California Supreme Court Upholds Ban on Gay Marriage

How magnanimous can the Court get? We still have the right to be second class citizens! Separate, but equal was not acceptable for schools and it is not acceptable for marriage. I served this country for 71/2 years in it's army. If I was good enough to put my life on the line for it I an good enough to be treated as a first class citizen.

Hang-in-there CA!

Peaceful and organized demonstrations - YES! Riots and violence - NO. We don't need to create any reason for our blood to be spilled. It seems what California understands is money. Hit them where it hurts. If you live in California only support those who support equality. Vacation out of state to somewhere that equality is the law. Do not spend money in any location that is not openly supportive of equality. If you live outside California help our family there by participating in a boycott of California products and services. Look at our own history.
The boycott of all products by the Florida Orange Juice Growers had a powerful effect. We got Anita Fired! We made some changes. But MOST of all it brought us together nationally. We need that now more than ever. Our reaction must be legal, strong, and consistent. Don't allow the haters to win by reckless actions. I know this hurts and angers. But two negatives do not make a positive.
The "activists" judges in California are now on the side of the bigots. Why? They want to keep their jobs = money. So lets hit them also where it hurts. Call for the impeachment of the six who voted to uphold Prop 8. These same people are the ones who created this and are responsible for this by voting against themselves. Where is the judicial wisdom? There is none and there is no judicial integrity in the California Supreme Court. They just verified that they will not uphold justice or the constitution. Only their own self-interest.
I realize that some will say a boycott hurts the community living in California. I ask can it get worse? They just stole your rights??? We must show a unified and strong response. That response must be also legal and effective. That can be best felt via money and votes!
We can all participate by not answering the trolls and bigots on these boards. We know they will be out in hordes to giggle over what they view as a victory. Interact with your community and mark trolls and bigots as spam and move on. Give them no fuel for their fire.

In order to achieve full civil rights now, we avow:

1.Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable.

2.We will not leave any part of our community behind.

3.Separate is never equal.

4.Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.

5.The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue.

6.Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.

7.Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by words, access or money raised.

8.Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles.

“To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true.”

- Bayard Rustin

“If the society today allows wrong to go unchallenged, the impression is created that those wrongs have the approval of the majority.”
- Barbara Jordan

“A right delayed is a right denied.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”
- Thomas Jefferson

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”
- Margaret Mead

http://www.thedallasprinciples.org/The_Dallas...

When two people are at one in their inmost hearts, they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze; and when two people understand each other in their inmost hearts, their words are sweet and strong like the fragrance of orchids.- I Ching

Bravo!

DNF wrote:

In order to achieve full civil rights now, we avow:
1.Full civil rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals must be enacted now. Delay and excuses are no longer acceptable.
2.We will not leave any part of our community behind.
3.Separate is never equal.
4.Religious beliefs are not a basis upon which to affirm or deny civil rights.
5.The establishment and guardianship of full civil rights is a non-partisan issue.
6.Individual involvement and grassroots action are paramount to success and must be encouraged.
7.Success is measured by the civil rights we all achieve, not by words, access or money raised.
8.Those who seek our support are expected to commit to these principles.
“To be afraid is to behave as if the truth were not true.”
- Bayard Rustin
“If the society today allows wrong to go unchallenged, the impression is created that those wrongs have the approval of the majority.”
- Barbara Jordan
“A right delayed is a right denied.”
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
“Do you want to know who you are? Don’t ask. Act! Action will delineate and define you.”
- Thomas Jefferson
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed it is the only thing that ever has.”
- Margaret Mead
http://www.thedallasprinciples.org/The_Dallas...
When two people are at one in their inmost hearts, they shatter even the strength of iron or bronze; and when two people understand each other in their inmost hearts, their words are sweet and strong like the fragrance of orchids.- I Ching

I will repeat what I have proposed some years ago.
Let us go with Civil Unions with equal rights. After some time, people will see that the world is not falling apart if gays are legally joined and raising families and living in peace.
They will come around then to accepting the 'term' marriage attached to these gay unions.
Step by step, folks. That's the way to do it.

Ye Olde Fart wrote:

I will repeat what I have proposed some years ago.
Let us go with Civil Unions with equal rights. After some time, people will see that the world is not falling apart if gays are legally joined and raising families and living in peace.
They will come around then to accepting the 'term' marriage attached to these gay unions.
Step by step, folks. That's the way to do it.

Canada and Europe are many light years ahead of us.

While my marriage is, for the moment, secure (we are one of the 18,000), California is now exposed as having a terribly broken system; a system by which a mere 19% of the population can be allowed to codify discrimination of a single class...indeed, one that had been previously declared as being guaranteed equal protection under the law. Woe unto us.

And for those wondering about the 19%-- 7,001,084 people voted for Prop 8 out of a (2008) population of 36,756,666.

It seemed that the crux of the original decision was about the word "marriage," and how denying one group access to that word was discriminatory. California had strong civil union laws on the books and they have not changed, but the Supreme Court of Calif ruled that this was not good enough. Now we have quite a reversal.

It wasn't a surprise, but it still hurts.

Duped since birth wrote:

It seemed that the crux of the original decision was about the word "marriage," and how denying one group access to that word was discriminatory. California had strong civil union laws on the books and they have not changed, but the Supreme Court of Calif ruled that this was not good enough. Now we have quite a reversal.

True enough. CA indeed retained all of its Domestic Partnership (not civil union, btw) laws even when in:re:Marriage Cases was handed down. But, the DP rights and privileges do not match those under the marriage laws. That's the crux of the matter. The word marriage is irrelevant -- it's the equality of the rights and privileges that are extended to one class versus not extended to another. Take out the word "marriage"...I don't care. Just give me equal rights.

Isn't it just great that a murderer who is heterosexual has to right to marry and has his married recoginezed and valid in the state he resides in, and at the same time, law abiding tax paying people, like my wife and myself, are denied this same right, just because the person we love is of the same gender.

Ye Olde Fart wrote:

I will repeat what I have proposed some years ago.
Let us go with Civil Unions with equal rights. After some time, people will see that the world is not falling apart if gays are legally joined and raising families and living in peace.
They will come around then to accepting the 'term' marriage attached to these gay unions.
Step by step, folks. That's the way to do it.

The Supreme Court of California has now established a separate but equal system. And then there's those 18,000 people who are more equal than other gays and lesbians.

U.S. Supreme Courts have ruled separate is not equal.

And now: <drumroll please>
A federal lawsuit on behalf of two couples in CA has been filed.
http://www.kpsplocal2.com/Global/story.asp...