So We Wait for the California Supreme Court to Decide our Fate: Married or Lesser Thans?

Aug. 24th, 2008 pic by Shoshanna Weston. photographer.

So here we wait, my spouse Mina and I , Sharon, to find out whether we are part of the equal human race when it comes to marriage rights. Tuesday I am told is the big day. Do we express our anger or celebrate a victory. Experts seems to think we will be dealt a blow by the California Supreme Court saying Proposition 8 which won by a slim margin of voters in June 08 will be upheld excepts, perhaps, the portion that pertains to the 18,000 of whom Mina and I are part who married when it was legal in California August of 08. the irony is it is the same State Supreme Court that decided it was right and legal for us to marry in the first place.

The issue seems to revolve around whether the state initiative to ban Gay Marriage was legal and constitutionally valid at the time it was put on the ballot. Jerry Brown, our Atty. General, argued in what appears to be a minority argument that the people of California have no right to take away certain basic rights that have been granted in this case by the same Supreme Court. Other legal proponents of Gay Marriageargued on the basis the initiative process was flawed and should not have been introduced and that by taking away these recently approved rights, Lesbian and Gay will be hurt by a news lowered status. This is true.

It is hard to imagine that this high court is going to take away Mina and my and others right to be and to stay married. If we are allowed to stay married, I think the ruling will be further flawed by not going the whole way by thwoing out the initiave. The State should not have its cake and eat it too. Yes, I am hurting our case by saying this but I think the court is in a pickle and our situation further aggravates and points out the inequities in this absurd situation that the right wing fundamentalist and other anti-Gay forces have put them (the Ca. High Court) in. So we wait knowing we have little chance of winning though the new 6 states that now have approved Gay Marriage should be a strong feather in the cap of Gay effort to support Gay Marriage in our State (California) too. California should have been the first state to approve Gay Marriage and not be way down the line among states dealing with the Lesbian and Gay Marriage issue.

So we wait to hear our fate. Are we Equalsl or Lesser Thans? How will we feel either way? If we lose, I think way down deep, we will be shocked by the narrow stupidity of it all and the slap in the face. If we win, it will be a shock to our systems too but then we can celebrate and say in the end, it was worth all the protest and effort to be equal within the boundaries of a system with so many flaws and limitations. I never thought the institution of marriage was a wonderful thing but I do know it helps protect the spouse who is financially weaker and it helps both couples in terms of morale and in helping gain support and caring of family and friends even those who have doubts. Once federally recognized, my spouse would also be eligible for social security and over a 1,000 other rights and privileges. Let it

be

already.

Sharon Raphael, (We have been a couple for 38 years, since 1971) (We are legally married as of this date (May, 23, 2009)
We also were married in SF in 2004 and that marriage was voided) (Hope it is not something we have to experience twice)

California Supreme Court to Issue Decision ( Prop 8)

San Francisco Sentinel Friday 22nd of May 2009


CALIFORNIA SUPREME COURT ISSUES SAME SEX MARRIAGE DECISION TUESDAY
22 May 2009


The California Supreme Court announced today that it will rule Tuesday on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that resurrected a ban on same-sex marriage.

The ruling, which will be posted at 10 a.m., will also determine whether an estimated 18,000 same-sex marriages will continue to be recognized by the state.

Gay rights lawyers have argued that the ballot measure was an illegal constitutional revision rather than a more limited amendment. Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown urged the court to reject the measure on different grounds. He contended the proposition was unconstitutional because it took away an inalienable right without compelling justification.

Prop 8 Challenge Legal Team to Hold Press Conference Following Supreme Court Ruling

(Los Angeles, May 22, 2008) — The California Supreme Court has announced that it will rule Tuesday, May 26, 2009, on whether Proposition 8, passed by a slim majority of voters on November 4 and eliminating the right of same-sex couples to marry, was a valid amendment to the California Constitution.

At 10:30 a.m. – approximately a half-hour after the expected posting of the ruling – attorneys for plaintiff couples and community leaders will hold a news conference to discuss the ruling and what it means for California’s same-sex couples and their families, communities of color, and the future of LGBT rights in California. Clergy members will deliver an invocation at 9:45 a.m., shortly before the ruling is announced.

WHEN:
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
9:45 a.m. Clergy Invocation
10:30 a.m. News Conference

WHERE:
Lucy Florence Cultural Center
3351 W. 43rd Street, L.A., CA 90008

WHO:

Ron Buckmire, Jordan Rustin Coalition

Jenny Pizer, Lambda Legal Marriage Project Director and Co-counsel, Strauss v. Horton

Mark Rosenbaum, Legal Director, ACLU of Southern California

Rocky Delgadillo, City Attorney of Los Angeles

Nancy Ramirez, Western Regional Attorney, MALDEF

Rev. Eric Lee, President/CEO, Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Southern California
Marc Solomon, Equality California (organizational plaintiff in Strauss v. Horton)

Jorge Amaro, Latino Equality Alliance

Doreena Wong, API Equality

Lorri L. Jean, CEO, L.A. Gay and Lesbian Center

Chief Justice Ronald M. George and Justice Joyce L. Kennard will cast key votes in the case. They were part of the four-judge majority that gave gays the right to marry last May, but both indicated at oral argument that they were not persuaded the measure was unconstitutional.

The court’s majority decision should be revealed in the first or second page of the ruling and reiterated in its last paragraph. Separate concurring and dissenting opinions follow.

Counting votes may be tricky because the court is dealing with three different legal issues: the revision challenge, the attorney general’s challenge and the fate of existing same-sex marriages.

The court’s vote on whether Proposition 8 is an impermissible revision, for example, will probably differ from its vote on whether existing marriages should continue to be recognized by the state.

Justices who disagree with the majority file dissents. If they agree with only part of the majority decision, they file an opinion called a partial concurrence and dissent.

During oral argument in March, every justice expressed support for upholding existing marriages. Justice Carlos M. Moreno indicated he believed Proposition 8 was an illegal revision, indicating he would dissent on that question

Moreno might be joined by Justice Kathryn Mickle Werdegar, a former civil rights lawyer who stressed the court was dealing with a novel legal question. Werdegar, however, did not join Moreno in voting to put the measure on hold pending the court’s ruling.

See Related: MARRIAGE EQUALITY

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Some PIcs at Long Beach Gay Pride May 09

Four of these pics were taken by my friend Cristina Vegas at the Long Beach Gay Pride Parade event in May 09, the second pic
with 5 people was taken by my friend Linda Barra. Sharonthen Mina or in the first 2 pic., 3rd pic includes Mina, Barbara Kalish, Cristina Vegas,Sandy Tappin, and me, Sharon Raphael with my head crooked. It was a fun day though very cool the first several hours and warmer toward noon. We are sitting on Ocean blvd. near Junipero in Long Beach.

Nancy Pelosi is Wrong Target

All this media attention on Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representative, about her knowledge of CIA led Torture of "enemy combatants" by the Republicans and a few biased liberals i.e. Jon Stewart is driving me nuts. As a matter of fact, it was the Republican led Congress and Dick Cheney's brain trust child George W. Bush and the C.I.A. who actually made the torture happen and actually believed that torture was a good thing to do in the name of our old US of A. Pelosi admits she was briefed but not told that torture had been put into effect. It seems Cheney and the rest purposely set a trap ahead of time for Pelosi so they could say later she approved it so the Republicans can say "See, we are all in this together".

I believe from all I can tell and hear and see with my own eyes that Nancy Pelosi is an honest person, Steny Hoyer, her longtime colleague in the House, confirmed this opinion in the news accounts today (5/18.09). Pelosi says the CIA misled her and I believe it. Perhaps, there is some technical detail Pelosi has missed i.e. not reading the fine print as some of us might not do after getting a complicated form to read after a major insurance purchase or the like. I believe Cheney and his gang set up a way to make sure, they "got" Pelosi if the details of their torture plans ever came to light and backfired. Pelosi has a history of standing up for what I would call the right causes. Her first instinct is anti-War and anti-cruelty. It was her party that made sure the hate crimes bill passed not the Republicans. If Pelosi is let go as the sacrificial lamb of the Democratic Party, the Party will be smaller if they buckle to this latest insanity. Pelosi has been a target of the right for as long as she has been powerful.

I believe because Pelosi is a powerful woman that is the reason for all this backlash and constant targeting of her position and person. She is an older woman and the barrage of jokes about how she looks as a result of her buying into ageism and lookist thinking is very sad indeed. Powerful men never get this kind of idiotic jabbering and attacks against how she looks. Now she is depicted as the cowardly one when it comes to the torture debate. All I know is if she has to leave, there will be one huge empty space in the Congress, the number one space when it comes to leadership. Northern California will suffer if she is forced to leave her post and I know Nancy Pelosi has been good for all of California. I also fault Chris Matthews for buying into some of this madness. Olberman hasn't bought into the hype,but Matthews seems to need the ratings. He did the same thing to Hillary. Although I find Matthews keeps my attention and I like some of his thinking on controversial issues, I don't like the fact he is exploting the Pelosi targeting of Pelosi on his TV show.

I know there are a lot of people out there who don't do deep political thinking but who don't like Pelosi for the simple reason people like Matthews and Fox News in particular get on her case, for baseless and stupid lookist and ageist reasons, fpr a laugh or for cheap commercial reasons-i.e. more listeners, more watchers. Please, when will this insanity end and the target be focused on the right people, the ones who ordered torture, condoned torture and carried it out. Pelosi has taken a bad rap and I hope more people i.e. Hoyer speak out on her behalf. Personally, I do not believe this is the end for Pelosi. In the end, the people will see through this nonsense.

Sharon Raphael

Gray Panthers and The Older Adult Center at CSUDH

Maggie Kuhn, Founder of Gray Panthers

taken from Gray Panthers site

Yesterday was Earth Day and The Older Adult Center on our campus at CSUDH where I volunteer as the faculty adviser decided to regenerate our Gray Panthers membership and created our very own chapter of the Gray Panthers at CSUDH. We participated in Earth Day which has been a regular important item on the Gray Panthers' agenda whose motto is "Age and Youth in Action". The no. 1 priority though of the Gray Panthers in California is Health Care and Gray Panthers supports a kind of universal health care policy that includes a single payer tax system which rules out private insurance company involvement in the system. Our Older Adult Center had a table at the Earth Day event and we had a lots of people at our handout table from about 10 am to 4pm. It was an enjoyable time and the weather was great. The days before had been way too hot. It took place in our sculpture garden located in front of LaCourte Hall which is our Humanities Bldg. We had handouts on the services of our Older Adult Center which processes fee waivers for students over the age of 60 and provides a supportive environment those who returning students who identify as older i.e. 45 plus. We also train interns who want to learn how to work with older adults in a campus setting. Next step is to invite a Gray Panthers from an established chapter to come and speak to us about the important issues and to give us ideas on projects we might wish to undertake.

SRaphael

Counter

Description of My Time with (OLOC) at SAGE Roundtable & (LAIN) Meeting at and before American Society on Aging in Las Vegas

(Mina and I stayed at the Paris Hotel, well designed place given what it is- a gambling mecca, Ballys was the second hotel used by ASA)

It has been quite a week attending and presenting both before and during meetings at the annual American Society on Aging Conference in Las Vegas. Mina and I attended as OLOC representatives along with our immediate past Co-chair of OLOC Shaba Barner, immedicate past Co-Chair of Old Lesbians Organizing for Changee, and Ruth Debra who is on the Steering Committee with MIna. I gave a talk on what I do as Research Gatekeeper. We are satisfied with the attendance that occurred at our presenatation and all the information we put out on the table was gone after our session so there must have been strong interest.

Karen Taylor was there representing SAGE (Senior Advocacy and Service for Gay Elders of New York). All day Saturday (March 15th), we spent networking and working in groups at the roundtable which is a joint operation of The LGBT Taskforce and SAGE, NY soon to be under SAGE leadership completely. Agencies and program from all over the country were in attendance. The Roundtable consisted of about 22 individuals who were there representing a wide variety of groups and organizations that serve or cater to older LGBT people on some level. OLOC was the only membership group attending, the rest seemed to be agenices or programs geared to aging concerns. OLOC is a grassroots movement organization which fights ageism and bring the message of OLD LESBIAN PRIDE to the old generation, over 60 population of OLD LESBIANS.

In addition to my activities with LGBT aging, I also presented a workshop with a graduate student from my campus on the topic of "An Older Adult Center on a University Campus". I also attended my student's session which focused on S. East Asian Experience (Indians from India) using a novel theory on Aging in Place of Choice. I would give names but sadly I think this student might prefer not to be named on a blog titled Leftunronrights etc.

I also participated and volunteered to be part of LAIN (LGBT aging interest network at ASA) ClearingHouse Committee which collects and runs an online website of LGBT references and annotated information on all aspects of aging as it affects LGBT persons. I talked abut gathering information on ageism as it affects LGBT folks among other resources and articles that I come across over the year. We (MIna and I ) attended the peer group session of LAIN and also went to the workshop on the second publication of the pdf document OUTINGAGE which is put out by the LGBT Taskforce. Collected information at that session that was very helpful about federal grants that are available for the kind of project and services we tend to want to produce.

Mina and I attended one evening entertainment part of the conference on Wed. at 5:30 which featured Debbie Reynolds, the movie star who was so popular when Mina and I were growing up and also when we were teenagers. She did a great show, singing, dancing, telling jokes but at a certain point the audience was frightened as Ms. Reynolds appeared to have a fainting spell (what we thought was a TIA) but she did recover quickly and finished the night to great applause. What a trooper!!! We were blown away. The show wasn't that ageist either, only a few self deprecating comments about her looks though she looked swell, actually the same image is projected as she was when we were young. Of course, what it takes for Debbie to get that image across makes her the victim of the worst kind of ageism and I suppose we as the audience were continuing the problem but I must say I loved her humor and the sincere heartfelt comments she shared with us. Just a real walk down memory lane which is what the show is supposed to be. At one point she mentioned to the younger members of the audience that if they were trying to figure out who she was that she is the mother of Queen Leah from the the movie Starwars. I thought it was funny the way she pulled that one off.

In any case, I think OLOC was well represented. Shaba Barnes and Ruth Debra did very well with their speeches. The mostly forty and fifty year olds who attended our session titled "OLd Lesbians Organizing for Change" appeared to be ready and anxious to join us one day when they reach the age of 60 themselves. It was fun all the way around. We got some gambling in and came home with some money which is better than coming home with Notta. . When we got home all our flowers were in full bloom especially the azaleas and irises. The weather is foggy and cold early morning and later at night and during the day kind of on the warmer side so that is good growing weather I think. I am happy to be home. 6 days in Vegas is a bit much.