Truth matters. Community matters. Your support makes both possible. LAist is one of the few places where news remains independent and free from political and corporate influence. Stand up for truth and for LAist. Make your year-end tax-deductible gift now.
This is an archival story that predates current editorial management.
This archival content was written, edited, and published prior to LAist's acquisition by its current owner, Southern California Public Radio ("SCPR"). Content, such as language choice and subject matter, in archival articles therefore may not align with SCPR's current editorial standards. To learn more about those standards and why we make this distinction, please click here.
El Coyote Prop 8 Lunch went 'Horribly Wrong'
Apparently the well intentioned free lunch to discuss El Coyote manager Marjorie Chrisoffersen's $100 donation to pass Prop 8, ultimately eliminating gay marriage in California, did not go one bit well.
"A floor manager stood in the middle of the back room where the community conference and stated that 'El Coyote DOES NOT share the same views as Marjorie.' He stated that 89 families were going to be affected by this boycott and one of the community members screamed out '18,000 families already HAVE been affected!'," Micah at the blog Shut I Know wrote. Then:
While the floor manager continued talking, it became more obvious that what this community conference was about, was distancing Marjorie from El Coyote itself. Marjorie walked out with (her two daughters?) on arm and spoke visibly shaken and full of remorse from a prepared statement. This prepared statement was IDENTICAL to the email she send out and that is posted in the comments of the previous posting...which REALLY didn't make people happy.
At all.
[snip]
A gentleman by the same of Sam, who said he was an ex-member of the Mormon Church, asked if she was willing to donate to NO on 8.
She started crying.
A representative of the restaurant stepped in and stated that El Coyote was going to donate to Lambda Legal and the Gay and Lesbian Center and Sam said, I asked HER what SHE was going to do.
Marjorie said: "I will not."
Japhy Grant, Edtior at Queerty said it best about today's situation: "Say what you will (and I know you will), but there are no winners here."
A protest planned for outside El Coyote will happen tomorrow evening.
You come to LAist because you want independent reporting and trustworthy local information. Our newsroom doesn’t answer to shareholders looking to turn a profit. Instead, we answer to you and our connected community. We are free to tell the full truth, to hold power to account without fear or favor, and to follow facts wherever they lead. Our only loyalty is to our audiences and our mission: to inform, engage, and strengthen our community.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Right now, LAist has lost $1.7M in annual funding due to Congress clawing back money already approved. The support we receive before year-end will determine how fully our newsroom can continue informing, serving, and strengthening Southern California.
If this story helped you today, please become a monthly member today to help sustain this mission. It just takes 1 minute to donate below.
Your tax-deductible donation keeps LAist independent and accessible to everyone.
Senior Vice President News, Editor in Chief
