the day after

[mattycub]

What surprised me the most about yesterday's California Supreme Court ruling wasn't the decision, which was exactly as predicted, but how little it affected me. Don't get me wrong, coming off the plane from Chicago and having the news be the first thing we heard when we got in the car wasn't exactly fun, and it did deflate the great mood I was in

Comments

Prop 8

[aleppo]

I have several observations for the LBGT (LGBT?) community concerning Prop 8 and the courts decision to uphold the ballot initiative. First, I’m a straight 48 year old male that has never gotten married. Never even came close. Why? What a fucked up institution! Fifty percent divorce rate, domestic violence, custody battles, supervised visitation, dead beat dads, she gets every fucking thing I own and then raises kids that are useless as adults, etc., etc. I don’t understand what the attraction is. The arguments being raised might indicate that the straight world is afraid that the gay community might have better luck with the institution that we have completely destroyed

Re: Prop 8

[kingfuraday]

"Second, the whole ballot initiative thing going on in California has got to be the stupidest thing I ever heard of. To paraphrase Paul Krugman, it’s created a system that makes California an ungovernable state. Bill Maur said it well; if the voters of California could, they’d vote themselves no taxes, free beer and vagina trees. The system is broken. Governing a state the size of California requires thoughtful debate, deliberation, and compromise. Seriously, you want a trailer park meth cooker having a say in how you live your life?"

Ding ding ding - you nailed it right on the head!

Re: Prop 8

[sftekbear]

This is exactly the way I feel. In the bigger picture, the court's decision left the door open for a grassroots movement to overhaul or eliminate the proposition system, and there is more support for that across all constituencies than there is for gay marriage.

If we abolished the proposition system, can we then go back to the courts and say, "You said banning gay marriage was unconstitutional then left it up to the people to decide if that was OK. Now that they can't decide, how about overturning it?"

Re: Prop 8

[joebehrsandiego]

Your comment (with inserts from Krugman and Mahr) on the ballot initiative process is spot-on. Thanks.

[leonardo_emc2]

Hi,
I just stumbled across this today and want to wish you and your new spouse a big congrats!

Also, I believe that the whole marriage dealis ultimately a first amendment right. Taks a look at my posts to see what I mean.

Good luck in California, we have work to do here in Oregon as well.

[kingfuraday]

I think you hit it on the head there Matty. I was talking with a friend today about how the court's decision made legal sense and that they left the door open for us to put a pro-gay marriage prop back on the ballot.

My only fear is that the opposition will seize this moment to rally the need for a "clear majority" percentage (65% or 70%) before changes are made to the State Constitution - which would conveniently allow them to retain "natural marriage" and place the bar that much higher for us to clear.

[foodpoisoningsf]

I signed up to get signatures. Let's go.

[clintswan]

i'm glad you got married