Gay marriage backers cheer rejection of Prop. 8

Backers of same-sex marriage in California immediately cheered a federal judge's decision to invalidate Prop. 8.

“This ruling marks a victory for loving, committed couples who want nothing more than the same rights and security as other families,” Rea Carey, executive director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, said minutes after Walker’s ruling was released. “From the start, this has been about basic fairness.”

Ramona Ripston, executive director of the ACLU of Southern California, also hailed the ruling.

"This decision affirms that in America, we don't treat people differently because of their sexual orientation," she said in a statement."We rejoice at today's decision but there's a long road ahead toward establishing true marriage equality for same-sex couples."

Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown, the Democratic gubernatorial nominee, also released a statement: "In striking down Proposition 8, Judge Walker came to the same conclusion I did when I declined to defend it: Proposition 8 violates the equal protection guarantee of the 14th Amendment of the United States Constitution by taking away the right of same-sex couples to marry, without a sufficient governmental interest."

Rallies are planned for the afternoon and evening in San Francisco's Castro District as well as in West Hollywood and downtown L.A.

-- Carol J. Williams and Anna Gorman

Comments

[NotAHater]

"It is a sad day when perversion is given public approval. What will be the next one to be approved? Think about it!!! "

I'm confused. Perhaps you can explain what you mean by perversion...

[B C]

The only reason that anyone can contrive to be against same sex marriage is 99 % of the time religious.

Therefore in my opinion Prop 8 not only attacked the 14th amendment it also clearly was an attack on the first amendment and our right to freedom of religion. The basis being if you force your religious ideology on me than you are taking away my freedom of religion.

I am sure people will react almost violently to what I have written but nothing any of you can say will sway me. Furthermore if this type of religious extremism is allowed to continue to fester, yes that right I said it fester like a an infected boil.

Than just think about what else can be stripped away from you by a knee jerk reaction by someone who thinks they know what is good for you. Imagine if the religion you are so loyal too is suddenly found to be unacceptable and was suddenly made illegal so you could not practice it any more.

How would you bible thumpers react to that?

[Code]

Reading the comments from those who are for banning same sex marriage is saddening. There is nothing like being discriminated against and not having equal rights. You all should be ashamed of yourselves. This is the 21st century. Not 1930. As for the God comments.... God does not hate or discriminate... Why do you?

[Rex Boone]

Rosie. No one is forcing you to marry the woman of your dreams and share your life with her. You can still keep Traditional Marriage all to yourself. If you stopped obsessing over this issue and went back to your "normal" life, I bet you would never encounter a gay couple in your entire life. You would not even have to know that we exist.

In a way, it's kinda like how I view people like you. I know you are out there but I don't really have to intereact with you. You don't generally have any impact on my life or do me any harm. Well, unless you are bashing my head with a baseball bat because I am an abomination to your God.

Generally, I don't even have to know that your God exists, either. I get along just fine without Him or you.

[A Capone]

Hey D Hall, it's not that your opinion doesn't matter, it's just that your opinion is discriminatory and the U.S. Constitution prohibits you from making laws to discriminate against people just because you don't like them. Next time you go vote, think about what you're doing, ok? :)

[A Capone]

Hey D Hall, it's not that your opinion doesn't matter, it's just that your opinion is discriminatory and the U.S. Constitution prohibits you from making laws to discriminate against people just because you don't like them. Next time you go vote, think about what you're doing, ok? :)

[Renee]

There are gays and lesbians around us everywhere! Dating, having intercourse, living together,etc etc. Doing every day things that a straight male and female do. Has it ever stopped you from living your life? Have you even noticed?? So they want to have the right to make a vowed commitment to eachother promising there love and devotion. Will it hurt you? No we will go on doing the same things we do everyday... And so will they. Get over it

p.s. Not everyone believes in God, so what? are we going to stop them from being married as well?

[Cat]

We have the separation of church and state for a reason. When someone's civil rights are taken away "because the Bible says it's wrong", it's a violation of that separation. Marriage is something regulated by the government, not the church. We also have freedom of religion in this country, so who's to say that the Bible is the deciding factor, anyway?

[Brandon]

What a great day for civil rights everywhere. I hope that any person of color, woman, person with a disability, or anyone else who has ever been discriminated against for being "different" will recognize the importance of this ruling. Gay rights parallel the rights of other minorities who have been oppressed for so long. If you are a woman, ethnic minority or any other type of minority who wishes to deny gay people of their basic human rights than you are obviously oblivious to the struggles that African Americans experienced during the Civil Rights movement or women faced during the suffrage movement. Maybe you should just give up your equality and subjugate yourself to the white, Anglo-Saxon, heterosexual man since you are asking gay people to subjugate themselves to unfair laws. To quote the great Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere", and today one such threat was removed.

[CG]

Great statement by Eric: "Nobody's vote was taken away ... their vote was simply found TO GO AGAINST THE MOST BASIC IDEALS OF THE NATION." So very true. I'm so glad that we have a federal government that recognizes bigotry and hate and does something to combat it! Prop 8 was unjust and UNCONSTITUTIONAL. To all the bigots who are in support of Prop 8 - here's a question for you: how many of you are DIVORCED? Divorce destroys 'sanctity of marriage'. Two loving people do not. Why don't you put your energy into outlawing divorce, instead?

[kuruc]

only in amerika can a"judge" overule the majority on EVERY meaningful proposition. stop the hipocracy, no more propositions, no more voting. let the "judges" run our lives.

[Rosie]

In Reply to:

***Perversion? Dear Rosie, you are the real pervert. Denying a person's basic rights is flat out immoral and unconstitutional. I'm not gay but applaud those that are, because it takes true strength to stand up to bigots like yourself. Thank god that those in the Federal Government finally made a decision that really matters and means something important. ***

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So sorry Jennifer but you are obviously the pervert and a pervert supporter. Since when do Basic Right's include acts of perversion? You are a sad person indeed. Enjoy the sick society that you are helping to create. At least I will have a clear conscience in not being supportive of immorality.

So please tell me what is the next immoral perversion that you plan to support and approve of?

[Rosie]

In Reply to Rex:

Rosie. No one is forcing you to marry the woman of your dreams and share your life with her. You can still keep Traditional Marriage all to yourself. If you stopped obsessing over this issue and went back to your "normal" life, I bet you would never encounter a gay couple in your entire life. You would not even have to know that we exist.

In a way, it's kinda like how I view people like you. I know you are out there but I don't really have to intereact with you. You don't generally have any impact on my life or do me any harm. Well, unless you are bashing my head with a baseball bat because I am an abomination to your God.

Generally, I don't even have to know that your God exists, either. I get along just fine without Him or you.
****************************************************************

Dear Rex,
The only impact you might have on my life is if you try to force me (by pushing Government acceptance of immorality) to accept your immoral beliefs.

I never mentioned God, but it is beginning to occur to me that this subject is definitely a black and white one with one side being considered good (traditional marriage) and one side evil (homosexuality and marriage). Why is this do you think? The answer is quite obvious but since it makes all homosexuals feel a guilty pricking of their conscience they will not admit to it. It is pretty clear to me that the whole pushing of approval for gays and trying to be a part of "traditional marriage" is so that they don't have to feel guilty for their immoral acts. Do you all really think that forcing and getting public approval will fix this??? Unfortunately it will just lead to the approval of even more immorality, just wait and see. Then you will have no one to blame but yourselves.

[Brandon]

Obviously these religious bigots who feel that they have the right to "protect" the sanctity of marriage have no grasp on the concept of perversion. According to the dictionary a "pervert" is A) a person who practices sexual perversion, or B) a person who has been perverted, esp. to a religious belief regarded as erroneous. Last time I checked religion is not our basis for determining what is sexually perverse. It's unfortunate that these religious zealots can not even formulate an intelligent argument to support their views that homosexuality is wrong. It would be nice to engage in an educated discussion with one of them, but how can you argue with a person whose only justification for their opinion is "The Bible says so". If there is an intelligent person out there who can provide any empirical evidence supporting the deleterious effects of gay marriage, I'd love to have a debate with you. But I have yet to meet one, so I guess I will just have to rejoice in the fact that the majority of intelligent, educated people are on the side of equality for everyone.

[B C]

I have news for you Rosie, if you try to take someones rights and privileges away from them then that makes you the evil one. I will fight anyone who tries to take my rights away as you yourself have apparently tried to do.

[John Taylor]

You have in America a constitution that states unequivically that all men are created equal, with the same rights and agency as each other. Constitutional law is held to be above all else, the glue that binds a nation, protects against oppression of groups and ensures that the country endures and cannot be over-ridden simply and easily without a more serious assessment then prop 8 provides

Proposition 8 actually goes contrary to this principle. It forwards De toqville's Tyranny of the majority theory almost to the letter. A minority group that exists within society is oppressed and has its rights limited due to the desires of a majority (i am not saying that the majority of americans think this just the the majority of people who voted went for prop 9).

Therefore i salute you judge walker, you have not only upheld human rights but the american constitution in one step. All we need now is something similar to happen in the UK and get rid of the false distinction done purely by name for civil partnerships and marriges and i will be totally happy.

ps As for the religion argument that is surely equally unconsitutional, to argue that one religion should be allowed to dictate terms to the entirety of soceity?

[Rosie]

In Reply to Code:

Reading the comments from those who are for banning same sex marriage is saddening. There is nothing like being discriminated against and not having equal rights. You all should be ashamed of yourselves. This is the 21st century. Not 1930. As for the God comments.... God does not hate or discriminate... Why do you?

******************************************************************

God's word does indeed state that He loves Everyone, but it very clearly lists many verses that list homosexuality as a sin. There is one in the New Testament that states that, along with other perversions, people who practice homosexuality will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven. But God does forgive those who ask for forgiveness and turn from these sins. Look it up.

Any born again Christian has the responsibility to care for and love all people, but that does not mean that they have to support or approve of perversions. But it sure looks like there are people out there who don't feel they should have this "basic right".

Isn't part of being American having the Right to Vote and Choose? It would seem that there are people out there who also would like to take that right away. Sounds like discrimination and bigotry to me. Where are the "Equal Rights" here?

Believe it or not Bigotry and Discrimination can go Both Ways!!!

[Rosie]

In Reply to John Taylor:

ps As for the religion argument that is surely equally unconsitutional, to argue that one religion should be allowed to dictate terms to the entirety of soceity?

********************************************************************

I have got an Idea! Why don't we just let perversion and immorality dictate the terms of the Entire Society? Doesn't that sound good?

[Zach25]

Lol. Oh Rosie. I can just see you now. It's usually someone who has a negative self image or is very depressed who attempts to call others "perverted" with no logical reason except for "God says so"... You should try quoting someone whose existence has actually been proven. Can you even come up with a good reason as to why being gay or participating in a gay relationship is perverted? ...

[Rosie]

Lol. Oh Rosie. I can just see you now. It's usually someone who has a negative self image or is very depressed who attempts to call others "perverted" with no logical reason except for "God says so"... You should try quoting someone whose existence has actually been proven. Can you even come up with a good reason as to why being gay or participating in a gay relationship is perverted? ...

TO Zach25:

Enjoy Your Afterlife, It Should Be Interesting!!! I am so sorry to tell you but I am a very stable, happy person, but by your posting I can tell that You Are Not.

[Rosie]

Thank god someone knows what our laws mean and that all men and women are created equal. The stupidity that led to having people vote on this issue is like asking people in the 1800's whether slavery was evil.

**************************************************************

Dear S: Who Created "all men and women"???

[Rosie]

I have news for you Rosie, if you try to take someones rights and privileges away from them then that makes you the evil one. I will fight anyone who tries to take my rights away as you yourself have apparently tried to do.
***********************************************************

In Reply to BC;

It looks like backers of morality Will be Continuing to fight this immorality. I Will Also Continue to support My Rights Not to Be Forced to Accept Immorality!!!

What is immorality usually connected with? Let me see .... oh, that would be the evil, it certainly is Not connected with Good!!!

[SCMB]

@Brenda- its the persons choice to be homosexual not yours so nobody except God has the right to judge anyone and i dont understand why you would hold being gay against someone. If thats what makes them happy then let them be.

[Brandon]

Wow great arguments from a collection of fables written thousands of years ago, by men, to subjugate those they feared. Here are some other wonderful scriptures that we all should take into consideration.

"thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee" (Genesis 3:16),

"I have two daughters which have not known man; let me, I pray you, bring them out unto you, and do ye to them as is good in your eyes" (Genesis 19:8)

"When a man hath taken a wife, and married her, and it come to pass that she find no favour in his eyes, because he hath found some uncleanness in her: then let him write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house" (Deuteronomy 24:1)

So if we're going to use The Bible to condemn homosexuality I suppose we must accept that women are the property of their husbands, and thus should not be posting online without his permission. Additionally, all men can have as many wifes as they want, beat them for being disobedient, and discard them when they grow tired of them. Oh wait that sounds ridiculous. But it's "His word" so it must be honored. lol

[ta]

Multiple partners next. Oh, well.