Posted on 09/06/2005 9:31:39 PM PDT by Crackingham
The California Legislature on Tuesday became the first legislative body in the country to approve a bill allowing same-sex marriages, but the measure faces an uncertain future with Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger. There were loud cheers by gay-rights activists in the Assembly gallery as lawmakers voted 41-35 to approve the bill and send it to the governor. The Assembly had twice defeated similar legislation.
A spokeswoman for the Republican governor said Schwarzenegger believes the issue should be decided by the courts, not by his signature on legislation. A state appellate court is considering appeals of a lower court ruling that overturned California laws banning recognition of gay marriages.
"He will uphold whatever the court decides," Schwarzenegger spokeswoman Margita Thompson said.
Gay-marriage supporters nonetheless rejoiced the victory. They compared the legislation to earlier civil rights campaigns to eradicate slavery and give women the right to vote.
"As the debate today shows, love conquers fear, principle conquers politics and equality conquers injustice, and the governor can now secure his legacy as a true leader by signing this bill," said Geoff Kors, executive director of Equality California, a backer of the bill.
The bill, sponsored by San Francisco Democrat Mark Leno, had failed in the Assembly by four votes in June, but Leno was confident he could get it through on a second try after the Senate approved a same-sex marriage bill last week.
"Do what we know is in our hearts," Leno said. "Make sure all California families will have the same protection under the law."
Assemblyman Tom Umberg, a Democrat who abstained in the vote in June, said he was concerned about what his three children would think of him if he didn't join those "who sought to take a leadership role in terms of tolerance, equality and fairness."
But opponents repeatedly cited the public's vote five years ago to approve Proposition 22, an initiative put on the ballot by gay marriage opponents to keep California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states or countries.
"History will record that you betrayed your constituents and their moral and ethical values," said Republican Assemblyman Jay La Suer.
If Arnie wants a lift in the polls he will veto this turkey.
Ah-nuld...the people decided..not the courts....
Ahhhh Nold will sign this.
God have mercy on us all.
"They compared the legislation to earlier civil rights campaigns to eradicate slavery"
mmmmmmkay....how 'bout a little perspective???
Arnold, this is the time to tell the "girley men" to re-read the definition of marriage passed by the voters and Get Over It.
Jesus said: "And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? Wherefore, they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder." -from THE BIBLE: Matthew 19:4-6
I have my eyes closed!
Should I bend over?
Here is AhhhNolds chance for a second go!
He had better veto it! Is my memory failing me or didn't he say during the run up to the recall election he believed in civil unions , but not in gay marriage?
Here in California, the people don't matter. The Marxists, socialists, and assorted perverts in the legislature rule this state.
Amen. The people already decided this particular issue by a significant margin when it was placed before them on the ballot.
If the California people will vote people into office who create legislation that contradicts what they themselves have already decided by initiative...then those reps are betraying their constituents, and shame on the people for putting such scalliwags into office.
The people of CA must really want this. Why else would they elect legislators who promote this crap?
"... more people just converted to Republican."
I wish there were some reason to think so. My guess is that the people who care about this issue on our side, and are smart enough to know what the Rats have done, are already voting Republican.
There is also the big problem of California's gerrymandered districts, which is what made this outrageous legislation possible. It doesn't matter if a few hundred folks in a Rat's district see the light (and continue to remember it next year). All the Rats' seats are safe, unless we redistrict, which seems very unlikely in '06 and may not happen at all.
Whistling past the graveyard does us no good.
Because the dinosaur media keep them mostly unaware of this issue and mostly unaware that it is a partisan issue.
Arnold's cowardly hide-behind-the-courts position helps to keep it that way.
In addition, plenty of people who are with us on at least some social issues, like this one, still buy the DemoCrap about being for the little guy. This is the engine of the DemoCrap party, and it is far from running out of gas. Indeed, it may well be the most powerful, and indestructible, myth in American history.
figures...............F A G S................
That's a very true statement.
Our only hope is to pass all the Republican/conservative initiatives in the special election this fall. If we fail, I will blame no one for buying a gun, retreating behind the walls of his home and church, and giving up on politics. But if we fail, I will also blame everyone who didn't help out in this last-chance election.
what an intelligent comment. I'm sick of hearing it, quite frankly. I, for one, have not voted for any dems nor did anyone I did vote for approve this bill. Your "theory" doesn't hold water and is insulting.
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