Couple marching against Prop 8 reaches SF

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A state-wide trek to protest Proposition 8 reached its final destination Friday in San Francisco.

Valerie Paget and Tracie Jones are a married couple from Los Angeles who five weeks ago began a 450 mile march across California as part of a movement to revoke Prop 8.
Their journey ended Friday as they were greeted by gay marriage supporters at the steps of San Francisco City Hall.

See the video

Calif. lawmakers voice support for gay marriage

via 365 Gay: News

By 365gay Newscenter Staff

(Sacramento, California) A resolution has been introduced in both the California Assembly and Senate to reaffirm support for same-sex marriage.

The measure is non-binding, but the symbolism in the wake of Proposition 8 is significant, LGBT rights leaders say.

California voters last month agreed to void the state Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage. The legality of the vote, however, is back in the hands of the court, which will hear arguments in the case early next year.

State Sen. Mark Leno (D-San Francisco), the first openly gay man elected to the California Senate, and State Assemblyman Tom Ammiano ( D-San Francisco) introduced concurrent resolutions that back up the legal arguments of Prop 8 opponents.

“While a proposed amendment to the California Constitution can be accomplished through the initiative process,” the resolution reads, “A proposed revision of the California Constitution must originate in the Legislature and must be approved by a two-thirds vote of each house of the Legislature before being submitted to the electors.”

Proposition 8 passed with a slim 52 percent majority. Following the election three challenges to the vote were filed by LGBT rights groups.

All three cases claim the measure abridges the civil rights of a vulnerable minority group. They argue that voters alone did not have the authority to enact such a significant constitutional change.

The justices said in addition to hearing arguments on the validity of the vote, it wants to address what effect, if any, a ruling upholding the...

California Supreme Court Grants Review in Prop 8 Legal Challenges

Court to Determine Constitutionality of Prop 8
Via:









Today the California Supreme Court granted review in the legal challenges to Proposition 8, which passed by a narrow margin of 52 percent on November 4. In an order issued today, the Court agreed to hear the case and set an expedited briefing schedule. The Court also denied an immediate stay.

On November 5, 2008, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, the American Civil Liberties Union, and Lambda Legal filed a lawsuit challenging the validity of Proposition 8 in the California Supreme Court on behalf of six couples and Equality California. The City of San Francisco , joined by the City of Los Angeles , the County of Los Angeles , and Santa Clara County , filed a similar challenge, as did a private attorney in Los Angeles .



The lawsuits allege that, on its face, Proposition 8 is an improper revision rather than an amendment of the California Constitution because, in its very title, which was “Eliminates the right to marry for same-sex couples,” the initiative eliminated an existing right only for a targeted minority.

If permitted to stand, Proposition 8 would be the first time an initiative has successfully been used to change the California Constitution to take way an existing right only for a particular group. Such a change would defeat the very purpose of a constitution and fundamentally alter the role of the courts in protecting minority rights.

According to the California Constitution, such a serious revision of our state Constitution cannot be enacted through a simple majority vote, but must first be approved by two-thirds of the Legislature.

Since the three lawsuits submitted on November 5, three other lawsuits challenging Proposition 8 have been filed. In a petition filed on November 14, 2008, leading African American, Latino, and Asian American groups argued that Proposition 8 threatens the equal protection rights of all Californians.

On November 17, 2008, the California Council of Churches and other religious leaders and faith organizations representing millions of members statewide, also filed a petition asserting that Proposition 8 poses a severe threat to the guarantee of equal protection for all, and was not enacted through the constitutionally required process for such a dramatic change to the California Constitution. On the same day, prominent California women’s rights organizations filed a petition asking the Court to invalidate Proposition 8 because of its potentially disastrous implications for women and other groups that face discrimination.

In May of 2008, the California Supreme Court held that barring same-sex couples from marriage violates the equal protection clause of the California Constitution and violates the fundamental right to marry. Proposition 8 would completely eliminate the right to marry only for same-sex couples. No other initiative has ever successfully changed the California Constitution to take away a right only from a targeted minority group.

Over the past 100 years, the California Supreme Court has heard nine cases challenging either legislative enactments or initiatives as invalid revisions of the California Constitution. In three of those cases, the Court invalidated those measures.

For more information on this case>>

RELATED: via Lambda Legal

BREAKING NEWS: The California Supreme Court just announced that it will review the Prop 8 challenge brought by Lambda Legal, NCLR, ACLU and others. This is exciting news!

Schwarzenegger Encourages Gay Marriage Backers

By On Top Magazine Staff

In a CNN interview Sunday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger came out swinging in favor of gay activists who had have taken to the streets in protest to Tuesday's passage of a gay marriage ban in the state. The governor said, “They should never give up.”

While discussing Proposition 8 – the ballot initiative that amends the state's constitution to ban gay marriage – Schwarzenegger offered a dramatic new pro-gay position. “It's unfortunate, obviously, but it's not the...

In a CNN interview Sunday, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger came out swinging in favor of gay activists who had have taken to the streets in protest to Tuesday's passage of a gay marriage ban in the state. The governor said, “They should never give up.”

While discussing Proposition 8 – the ballot initiative that amends the state's constitution to ban gay marriage – Schwarzenegger offered a dramatic new pro-gay position.

California Proposition 8 Passes: 21st Century Hate

photo credit: AFP/Google

Special to the Blog:
Op/Ed by MW Savant, CEO


In an article via AFP entitled Californians vote to ban gay marriage, there is certainly no room left for interpretation. Proposition 8 was voted in and upon by California voters.

What does this mean to the thousands of couples who chose to wed, LEGALLY, while they could? Well the Attorney General says they'll remain valid, but that legal challenges are possible.

It is utterly inconceivable that just over fifty percent of the residents of the state, upset about the supreme court ruling and those "activist judges", could really be so cruel as to prevent GLBT couples from marrying--- after the right was already granted. How could you??

What a heartless and myopic and cruel thing to do to fellow Americans and Californians.
Just one day after the election of a President who appears to speak to unity and fairness, Proposition 8 rears its horrible head as the exact opposite. But what have its backers really accomplished?

If they were going for appearing incapable and unwilling to live and let live: Done. To cling to the bigotries of the past under the disingenuous guise of "protecting the sanctity of marriage"... done. To fight, ruthlessly, for a raison d'Etre...OK. To blindly, and without comprehension of the damages being done to thousands of GLBT couples and families, enact and support some hatefully Draconian resolution? They did it! If they wanted to punish people that they don't particularly care for... mission accomplished. They must be so proud.

Like it or not, in case they hadn't stopped hating long enough to have observed last evening's historic mandate... times, they are a- changed. The country said "enough" to bigotry and hatred ---to fear and animosity--- and hello to inclusion and mutual respect for our fellow human beings. Without regard for "what" they happened to be.

I am horrified and disgusted by the passage of Resolution 8! I am terrified that, in this century, people continue to choose to oppress fellow citzens--- swaddled in the cloak of righteous indignation and preservation of an "institution".

While I respect anyone's right to have their opinions, I cannot idly abide unabashed bigotry. The Prop. 8 backers know as well as I (and the REST of California) that NONE of the GLBT marriages that have taken place have in any way damaged, harmed, demeaned or threatened their own marriage(s). Nor would ones in future. So what was this really all about?

I am ashamed that certain of my countrymen elected to take away another human being's rights. The 18,000 (+/-) weddings constitute the proof that loving couples need, and desire, to make their relationships "real" and in terms that absolutely no one could fail to grasp. "Married".
It is a hurtful, hateful, reprehensible thing to take away marriage that was legal, for no other reason than what appears, on its face, to be sour grapes and inhumane sport. But you won. Congratulations. How many strangers have you now harmed?

While the current marriages will remain valid, legal challenges are likely.

"In Germany, they came first for the Communists, And I didn’t speak up
because I wasn’t a Communist;
And then they came for the trade
unionists,
And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist;
And
then they came
for the Jews, And I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew;
And then . . .
they came for me . . . And by that time there was no one
left to speak up."

-Pastor Martin Niemöller
(1892–1984)

Perhaps , someday, you'll need someone to speak up for you. There is no gray area in equality.

We'll continue to fight for marriage equality for all.


RELATED: SF city attorney prepares legal challenge to Prop 8



Editor's Note: The opinion expressed above is entirely that of MW Savant and does not, necessarily, reflect the view(s) held by savvyplanners.com™, LLC, its principals, affiliates or subsidiaries. However, in this case it DOES.

Full disclosure: savvyplanners.com donates to and supports organizations advocating for full marriage equality.

San Diego Hyatt Hotel Owner Donated $125,000 to Stop Gay Marriage

via LAist

It has just been revealed that the owner of the Manchester Grand Hyatt has, reportedly, made a substantial contribution to Prop 8 backers in California to support the effort to amend the state's constitution to specifically ban same-sex marriage.

Now certainly the man is allowed to support any effort he desires. Equally certain, despite his statement that gays and lesbians are welcome to his hotels and restaurants, is the likelihood that GLBTI guests will now seek out other digs?

It is policy that savvyplanners.com screens its vendors to assure genuine welcome and care. Currently our Master Vendor List features 629, hand-selected and evaluated companies to serve our clients.

We're having a bit of a challenge reconciling a hotelier's support of an anti-gay marriage effort with a, parallel, welcome to GLBTI guests to spend GLBTI dollars at this property.