Decision Day Rally At Westlake Park

This was taken around 5:45pm. I'm sure there must have been a bigger crowd a little after that time. I stayed long enough to hear state Senator Ed Murray and state Representative Jamie Pedersen speak. There were two other women speakers whose, I'm sorry to say, names I did not hear or recognize.

The Future Of Same-Sex Marriages In California Has Been Announced

The California Supreme Court voted in a 6-1 ruling that Proposition 8 did not constitute a constitutional revision, and therefore, is legally valid. This means that same-sex marriage in California is, as of now, officially illegal. However, on a brighter note, the Court voted unanimously to not invalidate the 18,000 or so same-sex marriages performed prior to its November 4th passage. You can read the court's legal opinion here.

There will be a (now)-protest rally in Westlake Center at 5:30pm today. If you support the right for same-sex couples to marry, we hope to see you there.

The Future Of Same-Sex Marriages In California Will Be Announced...

...in one hour. This is what we've been waiting for since March 5th--which was 81 days ago. The court will make three rulings:

"The court issued an order to show cause in Strauss, Tyler, and City and County of San Francisco directing the parties to brief and argue the following issues:

1. Is Proposition 8 invalid because it constitutues a revision of, rather than an amendment to, the California Constitution? (See Cal. Const., art. XVIII, §§ 1 -4.)
2. Does Proposition 8 violate the separation of powers doctrine under the California Constitution?
3. If Proposition 8 is not unconstitutional, what is its effect, if any, on the marriages of same-sex couples performed before the adoption of Proposition 8?

Though make no mistake, we will win this one way or another. If we lose our rights today, we will not give up. All it takes is time. The older generation of closed-minded bigots is dying off, and our generation is becoming more and more a part of the bigger picture. Same-sex marriage will come to California, and America. If not today, then soon, and with greater support than ever thought possible. "Hope will never be silent" - Harvey Milk.

California Supreme Court To Annouce Their Ruling On Prop 8 Tuesday at 10:00 AM

So I was informed this morning, via email update. And Slog. And Towleroad. And SF Chronicle.

On The Future California Supreme Court Ruling Regarding Proposition 8

As I posed the question to a friend of mine:

"Well, now that these victories have come, and in such a sweeping manner, you think the court will continue to draw their decision out until the very end, or come to a conclusion and announce soon, only (hopefully) further adding to the victories at hand?"

The victories of which I speak are, of course, the Iowa Supreme Court's ruling same-sex marriages legal in that state, the overriding of Vermont Governor Jim Douglas' veto on same-sex marriages in that state, and the approval of the D.C. council to recognize same-sex marriages. The court has just under 60 days remaining to make a ruling on whether or not Prop 8 should be upheld or overturned, and whether or not the several thousand same-sex marriages performed prior to the election should be nullified.

How Many Days Has It Been Since November 4th?

I don't know. But I do know that today is the day in which the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in support of and against the passage of Proposition 8 -- the state initiative that banned gay marriage from the California state constitution. Two things must be ruled on: 1). will proposition 8 be overturned and subsequently legalize gay marriage (again), and 2). if proposition 8 is not overturned, will the gay marriages performed up until November 5th be nullified? The Court is said to render a verdict within the next 90 days, but some say the ruling could come as soon as later this afternoon.

Update - The outlook is bleak.

We'll Have Our Day In Court...And It's March 5, 2009

The California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments regarding the validity of the passage of Proposition 8 that passed with 52% of the vote: a margin of only 5%. In case anyone has forgotten exactly what Proposition 8 sought to do, here is the text:

ELIMINATES RIGHT OF SAME–SEX COUPLES TO MARRY. INITIATIVE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

Changes the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California.

Provides that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.

I was under the impression that law was intended to protect rights, not "eliminate" them. Now let's be sure to make this perfectly clear: this is not bigotry. Californians (52% of them) do not hate gay and lesbian couples. They probably even know a few gay people. They have no qualms with them. It's just that when [we] want to have the same right as them, they get upset. We can be as gay as we want to be. We just can't get married (in California). That crosses the line. How dare we try to earn a legal right that will not affect straight peoples' legal right. There's no way to convince me otherwise that this is purely religious (or cultural) bigotry.

On March 5th, we will continue to fight for our rights. We will never stop fighting until we get what is equally deserved.