth Miller's acknowledgment that the "Defense of Marriage Act" and "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" both constitute "official discrimination" against gays and lesbians. Miller is currently being cross-examined by attorney David Boies, representing the plaintiffs in the Prop 8 trial:

"Earlier today, we saw the foundation of the Prop 8 campaign strategy exposed -- a strategy intentionally fueled by lies and misinformation about gays and lesbians. Now, as David Boies destroys the opposition's case in his cross-examination of Prof. Kenneth Miller, we see that even Prop 8's own 'experts' admit that 'Don't Ask, Don't Tell' and the 'Defense of Marriage Act' are 'official discrimination' against LGBT people."

"They have now admitted what the rest of us have known for years: that the laws they promote and support constitute "official discrimination" against Americans."

"Today's testimony demonstrates clearly that the Prop 8 proponents were motivated by deep prejudice with a complete disregard for justice or fairness.  It's no wonder that Protect Marriage wanted to keep cameras out of the courtroom, given that the whole country would have seen their only witness so far destroy their case. Combined with this morning's revelations about Prop 8 backers equating same-sex marriage to pedophilia and 9/11, I cannot imagine this judge reaching any other conclusion but that Prop 8 is discriminatory and must be overturned."

Via the Prop 8 Trial Tracker web site, the Courage Campaign Institute has brought the proceedings to the public in real time,, garnering more than 1.1 million views and helping fuel an online community of "Trial Trackers" posting more than 11,000 comments to date. To view the Prop 8 Trial Tracker, go to:

http://www.Prop8TrialTracker.com