Margin shrinks in defeat of gay marriage ban (Prop 8)

San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Thursday, October 23, 2008 | John Wildermuth

[goldstategop]

Agreed. Same sex marriage isn't popular with most people and they still cannot show, 12 days left in the campaign, how it would benefit society. If you correct the sampling, Prop. 8 is leading in line with other polls. The Left's attempts to smear society as bigoted and intolerant of gays is falling flat.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus

[newzjunkey]

I have spoken to some gay friends and they are embarrassed by the whole situation.

Exactly. The radical Gavin "whether you like it or not" Newsom would embarrass anybody. He's just about been the YES campaign's best friend.

CA already had civil partnerships but the case of having a "separate but equal" system is not a inconsequential concern.

The scare tactics about what might be taught in public schools wouldn't go away just because Prop 8 passes and hasn't come up just because gays can marry now in CA. There's something to be said for introducing the idea of "gays" in public schools which must accommodate all students. Statistically, some of those students will come from gay-headed families or grow up discovering their own homosexuality. Those who do not want their children "exposed" to this reality have other educational choices: private school or home school.

I appreciate a desire to keep termed "marriage" separate as a religious right.

Frankly, state government should call all of its licensing of couples "domestic partnerships." That's what's at stake with Prop 8. There's a certain humane decency accorded with gay marriage being affirmed. I've little doubt they are treated as second class in the greater society regardless of legal status.

Courts will continue to draw lines of whether a party can discriminate based on religious belief such as the wedding photographer in NM who declined to film a same-sex ceremony. A board decided she violated NM anti-discrimination law and was ordered to pay the couple's legal fees (about $7000). That case is on appeal.

I don't believe she should be compelled to photograph gay weddings any more than she should be compelled to photograph a child's birthday party. Her business specializes in bride-and-groom wedding photography. Maybe it's a discriminatory choice of clientele that will be a loss of business but that's something she'll have to live with in the market place.