Gay Marriage Anarchy in San Francisco

OpinionEditorials.com ^ | 18 February 2004 | Cinnamon Stillwell

[MegaSilver]

One of the conditions of living in the People’s Republic of San Francisco is a constant feeling of isolation from the rest of the state and country. Indeed, San Franciscans often joke about seceding from the union, when for all intents and purposes, they already have. For years, the city’s government has refused to comply with a variety of federal and state laws, including immigration, national security, and drug enforcement. So when San Francisco’s new mayor Gavin Newsom decreed this past week that gay marriage would now be legal, it shouldn’t have come as much of a surprise.

Newsom’s announcement was the catalyst for hundreds of gay couples from all over the country to rush to San Francisco and get hitched. And an obliging staff kept city hall doors open over the three-day weekend, just to accommodate the stampede. Reportedly, marriage forms were altered for the occasion as well. What was once “bride” and “groom” or “husband” and “wife,” became “applicant number one” and “applicant number two,” or the equally romantic “spouse for life.”

Indeed, it may only be a matter of time before the PC Police decide that all people wishing to get married must use these generic terms, in order to avoid offending the sensibilities of gay couples. If this extends to parenthood, will mothers and fathers then be reduced to “guardian number one” and “guardian number two”? Only time will tell, but the precedent being set by San Francisco will certainly reverberate for years to come.

Meanwhile there’s the small matter of gay marriage being against state law. California voters overwhelmingly approved Proposition 22 in 2000, which defined marriage as being between a man and a woman. Despite this, gay activists such as California Assemblymember Mark Leno have been attempting to impose their agenda on the voters of the state ever since. It was of course Leno who counseled Newsom with his decision. And later he presided over some of the first same-sex weddings at city hall.

To be sure, the gay marriage debate currently taking place in Massachusetts must have influenced Newsom’s sudden decision. But when asked, Newsom explained that it was President Bush’s State of the Union Address that inspired him. In it, Bush expressed concern for maintaining the “sanctity of marriage” between a man and a woman, although he avoided mention of a rumored constitutional amendment to that effect. But apparently that was all the prodding Newsom needed to take drastic action. And that he did. Newsom defied the will of the majority in favor of a vocal minority and so far, he does not appear to be backing down.

Strangely enough, Newsom was voted into office based largely on his moderate credentials. But after his abrupt left turn on gay marriage, many of the conservative Democrats and moderate Republicans who helped vote him into office are now ruing their choice. Once seen as a rising young star in the Democratic Party, Gavin Newsom has now ensured his place amidst the luminaries of the fringe left. While he may have locked up the gay San Francisco vote with this decision, his state and national aspirations may not be so assured.

The Democratic Party itself is divided on gay marriage and even presidential candidate frontrunner John Kerry has been reluctant to alienate his moderate base by supporting gay marriage. Instead, he’s taken the safe route by making lip service to civil unions. Supposedly, he is none too thrilled about Newsom’s actions, because they may very well catapult the losing issue of gay marriage into the presidential race. It’s likely that Newsom will make more enemies than friends with this decision, even among his own party.

While Newsom has succeeded in putting San Francisco on the forefront of the gay marriage debate, he has done so at the expense of California’s voters. The question is, how much longer will his blatant disregard for state law go unpunished? It remains to be seen whether attorney general Bill Lockyer will do his job and enforce the laws of the state, while celebrity governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has yet to comment publicly on the turn of events. San Francisco’s gay marriages could be declared invalid, not to mention the question of how those marriages conflict with domestic partner status. Whatever happens, this is an issue whose time has come.

Cinnamon Stillwell is a contributing editor to ChronWatch.com, where this article first appeared. She lives in San Francisco and can be reached at: cinnamons@sbcglobal.net

[Blood of Tyrants]

The line between Rats and the GOP gets wider and brighter every day.

[Eala]

For years, the city’s government has refused to comply with a variety of federal and state laws, including immigration, national security, and drug enforcement.

I had not known this. We need a wall around that cesspit now.

[Congressman Billybob]

Cinnamon Stillwell is my editor, for the publication of my columns on ChronWatch. I am delighted to see this piece of work of hers, which I agree with whole-heartedly, has been published beyond ChronWatch itself. Kudos.

Congressman Billybob

Click here, then click the blue CFR button, to join the anti-CFR effort (or visit the "Hugh & Series, Critical & Pulled by JimRob" thread). Don't delay. Do it now.

[ZeitgeistSurfer]

I met Gavin Newson when I lived in San Francisco and he is certainly appealing on a personal level. He seemed moderately level-headed and was responsible for the "care not cash" proposal to provided services to the homeless instead of just cash grants. In the context of San Francisco politics, he was a "moderate". We all thought he had a future in national politics. However, with this act of political suicide, that possibility has evaporated. The only thing that can explain this is blackmail of some kind.

[AmericanInTokyo]

What a mess.

[EdReform]

Ping

What We Can Do To Help Defeat the "Gay" Agenda

Homosexual Agenda: Categorical Index of Links (Version 1.1)

[babyface00]

This story makes me wonder what the supporters of San Francisco would do if a city government in another state decided to ignore federal laws against say, discrimination, the environment, abortion or state laws against oh maybe minimum wage, mandated public education, etc.

They'd be the first to call for federal troops into that city.

[Eastbound]

"The only thing that can explain this is blackmail of some kind."

Smoking in the basement at City Hall?
Spitting on the sidewalk?
Jaywalking?
Eating a greasy hamburger?

Voting Republican? Don't know what else it could possibly be. Everything else is 'legal' in Sanarchy Francisco.

[smith288]

Even Jesse Jackson has publically voiced his opposition to the losing cause of "gay rights"...

[Rummyfan]

Perhaps they should be cut off from the Union - but then hear them scream at the loss in Federal funds.

With apologies to all Freepers stuck in the Bay Area.

[little jeremiah]

Homosexual Agenda Ping.

More craziness... a reasonable editorial.

What the ***k can possibly happen next? The homo-nazis (sorry folks, it just slipped out) aren't going to stop now. If Arnold doesn't stand up against this, I have one word for him:

RECALL!!! Actually, how many clown/thug politicians (and judges)can we recall at once? Let's go for broke!

If anyone wants on or off this list, ping me.

[2banana]

Parts of SF should just secede. Form their own cities. Tell the mayor to shove it. You don't want to follow the laws then we don't want to be a part of your city...

[NYDave]

"The line between Rats and the GOP gets wider and brighter every day."

Are you out of your friggin'mind? To quote George Wallace, "there ain't a dimes worth of difference between them." Wake up and look around. Please tell me what the difference is between the neo-cons (REBUBS) and the DEMS. You live in a dream world, sir or is it maam? Too many people in this forum who, call themselves adherents to the Constitution of this great republic, are completely ignorant as to what the issue of globalization is all about. Too many people cheer "free trade" when American jobs are exported to third world countries who, by the way, do a damned fine job at what we used to do. The partnership between corporate America and the government, I believe is called fascism, is escalating at frightening proportions. And don't give me the bull$hit pap that people can retrain. Retrain to do what? We have shipped America overseas. Wake up and smell the rotting roses, people!! Get mad. Where is Howard Beal now that we really need him. "I"m mad as hell and I'm not going to take it anymore!!".

[GSWarrior]

Did conservative SF voters really think that Newsom was going to promote a conservative agenda? He was simply the lesser of two evils.

[Pompah]

What a crying shame. She used to be such a beautiful,cultured place with a rich history
and a city of distinctive character.

I loved Sampumcisco for almost 50 years.
Because of what she has become I don't go back there anymore. And it doesn't look like I ever will.

[antiRepublicrat]

Let's make this easy and just get the government out of the marriage business altogether. You can register a civil union for various legal statuses, but marriage is a personal affair, and I hate the government getting involved in personal affairs. Get married in a ceremony at the church of your choice to seal your personal devotion to each other under god, separate from all the government legalities.

[jimt]

Even Jesse Jackson has publically voiced his opposition to the losing cause of "gay rights"...

I didn't read it that way. All I heard him saying was that black people were the "supreme" victims and nobody else better dare compare their victimhood against blacks. He went on further supporting faggotry.

Or did I read the wrong quote?

[smith288]

I didn't read it that way. All I heard him saying was that black people were the "supreme" victims and nobody else better dare compare their victimhood against blacks. He went on further supporting faggotry.

Read it how you want...He dont support homos marrying...

[Codeflier]

You are right. End all outsourcing. Honda, Toyota, Nissan, Mercedes, Siemens, and other foreign companies which employee millions of Americans here should just go back home and take all their jobs to their headquarter countries. After all outsourcing is wrong isn't it?

Did you know that Honda is one of the largest non-government employers in Ohio? Send those jobs back to Japan. Why are we taking good Japanese jobs away from Japan?

Be careful what you wish for. A large portion of our workforce works for foreign owned companies. It would be catastrophic if their home countries insist they stop outsourcing.