The Courts Will Decide for the Moment But the Future Is On the Side of Justice
March 5, 2009
The Supreme Court of California will be hearing opening arguments later today (Thursday) that both support and oppose November’s passage of Prop 8 in which 51% of California voters voted to enter the phrase “marriage is between one man and one woman” into the California Constitution. The Court has two decisions before them. They will decide 1) to overturn or uphold Prop 8 and 2) they will decide whether to grant continuing legal status to the existing 18,000 same-sex marriages or rule that 36,000 individuals are to be forcibly divorced from one another by order of the state. They have 90 days to make their decision from the beginning of opening arguments though in all likelihood the Court has already formed its decision and could render their verdict as early as tomorrow. From all the information I’ve read over the past months it seems improbable that Prop 8 will be repealed, putting us through another long uphill battle to take it back to the voters in the next election. I hold onto the slimmest thread of hope that the existing marriages will remain valid. It might be less about hope than in avoiding the thought that the state I live in, vote in, and pay taxes to, would declare D and I divorced against our will. The thought is sickening and reprehensible to me even as I know the state has no power whatsoever to invalidate our solemn vows to one another made before God. What God has joined together no people, state, anti-gay political lobby or religious organization, or law will pull apart.
Whatever the outcome our marriage license is on our wall and there it will remain until the people of California get it right and open the doors of marriage equality to all. And they will get it right one day. Justice will roll. Bet your bottom dollar and your Melissa Etheridge CD collection.
Though this video, produced by the Courage Campaign, has found it’s way all over the internet for weeks, I post it here in hope for loving gay and lesbian married couples, their children, their families, and their homes.
Posted in Marriage, News and Events
March 5th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
so what now?
I live in a state that passed the initiative by 60%, this is all truely disheartening. Has anyone else heard rumor of a national DC protest on the 40th aniversary of Stonewall this year?
It seems alot of talk but I haven’t seen anything concrete. What do yall even think about the idea?
March 5th, 2009 at 12:24 pm
So a famous pastor during the Nazi era said
“First they came for the communists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a communist.
Then they came for the Jews, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the trade unionists and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist.
Then they came for the Catholics and I didn’t speak up because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me – and by that time there was no one left to speak up.”
So today, with all the injustice, let’s update it….
First they came for the terrorists, and I didn’t speak up because I was not a terrorist.
Then they came for the gays and I did not speak up because I was not gay.
Then they came for the immigrants but I did not speak up because I was not an immigrant.
Then they came for the those that did not agree, I did not speak up to show I disagreed.
Then they came for me………
March 5th, 2009 at 8:03 pm
I am so hoping the decision lands in favor of restoring same sex marriage in California!
March 6th, 2009 at 8:16 pm
this touched me very deeply. Thanks for sharing, Anita.
March 9th, 2009 at 1:26 pm
Thanks Jen, Wendy, and Deb for your comments and hopes. Whatever happens, however disappointing or encouraging the outcome, we know there’s more work ahead until the day when no gay or lesbian youth experiences anything but full equality.
March 17th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
Breaks my heart too. If you don’t start putting a hanky warning on these blogs, I am going to stop reading reading them. This one is 7 1/2 hankies and Kleenex that I used to get through the whole thing.