Posted on 02/15/2004 9:21:34 AM PST by Houmatt
SAN FRANCISCO - Gay and lesbian couples from across the country answered this city's Valentine's Day invitation to wed in an unprecedented spree of same-sex marriages that has challenged California law and sent conservative groups scrambling for court intervention.
Hundreds of people lined up Saturday outside City Hall to secure marriage licenses — and then take each other as "spouse for life" in brief vows that have given San Francisco's seat of government the feel of a Las Vegas wedding chapel.
As passing drivers honked and strangers passed out roses, those waiting hours in line cheered couples who emerged from the ornate building clutching the controversial marriage licenses.
"It's finally somebody saying, 'Yes, you can do this,'" said Peter Subers, 57, of Washington County, N.Y., as he stood in line with husband-to-be Rob Bauer, 63.
They already had plans to head to Northern California, but decided Friday on the flight west to marry. Saturday was their 34th anniversary.
It was the third straight day that officials issued the licenses to hundreds of gay and lesbian couples. The response has been so overwhelming that nearly 200 city officials, led by newly elected Mayor Gavin Newsom, have volunteered to pitch in, from sheriff's deputies providing security to clerks processing the licenses.
Rodney Vonjaeger and his partner John Kussmann, both 37, drove overnight from San Diego and arrived at 3 a.m. Saturday.
"We decided if there was ever an opportunity we would do it, so the drive wasn't even a consideration," Vonjaeger said as he waited in line Saturday. They set the hotel alarm for 8 a.m., "but we were up at 7 because of the excitement."
Across the country, other gay couples didn't wait for a marriage license. About three dozen same-sex couples exchanged vows at Philadelphia's LOVE Park on Saturday as part of a "mass commitment ceremony" organized by a gay-friendly church.
Led by a minister, the couples gathered in front of Robert Indiana's famed "LOVE" sculpture — a rainbow flag draped under it — and repeated their vows.
"If they're not going to let us get married, we're going to do it anyway," said Dan Farley, shortly after exchanging silver rings with his partner, John McCann.
Despite legal challenges from advocates of traditional marriage, San Francisco's wedding march is expected to continue throughout the long holiday weekend. By late Saturday, the city had performed over 900 same-sex marriages since the weddings began Thursday.
San Francisco officials said they expected to hand out about 600 licenses Saturday, and by late afternoon had already recorded 270 same-sex weddings.
City officials said they would welcome license applications on Saturday, Sunday and Monday — President's Day — to accommodate couples that have flocked here from places including Oregon, Minnesota, New York and Seattle.
On Friday, a judge denied a petition to block more licenses from being granted. One group of opponents was asked to return Tuesday for a hearing; another group was told to return Tuesday to properly make their request to block the licenses.
"No one made the mayor of San Francisco king; he can't play God. He cannot trash the vote of the people," Randy Thomasson, director of the Campaign for California Families, said at a news conference in Los Angeles.
Aside from the lawsuits, the newly married couples may face other obstacles. After a marriage license is recorded by county officials, it is sent to the state Office of Vital Records. A ballot initiative approved by voters in 2000 said the state would only recognize marriages between a man and a woman.
San Francisco officials have insisted the licenses they have handed out are legally binding, although they are revised to be "gender-neutral." But a deputy city attorney acknowledged that the state may not accept them.
San Francisco appears to be the first city in the nation to officially support same-sex marriage licenses; city clerks in Arizona and Colorado in 1975 issued licenses to gay and lesbian couples that were later revoked or declared void.
Emboldened by the prospect of the nation's first legal same-sex marriages in Massachusetts, gay couples went to courthouses around the nation Thursday and Friday to demand the right to marry. They were quickly turned away.
The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court recently ruled that it is unconstitutional to bar gay couples from marriage. Under the decision, the nation's first legally sanctioned gay marriages are scheduled to begin in mid-May.
Lawmakers are proposing a constitutional amendment that would define marriage a union between one man and one woman, and the Legislature resumes its deliberations of amendments on March 11.
Some American couples headed to Toronto Saturday, where gay marriage is legal.
"Canada as a country is more accepting and tolerant, we didn't give it a second thought," said Robin Hanson, a St. Louis doctoral student who was marrying her girlfriend Susan Levin.
I never challenged Al Rantal's convictions.
Then you agree with him?
Maybe I should get a hanky to dry your eyes.
Then you agree with him?"
I can see why our conversation dragged out so long. How can you take what I've said and possibly interpret it the way you do. Do you not remember my first comment about Al or do you just need a course in reaeding comprehension? What grade are you in?
Okay, you said you and Al Rantel have different opinions. But you also said,
I never challenged Al Rantal's convictions. (read: dedication to his views.)
What do you mean by that?
And when someone willfully engages in destructive behavior such as attempted suicide, we put them on a 72-hour watch. The homosexual lifestyle results in severe, contagious and deadly health hazards. Many of us don't think it's a good idea to encourage this deadly behavior, but you seem content to allow others the freedom to spread the deadly and contagious AIDS virus.
In 1973 the APA (American Psychiatric Association) declassified homosexuality as a mental disorder. According to LeVay, it wasn't science that propelled the APAs change, he said:
"Gay activism was clearly the force that propelled the APA to declassify homosexuality."
Source: Simon LeVay, Queer Science, MIT Press, 1996, p. 224
LeVay is a homosexual, an activist and a scientist. Perhaps the APA should base their decisions on science and not activism.
Dr. Robert L. Spitzer played a pivotal role in the 1973 decision made by the APA to declassify homosexuality as a mental disorder. Spitzer used to believe homosexuals couldn't change but after studying the results of therapy he now believes homosexuals can change:
"I thought that homosexual behavior could be resisted--but that no one could really change their sexual orientation. I now believe that's untrue--some people can and do change." Spitzer completely changed his mind whether or not some homosexuals can change. And then Spitzer concluded with:
"the mental health professionals should stop moving in the direction of banning therapy that has, as a goal, a change in sexual orientation. Many patients, provided with informed consent about the possibility that they will be disappointed if the therapy does not succeed, can make a rational choice to work toward developing their heterosexual potential and minimizing their unwanted homosexual attractions."
Source: Spitzer made the above comments at an annual APA meeting, May 9, 2001. The study was reported in the May 9, 2001 issues of The Washington Post, The New York Times, USA Today and it was also released to many local newspapers via the AP. ABC, CBS, FOX and MSNBC all reported the study.
Spitzer went from believing homosexuals can't change to where they can, and then he goes so far as to say mental health professions shouldn't ban the very therapy resulting in that change.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.