Not to rain on anyone's post-election parade, but the news on gay-rights related ballot initiatives is really grim. I'll admit that, seeing these results, it rings a little false for me that this election was supposedly all about hope and change, for all Americans. (I know I am being a bit melodramatic given Obama's landslide victory, but somehow that made this news even harder to take.) I was, however, thrilled to see the news that every radical anti-choice initiative failed.
As an update to my pre-election ballot initiatives post, here are the results:
ANTI-GAY
Proposition 8 in California: Passed. This is such a crushing loss. I went to bed last night before the final results were in, and woke up to the news that the people of California actually approved the gay marriage ban. So devastating.ANTI-CHOICE
Amendment 2 in Florida: Passed. Yet another gay marriage ban.
Proposition 102 in Arizona: Passed. As Dana noted previously, "Arizona became the first state in the nation to reject an anti-gay marriage amendment in 2006, but they're likely to pass the measure this year, now that it has been stripped of language that also denied domestic partnership benefits to hetero couples." Looks like that was the magic change to make bigotry palatable to Arizona voters.
Act 1 in Arkansas: Passed. Now gay couples are unable to adopt or foster-parent children. This from a state with 3700 children in the foster-care system, and only 1000 foster homes. Disgusting.
Question 1 in Connecticut: Failed! Lindsay at Female Impersonator explained earlier that this initiative would have allowed the state constitution to be changed -- essentially clearing the way for anti-gay and anti-choice amendments to be tacked onto it. Glad it didn't pass.
Amendment 48 in Colorado: Failed! By huge margins -- 73% voted against granting fertilized eggs full rights. I'm so glad voters saw this amendment for the radical piece of garbage it was.ANTI-IMMIGRANT
Measure 11 in South Dakota: Failed! Voters rejected another radical abortion ban.
Proposition 4 in California: Failed! Voters said no to a parental-notification requirement.
Measure 58 in Oregon: Failed! As Alas, a Blog summarized, it would have mandated "that school districts limit foreign-language instruction for non-English-speaking students to one or two years, depending on their age."ANTI-EQUAL OPPORTUNITY
Amendment 46 in Colorado: They aren't calling this for either side yet -- it's neck-and-neck, with the "yes" side slightly ahead, unfortunately. The initiative would ban programs that work to eliminate the gaps between white dudes and everyone else. Let's hope the final reporting precincts swing the balance to "NO."
Initiative 424 in Nebraska: Passed. Voters said they're ok with re-writing the state constitution to eliminate equal-opportunity programs. Sigh.
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Obama's landslide victory came in part from massively increasing turnout from anti-gay demographics. What did you think was going to happen?
That is a pretty sweeping statement. Do you have some FACTS to back that up? Just askin...
Funny you should ask. Yes, yes I do.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/05/eveningnews/main4502738.shtml
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/religionandethics/week746/feature.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21gay.html
Everyone in the Obama campaign knew that if we got our wave it would probably come at the cost of Prop 8 passing.
The cbs news article is based on speculation about how people will vote in relation to their religious views. Possible yes, but I'd want to see how the predominantly black precincts voted compared to other particular demographics before I blamed the election of Obama on the prop 8 result. I support the right of everyone to choose a partner and take that relationship to a place that brings them happiness--no caveats on that. I just hate to see divisiveness about an election that has the potential to change our world for the better.
Finally, I don't see how the religion and ethics article supports your position.
"nifty50 replied to aleks :
The cbs news article is based on speculation about how people will vote in relation to their religious views. Possible yes, but I'd want to see how the predominantly black precincts voted compared to other particular demographics before I blamed the election of Obama on the prop 8 result."
***************
Great, don't believe it. The Obama campaign thinks it's true, the Prop8 people think it's true, the anti-Prop8 people thought it would be true. Obama won big and Prop8 passed. If you don't recognize a correlation, I hope you and your pseudo-snark are very happy together.
"I support the right of everyone to choose a partner and take that relationship to a place that brings them happiness--no caveats on that."
******************
What does that have to do with anything? I'm for gay marriage / against Prop8 too . . . that's not what you challenged me to prove. When you asked for "FACTS" did you just mean you wanted your feelings complimented? I think Prop8 is especially cruel because it mass-divorces thousands of couples who married perfectly legitimately. The California voters chose not to give a damn what we think about it.
"I just hate to see divisiveness about an election that has the potential to change our world for the better."
***************
Where have you been for the entire election? And every previous election?
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/21/us/politics/21gay.html
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/10/05/eveningnews/main4502738.shtml
http://www.washblade.com/2008/10-24/view/editorial/13466.cfm
Even if there is a correlation, it's hardly grounds for making gross generalizations. The Prop 8 movement was started, run, and financed basically by white, religious conservatives. That's where the blame should fall. Hispanic and African-American voters are a minority in the election. Even if every single person lumped into those identities lined up for Prop 8, which they didn't, they couldn't put it over the top without a very strong white constituency lining up with them.
The fact that minorities voted in unusually large numbers is something we should welcome as such - it's a sign of greater democratic participation. What "caused" Prop 8 passing wasn't too many black people voting, it was too many people inculcated with prejudice, often religious prejudice.
"The fact that minorities voted in unusually large numbers is something we should welcome as such - it's a sign of greater democratic participation."
I completely agree. I spent the last three months registering mostly minority voters and yesterday driving mostly minority voters to the polls to vote. Glad you approve.
Prop 8 is a disgusting lump of shit.
“Exit polls for The Associated Press found that Proposition 8 received critical support from black voters who flocked to the polls to support Barack Obama for president. About seven in 10 blacks voted in favor of the ban, while Latinos also supported it and whites were split.”
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ap_on_el_ge/ballot_measures
1. 7/10 blacks voted for Prop 8.
2. 5/10 whites voted for Prop 8
3. The majority of Latinos supported Prop 8
Sounds like it would’ve passed regardless.
However, I do see a pattern---bet ya all of the people that voted for it are religious dipshits. Without addressing that dumbass religion factor, crud like this will continue to happen.
Let’s say that gay marriage is accepted in the next 50 years---and people realize that the gays are actually good, gawd fearin’ folk! Halleluiah! BUT, dumbass bible thumpin’ religion will still be there to puke its ugly hot and lumpy “morals” all over everything---AGAIN! Fine! It’s the same problem all over again. Fuck!
We need to teach critical thinking in order to either bring religion down, or at least take some of the crazy bigotry, ignorance, and fear out of it.
"or at least take some of the crazy bigotry, ignorance, and fear out of it." - I'm glad you put that qualification at the end there. Religion and rationality are not mutually exclusive, though it may seem so at times.
I can't believe Prop 8 passed...all these bans on same-sex marriage just make me sad. I've been married 4 years, and I just can't imagine being told that my marriage was suddenly invalid, or that I couldn't marry my husband in the first place back in 2004. Everyone deserves to have access to the protections and privileges that come with marriage (whether you decide to opt in or not), not just heterosexual couples.
On the flip side, it's wonderful that the anti-choice measures are failing across the board. That makes me feel a little less cynical...
This is awful.
I got so high on the Obama victory that this really brought me back to reality. We have a step in the right direction, but still a long way to go.
According to the CNN link, Prop 8 is still too close to call. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.
NYT also saying to close to call. I am holding out hope for as long as I can. If it ends up being very close, does CA have an automatic recount provision?
Missouri is pretty anti-immigrant as well. We just passed English as the "official Government language" because, you know, that darn Spanish we were using before didn't cut it *rolls eyes*.
I don't see why people even get to vote on gay marriage. The majority does not tend to vote for the rights of the minority. If it was deemed unconstitutional to deny gays rights, why do we get to vote for it anyway?
I already said last night, that on Obama's first day in the White House, he's going to get flooded with mail about gay marriage.
"Danyell said:
I don't see why people even get to vote on gay marriage. The majority does not tend to vote for the rights of the minority. If it was deemed unconstitutional to deny gays rights, why do we get to vote for it anyway?"
Because what California voted on was changing the constitution. The court ruled that the Cali constitution permitted gay marriage, but if prop8 is passed it will make gay marriage unconstitutional instead.
Yes, and I just don't think people should be able to vote in favor of discrimination.
I wish these ballot measures would fail, but that's representative democracy for you. It represents the bigotries of the majority.
Also, according to MSNBC, the Arkansas measure prohibits unmarried couples from living together. WTF?! How do they even plan to enforce this? Ban people from having unrelated roommates/housemates of any kind?
I don't know where you're pulling that from exactly, but that isn't the case.
The act specifically bans co-habitating, non-married couples or co-habitating couples in a non-recognized marriage from fostering, but does not make the act of co-habitating in and of itself illegal.
As an Arkansan I'm crushed that Act 1 passed. I can only hope and now work towards getting it overturned in court.
BornSlippy, my words were in reply to thegecko, sorry if it sounded like I was disagreeing with your post!! Thanks for the exact wording. I got mine from a CNN article.
My heart is hurting very badly from all of these blows today. I am so relieved we have Obama and not McCain, but why can't we be the PROGRESSIVE nation we were meant to be?? We can finally vote for a bi-racial President, but we can't offer basic equal rights to our citizens? How ridiculous and how blind!! But thank you, feministing, for reporting these important issues that deserve some of the light. Now that Obama has been elected, we need to make sure he keeps his word on all of the good he's talked about, and push for more. We need more. We all know that, especially now, especially today.
See my comment below. I was reading through a sleepy haze, and only caught part of the sentence. ;)
Woops! Seems I failed to read through my own sleepy, post-election drinking haze, as well. ;)
This is what I read about it actually, a little different from what you said:
Fifty-seven percent of voters in Arkansas supported a measure to prohibit unmarried sexual partners from adopting children or from serving as foster parents. The measure specifies that the prohibition applies to opposite-sex as well as same-sex couples.
I think this is the most HORRIBLE thing for children who need a good home!! These people really do not care about life, do they?? This needs more attention, feministing!!!!!
Edit to previous comment: nevermind, I read that wrong. That's what I get for commenting before coffee.
Edit to previous comment: nevermind, I read that wrong. That's what I get for commenting before coffee.
Initiative 424 was actually worded to make people think it was pro-equal opportunity; it said it would amend the state constitution to prohibit discrimination AND "preferential treatment" based on race, gender, religion, sexuality, etc. If I hadn't heard of it beforehand, I probably would've been suckered into voting for it, so don't be too hard on Nebraska voters for that.
I'm...absolutely floored by California's decision. It's been an absolute zoo in this state - Yes on 8 on one side of the street, No on 8 on the other, sometimes hurling insults, sometimes cheering, with each side having signs ripped out by angry members of the other. It amazes me to see the amount of interest and fight that'd been riled up for No on Prop 8 - something that really refueled my belief in that my fellow college students were caring about something besides themselves - and after all that, we're leaning the same way as Arizona.
I've already known people who have ceased to remain in friendships because of this ballot. I wonder what this'll do to some families come the holidays.
So happy, and So sad.
One step forward, many steps back.
Really sad.
It's not the end for equal marriage (and adoption) rights, many things that have been made law have been dismantled because they were not right. We will destroy these horrible discriminatory policies, hopefully soon!
It is truly sad, indeed. But I'm hopeful...progress is not an overnight sensation. Obama's presidency was almost 200 years in the making...I suspect we may not live to see equal rights for the sisterhood, straight or gay.
Look, we only got the right to vote, as women, A LITTLE OVER 100 YEARS AGO. Yes, it's sad and frightening and angering that progress isn't happening sooner, but we must fight the good fight. "Our daughters' daughters will adore us, and they'll sing in grateful chorus, "WELL DONE, SISTER SUFFRAGETTE!"
Is there any way to put Prop 8 back up for referendum? Or is this a done deal?
Women got the right to vote LESS THAN 100 years ago, in 1920. Well, in the United States anyways.
CNN stats on Prop 8 are from 95% precinct reports. I'm praying the last 5% will somehow close the 4-point gap... :(
While Florida and Arkansas were both unsurprising and sad, I feel the most strongly about Prop 8 in California... because that's where this farce has been dragging on so long, and so many have gotten married once, twice, thrice, only to be told yet again that their marriage isn't "real".
I don't know anyone personally affected. I live continents away. But yeah, I feel that this is terrible news to come in at a time when most should be feeling hope and joy and celebrating. The local media hasn't paid any attention to the ballot measures, and I'm not seeing any US news that dampens the elation over the Obama-Biden win, and that's disheartening too.
*chokes back tears*
I'm heartbroken that Act 1 passed. I voted against it, and I thought for sure it would be defeated. I guess I gave the people of rural/conservative Arkansas way too much credit. At my parents voted it down (and voted for Obama). I'm proud of them, at least.
“Initiative 424 in Nebraska: Passed. Voters said they're ok with re-writing the state constitution to eliminate equal-opportunity programs. Sigh.”
The wording on the ballot for this measure was VERY confusing---I had to go to the Nebraska ACLU site just to make sure I understood it correctly. I also had to tell many of my friends how to vote on it. Therefore, I wouldn’t say with total authority that the voters are “ok” with it. If it had been presented in a clearer way, it might have turned out differently. In addition, MANY people voted AGAINST it.
Republicans won again here in Nebraska, but only by the skin of their white male balls---there was NO mandate victories. I saw Lee Terry (R) on TeeVee this morning and he looked like he’d just been ruggedly intimate with 50 rabid gorillas---he was totally ragged.
Anyway, it’s apparent that we ALL still have a lot of work to do.
Seriously, I stared at it for about ten minutes trying to make sense of it, because I remembered reading that it was anti-AA, but it was worded to sound otherwise. Confusing as all get-out.
Is there any news on exactly how 424 is going to be interpreted or applied? First of all, I'm absolutely livid that such a crushing blow was delivered to strides towards diversity at UNL, I mean, I just recently moved here from Maryland, but it doesn't look like there's too much diversity here to begin with. Second, I'm worried about how this could potentially affect the math department. I don't think we give scholarships for women in math, but we do have several programs to encourage women to continue in math, that, depending on how you interpret the law, could be shot down, now.
Well first, welcome to Nebraska and UNL. I'll be attending UNL this spring. :D
Second, Initiative 424 will probably go to the state Supreme Court now; with luck it'll be overturned. If not, you can probably say goodbye to any programs for women in the math dept.
I'd like to personally apologize on behalf of Nebraska. The amendment will probably be ruled unconstitutional, though. Seven or so years ago, "we" amended the NE consititution to make Gay marriage unconstitutional, and that shit was eventually overturned by the supreme court. PS-Some dude on the local news today said Barack Obama's election proved we don't NEED affirmative action anymore. There are lots of brilliant people here. :(
That's my guess as well---that 424 will be ruled unconstitutional just as the gay marriage ban was. Don’t be fooled into believing there’s a “promise land” in America. Prop 8 isn’t the first bigoted ballot measure to appear in California. Massive amounts of people listen to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity in the ultra populated parts of this country as well. And at least we didn’t re-elect someone like Michele Bachmann! Fuck! What’s up with that, Minnesota?
Ugh, I know - I live in the UK and when discussing the election with two friends of mine they were like " well, this means black people are never allowed to complain about equal rights EVER again!"
I kind of worry this will have the adverse effect of burying the subtle forms of prejudice under a cloak of equality. Just like how people argue there's no need for feminism - "you have the vote, what more do you want?"
Yeah, Ann, all the media outlets I'm looking at haven't called Prop 8 yet, though it is ahead. Are you just doing your own math here, or do you have a link?
I don't want to believe that thing would pass.
sad, so sad about prop h8te..
i wrote a blanket email urging my californian residents to vote no on prop h8te...
im still hopeful over the obama victory
"Proposition 102 in Arizona: Passed. As Dana noted previously, "Arizona became the first state in the nation to reject an anti-gay marriage amendment in 2006, but they're likely to pass the measure this year, now that it has been stripped of language that also denied domestic partnership benefits to hetero couples." Looks like that was the magic change to make bigotry palatable to Arizona voters."
As an Arizona Voter, myself, I'd like to say that I think the ballot was passed because we were so confident that it wouldn't. It's possible that due to similar bills failures in our past, we didn't campaign against 102 as hard as we should have.
Proponents of the bill pushed for commerical spots every five minutes and signs on every street corner, but I only saw one or two commericials reminding the public that we'd already voted this bill down in 2006.
Act 1 actually bans any unmarried couple from adopting or being foster parents.
Way to think of the children Arkansas.
I feel a little sick.
im heartbroken over california. i just dont get how they can overturn the marriage licenses already given - and if they get "grandfathered" in, it's just blatantly unfair. can someone in california explain that to me?
im in texas and i would love to even get to the point of needing a prop 8.
the ca attorney general said our marriages, the ones already performed, are still valid, but that doesn't mean the other side isn't gonna file a bunch of lawsuits now to try to invalidate them...
I have to say that Arkansas is now dead to me as an adoption to ever move there. I can't believe people could be so horrible toward children who need homes. I really am baffled about this.
adoption=option, ugh, I'm so angry I can't pick the right words.
Way to throw innocent children under the bus in your quest to prohibit an adult’s civil rights, Arkansas!
Initiative 424 was worded terribly! I am amazed that the person who spearheaded the effort to get it on the ballot said that it's no longer needed since we have a black man and a woman running for pres/vice pres. It was so hard to get the message out on what this initiative meant. I still hold out hope that this will be overturned in the courts due to the scrupulous methods that were used to get residents to get the initiative on the ballot in the first place.
I'm also nauseated by the propositions in California and Arizona. I'm really surprised that the California initiative passed as all I read and heard about were the no on Prop 8 messages.
Still much work to be done.
If you support affirmative action, it hardly seems defensible to oppose the other measures, as the problem of discriminatory marriage laws and of inappropriate allocation of education funds have basically the same cause: the political majority imposing itself into places it has no business in.
If the state wasn't involved in marriage or education, there'd be no reason to worry about that power being used inappropriately. But I guess people are tempted enough by the possibility of themselves having that power to risk letting their opponents get it.
"Proposition 4 in California: Failed! Voters said no to a parental-notification requirement."
Nice! Now parents in California never have to know if their daughter has been raped.
That sounds like sarcasm, so let me rephrase it for you: Nice! Now parents in California never have to beat their daughter into a bloody pulp because she was raped!
Of course, they never will know if she's been raped, because no-one has to know, do they? She, or the older guy who takes her to the clinic, never have to say anyting to her parents. They'll never know that the guy raped her, and he's free to go on as before.
Sam, that's beyond ludicrous. I don't even know what else to say.
Just because she doesn't have to notify her parents doesn't mean she can't. Those who would want their parents to know can just tell them, and those who wouldn't, don't have to. Everybody wins!
Don't feed the troll...
Me thinks Sam is an MRA troll.
In Oregon a similar measure to Prop. 8 passed but our courts we're like "Well, fuck that." and over turned it. So. I hope the same will happen in California.
Oh, man, I hope you're right. Was it an amendment to the constitution?
Yup. They amended it and now we have domestic partnerships. Which the measure banned as well.
I'm not sure what you're referring to, but the Oregon constitution pretty clearly defines marriage as one man one woman since the amendment in 2004, and the state supreme court confirmed that.
There was a bill that went into effect this year that granted some (limited) "domestic partnership" rights. . . .
I've never been so happy about an election result (Obama), but the Prop 8 result has me overwhelmingly sad. Maybe because I can blame a lot of people I'm close to for it. (I grew up Mormon) Sad sad happy day.
Hopefully the CA government will decide that civil unions are still legal, even if you can't call it marriage. Not the same thing, but better than nothing for now. I assume they will need to do something with all the preexisting marraige contracts, but I don't know what. I guess they would be annulled. So sad.
And as for Arkansas, well, I hope they go bankrupt from the cost of all those children who need homes. Will they come and take children away from their current adoptive parents? Does anyone really consider that the best option?
We still have domestic partnerships, and CA law requires that they be treated the same as marriages. my wife and I have both. They are not the same, but at least we still have something...
When I read the wording last night for Prop 8 in CA on msnbc.com, I thought it was worded very confusing. It said: Proposition 8: Right to Same-Sex Marriage, but underneath it says "Amends the California constitution to specify that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Don't those two seem to comflict? I know I would have been confused had I lived in CA.
The title got cut off - the full title is Constitutional Amendment to Eliminate the Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.
I think MSNBC just does a basic sum-up of what issue the measure is addressing. Act 1 in Arkansas, for example, is described as "Banning Same-Sex Adoption," when the act itself is actually much broader than that.
If, once Obama gets some time in the White House and maybe gets a chance to appoint some new justices, could Prop 8 get challenged nationally? It just seems like a newly balanced SCOTUS, a Dem legislature, and the protection of a veto for an attempted national amendment could settle this once and for all.
Or is this just a hope hangover?
Unless something terrible and unexpected happens to one or more of the conservatives on the Supreme Court, Obama isn't going to have the opportunity to appoint enough SCOTUS justices to shift the balance to one that might grant us full rights. I fear we have been set back decades.
Obama's going to replace old liberal justices with young liberal justices. It's still going to be a rightwing court, just not worse. Besides, Obama is at least nominally against Same Sex Marriage.
I don't think a president can veto a constitutional amendment.
I'm pretty sure you're right about that, but they definitely require a two-thirds vote to pass, and there's no way in hell they're getting that with this Congress - they couldn't even get there a few years ago when the Republicans were in control. With a Democratic Congress, a federal amendment will never even come to the floor.
If, once Obama gets some time in the White House and maybe gets a chance to appoint some new justices, could Prop 8 get challenged nationally? It just seems like a newly balanced SCOTUS, a Dem legislature, and the protection of a veto for an attempted national amendment could settle this once and for all.
Or is this just a hope hangover?
I doubt that would happen. Maybe in another 20 years or so. This country is still too homophobic and any politician that pushed that through would risk political suicide.
This wouldn't require a political push-through.
Here's the scenario I'm imagining:
Someone from CA challenges the amendment nationally in the Supreme Court. A newly configured court overturns the ban for any number of reasons. An attempt at a national amendment to override the court's decision doesn't come through because of the Democratic Senate so the ruling stands.
When do you see this "newly configured" Supreme Court coming about? Obama isn't going to nominate 5 SJ Justices, and if he did they wouldn't all be pro-Gay Marriage, if any of them were.
Dammit, I'm so upset about Prop 8 passing. I really hope the last few votes that need to be counted will push this into a defeat, but I don't realistically think that's going to happen.
I really want to be super-happy and celebrating because of the Obama victory (and the passage of prop 2 and defeat of prop 4)- and I genuinely am thrilled about those - but it's really hard to be exuberant when there's been such a horrible blow to gay rights. I live in CA and it's been so crazy to see all the time and money spent on both sides. The polls had been going back and forth on whether it would pass, but I think many polls said that Prop 8 would be defeated, albeit narrowly - maybe that made people feel less like they had to go out and vote against it?
Ugh...I just don't understand how people could be so bigoted and hateful to pass something like this. Grr. Is there any way to overturn this without another ballot initiative to amend the constitution?
I hate that people who voted for prop 8 did it to support "traditional marriage." Traditions can be changed for the better, and their "tradition" actually has a lot worse things attached to it than "between a man and woman." Marriage wasn't put in place so two people who love each other can live together and receive all those lovely benefits, but they would probably deny that or say "traditions can change."
Of course, as long as they agree with what it's changing into. *sigh* I hope it gets overturned somehow so much. T_T
I can't believe prop 8 passed. I'm so disappointed in my home state right now. The fact that a lot of the anti-choice measures failed (including 48 in the state I live in), something that would ordinarily have me jumping for joy, does little to console me in light of prop 8 failing.
My full reaction to AR Act 1 here.
Oh, Arkansas. You never cease to amaze me. And not in a good way.
And people wonder why I'm planning on going to grad-school in Boston.
I was happy about Obama for about 20 minutes. And then the CA prop results started coming in... I have been in a state of inconsolable depression ever since. I honestly have no idea how I'm gonna make it through the week... I just want to lay in bed and cry until I die.
A couple lawsuits are gonna be filed challenging 8 on various grounds. I'm not optimistic, but that's something to hope for...
I think this is the first time in my entire life that I've ever been ashamed of California. And on top of that, I got a "vote YES on 4 & 8" text from my aunt yesterday. WTF. Now I'm ashamed of my family, too.
I'm wearing black today.
this is unconstitutional!!!! Anyone going to the Dobson protest here in Chicago? god it is going to be such a somber occasion. : \
Can anyone explain how Prop 8 and similar laws affect couples who are already married?
I'm not American, but very interested in US politics. I got a bit teary with joy this morning to see that Obama won. Anti-American sentiment will deflate in many parts of the world (too bad for the people who use it for their own advantage) and I'm optimistic that Obama will be more willing to solve international disputes and issues through diplomacy, unlike the current president.
Still, the anti-gay laws are a big disappointment.
I'm no Cali expert but probably the gay marriages performed will be nullified. They'll probably have to apply for Civil Union status.
I've heard that same-sex couples who have already gotten married will remain married in CA. That's a really awkward situation, and I'm pretty sure that the fundies will try to get them annulled.
I shed my own little tear this morning over Prop 8; I can't imagine being a newly-married couple and having to revoke my marriage license (is that what happens? I'm making assumptions here). It makes me a little sick to my stomach.
This certainly is a sad state after the wonderful news that Obama was elected.
I just dont understand how people can be fighting for 'traditional marriage' and the nuclear family, when those things have faded into the minority. How can people argue that marriage is only to be between a man and a woman because it is sacred when we have tv shows like who wants to marry a millionaire and such.
Times have changed, the goverment needs to change with it.
The bigoted majority should not be allowed to vote on the rights of the minority. And I did a search on this and yes there will be challenges to this bill. The SF city attorney plans on filing suit as well as the first lesbian couple to be married in CA also plans on filing suit. Hopefully this garbage will be struck down as unconstitutional as it was once before.
http://www.mercurynews.com/breakingnews/ci_10905867
The news just said that Prop 8 is already being challenged in court.I hope that prop 8 may yet be overturned.
There'd better damn sure be challenges to Prop 8.
I know it's not huge, but I think it should be mentioned as another plus: Prop 6 in California got crushed. Granted, it was pretty blatantly bad, but you never know, right?
http://www.smartvoter.org/2008/11/04/ca/state/prop/6/
I was devastated to hear that Prop 8 passed... I just can't believe people can be so hateful.
For bonus bad on the Arizona Proposition, it only made it on the ballot due to a state senator blatantly disregarding Senate rules ( http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/121807 ). Jack Harper intentionally cut the microphones of senators who were trying to filibuster the bill. An ethics committee investigated but since it was split 3 Republicans to 2 Democrats, so was the vote and the investigation was dropped.
Sorry, Elena, but that's not the case. In 2004 measure 36 passed and the constitution was amended to define marriage as between a man and a woman. This has never been overturned. However, unlike some of the other state bans, it did not prohibit other benefits from domestic partnerships or civil unions. In 2007 a bill was passed in the Oregon legislature that allowed same sex couples some domestic partnership benefits. After a bit of an ordeal over an appeals petition, it became effective in February of this year.
These partnerships are a step in the right direction. But Oregon still bans same-sex marriage in the constitution.
This was supposed to be a reply but after I signed in it must have moved it to a general comment.
This is a tragic event. For the people who were legitimately married and are now in limbo, it must be a catastrophe. But, the easy manner of constitutional amendments in Cali that allowed Prop 8 to pass will also make it possible to undo in the non-distant future.
1. Young white voters in Cali were overwhelmingly against Prop8. This gives pro-Gay Marriage positions a down payment on owning the future.
2. Barack Obama brought an unusually high percentage of black voters to the polls. In 2010, 2014, 2016, 2018, etc. Obama won't be on the ballot, so black participation will likely fall from the 2008 peak.
There is a piece up today at the CA NOW blog by Meredith Patterson, "Prop. 8 Postmortem" that breaks down the current challenge to the passage of Prop. 8, the legal background for the challenge, and why it may work to preserve marriage equality in California. http://www.canow.org/canoworg/2008/11/prop-8-postmortem-part-1-dissecting-history.html
Sobering, but thank you for summing all of this up.
Sean Penn is such an actor who does not shy away from placing his ideas in front of the world. Sean had been vocal about anti-gay people, at this year’s Academy Awards while he gave his thanking speech. Sean has played a Gay politician in his recent Oscar winning film, ‘Milk’. Now Penn has taken up the cause for the third gender yet again.
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