California Justice
Well, as promised, today at 10am Pacific Time, the California Supreme Court handed down it’s ruling on the two issues facing it. They found in an 8-1 ruling that Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment that withdrew equal marriage rights in California was in fact a proper amendment. It allowed the voter initiative defining marriage between a man and a woman to stand effectively writing discrimination (as found unconstitutional by the same court) into the California Constitution. It also ruled in a unanimous vote that the 18,000 same sex couples who got married prior to the November election would not lose their status as legally married in California. So, both sides got something but neither side is happy. There are now 2 classes of gay couples. Those who are legally married and those who are not…in the same state. I can’t wait to see how they handle divorce. Tonight, rather than go too much further in expressing my own disappointment in this ruling (after all, it doesn’t change anything for me since in Michigan I’m still a second class citizen regardless of what California does) I will simply post the press release from Equality California:
LOS ANGELES – Following the California Supreme Court’s decision today to uphold Prop. 8, which stripped same-sex couples of their right to marry, Equality California (EQCA) vowed to win marriage back at the ballot box. EQCA released the following statement as well as a memo to members and allies detailing its recommendations to return to the ballot in 2010.Statement from Marc Solomon, EQCA’s Marriage Director:
“Today’s ruling is a miscarriage of justice. No minority group should have to defend its right to equality at the ballot.
“Despite today’s setback, Equality California is committed to restoring the freedom to marry. We believe, as do the majority of our members, that 2010 is the best time to return to the ballot to repeal Prop. 8. We must take full advantage of the momentum and commitment people now have to do the work required on the ground. However, we will make the final decision on when to return in collaboration with our coalition partners and allies throughout the state.
“We have already launched a mobilization campaign to reach more than 300,000 Californians in the next 100 days in places where we need the most movement-Los Angeles County, San Diego, Orange County, the Inland Empire, the Central Valley and Sacramento, and over the coming weeks we will expand our efforts with our partners and tens of thousands of volunteers.
“We do not underestimate the challenge of implementing a strong ballot campaign. Introducing ballot language is simple; winning an affirmative referendum on the freedom to marry will be difficult and expensive. But we have confidence that we can and will prevail.
“We look forward to working with our coalition partners to make a final decision on when to return to the ballot and to putting together one powerful, winning campaign program to ensure that committed, same-sex couples are once again able to enjoy the dignity and protections that marriage provides.”
To read the entire memo detailing arguments for 2010 versus 2012, please visit www.eqca.org/2010v2012memo
This is not the end of the fight, both sides know it. By 2012 at the latest, it’s very likely that a campaign to repeal this amendment would succeed especially considering that the current amendment passed by only a very slim margin. As I’ve said in previous posts, it is ALWAYS 1 step forward, 2 steps back. Gay marriage will be a reality in my lifetime, it’s only a matter of time.
Tags: California, discrimination, equality california, gay marriage, GLBT, Prop 8, same sex
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