Lost in the euphoria

[geisha_guy]

Along with the main event on Tuesday last, a very important amendment was being proposed to a number of states' constitutions around gay marriage rights. Sadly, both California and Florida (where a 60% majority was needed) both passed state-constitution propositions codifying marriage as being between a man and a woman - some of this was lost in

Comments

[stabarinde]

Quoting from another friend's LJ;

According to the office of the California Secretary of State, Prop 8 has not yet been called. They are still counting ballots... and we will not know the results until December 13th.

All media has announced a victory for Yes on 8.

THIS IS WRONG.

Based on turnout estimates reported yesterday, we expect that there are more than 3 million and possibly as many as 4 million absentee and provisional ballots yet to be counted.

Roughly 500,000 votes separate yes from no on Prop 8 - out of 10 million votes tallied.

Also:
Today’s California Constitutional law discovery:
Any amendment to the constitution, before being submitted to a vote, is required to be reviewed by the legislature. Guess what wasn’t?

The ACLU has filed an initial writ petition this morning to block proposition 8 from altering the Constitution.
http://www.aclu.org/lgbt/relationships/37706prs20081105.html

"The California Constitution itself sets out two ways to alter the document that sets the most basic rules about how state government works. Through the initiative process, voters can make relatively small changes to the constitution. But any measure that would change the underlying principles of the constitution must first be approved by the legislature before being submitted to the voters. That didn't happen with Proposition 8, and that's why it's invalid."

It's not over yet.

[geisha_guy]

Well that is good news. I admit to not having followed the story any further than the salon link this morning. Having said that, it really is a difficult subject for America as a whole.

[stabarinde]

Indeed. It's not so long ago that Colorado, a very republican state, voted not to rule same-sex marriage outright in the mid-terms. Other states have not been so understanding. The subject elicits polar opposites, it seems, in a country not noted for it's recognition of grey areas.