It appears that the future of the State Supreme Court decision declaring Gay Marriage constitutional in Calfornia will be decided by the voters of the State on November 4th. I don't understand why a decision that would affect thousands of minority members meaning Lesbians and Gays would be put up to the vote of the electorate when the final arbiter of laws having to do with marriage and family law does not and should not rest there. The polls show a majority of Californians against Gay Marriage though many of these support domestic partnership laws and other forms of protections for LGBT persons. It is not exactly clear what will happen in November given that the neither side in debate has fully stepped up its campaign strategies or slogans hoping for a slam dunk. This is the second time that many Gays and Lesbians have been allowed to apply for licenses to marry; The first time was in 2004 when Gavan Newsome directed The Registrar of Records in City Hall in San Francisco to start issuing licenses to Gay and Lesbian couples who applied. After about 5 months these licenses were declared null and void by the same justices who recently declared Gay marriages legal in California.
My partner and I were one of the several thousands who received a license in 2004 that was voided; We are one of the thousands now applying and receiving a license in 2008 (to be married in Aug.) hoping that those licenses granted before the November election will be declared valid even if the new ruling is overturned by the voters of California, although many legal experts think there is little legal grounds for allowing those marriages to remain valid except for the moral argument that it is wrong to build up expectations and then let them be exploded for what is in some instances a second time. It was after all not the fault of the people involved that they may have been misled by the highest court in the State. The bottom line unless I am missing something is that we have to change peoples minds and make sure all the pro Gay marriage people vote to affirm the right to equality in marriage. Vote No against the proposition that will try to take away our rights to marry.
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Here is a campaign that is trying to get the world record for the most simultaneous same-sex marriages (200 couples at once). It's an inventive way to celebrate the California ruling and highlight the positive. Here is a link to the campaign: https://www.thepoint.com/campaigns/same-sex-marriage-2008.
I would expect some of the less progressive states to be against gay unions, but not California! I look for Californian to be trendsetter and avantguard. The flip-flopping back and forth has to be discouraging for those who thought it was a done deal back in 2004. My hope is that this time the marriages remain legal forevermore.
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