The Roundup: YouTube for Gay Marriage!

We're quote-a-holics here at gayrights.change.org. And while we know that celebrities are often used as a means of disgracing causes or candidates (liberals and their Susan Sarandons and Barbra Streisands!), when famous people talk, the public listens. In the case of gay marriage, and specifically the fight against California's Proposition 8, celebrities, community organizers and political activists have been a vocal force for equal rights.

Earlier this week, Ellen DeGeneres released a public service announcement -- after some sustained criticism from the LGBT rights movement, for not donating money to the No On Prop 8 effort -- urging Californians to defeat Proposition 8. She'll spend $100,000 of her own money to air the ad, which you can view below. As DeGeneres says in the ad, "I believe in fairness, I believe in compassion, I believe in equality for all people. Prop 8 does not. Please, please vote no on Prop 8."

Celebrities and community leaders are popping up all over for gay marriage, calling on voters to defeat anti-gay measures like California's prop 8. Here are ten videos featuring some of your favorite actors and actresses, community leaders and political activists standing up for same-sex marriage. But before you watch them, head on over to our action section, and pledge to tell a friend/colleague/family member to vote no on Prop 8.

Ellen DeGeneres: She might be the most famous lesbian in all of the United States, if not the world. We're glad to see her speaking out on this issue. Here's her PSA, and if you want to see her on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno calling for the defeat of Prop 8, click here.

Margaret Cho: This ad stresses the point that if you support marriage rights, you must vote "no" on Prop 8. It can be confusing for folks to think that they have to vote "no" if they are for something. Cho was sick during the filming of this PSA, so much so that she was almost fainting between takes. Now that's what I call dedication to the cause! And the best part is the last line, no doubt a reference to a certain Presidential candidate....

Molly Ringwald: "Same-sex marriage has been legal here for months, and nothing's happened." Amen, Molly. Ringwald does a guest turn in this excellent spoof on the "Mac vs. PC" advertising campaign. Standing next to her husband, Molly tells it like it is: "I would feel really horrible if two people who loved each other as much as we do couldn't get married."

Christine Chavez: The granddaughter of famed activist Cesar Chavez, she's no doubt making her grandfather proud by coming out against Proposition 8. Watch her whip a union rally into gear with her impassioned remarks. "For 45 years my grandfather stood up for what is right. Today, I celebrate and continue his legacy by standing up for LGBTQ families and their children."

Hon. Monica Garcia: She's the Board President of the Los Angeles Unified School District, but in the video below she's a powerful advocate for LGBT rights. "Although the target this time is the LGBT community, we have to say outloud what we want for our kids, our community. My California and my America does not stand for discrimination." No better way to say you are against putting discrimination into a state Constitution!

Jerry Sanders: He's the mayor of San Diego, and he's come a long way on gay marriage. During his mayoral campaign, he said he didn't support gay marriage. But after some soul-searching, he's come to realize that "the right thing for him to do" is support marriage rights for same-sex couples. This is an emotional press conference from a politician who has clearly struggled with the issue, but errs on the side of equal rights. Here's hoping future politicians follow the lead of Mayor Sanders.

Sen. Barbara Boxer: This clip is a bit dated, but it's short and sweet. From the 2006 YearlyKos conference: "I've been married for a very long time, and I can tell you that the fact that two people of the same gender care about each other and want to spend the rest of their lives together...that doesn't threaten my marriage one bit. And if anyone says that their marriage is threatened by that, then something is wrong with their marriage."

Mayor Gavin Newsom: He was ahead of the curve in 2004 when he legalized gay marriage in San Francisco. Newsom's ruling was later overturned, but four years later he was proved right. Now he's out urging voters to reject Prop 8. As he says, voting no on Prop 8 is a civil rights issue. He also points out that a Ronald Reagan appointee to the California Supreme Court wrote the lead opinion in the case that legalized gay marriage. Equality stretches across all political parties.

Therese Stewart: As the Chief Deputy City Attorney for San Francisco, Stewart gives a measured, reasonable and thorough answer as to why same-sex marriage is the more equal and just policy compared to domestic partner benefits and civil union laws. A great legal analysis.

Al Gore: Oh, what could have been. Well, he doesn't accompany this short speech with a powerpoint, but here's Al Gore coming out for marriage equality. For a second I thought he was going to hedge his bets (or "mend his fences"?) and stick with language about equal rights to sign contracts and visit sick partners in the hospital. But at 24 seconds into the clip, he calls for equal access to marriage rights for LGBT people.