We therefore conclude that in view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as well as to opposite-sex couples.
The court just ruled in our favor. This is a monumental decision that is putting California back in the forefront in guaranteeing equal rights for all. And hopefully, the rest of the nation will soon follow the lead of Massachusetts… And now, CALIFORNIA!!!
“Full and equal recognition of our relationships means that we have crossed a final barrier toward full and equal citizenship, at least in California. This day has been years in the making, but we know we can’t celebrate for long…
today we celebrate. Today we savor the full and equal recognition of our relationships, our families, and our responsibilities that come with it. But tomorrow, we organize. Our equality did not come easily. We will not let it go. – Ed Bennett, President of Sacramento Stonewall Democrats
Mr. Bennett is totally right on here. Today, we can celebrate and savor our rightfully earned victory. But tomorrow, we’ll need to work our hardest to defend the equal rights that we LGBT citizens have just achieved. The radical right must already be thinking of ways to turn back the clock, but we won’t let them win.
Today is a real turning point in California. And from now on, there’s no turning back. The State Supreme Court has now recognized that the basic right of two people in love to marry and form a family can not be denied to gay and lesbian couples. And now, we truly are that much closer to achieving full civil rights for all. 🙂
Its a great day for equal rights and personal freedom and liberty. Nice job on this Andrew
YAY! This makes me so proud to say I live in California! This is a step forward for us all.
I had prepared for the worst. Now I’m numb. Truly a historic day.
Does anyone know of any celebrations scheduled in OC?
(And my security word was “equality”)
this paragraph from the LA Times story on the decision: “The California Supreme Court has six Republican appointees and one Democrat. Scholars have described the court under the leadership of Chief Justice Ronald M. George as cautious and moderately conservative.”
So you know what this means: an angry missive from Jon Fleischman.
What sweet irony that 3 Republican appointees would deliver marriage to millions of gay and lesbian Californians.
This is truly a great day. California should have been on the forefront of this and led the way in this fight for equal rights. Being the second state isn’t half bad though. I am proud to be a Californian today!
I couldn’t disagree more with some of the sentiments here. I’ll spare the arguments (we all know them) and let you relish in this becuase in a few months, voters will pass a Constitutional Amendment protecting marriage once and for all and this will be a non-issue.
Well I don’t have one iota of a problem with the idea of gay marriage personally, but don’t liberals ever learn? In 2004, another Presidential election year, Gavin Newsom and also the actions in Massachusetts TOTALLY mobilized and energized the far-right wingnuts. Now, couldn’t the liberal Justices of California have just put this off until AFTER the election?
Captain-
Protecting marriage from what? The big, bad queer boogeymen? Give me a f***ing break!
How are you adversely affected if I find the love of my life and decide to marry him? Really, how would my marriage put you in danger? This is why your argument makes no sense.
Everyone else-
Yep, today is historic. But hey, our work isn’t over yet. Judging from what Captain says, the radical right already wants to make people like me second-class citizens again. That’s why we need to continue fighting, so that we can continue winning and continue to celebrate the advancement of civil rights. 🙂
SWEEET! Equality and justice, as they do too infrequently, lurch forward another step! And TEH GAY ROCKS!!!
It is great to see discrimination take a hit today. To my best friend, a proud gay American, who said he would not see gay marriage in his life-time, the door has swung open in your favor. Go forth and be marry!
This is absolutely awesome! Coming from working on the Equality for All campaign this is great progress…Congratulations to everyone in the LGBT community, I am so exited for you guys! As I always said, “Live better, promote equality!” Oh yea…thanks for coming out to phone bank for equality Andrew!
Anon 11:19-
Don’t worry, I don’t think it really will. There was just so much going against Democrats in 2004… And to make things worse, John Kerry wasn’t that great of a candidate. If our nominee and the DNC learn the lessons of 2004 and connect the dots on the kitchen table issues that working families care about most, we’ll be fine this year.
Vern-
Thanks. That really uplifted me. 😉
Anon-
William E. Gladstone said it best:
“Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Drew C & OC Demo Girl-
Thanks! Hopefully once we beat back that silly anti-marriage initiative once and for all, this whole matter will be settled and equal justice for all won’t just be a slogan. And yes, now I can really start making my plans for when I finally meet Mr. Right! 😉
Lovable,
Would “delaying” this decision until after the election meant all that much in the grand scheme of things? I think not.
Andrew, I appreciate your optimism, but I think it would be a mistake to underestimate how powerfully mobilizing a decision like this is to the wingnuts.
Anon, the wingnuts are in such comical disarray lately, if you’ve been following all the special elections across the country, they don’t even know what they stand for any more. We have to stop thinking that 2008 = 2004 = 2000 = 1994 = 1972 etc etc.
On a side note, I’m really looking forward to the trouble Ron Paul and his supporters are planning at the McCain coronation in St Paul!
So proud to live in California!
The Supremes are supreme.
I don’t ever remember crying for happiness before, but this morning I did.
It’s hard to describe how second-class status affects people, but I know that today the California Supreme Court’s ruling has lifted a burden from a lot of people.
No matter what happens in November, this is an historic moment and marks another step forward for marraige equality. Gay marriage is here and if it goes away temporarily, it will eventually be back stronger than ever.
So it is ok for 4 people to overturn the will of 4,618,673 people who voted for this law in the first place?
Regardless of the issue, if over 60% of California votes for something (and you were on the side of the majority) and 4 people said that your vote doesn’t matter, how does that work?
So much for the will of the people?
Yep. Those people voted for something that VIOLATED the Constitution of the State of California.
In 1948 when the CA Supreme Court overturned the ban on INTERRACIAL marriages, the majority of voters would have kept such a ban.
Does that mean the court was wrong in that case as well?
I think most Californians are breathing a sigh of relief that FINALLY a decision has been made, and we can all go on living our lives.
Great news indeed. It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.
Celebrate in Long Beach this weekend at the Pride Festival both days and the Parade on Sunday morning.
Celebrate by donating to and/or volunteering for candidates who support the community.
Celebrate by helping in whatever way you can to make sure the initiative likely to be on the ballot this November fails to undo the court’s decision.
But first: Savor the moment.
Vern,
Your observation that the wingnuts are in disarray lately really doesn’t curb my concern that this decision could have a noticeable mobilizing effect on the right. In other words, why, why give them this piece of red meat in the midst of a Presidential election year. Why do anything to potentially affect that very disarray you speak of? I’m not going to compare 2008 with 1972, but c’mon, 2004 is NOT that long ago and the comparison to THAT Presidential election season is entirely legitimate. I applaud the decision on it’s face, but the failure to put it off until after the election MAY prove to be a strategic mistake.
I have no idea why you’re againt gay marriage Captain; I’m sure you have no problem with girl on girl action when you watch porn
The logic that says, don’t give the right any red meat applies and has been applicable in every election year. At some point ya gotta step out in front and be prepared to deal with the consequences. There is no “safe” time. If only there were…..
Those that say that we should wait to give folks equal rights because we don’t want to give the “right” ammo are obviously not one of the folks being denied equal rights.
I am sure they would view things differently if they were being denied rights that the rest of us take for granted.
I am with Bill, there is no “safe” time, and really, how sad is that?
Sean, you’re wrong in your assumption that, if I were a person specifically affected by this decision, it would change my view of it on strategic terms. Your view simply undercuts a person’s ability to see two sides of the same coin.
Like I said, and I repeat, I applaud the decision on its face, but I happen to feel retaking the White House (and the Governorship, for that matter) is MUCH more important in the short term.
Thre are a lot fewer wingnuts this year than their were before
Anon,
What is “MUCH more important” than affording equal rights to all of our citizens?
We cannot continue to put off doing what is right just because we fear backlash from the right.
A Great Day for California……….
What is amazing is that the 4-3 decision is (3 republicans+1 democrat vs
3 republicans) and that the Governor is not going to support the righties efforts to push a ballot proposition for November.
When one reads the decision, it is not surprising to see the legal reasoning behind it going all the way back to 1948 and the Lopez decision. What is further amazing are Chief Judge George’s opinion exemplies the true position that the court is the final arbiter of public policy. One needs to remember that the Kraemer decision upholding San Francisco’s efforts was by a Reagan Republican. The parallel: these jurists set personal politics aside and relied clearly on the law and prior court decisions to affirm what is right for California.
So where is Jubal?-, probably out gathering signatures and practicing his exclusionary form of public outrage. Dont forget to wear your NeoKlan robes when you do.
As City Attorney Dennis Herrera said today: its over. So if the proposition passes, the state supreme court will invalidate it. And the Federal Supreme Court wont touch this.
Schwarzeneggar Centrist Republican
Question: “What is “MUCH more important†than affording equal rights to all of our citizens?”
Answer: Between now and November 2008, retaking the White House.
I hardly think having the Justices wait on this decision until after the election would have amounted to a significant, or meaningful “putting off” of this right.
This just came in over the transom
*The Obama campaign released the following statement today on the decision of the California Supreme Court:*
“Barack Obama has always believed that same-sex couples should enjoy equal rights under the law, and he will continue to fight for civil unions as
President. He respects the decision of the California Supreme Court, and
continues to believe that states should make their own decisions when it
comes to the issue of marriage.”
On the issue of constitutional amendments, Senator Obama has been on record for some time: He opposes all divisive and discriminatory constitutional
amendments, state or federal. That includes the proposed amendments in
California and Florida.
When i was younger i used to love history class and the wonderful stories of those that have fought for human rights in the U.S.
It all seemed surreal to me….as though i would never have the chance to face the”fire hoses and police dogs” of society and put my self on the path of danger to fight for the right reasons against the conventional wisdom of society.
It feels good to have stepped into history and be a small part of this fight and enjoy this night of victory.
This thrill of victory will be short lived.
It must be.
We have work to do!
OH YES WE HAVE WORK TO DO.
The fukkkin Right is gonna come out with HATE and BIG BIG money and hit us hard!!
DO YOU REALLY BELIEVE IN EQUALITY??
DO YOU??
OR IS IT SOME CONCEPT YOU “ACCEPT” BECAUSE YOU ARE SOME
KIND OF FASHION-OF-THE-DAY- LIBERAL??
If you are offended by this question..prove it!
Action is the only currency accepted round here brother.
This issue is OUR modern day civil rights movement..nothing less.