California State Supreme Court recognizes existing gay marriages

The good news is that gay couples that are already married get to stay married…

[poll id=”172″]

Well, it wasn’t quite what I was looking for, but our state’s top court did rule that the gay couples who got married last year can stay married – however Prop. 8 will stand.

I think that John Burton, the Chair of the California Democratic Party, got it right in his statement on the California Supreme Court ruling on Proposition 8:

Today’s decision, while heartbreaking, doesn’t end the historic struggle for marriage equality. It renews our dedication to making sure all California families can again enjoy the dignity, commitment and responsibility of marriage.

I commend the California Supreme Court for validating the rights of the 18,000 lesbian and gay couples who married last year before Proposition 8 passed. These couples and their children will continue to enjoy the full security and legal protection of marriage.

Within the next few years, I know California will restore legal, civil marriages for gay and lesbian couples. The California Democratic Party will play a leading role in ending marriage discrimination in California and I look forward to the day when that happens.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Steve Poizner also responded – by kissing up to his party’s Talibani wing with this statement:

“The California Supreme Court took the appropriate action today in upholding the will of the people by affirming Proposition 8. The people of California have spoken. They voted decisively that marriage should remain between a man and a woman. That is also my personal view.

Thank you Steve for reminding us why we should not vote for you!

And here is the response from the local groups that have been fighting Prop. 8 here in Orange County:

For Immediate Release

Contact:

John Santoianni, President Jim Rogers, Chairman
Harvey Milk Stonewall Democrats of Orange County ECCO

714 971 8316

714.812.4179

President@MilkOC.org

eccochair@yahoo.com

www.MilkOC.org www.eccopac.org/

Marriage For Some is Not Equality!
State Supreme Court Upholds Existing Gay and Lesbian
Marriages California

Joint Statement by The Elections Committee of the County of Orange
(ECCO) and Harvey Milk Stonewall Democrats – OC

Orange County, CA — The Supreme Court of the State of California has shown that it does
not have the courage of its convictions. Last year, the court acted honorably when it ruled that
the California state constitution guarantees equal marriage rights for the LGBT community
under the law. Today, acting out of fear of political retribution by the anti-gay lobby, they have
repudiated their own ruling and have come to an unacceptable compromise.

By declaring Proposition 8 valid yet allowing those gay couples that are already married to
remain married the court disenfranchises those in the LGBT community who were not ready or
able to rush to City Halls across the state and participate in the civil ceremony their tax dollars
help support when it was legal. Everyone in the LGBT community should have the opportunity
to pursue happiness.

ECCO Chair, Jim Rogers commented, “Today is a sad day for Equality. The California
Supreme Court has shown that the State of California is not a place where “All men (and
women) are created equal.” The court has upheld the marriages of those couples married
before the Prop. 8 vote, but has created an unequal society by not allowing all couples to enjoy
the right of marriage. Everyone deserves the right to marry the person they love. California
now takes a step back in the area of equality. Hopefully, the people of this state will
understand soon, as have other states in our nation, that equality is a natural right everyone
deserves!”

“Our setback today is just a stumbling block in the long and inevitable march toward full LGBT
marriage equality. The tide is turning in our favor more and more every day. Iowa, Vermont,
Massachusetts, and Connecticut now confer same-sex couples with all of the same rights and
responsibilities of marriage as their heterosexual neighbors. These victories give us hope that,
very soon, Californians will have the same opportunity,” declared Harvey Milk Stonewall President,
John Santoianni.

Organizations supporting marriage equality including the Orange County Equality Coalition,
The Center Orange County, Elections Committee of the County of Orange, Harvey Milk
Stonewall Democrats – OC and the Democratic Party of Orange County have organized a
rally that will take place near the Old County Courthouse on Tuesday, May 26th at 6:00
pm on Sycamore Street, the street that is adjacent to and forms the eastern boundary of the
Courthouse property.

The rally will bring together friends, supporters, community-based organizations and others
who are interested in marriage equality, including public officials and faith leaders. Following a
few brief remarks at the Sycamore Street location, the group will proceed west on West Santa
Ana Boulevard and north on North Ross Street to the Plaza of the Flags, located in the Civic
Center Plaza.

Street parking is available in the immediate vicinity in addition to nearby parking structures.
Handicap access is available on the Courthouse property and along the route to the Plaza of
the Flags.

The Harvey Milk Stonewall Democrats of Orange County is a chapter of the National Stonewall
Democrats and is committed to securing equal rights for LGBT Americans both in California and
nationwide.

Founded in 1982, the Elections Committee of the County of Orange (ECCO) is an all volunteer, nonpartisan
political organization, serving Orange County and Long Beach, California, championing LGBT,
HIV/AIDS, and Women’s causes through political advocacy. ECCO, the only combined federal and
state LGBT PAC in California, strives to educate political leaders and candidates about issues that face
our community.


About Admin

"Admin" is just editors Vern Nelson, Greg Diamond, or Ryan Cantor sharing something that they mostly didn't write themselves, but think you should see. Before December 2010, "Admin" may have been former blog owner Art Pedroza.