Gay marriage ban vote motivates wealthy ex-Mormon

Posted on September 23, 2008
Filed Under Gay News Blog

When the Mormon Church called upon its members to “do all you can” to back California’s proposed gay-marriage ban, it inspired Utah entrepreneur Bruce Bastian.

He donated $1 million — to the opposition.

In one fell swoop of his pen, the WordPerfect co-founder outspent all Utah donors — 37 of them — who have pitched in $120,550 to push Proposition 8, a ballot measure seeking to eliminate California’s current recognition of same-sex couples marriages. The outcome could wind up framing the issue for other states.

Bastian, a former Mormon who is openly gay, made a smaller donation of $5,000 to the Human Rights Campaign’s “No on Prop 8″ committee earlier, in May, but he was “upset” when the LDS Church issued its statement in June urging members to back the proposed constitutional amendment. So he upped the ante with a seven-figure check.

The Mormon church “has no business (sticking) their big nose in something that’s a legal matter, not a religious matter,” Bastian said. “Constitutions are meant to protect minorities, not to take rights away from people.”

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, on its Web site, directs members who want to support Prop 8 to visit ProtectMarriage.com, which operates from Sacramento. Mormonsfor8. com, a Web site tracking Mormon donors through Internet research and word of mouth, pegs overall Mormon support as much higher.

Gay marriage ban vote motivates wealthy ex-Mormon
Oakland Tribune, CA