Leonard Nimoy votes NO on Prop 8! William Shatner calls it 'dissident'?

The original “Star Trek” costars William Shatner and Leonard Nimoy, with their respective wives, attended the Walt Disney Concert Hall gala opening last weekend dedicated to Music Director Esa-Pekka Salonen, in his final season with the L.A. Philharmonic.

The Dish Rag asked Nimoy if he'd attended the wedding of his "Trek" costar George Takei (a.k.a. Lieutenant Sulu) to his longtime life partner, Brad Altman, and how he felt about Prop 8.

“We got an invite and sent George and Brad an e-mail and told them unfortunately we had to be in New York that day –- but we sent them our best wishes,” said Nimoy.

He added: “Absolutely NO on Prop 8 because I believe that gay people have every right to get married and share their lives. George and Brad have been together for many years. They have every right to be together in any way they choose. Prop 8 is completely unjust.”

Shatner was all too happy to talk about the night’s honoree: “I have followed Esa’s career to when he first came here, then to the Hollywood Bowl then to this amazing musical venue here.”

Since it was reported Takei did not invite him to his wedding due to their acrimonious history, we just asked about Prop 8.

“That’s not about music,” said Shatner, before concluding our chat. “That has a dissident sound to it." 

Dissident? Or just dissonant?

What’s up with Shatner?

How do you vote on Prop 8, which would make further gay marriages, such as Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi's nuptials, unlawful in California?

Photos: William Shatner and his wife, Elizabeth. Leonard Nimoy and his wife, Susan.
Courtesy of Mathew Imaging

Reporting: Leah Sydney

Comments

[tomk]

There are no reasons, real or imaginary, to oppose the right of gay people to marry other than simple hatred of gay people.

Proponents of Prop 8 want to enshrine homophobia into California's constitution and turn gay people into second-class citizens.

Please, for the sake of your brothers, sisters, sons, daughters, relatives, friends, neighbors, co-workers — Vote NO on Prop 8!

[MISSING LINK]

I am voting NO on 8!

Please side with common sense and equal rights.

When the author of this silly story asked you how you are going to vote on Prop 8, she didn't mention that the Los Angeles Times' editorial board is strongly opposed to Prop. 8.

"We fervently hope that voters...vote no on Proposition 8." (http://www.latimes.com/news/opinion/la-ed-marriage8-2008aug08,0,1229155.story)

[Andrew]

tomk, There are reasons to oppose the right of homosexuals to marry and it's not about hating. A select group, a minority group, should not impose their will on the rest of society. Put same sex marriage on the ballot, don't get activist judges to overturn a vote that was already made. For the sake of our brothers, sisters, sons,daughters, relatives, etc, let our vote count this time!

[Yes on 8!]

Prop 8 is necessary. Domestic partnership is for homosexual relationships and marriage is for heterosexual relationships. It's not about a phobia it's about protecting marriage.

[e]

Live Long & Prosper Shatner & Nimoy!

My husband is Welsh.
I'm African/Asian.
40 years ago these fear mongering, hate filled bigots would have targeted us.

If 1 of us isn't free, none of us are!

NO ON 8!

[Tinker]

Western society has, over the course of thousands of years, observed and concluded that the best environment for the development of children is a one mother, one father family. Not two fathers, not two mothers, and not one daddy with five mothers, not just a mother, and not just a father.

With that in mind, American society has wisely decided to encourage that kind of family by granting it legal privileges. It's as simple as that.

Marriage is not a right, it's a simple legal privilege enacted for the betterment of children.

Not everything is about you, you self-centered morons.

[Andrew]

Yes on Prop 8! Thank you LA Times for posting my Yes on Prop 8 comment though most media outlets oppose Prop 8. Just educating Californians about the backward approach to allow same sex marriage will bring them to their common sense to support defining marriage between man and woman. What's next? Humans marrying animals? Why not polygamy? Don't humans have the capacity to love more than one person equally? Let's keep it traditional please!

[Gen Y]

Vote Yes on 8

I have co-workers that are gay and love them. I believe they have the right to have their own beliefs and to live their lives as they please.

However, they shouldn't be redefining marriage for the rest of California. Not only that, imagine the amount of tax dollars that will be spent on paying for lawsuits against organizations that do not believe in homosexuality? This has already happened in Mass. and other countries that allow gay marriage. In other words, by giving one right, we are taking away several other rights. I don't want to see that happen.

[Heinrich]

Unfortunately by allowing same-sex couples to marry opens pandora's box on many other things including the mandate to teach school children about same-sex marraige, forcing ministers to perform same-sex marraiges, etc, etc, etc. Vote Yest on Prop 8!

[James]

Prop 8 is wrong. It was the Supreme Court in the 60s that ruled 'Separate but Equal' is wrong for our schools. Now you would make that the law in California.

I'm sorry but that cannot be allowed.

Legally, marriage is a Civil Contract between two people. The religious aspect is completely separate. The 'Yes on 8' people would have you believe that this would force churchs to perform same-sex marriages or lose their tax exempt status. Again, not true. The Separation of Church and State forbid government from interfering in such decisions by churches. I seriously doubt that any self-respecting GBL couple would waste their time trying to get married at Cavalry Chapel or other 'churches' of that ilk.

Vote No on Prop 8. say not to Hate

[JOE B]

VOTE NO ON PROP 8

n 1947, California, as defined by the people, recognized the "traditional definition of marriage" as between a man and a woman - ONLY IF THEY WERE OF THE SAME RACE. What did this mean? If you are Indian, you could not marry a Filipino. If you are Black, you could not legally marry someone who is White. If you are Mexican, you could only legally marry another Mexican. These were called anti-miscegeny laws that were predominant throughout the United States. In fact, the religious leaders of the time who supported segregation also supported these anti-miscegeny laws in order to keep their white race pure. It was California in 1948, with our "activist and rogue" judges that struck down these laws. It wasn't until 1967 that the United States Supreme Court rule these anti-miscegenistic laws unconstitutional.

You would take away and deny the rights of a group of people? Did you truly belive that separate and equal was really equal? NO to BIGOTRY, NO to INEQUALITY, NO to INTEOLERANCE!

JUST NO ON PROP 8

[Jessica]

I believe that as an American, i have the right to vote for what I feel is best for society. I also believe that children are better off raised in a home with a mother and a father.

www.protectmarraige.com

Jessica/ Anaheim, CA

[JOEL C]

Now look at the flip side... If proposition 8 is not passed, Churches will be forced to recognize same-sex marriage as equal to traditional marriage. I believe that marriage is defined as between a man and a woman, and that is a large part of my religious beliefs. If my religion is forced to act against it's policies because of an ammendment to the constitution, how is that not inlerance and discrimination as well?
Please reconsider your opinions. Check out www.protectmarriage.com

Yes on Prop 8

[let them eat fertillity drugs]

The arguments against freedoms for adults to marry are silly. eg, if you are concerned about children, then you would not want their growing experiences to be limited to just two adults. Sociological fact: on average, children become more "rounded" when they learn from many people of many ages (grandparents, aunt, uncle, neighbor, friend's older siblings, etc).
Prop 8 is unconstitutional, as it violates "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech..." When churches move into government, the government becomes part of religion.
Whenever you can vote on a Proposition such as Prop 8, you should vote AGAINST the nanny state interfering with religion. Vote AGAINST state religion. Let the mullahs have their state religion, but keep it out of the USA. The intelligent, freedom-loving conclusion is to vote No on California's Nov 2008 Proposition 8.

[Michael]

Love the soul, not the behaviors. Ask (*earnestly*) the Creator (LOVE) if you are in line with LOVE. He (She, It, your Parent) will help you. Pray for your brothers and sisters and do not hit them over the head with political viewpoints. P.S. The Creator wants us to pray on our knees (if physically able), in private.

[Trueblue]

Just a few years ago inter-racial couples were outlawed and forbidden to get married. The religious nuts thought african americans to be animals and unclean. Same argument then same argument now. These zealots do not have christian love they have been blinded by hate.

[CherylA.]

Whatever happended to Separation of Church and State? Why isn't anyone talking about that? Most people that are for Prop 8 are tyring to impose their beliefs onto everyone else. We have the First Amendment for a reason - so that we can all lead our own lives in the manner in which we choose. By trying to pass Prop 8 it goes against so many things and detracts so many people's civil liberties. I'm sure that the same people that are for Prop 8 would be the same as those that burned witches at the stake.

[Michael]

Then pray for your "religious nut" bothers and sisters. Those who love LOVE will pray for their enemies (that is what we are commanded to do) -- prayer works. We have the right to worship LOVE freely. We do not have to tolerate those who are seeking the darkness. Again, pray for the destruction of spiritual principalities.

[Lucas]

Unbelievable how easily you people are swayed. wha'ts next leagalizing marriage between father and son, or man and dog. Don't mess with nature. Yes on Prop 8

[Winky]

Prop 8 before it's to late. Gay marriage...eewwwwwww. That's disgusting

[Jeff]

So...Who are we praying to? Your God, or mine? Who's is right? What does it matter, if the plank in my own eye keeps me from seeing anything correctly anyway?
Work on yourself, and help others on their life journeys.
That said, do not care so much about this world, so much that you would place judgments on others, in all cases. I have my views. They are not yours. Therefore, I should not force my will upon you, only give you my opinion if you ask for it.
Voting yes on 8 does nothing but impose my will on you. If you value personal freedoms....guns, privacy, whatever...
Then you should easily be able to relate. No on 8. Don't go down this road.

[Paul K]

I'm really getting sick of the lame reasons people have for supporting proposition 8 and writing discrimination into our State's constitution. Marriage was not designed to benefit children, if it was, then we wouldn't have Child Services pulling kids out of these heterosexual marriage homes every day. Marriage is a civil contract between two people. If your religion says that marriage is between a man and a woman, then marry someone of the opposite sex, it's really that simple. The supporters of Prop 8 love to say that we are imposing our beliefs on others which is quite ironic when you realize that their own personal religious beliefs is what is driving them to push their beliefs on the rest of society. Prop 8 is not saying you must marry someone of the same sex, it simply allows all citizens the right to marry who they choose, who they love. Divorce rates are higher than ever these days and more children are being pulled out of dysfunctional families. I know gay couples with children that are doing just fine, as a matter of fact, their son just graduated college and got married to his girlfriend of 5 years. My neighbor who is straight, lost both of his kids and is still on probation for domestic violence. Now how ironic is that? Let's just use some common sense here people please. This is the 21st century, years ago, blacks were second class citizens, next week, we might elect a black president. Years ago, women were second class citizens. Now they are powerful CEO's, governors and possibly a vice president. Gay people are in the same situation. We're being hated and discriminated against today but eventually, we will overcome the bigots and haters of this era and finally be treated like human beings. That time is coming, we just need to keep working on it and not give up the fight. I ask all of you to help your friends, your families, and others in your life by making the right choice by voting to end this discrimination. Please, vote NO on Prop 8. Thank you!

[Paul K]

I'm really getting sick of the lame reasons people have for supporting proposition 8 and writing discrimination into our State's constitution. Marriage was not designed to benefit children, if it was, then we wouldn't have Child Services pulling kids out of these heterosexual marriage homes every day. Marriage is a civil contract between two people. If your religion says that marriage is between a man and a woman, then marry someone of the opposite sex, it's really that simple. The supporters of Prop 8 love to say that we are imposing our beliefs on others which is quite ironic when you realize that their own personal religious beliefs is what is driving them to push their beliefs on the rest of society. Prop 8 is not saying you must marry someone of the same sex, it simply allows all citizens the right to marry who they choose, who they love. Divorce rates are higher than ever these days and more children are being pulled out of dysfunctional families. I know gay couples with children that are doing just fine, as a matter of fact, their son just graduated college and got married to his girlfriend of 5 years. My neighbor who is straight, lost both of his kids and is still on probation for domestic violence. Now how ironic is that? Let's just use some common sense here people please. This is the 21st century, years ago, blacks were second class citizens, next week, we might elect a black president. Years ago, women were second class citizens. Now they are powerful CEO's, governors and possibly a vice president. Gay people are in the same situation. We're being hated and discriminated against today but eventually, we will overcome the bigots and haters of this era and finally be treated like human beings. That time is coming, we just need to keep working on it and not give up the fight. I ask all of you to help your friends, your families, and others in your life by making the right choice by voting to end this discrimination. Please, vote NO on Prop 8. Thank you!

[Robert]

Prop 8 has nothing to do with saving traditional marriage. It is simply about codifying discrimination into our State constitution. If the goal is to save traditional marriage, why hasn't someone written a proposition that bans divorce? If it is solely a convenant with God, why can Atheist be married? If it is about procreation, then why can post-menopausal women get married? Prop 8 is solely legalized discrimination on a select group of hard-working, tax-paying Gay and Lesbians. Why must our State continue to promote the divisiveness of the past 8 years?

[Pete]

Deciding which way to vote on Prop 8 is not difficult. There is a simple litmus test.

Assume your 6 month old infant has to be placed at an adoption agency, and the agency has two sets of prospective parents to choose from, a heterosexual couple and a gay couple. If you would prefer that the adoption agency give preference to the heterosexual couple to raise your child, then you should vote yes on prop 8.