I could not have been happier when Obama won. Well, I could have been a teeny tiny bit happier… President elect Obama could have have said that he supports Gay Marriage throughout his campaign. But, if he had done that he probably wouldn’t be President Elect Obama. Gay Marriage is just another one of those divisive issues that >50% of the country just can’t seem to get behind. To give Barack a little, very little, slack, he does support civil unions, which give some of the same rights. He also opposes Prop 8.
One day, not very long from now, when Carter and Claire are a bit older they are going talk to their kids about civil liberties. The idea of not allowing a gay person to marry will seem as crazy to our grandchildren as the idea segregated schools and white only restrooms seem to me. The conversation will probably go like this: “Mom, tell me again about the time when only white men could be President and only men and woman could marry… That’s funny…” I really believe it will seem crazy in ~20 years. I can’t get in the mind of Barack, but I sort of believe he thinks the same thing.
One step at a time…
But come on California… Really… You are going to pass proposition 8? Really? Not surprisingly, the “Protect Marriage” movement is mainly supported by right leaning religious groups. Groups not generally seen as on the vanguard of socially liberal thinking. A significant amount of money for the proposition has come from one church… headquartered just slightly east of California…
Proposition 8 is an initiative state constitutional amendment on the 2008 California General Election ballot, titled Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.[1][2] If passed, the proposition will "change the California Constitution to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry in California."[3] A new section would be added stating "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."[3]
The measure was originally submitted for the ballot by petitioners with the title "California Marriage Protection Act."[4] The title and summary were revised by Attorney General Jerry Brown to more "accurately reflect the measure."[5] The Superior Court of California ruled in favor of these changes, stating, "The title and summary is not false or misleading because it states that Proposition 8 would ‘eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry’ in California. The California Supreme Court unequivocally held that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry under the California Constitution." [6]
Vote as of 11PM 8: Gay marriage ban Yes 53.0% No 47.0%
Here is the LATIMES article.
OBAMA!
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homosexual.
Comment by geoff — November 5, 2008 @ 3:45 pm
“From 1911, the height of the U.S. Progressive Era, to 1986, the California Constitution was amended over 500 times.” (wikipedia)
i thought 2/3rds was needed to pass a constitutional amendment but not exactly. 2/3rds of state house and senate need to pass, then it goes to a simple popular vote. we have the same setup here in Washington.
Comment by tim — November 5, 2008 @ 4:22 pm
nice working summing up the issue for me Geoff. Thanks!
Comment by edpete — November 5, 2008 @ 10:10 pm
also: good musicking there Carted & Ed. next up, Lee Greenwood’s “Proud To Be An American”
Comment by tim — November 6, 2008 @ 7:59 pm