NEWS: Gay Marriage Ban Qualifies for CA Ballot

GAY MARRIAGE BAN QUALIFIES FOR CALIFORNIA BALLOT
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid55211.asp

An initiative that would again outlaw gay marriage in California has qualified for the November ballot, the Secretary of State announced.

California Secretary of State Debra Bowen said Monday that a random check of signatures submitted by the measure's sponsors showed that they had gathered enough names for it to be put to voters.

The measure would amend the state constitution to 'provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California.'

If approved by a majority of voters on Nov. 4, the amendment would overturn the recent California Supreme Court ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in the state.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

PLEASE! IF YOU LIVE IN CALIFORNIA OR KNOW REGISTERED VOTERS IN CALIFORNIA, ENCOURAGE THEM TO VOTE "NO" ON NOVEMBER 4.

SPREAD THE KNOWLEDGE! This is a ban that will LEGALLY restrict AMERICAN CITIZENS of over 1,099 federal rights and privileges!

THE BOTTOM LINE IS LOVE!

I really just don't get it. With all the other things to be concerned about, why can't they just leave us be. Does gay marriage in any way, shape or form really affect them and their day to day lives?

---

I'm just so sick of this Jesus-inefected country. If it weren't for that 2000 year old book of nonsense we'd have had gay marriage a long time ago.

So -- I think I said this before, but can I submit my prayer request now for a day-long traffic stopping storm in Orange County come November?

(and those crazy Latvian watchmen on the wall or whatever areas around Sacramento?)

I've been following this and we have a few things to help us keep hope.

1. By the time November rolls around thousands of gay couples will have been married in CA.

2. These marriages will be considered legal even if the constitutional change happens.

3. A recent poll showed that there are now MORE likely voters in CA who support gay marriage equality than than those who don't.


There is still work to do. Not the time to get complacent. But we have every reason to be hopeful.

So lets roll up our sleves.

By the way.. I've been so focused on what is happening out there that I don't know when NY will start legally acknowledging out of state same-sex marriages?

Has that kicked in yet?

---

Updated On: 6/3/08 at 05:35 PM

It's bizarre for us in our own particular situation. Ours is the most conservative county in California (more than Orange, if you can believe that, Calvin!) We really are SURROUNDED by fundamentalist conservatives - and yet, they really like us. Most of the stores in our area are run by overt Christians, who use their businesses to proselytize - and they're always very cordial to us, even though they're very familiar with our situation.

But if I confront them about this issue, they have no bones about simply saying it's because the bible says no. Period.

As long as that is considered the gold standard in this country, nothing is going to change.

Not to mention that I've never grasped why civil rights are being put in the hands of voters.

Yes, the folksies should pull out their federalist papers and read the bit about the danger of subjecting minority factions to the tyranny of the majority.

Let's just all be glad that at least women voting hasn't become an "issue" yet.
Thank god there is still a bedrock of masculine superiority in this country.

---

But if I confront them about this issue, they have no bones about simply saying it's because the bible says no. Period.

I would ask them when they started equating the California State Constitution with the Bible (which sounds a bit like blasphemy to me). Or when the First Amendment was surgically removed from the US Constitution and Christianity was declared the official religion of the United States. Finally, if their response is truly that "the Bible says no", I would call them liars, and then sinners for being liars, because the Bible does not mention the California State Constitution anywhere and that if all sins should be banned by the aforementioned Constitution, maybe there should be an amendment imprisoning liars such as themselves.

But be sure to be very cordial when you ask.

---

I don't ask 'em anything...why would you want the opinion of a charlatan?

I'm just talkin' opinions, not votes.

Unfortunately the vote of the charlatan is equal to that of Cornell West's or Doris Kearns Goodwin's.

Oh well.

They're too busy reading about Sodom and Gomorrah (however you spell that!0

It always amazes me how INTERESTED they all are in this topic . . .

And how ignorant they are about it. Anyone who uses Sodom and Gomorrah as a weapon against homosexuality probably never actually read the story.

---