AMERICAblog: Big gay marriage court case coming down tomorrow
FunMe
· 1 year ago
I'm praying my state of California takes the lead and is true to itself as the land of progressives.
sazerac
· 1 year ago
I despise the initiative process in California. Writing a complex law with hidden loopholes and Trojan horses and flogging it on television with 15-second sound bites for direct voting is no way to make laws or, Ghod forbid, amend the state constitution.
Surely an initiative passed by direct vote cannot overturn a STATE SUPREME COURT decision. How are such measures deemed to be constitutional or not? Wouldn't such a court decision invalidate such an initiative as unconstitutional even before it hits the ballot?
Nigel Elliott
· 1 year ago
sazerac,
The wingnuts' ballot measure is designed to amend the California constitution. It's legal here unfortunately. Sometimes it's borderline chaos and confusing for voters the way they are worded.
KCinLA
· 1 year ago
From what I understand the Initiative process is where the people (if enough signatures are obtained) through an election process present issues that the normal process of presenting voting issues. The advantage is that sometimes (we hope less often than more) our elected officials may be lobbied into not doing what the people want. So this is a way for laws to be enacted when the people we elect don't do their job (for whatever reason).
However the Courts are the ones that interpret the law which gives them the final say so. The Supreme Court is the ultimate authority. One of their "powers" is that they decide which cases they will process (usually if it's important it gets quick attention). So whoever appoints the Judges actually has a great effect to the state or country long after they've left office (I mean the appointing official - like Pres. Bush appoints the judges to the Supreme Court (when needed).
Gary SF
· 1 year ago
I love the initiative process. In California, we have had the right to privacy since the 70's, thanks to an initiative. It usually goes well. As for those worried about how a ruling in favor of same-sex marriage will affect the election, as a culture we have evolved a little. This will be interesting to watch.
KCinLA
· 1 year ago
I saw a recent video on YouTube (Feb 2008) with Naomi Wolf and she was concerned that America was following the "blueprint" that many other countries in the past had followed from democracy to dictatorship.
One of these "sign-posts" of heading away from freedom was discrimination towards gays. I think that if the Supreme Court rules progressively and Republicans want to try and make an issue of it... Well let's say that maybe if we could get some of the patriotic republicans to see the warning signs, maybe they'd be on our side just like "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".
I say that instead of attacking the Republicans if they try to use gay marriage as an issue in the election. We could point to the fact the Republicans want a dictatorship. Remember Bush saying that he didn't like a dictatorship unless he was the dictator?
ShirleyGoodnessanMercy
· 1 year ago
This news is depressing the hell out of me. I am gay and I DO NOT WANT us gays to be the reason the Republicans win the White House YET AGAIN. That would just kill me. I'd have to move to Canada. I am scared to death that if California legalizes gay marriage the Republicans will make gay-bashing the National Sport of 2008. Again. I seriously and literally don't think I can live through yet another election season full of gay-bashing. 2000 and 2004 both almost destroyed me with all the hostility against gays, and all the constant flow of lies and hate against us. It is just too much, it is killing me. It is unbearable to think of going thru that again. I think the only way I could survive another election season of being dehumanized and despised by most of America would be to just get drunk every day and pray I can avoid reading any papers, listening to news or watching any TV.
Nigel Elliott
· 1 year ago
ShirleyGoodnessanMercy,
It's not as polarising as elections before. Gay marriage is already legal in Mass via a similar court ruling. And where gay marriage was an issue in the previous election, those ballot measures have already passed or failed. California is true blue to the core, so it won't affect the presidential or congressional races here either. ;-)
ShirleyGoodnessanMercy
· 1 year ago
Nigel, I pray you are right. What you said makes sense, but I am still terrified. I just can't possibly live thru that demonization on such a massive scale one more time.
This straight girl wants to tell you that because the homophobic voice is loud does not mean their numbers are a majority. Most people of this country, regardless how we are media-duped, believe that until all rights are secured, no rights are secured. Those who condemn based on prejudice have had the mic for far too long, but their time is about to end. Until then, let them wail. But know that the support of people of good heart will not falter.
TampaZeke
· 1 year ago
Shirley, don't be so quick to throw away fairness and justice out of fear. When you do that Republicans win! That's how they always win. Not because a State does the right thing but because they can scare people like you into waving the white flag. Stand strong girlfriend. The claim that gay marriage won the presidency in 2004 has been proven to be a complete myth. If the Democrats lose in 2008, it won't be because of gay marriage, it we be because the Democrats are once again too disunified and too stupid to campaign their way out of a wet paper bag.
The Democrats blamed their incompetence on us in 2004. We won't let them scapegoat us again. We get enough scapegoating from religious nuts and Republicans blaming us for 9/11 and Katrina, we sure as hell don't need the Democrats demonizing us with lies too.
Victories for fairness, justice and equality are NEVER, EVER, EVER a bad thing and they are NEVER, EVER, EVER too soon or at the "wrong" time. ANYTIME there is an advancement in human/civil rights it's the RIGHT time!
ShirleyGoodnessanMercy
· 1 year ago
TampaZeke, you are quite right. Thank you for slapping some sense back into me. But if the Republicans focus on demonizing gays again this year I probably will have to drink myself into a stupor until it's over. I have 4 decades of huge sacrfices for equality under my belt and I am now physically worn out by it.
donotmakemecomedownthere
· 1 year ago
"... Conservative religious organizations have submitted more than 1.1 million signatures..."
About 3.5% of the population of Cal. Which is about how many votes McCain will get in Cal in November. Bring on the historic lows for the GOP.
TampaZeke
· 1 year ago
Shirley, you come right on down to Tampa sweetheart. This Mississippi redneck has enough piss and vinegar for the both of us. You can lean on me anytime. Everytime you get down, depressed or scared take a deep breath and GET PISSED! Find your righteous indignation and anger, throw your shoulders back and FIGHT! There's a time and a place for goodness and mercy and there's a time for sticking your boot up someone's ass and screaming NO MORE at the top of your lungs. You may be too much of a lady for that but trust me it's effective and, frankly, hot as hell when done by a woman in stiletto high heals! ; )
I've got your back baby and so do a whole hell of a lot of other pissed off queers and allies. This isn't the same country as it was in 2004. You are a part of a mighty army my friend. If we show strength and confidence we will prevail against the bigots.
KCinLA
· 1 year ago
I like your spirit, TampaZeke. I never thought I'd be griving praise to a 'Mississippi redneck' but I think we are actually on the same team; in respects to regaining our America back.
I'm been mild mannered most of my life, but I getting BEYOND that movie NETWORK. I AM MAD AS HELL, and I'm looking for something to do... about it.
ndtovent
· 1 year ago
Kudos to John! I'd like to see more posts like this instead of a constant barrage of campaign, caimpaign, campaign campaign. Thank you! I happened to catch the original hearings on this issue on C-span (which I rarely ever watch). Very interesting. I'm anxious to see how it comes out. Most east coasters think that CA is a very liberal state, but I grew up there and...at least politcially where public policy is concerned....not so much
hawkseye
· 1 year ago
My spouse of 36 years and I celebrated tonight, because we had the time, and because we believe the court will rule for us tomorrow.
All Comments
Surely an initiative passed by direct vote cannot overturn a STATE SUPREME COURT decision. How are such measures deemed to be constitutional or not? Wouldn't such a court decision invalidate such an initiative as unconstitutional even before it hits the ballot?
The wingnuts' ballot measure is designed to amend the California constitution. It's legal here unfortunately. Sometimes it's borderline chaos and confusing for voters the way they are worded.
However the Courts are the ones that interpret the law which gives them the final say so. The Supreme Court is the ultimate authority. One of their "powers" is that they decide which cases they will process (usually if it's important it gets quick attention). So whoever appoints the Judges actually has a great effect to the state or country long after they've left office (I mean the appointing official - like Pres. Bush appoints the judges to the Supreme Court (when needed).
One of these "sign-posts" of heading away from freedom was discrimination towards gays. I think that if the Supreme Court rules progressively and Republicans want to try and make an issue of it... Well let's say that maybe if we could get some of the patriotic republicans to see the warning signs, maybe they'd be on our side just like "the enemy of my enemy is my friend".
I say that instead of attacking the Republicans if they try to use gay marriage as an issue in the election. We could point to the fact the Republicans want a dictatorship. Remember Bush saying that he didn't like a dictatorship unless he was the dictator?
It's not as polarising as elections before. Gay marriage is already legal in Mass via a similar court ruling. And where gay marriage was an issue in the previous election, those ballot measures have already passed or failed. California is true blue to the core, so it won't affect the presidential or congressional races here either. ;-)
http://thehill.com/leading-the-news/analysis-ho...
Yes, change gonna come...
Soon.
The Democrats blamed their incompetence on us in 2004. We won't let them scapegoat us again. We get enough scapegoating from religious nuts and Republicans blaming us for 9/11 and Katrina, we sure as hell don't need the Democrats demonizing us with lies too.
Victories for fairness, justice and equality are NEVER, EVER, EVER a bad thing and they are NEVER, EVER, EVER too soon or at the "wrong" time. ANYTIME there is an advancement in human/civil rights it's the RIGHT time!
About 3.5% of the population of Cal. Which is about how many votes McCain will get in Cal in November. Bring on the historic lows for the GOP.
I've got your back baby and so do a whole hell of a lot of other pissed off queers and allies. This isn't the same country as it was in 2004. You are a part of a mighty army my friend. If we show strength and confidence we will prevail against the bigots.
I'm been mild mannered most of my life, but I getting BEYOND that movie NETWORK. I AM MAD AS HELL, and I'm looking for something to do... about it.