California marriage ban overruled

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Published time: August 05, 2010 20:34
Edited time: October 27, 2010 11:47

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Human rights, Law, Sex, USA

Proposition 8, the constitutional amendment that made gay marriage illegal in California, has been stayed by a district court judge. Although the fight is not over, many in Los Angeles were celebrating.

“California is always a state that is a leader. People follow what goes on in California and hopefully the other states will follow,” said Bill Steinberg

Steinberg and his husband decided to join the hundreds of gay marriage supporters because they wanted to lend their face to the cause. Parents of a 20 month old, they got married just before the same sex marriage ban was approved by voters in November of 2008.

“When proposition 8 passed, we had tears of sadness and it was like a terrible day and today we had tears of joy, it was a complete opposite feeling,” said Steinberg.

Other gay couples also brought their children, but this type of family is exactly what the people behind proposition eight did not want to see. Proponents of the gay marriage ban called the judge’s ruling disturbing, saying that the ruling goes against the will of millions of California voters.

“I’m disappointed at today’s decision because I do feel like I live in a dictatorship now, that my vote doesn’t count, my vote basically didn’t matter, why did I go out to the polls and vote for prop 8 when one unelected judge can just overturn that,” said Luke Otterstad, a gay marriage opponent.

Judge Vaughn Walker, who was appointed by former president George W. Bush and is one of the few openly gay US judges, said there was no rational basis from excluding gays and lesbians from marriage.

Prop 8 backers say all they were trying to do was to restore and strengthen the traditional definition of marriage. They vow to keep fighting, but that isn’t stopping the celebration in West Hollywood. This neighborhood has warmly embraced the gay community. Even Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa joined the crowd, and encouraged them to also keep fighting.

"This fight isn’t just about marriage equality, it’s about respect. Today is a great day for California,” said Villaraigosa.

Opponents of same sex marriage have a much different opinion and believe the high court will uphold the constitutional ban.

“I do think Proposition 8 will be upheld by the Supreme Court and that we will preserve marriage between a man and a woman for future generations,” said Otterstad.

Comments (6)

Aaron (unregistered) 24.10.2011 11:10

This scares me on many levels.
I have nothing against gays getting married in civil unions (not churches, thank you. As it is against (or should be if it's a real church) the beliefs of said people in a building and it is their right to observe it). However, this - is pure bull crap.

Why do you ask? Because the people's voice was silenced by the government. Even if it isn't politically correct, to go against law enacted by the vote of the people in itself and to over-turn it is a frightening prospect indeed. Does that mean if I get just a good enough lawyer against a law I don't like, but the majority of the population agrees with, that I can overturn and get rid of it by going behind the people's backs?

Basica lly - what I'm saying is - Let the states and people have their say. The people didn't want it. Yet, things were done behind their backs. It was voted upon fairly and it was fairly won/lost however you want to look at it. Feel free to get mad, but don't force people to adhere to your desires. Besides - the arguments I've heard about allowing gay marriage (the benefits mostly) are pure ridiculous. If you love someone, does it really matter if you get a tax break? Shouldn't being with them be enough for you? Just because I am with a woman doesn't mean I'm entitled to tax breaks - and regardless, if you removed the fraudulent taxes placed on the American people (thank you IRS and going behind Congress' back... Federal Frickin' Reserve), there's really no benefit altogether. So, yeah - got off track. Regardless, we can view the "benefits" as another class divide that was instilled by the rulers of this country to divide and conquer once again - to cause hate between communities (straight and gay) so, once more - they don't look at the people who enacted said laws, taxes, etc.

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Rob Poliblog 27.10.2010 07:08

Man this is a serious thing that is happening and it has nothing to do with gay or being queer or BI-sexuality which is what most of it is anyway. NO! This is about a state having the right to its own rule and also for the concept of majority rule. The gays better see it real quick that in a few years from now, there are not gonna be hardly any super-liberal federal judges any more. Watch- we are gonna start getting rid of them left n right right after congress is rid of them. OH YES they can be pressured to resign by majority Americans believe me. With this writing on the wall so clearly to well some of us -- the gays are gonna be the last crowd that want a single judge to have the power to overthrow what an entire majority in a state sponsored vote mandates. Afew short years from now its gonna be all common sinse middle road judges at all posts (you know the one that liberals try to paint off as being Right-wing. Then what wil the ueers do? They'd be screaming how majority rule should be respected and how a state has rights to govern itself instead of some practical federal judge who refuses to give gays special rights over everybody else. Wow. They would be right too for the very very first time on an important social issue. I cant believe gays arent already screaming bloody murder over islam and its sharia law that follows it where ever it goes. Sharia law mandates that gays be put to death. Bloody murder alright. I used to think gays were pretty smart collectively when it came to watching there own back n thinking ahead.

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CYFBT5 26.08.2010 08:24

USA, California: I am male heterosexual. And I really have to say that i think that it's a sad state of affairs that this is even an issue. Discrimination against same sex marriages is just plain ignorant, born of fear, misinformation, and disinformation. Let's work to abolish ignorance!

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