Same-sex marriage in California -- still legal ... for now

Opponents of the historic decision to make same-sex marriage legal in California failed to derail the June 17 start date when their petition to delay was rejected, Maura Dolan reports.

The court reached its decision in a closed session. Voting against delaying the effective date of the May 15 ruling were Chief Justice Ronald M. George and Justices Joyce L. Kennard, Kathryn Mickle Werdegar and Carlos R. Moreno, the same four who joined the ruling to expand constitutional protections for gays and permit them to wed.

Voting to reconsider the decision were Justices Marvin R. Baxter, Ming W. Chin and Carol A. Corrigan, who dissented in the marriage ruling.

Next hurdle for opponents and supporters: a measure to reinstate the ban, which will appear on the November ballot.

-- Veronique de Turenne

Comments

[Kell Brigan]

Isn't "derailed" a bit judgmental for a piece that's not on the Op-Ed page? "Postpone" is far more accurate, especially since waiting until after the election would have possible (probably?) saved a whole lot of money and time that would/will now have to be spent rolling back the "marriages" after the amendment passes.

[Shannon in Sacramento]

Yeah, Kell, and it's not editorializing at all to assume that the initiative WILL pass. I'm counting on the voters of California to be fair-minded and recognize my basic human dignity as well as that of my fiancee's, which they shouldn't even be doing to begin with, by the way, because minority rights are supposed to be protected from the tyranny of the majority. [Talk about "tyranny" of the bench! How about "tyranny" of the homophobes?] And even if you want to go "the people's voice" route, the popularly-elected CA legislature already LEGALIZED same-sex marriage twice before Ahnold vetoed it - how is that not "tyranny" and "going against the will of the people"? And yet I'm sure anti-gay bigots had no problem.

It also saves money and time to not raise millions of dollars just to discriminate against people and wreck their lives; in fact, CA would make far MORE money with the legalization of same-sex marriage, if you even want to look at the cold capitalist aspect of it! But the bottom line is, anti-gay bigots are on the losing side of history and equality will win out. I will not let my life be stepped on and crushed. I will stand up and be counted.

[Philip]

I have to agree with Shannon, I wonder how kell would feel if she wasn't in the majority? It is really nauseating to me to think that someone else should have a say in who I marry. It's none of your business. Would Kell be ok if they rescinded women's rights? I wonder if she has an idea what civil rights she enjoys that are not in line with biblical teachings?
I think the voters of California will not authorize this ban, go ahead and whip all the fear and lies you want, people can see though it.
More bad news for Kell, there is no provision to roll back these marriages.

[Christo]

I've been reading some legal opinions. I am going to marry my partner of 9 years on July 2nd. Even if the amendment does pass in November, our marriage will be legal. The state law does not retroactively take away rights that it grants.

So, actually the specter of this amendment will get even MORE same sex couples to marry before November.

In the end, its going to happen. Just like your bigoted ancestors with the Womens' right to vote, and with interracial marriage, you will get used to it.

[BJ Homes]

On June 17, 2003, the Ontario Court of Appeal issued the following judgement: “The Clerk is directed to immediately begin issuing marriage licences to same-sex couples.”

Since that time about 15,000 gay or lesbian couples have been married in Canada. In Toronto, Ontario 4,650 licences had been issued to same-sex couples, making up 6 per cent of the total issued by the end of 2007.

Of course, none of the predictions from those opposed to same-sex marriage have come true. Our society has continued to function as normal and the sky has not fallen.

I hope Californian's allow same-sex Americans to enjoy the rights and privileges of heterosexuals as we have been doing now in Canada for five years.

BJ Homes
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada