Comments on: The California Supreme Court Rules To Uphold Prop 8, Uphold Ban On Same-Sex Marriage

By: Jazz

Jazz — Wed, 27 May 2009 14:57:33 +0000

Straight people make more of a butchery of marriage than gay people ever will.

By: Bleeding Ears

Bleeding Ears — Tue, 26 May 2009 22:01:27 +0000

In response to me? I wasn’t aware I asked you something… haha

By: Anony

Anony — Tue, 26 May 2009 21:48:10 +0000

I am glad that the CA supreme court seems to have issued an impartial ruling in this case, but in response to “bleeding ears” I have to say simply: we don’t know people are gay. I can’t imagine WHY someone would choose to be gay if they knew that a large proportion of the population would spew hatred at them. It just doesn’t make sense. I have my own theories of nature AND nurture, but no time for that here…

However, that being said, I am glad that no one (at least in the threads I can see) is bashing any religion. Nothing will be accomplished by either side if subgroups of the “for” and “against” are being malicious and hateful towards each other. This calls for a civil dialogue and understanding of both sides of this highly charged issue, not for knee-jerk reactions and maliciousness.

I have about a dozen gay friends, and I have appreciated their willingness to listen to me, and they have expressed the same for me being willing to listen to their side, and while we don’t agree, we can disagree without being disagreeable.

By: Sirena

Sirena — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:53:37 +0000

I tried not to get my hopes up, but I am so devastated. Today, the coolness of that supercoolest of states has dimmed.
Everyone in this country knows – even those that are devoting everything they have to suppressing the marriage rights of gays in this country – we all know that the tide will keep moving toward freedom for all. This is an inevitability, and only time will tell the truth about the tyranny that tied us in the past. And by saying “us,” I mean all of us as a part of the great human family. If I, a married, heterosexual conservative woman can say this – hardly someone on the edge of a terrifying lunatic fringe hell-bent on destroying marriage forever – can’t we all?

Dr. King said something that resonates with the fight for civil rights for all humankind. Today that fight is for marriage rights for gays. Tomorrow, it might be for something that you hold profoundly dear:

When our days become dreary with low-hovering clouds of despair, and when our nights become darker than a thousand midnights, let us remember that there is a creative force in this universe, working to pull down the gigantic mountains of evil, a power that is able to make a way out of no way and transform dark yesterdays into bright tomorrows. Let us realize the arc of the moral universe is long but it bends toward justice.
Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

By: Bleeding Ears

Bleeding Ears — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:52:04 +0000

@yaya… I’m just curious, do you think gay people choose to be gay or do you think they are born gay?

By: Janelle

Janelle — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:35:21 +0000

@Ally – I’m so glad someone else was thinking what I was thinking.
I’m so ashamed of my state, though.

By: Kent

Kent — Tue, 26 May 2009 20:02:05 +0000

It’s just such a “come here / go away” duality to uphold the ban (boo) yet continue to recognize the legality of marriages performed last year (yay).
…
Living in a place where gay marriage has been legal for quite some time, it’s plain to see that ONE DAY the right thing will be done in California. When it is, it won’t take long for the citizens of that state to grow with the understanding that this simply another aspect of life in a contemporary society – like audio crosswalks for blind pedestrians, awesome new Star Trek movies, and figuring out what you can do in your own home to combat climate change. It’s just part of life and that’s that.

By: Aaron

Aaron — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:44:33 +0000

We all have to remember how this went down. A large percent morons used millions of dollars to spread lies, fear and misinformation to the people they believed would listen to them and vote accordingly. In this case, it was the church which is primarily African Americans who then believed that their pastors would be hauled off to jail if they failed to perform same-sex weddings. This was just one of many ads that ran when Prop 8 was on the ballot. It was a blatant lie and totally ridiculous. Due to the fact that Obama was running for president, there was already a higher than average turn out rate of African American voters…So where do we go from here? It’s about educating the people who vote against us. In America there is a separation of church and state. Likewise, there should be a separation between state and what two consenting adults do in the privacy of their home.

By: Meghan

Meghan — Tue, 26 May 2009 19:18:21 +0000

How sad is it that same sex couples can get married in Iowa, but not in California??? That is just ridiculous. Who would have thought Iowa more progressive than California?

By: daniela

daniela — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:59:31 +0000

Even though I am not an American and not gay, it’s still upsetting. I was crossing my fingers that those stuffy old men and dried up prunes would actually open their minds. It’s a small consolation that they won’t annul the marriages made during the six months but at least it’s something?
I really do hope they’ll put out another referendum next year. Come on Cali, what the ??

By: Jstar

Jstar — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:58:05 +0000

My heart aches…

By: Derek

Derek — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:39:58 +0000

This is really terrible news, I hope everyone will go out to a rally tonight, they are in 93 different cities.

By: Ally

Ally — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:25:42 +0000

Trent — I hope three years of law school helped that one. Ha! I sincerly hope that there is someone out there thinking the same thing that has enough experience to win.

By: Todd

Todd — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:23:11 +0000

Too sad for words. I also am not surprised at the outcome but was hoping for a miracle.
Me and my b/f have been together for over 14 years, he is even an ordained minister and has already led a wedding. Yet we 2 cannot get married.
Atleast here in WA state as of June 26th we will have all the rights of a married couple under the new domestic partnership for same sex couples. Of course, the religious right here is now starting a ref 71 to overturn that, even though domestic partnership has absolutely nothing to do with the church.
All I want is to spend the rest of my life with the one I love. Let them keep saying we’re “illegal”, it’s not gonna break us up. It makes us stronger in our love. No one, especially the government or churches will ever take that from me. EVER!!!

By: Amanda in San Diego

Amanda in San Diego — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:13:34 +0000

I know that we’ll see the day that every Californian has equal right to marry in my lifetime, I have no doubt. That’s clearly not the case right now but this goes to show that we have a long way to go in our fight for true equality for all. Just as women had to fight for their vote and African-Americans have fought for freedom & equality, our Gay & Lesbians citizens are also forced to fight for their rights. We as Americans have always fought for our freedom and this is no different. Straight against H8!

By: yea

yea — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:11:52 +0000

I couldn’t care less. OMFG so not p.c. but I don’t really care-

By: Sweet_Lady

Sweet_Lady — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:11:27 +0000

very disappointing to hear.

By: Madsme

Madsme — Tue, 26 May 2009 18:08:31 +0000

Boo. Poor show, California. Get out of the bedroom already.

By: Mr. Gyllenhaal

Mr. Gyllenhaal — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:55:34 +0000

SO SAD

By: Cam

Cam — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:43:33 +0000

Even though the court has upheld Proposition 8, a key portion of the court’s May 15, 2008, decision remains intact. Sexual orientation will continue to receive the strongest constitutional protection possible when California courts consider cases of alleged discrimination. The California Supreme Court is the only state high court in the nation to have elevated sexual orientation to the status of race and gender in weighing discrimination claims.

By: brenda

brenda — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:43:31 +0000

SAD.

By: It's Trent, Bitch!

It's Trent, Bitch! — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:43:30 +0000

@Ally — you are absolutely right, your legal explanation is right on. I’ve always contended that this matter will be taken up on the national level, which is why Supreme Court nominees are VERY important.

By: Ally

Ally — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:41:21 +0000

This is extremely unfortunate. From a legal stand point, I believe that the CA Supreme Court did what they had to. Their job is to uphold the constitution and since the amendment is now part of that constitution, they upheld it. I think the best thing to happen right now is for a couple that legally marries in one state (say Iowa), moves somewhere that will not let them marry but will recognize the union (I believe DC does this) and then moves to a state where they would not be allowed to get married AND will not recognize their union (like say VA). Then they could challenge the state (VA) based on equal protection, reciprocity, and I’m sure other things that I do not have the time to research. Since most states will recognize civil unions from other states even if they do not allow it in their state, I think it would work. Like a Dread Scott (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D......_Sandford) for the modern age, but hopefully more successful.

By: VV

VV — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:34:16 +0000

Very disappointing, but not hugely surprising. There will be equality one day, but it’ll be a long slog.

By: shannon

shannon — Tue, 26 May 2009 17:28:00 +0000

Personally, I find the fact that the 18,000 same-sex marriages performed before Prop 8 passed are still valid to be even more discriminatory than Prop 8 itself. I’m a believer in all or nothing in this case. Either legally recognize same-sex marriages regardless of when they were performed or don’t legally recognize them at all.

California residents: start collecting signatures now to get a Constitutional amendment on your ballot that overturns Prop 8 entirely and truly makes all monogamous marriages in the state equal.