Fellow Californians: Vote No on Proposition 8 on 4 NOV 2008

Don't Legalize Discrimination!

Befuddled History

The Court

On 15 May 2008 the California Supreme Court ruled ``marriage is a fundamental right under Article 1, Section 7 of the California Constitution'' (see Wikipedia); therefore, since marriage was a fundamental right, no law could be established to limit that right. It is simple. It is straightforward. As the California Supreme stated, it is simply a question of fundamental rights.

Fundamental Rights

Fundamental rights are like the right to free speech, and the right to practice (or not practice) the religion of our own choice. If we do not treat our fundamental rights with great care, one day we might discover that a segment of our population has been rounded up, and put into internment camps, because someone fears some of them may be spies. We may discover that other people are being put in a detention camp on a far off island without trials or access to lawyers. Or we may learn that our email and phone calls are being monitored without court orders.

City Hall

Getting back to Proposition 8.

In 2004 Gavin Newson, the mayor of San Francisco, directed the City Clerk to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. This action, and a 2000 initiative prohibiting same-sex unions, were two of the main reasons that brought about the 2008 California Supreme Court ruling prohibiting discrimination in marriage.

Election

If you live in California, and you are a registered voter, get off your bum on November 4th, and go out and Vote NO on Proposition 8.

Videos

Vienna Teng  performing ``City Hall"
at Sun Studio Sessions

Justly Married
Scenes from City Hall

14 NOV 2008 UPDATE

On 4 NOV 2008 approximately 52% of California voters voted in favor of a state constitutional amendment to eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry; that is, Proposition 8 (election returns).

The struggle for equal rights continues.

As a resident of Santa Clara County, California, I was delighted and proud to learn that Santa Clara County has joined with the cities of San Francisco and Los Angeles in a legal challenge to Proposition 8. (See an OP-Ed piece printed on page 15A  in The San Jose Mercury News on 13 NOV 2008, We all have a stake in Prop. 8 challenge by Ann Ravel. Ann Ravel is a counsel for Santa Clara County. In her statement, Ms. Ravel argues that the initiative process was never intended as a means for the majority to strip minority groups of their constitutional rights.)