Saturday, May 30, 2009

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Ted Olson and David Boies Team Up for Law Suit Supporting Gay Marriage which could go all the way to The U.S. Supreme Court

It appears that former Solicitor General of George W. Bush and Bill Clinton lawyer David Boies are teaming up to take the decision made by the California Supreme Court on Gay Marriage which they oppose to the federal courts. The case could go all the way to the Supeme Court of the United States. Both men, Boies, a determined Democrat, and Olson a died in the wool Republican and well known Conservative believe the California Supreme Court made a terrible error by accepting the legitimacy of Proposition 8 which denies Gay people the right to marry, although the court did allow the 18,000 alredy married same sex married in California to stand. Boies and Olson believe a State proposition cannot legally take away rights already agreed upon and codified by the State Court into law.

Gay experts lawyers and leaders have stated several times in the press and media that now (in the present or near fture) is not the time to take anything as controversial as Gay Rights' Marriages in front of the U.S. Supreme Court. For more detail go to website listed below. It is not clear what kind of reaction the LGBT community has to this latest court suit filed by two of the most successful and powerful legal minds in the country. I personally think it is great Boies and Olson are on our side and hope they win without jeopardizing our future chances of winining this kind of case. It appears it is too soon to know what all the repercussions will be regarding this novel move by these two attorneys.

The surprising part about this turn of events is that one would ever see these two men on the same side of a legal argument and the fact they are getting together on this Gay Marriage issue and that Olson, an arch conservative, would see our issue as legitimate is really wonderful news. Let us hope as some are saying that this is a new trend that may turn the corner on the Gay Marriage issue and civil rights in general for LGBT folks making significant progress in our direction. It has also been noted that Olson's position makes Obama's views on LGBT issues and Gay Marriage in particular look lame. The Dems have a long way to go to catch up on this one.


Go to http://lawdork.wordpress.com/2009/05/26/federal-prop-8-challenge-filed/

www.equalrightsfoundation.org (news conference held by Boies and Olson)

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5grllk_nt63q2NPIotyM9xpL4hwkwD98EO6UG0
Gay Groups call Boies,Olson suit premature.

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Long Beach Equality Rally May 26th, 2009 After Ca. Supreme Court Decision











My Reactions to California Supreme Court Decision on Gay Marriage

MAY 26, 2009

Top Story
California court upholds marriage ban; existing unions still legal
The California Supreme Court today upheld a ballot measure that amended the state Constitution to deny marriage rights to lesbians and gays. But the ruling did confirm the legality of 18,000 California marriages that were conducted between the time of a previous judicial order and the November election. Los Angeles Times (5/26) , ABC News (5/26) , San Jose Mercury News (Calif.) (5/26
)

We waited somewhat nervously for the decision that came this morning. Actually I got up and checked my e-mail and the internet way earlier this morning than the time the decision actually cam e out, some time after ten am. It was as expected, our marriages that happened between June and before Nov. 4 are still valid. Mina and I married Aug. 24th. 2008. The irony that we can have our marriages and no other Gay or Lesbian same sex couple in California can get married is a real low mark in the history of our fight for the legitimacy of same sex marriages in California. Of course, I also wish we could have other rights that related to the federal level of recognition i.e. social security for my spouse and long term care benefits that appear to be federally regulated but that seems a way off yet.

I look at what happened re Prop 8 as a big defeat for our side. The fact a slim majority can decide our fate by voting on an initiative i.e. prop 8 goes against the basic notion of civil rights and freedom of expression and the right to happiness described in our Bill of Rights by the founding fathers. What will they uphold next, the right to discriminate against people who are non believers. I think this has been proposed before, keep them from being citizens, well, that could include me. I know the next step is to introduce an intiative on our side in 2010 hoping by then the majority has come to its senses. But legally I don't like using the intiative process to secure our rights. It should come from the legislature and that should be that.

Sharon Raphael, Long Beach