CA: Opponents seek amendment as lawmaker files same-sex marriage bill

[Newsjock]

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/10354163.htm

BRIAN MELLEY
Associated Press

SACRAMENTO - As a state lawmaker seeks to legalize gay marriage, a church-led group has announced efforts to insert the existing definition of marriage into the California Constitution and to strip same-sex couples of domestic partner benefits.

The Orange County-based Traditional Values Coalition, representing 8,300 churches, said Monday it was mounting the campaign on behalf of "pro-family, pro-marriage conservatives" to save marriage from a tide of laws expanding the rights of gay couples in recent years.

The announcement came as Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, filed a bill that would allow gays to marry. At the urging of the coalition, Sen. Bill Morrow, R-Oceanside, and Assemblyman Ray Haynes, R-Murrieta, introduced constitutional amendments that would elevate the definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman from statute to the constitution.

... If it fails in the Legislature, supporters could put it on the ballot through the petition process, but the Rev. Louis Sheldon, chairman of the coalition, said he would not speculate what his group would do.

... "They want to destroy marriage and the family as we know it today," he said. "Natural law opposes homosexuality. That is, body parts do not fit. That is worth thinking about."

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Glad to see that the dear Mr. Sheldon still has his fetish for "body parts."

[merwin]

1. Not to be nitpicky, but

<rant>
if they're pro-marriage, shouldn't they be happy that gays will be able to get married as well? :)

This my favorite part:
"Natural law opposes homosexuality. That is, body parts do not fit. That is worth thinking about."

Natural law also says that we shouldn't fly either, but yet there we are, 30,000 feet in the air.

Furthermore, doesn't religious law say something like, "do unto others...". OK then, we should expect people to invade our country looking to free us from religious persecution from those like Mr Sheldon.

</rant>

[slackmaster]

8. You are so right

Welcome to DU!

:toast:

[BR_Parkway]

2. Um..some parts fit rather well actually... n/t

[Barkley]

3. If you're against same sex marriage then

don't marry someone of the same sex.

[shanti]

18. same with interracial relationships

why is that so hard to understand??

[David__77]

4. This is an interesting situation, with Schwarzenegger.

I have little doubt that if it weren't for Schwarzenegger being governor, the state GOP would be making this "their issue" and placing a measure on the ballot. In fact, recently passed AB 205 would have gone to the ballot already. But Schwarzenegger, his other weaknesses aside, does indeed support equal rights for same-gender couples. Being in a state domestic partnership, I must admit I am glab for that. I somehow think that if they do go to the ballot, it will be against the strong wishes of the governor.

I do not think that marriage equality will come too soon here, but perhaps within a decade. We will see. The bottom line is that we cannot have marriage rights here until it can win at the ballot box. Domestic partnership, on the other hand, could win here.

[Maat]

9. Domestic partnership has won here...

and this law student is proud of it. I had to study the Family Code for a class, and for every section of the code covering some right/benefit/duty of marriage, there was a domestic partnership section right underneath it. I guess we're not completely there...but I'm happy to say that I think we've gone a great distance (toward equality).

I'm proud of that.

And, I will resist any attempt to enshrine bigotry and hatred and discrimination into our Cal constitution, David. This mom is a proud member of the human rights campaign.

And I will resist with all my being any attempt to weaken our domestic partnership law.


I guess I need to know your opinion, David. After all of the work, do you feel that the domestic partnership law has benefitted you - beyond just something on paper (I might not be wording it right), but I want an honest opinion from somebody on the receiving end of the benefit.

[David__77]

13. Yes, domestic partnership laws here have benefitted me and my partner.

We own a house together. We've been together for several years now. We're like a lot of young couples actually. We're starting our professional careers and so forth. The laws are a great help:

Because of AB 205, my public sector employer will offer domestic partnership benefits.

If we relocate because of a career change on my part, my partner can get unemployment compensation as a spouse would.

Importantly, we are each other's next of kin.

We have joint auto insurance as spouses.

Unfortunately, the tax benefits are not there, not even on the state level yet. That should change though.

It's a bunch of little things from a day-to-day perspective, but something could happen that would make these rights very important, where it's crucial that we be recognized as next of kin as with spouses in a marriage.

[Maat]

15. That's really good to know. That they have been ..

of some benefit. Thanks for your reply. I fought for them by sending e-mails, and I studied them in law school. It's far from ideal, but this retired social worker knows that you fight step-by-step, and get as many benefits through as possible. Ah, onward with the fight for human rights. I disagree with some on this Board. We have to continue fighting openly and not worry about the political reprecussions.

Take care and thanks again!

When you are readY (and my husband and I weren't ready until we were 40) , check into adopting. We (I'm still a social worker at heart) are always looking for stable, committed adoptive parents (no one is perfect )!

[Barkley]

5. Where were these people when Britney did her celebrity marriage stunt?

or how about 'Who Wants to Marry a Millionaire'?

"pro-family, pro-marriage conservatives" give me break.

Marriage as we know it today is very different from Biblical times.
It was between an selected man and a selected woman; selected by parents.

[Barkley]

6. Make love not war. Hell, get married and do both! - bumper sticker

[slackmaster]

7. We're SO screwed on this one, folks

I'm strongly in favor of freedom of choice in most matters, including selection of a partner for a committed relationship.

That said, I think Assembly member Mark Leno is making a terrible mistake by introducing his bill. The people of California overwhelmingly voted to define marriage as a contract between a man and a woman just four years ago. While Democrats have about a 2/3 majority in each house, we represent only 43% of registered voters as of October 18 - See http://www.ss.ca.gov/elections/ror/county_10_18_04.pdf

California voters' attitudes are a lot more complex than we are generally given credit for. A libertarian-leaning person like me, who has no trace of an issue with other peoples' sexual orientation, supporting gay marriage is a no-brainer. But how easily we forget that a large number of Californians (including the Governator) are practicing Roman Catholics or members of other socially conservative religious groups. A large majority of the 34.7% of voters who are registered as Republicans, plus some unknown portion of the 17.67% of Declined To State voters, oppose gay marriage on the basis of one chosen moral code or another.

This is not speculation. Proposition 22 passed by a WIDE margin that mathematically had to include a big chunk of Democratic voters. This is the perfect Wedge issue for the right to apply to break up the Democratic majority in California, and by introducing his bill Mark Leno is playing right into their hands. Amending the state constitution would be tough for the TVC if we'd just let it go. I don't believe they could ever get it to a vote. But Leno's bill will force a show-down in which every member of the Legislature will have to take a stand one way or the other. Many members will be put into a lose-lose situation in which anything they do will alienate large chunks of their constituencies.

Once again please don't shoot the messenger here. I am strongly in favor of equal rights for all people including the right to marry and receive all the societal benefits thereof. I'm just saying the timing of Leno's bill couldn't be worse if it was scripted by the GOP.

[Maat]

10. While I agree with you that Mark Leno may be giving them..

something that they can use...I believe there comes a time when progressives have to be bold and standing by their principles, and this is it. Go, Mark Leno! It sure has caused a lot of heated discussion within my family!

[slackmaster]

12. With apologies to Dr. Hunter S. Thompson

I have to call this The Curse of Leno - Don't mess with peoples' religion or you'll end up like Captain Cook.

I'm sure that one day history will show that Mark Leno is right morally speaking, but this move will be good only for his political career in the short term and IMO will hurt the party. People in the "red" areas of the state don't like having societal values dictated by an area they consider to be Sodom By The Bay.

Leno's bill will get vetoed by Arnold if it gets that far. He'll "progress" us back to the Stone Age.

[Catfight]

11. What century are we in again? This is still an issue...people are just

so back wards. Get out of other people's 'business' and take care of your own folks, leave gays alone! Go pick on child molesters and rapist...like priest.

[Dancer]

14. See what people like Sheldon think it is all about:

"They want to destroy marriage and the family as we know it today," he said. "Natural law opposes homosexuality. That is, body parts do not fit. That is worth thinking about."

They think marriage is all about sex. That, to my mind, is worth thinking about.

[Sabriel]

16. Didn't I learn in biology class that animals pair up same sex?

Seems to me that's a part of "natural law," too. (Is there a bigger oxymoron than "natural law"?)

[slackmaster]

17. Yes, more frequently when they are living in close quarters

Crowded rats go gay, but there is always some percentage of homosexual behavior in all mammal populations.