Connecticut: The Beacon of Equality

Up until 2003 all 50 states were bigot states filled with hate for equality. Then Massachusetts showed us the way with their oh so wise ways. Now Connecticut has joined Massachusetts. If only the whole country and world could be more like those two states there would be equality for all, no one would go hungry, and there would be no war...until, of course, the genocide began against Christians and other religions and groups who oppose SSM.

Connecticut began issuing marriage licenses to same sex couples today. Read about it here.

Pelosi the Erudite Explains that Prop 8 Passed Because Californians Were Just Confused

Al Mohler discusses the Proposition 8 aftermath:

Meanwhile, Speaker of the House Rep. Nancy Pelosi told The San Francisco Chronicle that voters just have misunderstood the measure. In a stunning demonstration of political condescension, Rep. Pelosi argued: “Unfortunately, I think people thought they were making a statement about what their view of same-sex marriage was . . . . I don’t know if it was clear that this meant that we are amending the Constitution to diminish freedom in our state.” If anything, the wording of the proposition, controversial in itself, makes the Speaker’s point even more ludicrous. Is she seriously suggesting that the voters of her home state cannot be taken seriously when they defend marriage? It appears so.

Religous Liberties v. Gay "Rights"

The question was posed to the Texas Faith panelists:

"Is a compromise between religious liberty and gay civil rights regarding marriage possible - and if not, which of the two is more important?"

Read the panelists' (which include legal scholars, theologians, and others) responses here. Some of the responses are very scary. In sum, most feel that a clash is inevitable unless religion changes with the times.

For example:

"To the degree a faith belief can tolerate differences and be able to interpret its scriptures in modern times, without sacrificing its core values, than compromise is possible."---Lillian Pinkus, community volunteer, Anti Defamation League activist (Jewish);

"So cooler heads must prevail and religious liberty may have to be compromised to avoid discrimination against LGBT people."---Daniel Kanter, minister, First Unitarian Universalist Church of Dallas

Michigan - Protest in Church

A radical gay rights group is claiming responsibility for a protest Sunday at Mount Hope Church in Delta Township.

Protesters who entered the Creyts Road church along with worshippers surprised the congregation when they stood up during the service, threw fliers at churchgoers and shouted slogans such as "It's OK to be gay," and "Jesus was a homo," according to David Williams, communications director at the church. His father, Dave Williams, is the church's longtime pastor. He was not preaching at the church Sunday.

More here.

The Prop 8 Protesters' First Victim

The artistic director at California's largest nonprofit musical theater company resigned Wednesday amid protests over his donation to a campaign to ban gay marriage in the state.

Scott Eckern stepped down from his job at the California Musical Theater in Sacramento after some gay and lesbian activists called for a theater boycott.

He said in a statement that he is leaving "after prayerful consideration to protect the organization and to help the healing in the local theatergoing and creative community."

Eckern said he "chose to act upon my belief that the traditional definition of marriage should be preserved" but had no idea his contribution would generate such controversy. He said his sister is a lesbian in a domestic partnership, which he understands to carry the same legal rights as marriage.

More here.

Still Fighting....

Supporters of Proposition 8 won the election but now are frustrated because they are still fighting for their cause.

A week after a majority of voters passed the controversial measure to ban same-sex marriage, the conflict continues – in the courts, at protests and in personal attacks.

More here.

If the Supremes Toss Out Prop 8, Expect a Recall Effort

The California Supreme Court's surprising announcement that it will quickly review the legality of Proposition 8, banning gay marriage, has prompted growing speculation that the four judges who found a right to gay marriage in the state Constitution in a May ruling will quickly throw Prop. 8 out. If that happens, watch out for a "barn-burner of an election -- the biggest thing this state has ever seen," says recall election guru Ted Costa.

Costa says he's already been contacted by some of the folks who would seek to recall Ronald George, Joyce Kennard, Kathryn Werdegar and Carlos Moreno if Prop. 8 is scrapped. He thinks it's premature and risky because talk of a recall "would just (bleep) off the judges."

Costa also doesn't sound like he's too thrilled about such a recall, saying it wouldn't be "healthy." Citing all the financial turmoil in California, he said, "If someone's going to do some recalling, that should be the focus."

But Costa sounds certain such a recall would happen and agreed that it would be no problem at all for gay marriage opponents to quickly gather the signatures of 12 percent of the electorate to force a recall election targeting George, Kennard, Werdegar and Moreno. He said supporters of Prop. 8 such as the Knights of Columbus, the Mormon Church and other traditional religious groups all had "massive" resources to bring to bear.

He doesn't think the state Supreme Court will overturn Prop. 8. "I gotta believe they'll uphold the initiative process." But if the four justices do, Costa says expect an amazing spectacle.

I agree. I think literally hundreds of millions of dollars would be spent on the recall. Gay marriage opponents see Prop. 8 as akin to a last stand preventing a global movement toward acceptance of gay marriage and will go all out. Gay marriage supporters, for their part, will no longer accept incremental progress or "civil unions."

At least it would be good for the California economy.

[Originally posted here.]

Video - Protest at L.A. LDS Temple

Remember when these people were saying that Prop 8 had nothing to do with the tax-exempt status of churches?

"Tax the Mormon Church!"
"Tax the Mormon Cult!"
"Bigots! Bigots!"

Campaign for California Families Looking to Intervene in Prop 8 Case

The Campaign for California Families, a conservative religious organization, is asking to intervene in the case and take part in any hearings the court holds. The group that sponsored Prop. 8, Protect Marriage, has said it will also seek to intervene. If the court denies the requests, the groups could still submit written arguments.

More here.

More [Anti-Religious] Groups Petition the Cal Supreme Court

Why isn't the Anti-Defamation League rising up in defense of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, Saddleback Church, or Focus on the Family who have been the target of the No Crowd's "hate." According to the Anti-Defamation League's website "The Anti-Defamation League was founded in 1913 'to stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.' Now the nation’s premier civil rights/human relations agency, ADL fights anti-Semitism and all forms of bigotry, defends democratic ideals and protects civil rights for all."---That is of course, unless the bigotry is aimed toward those who adhere to traditional Christian doctrine.

Reporting from San Francisco and Los Angeles -- Anti-discrimination groups and bar associations have joined 44 state legislators in calling on the California Supreme Court to overturn the anti-gay marriage initiative voters passed last week.

In letters to the court, the Anti-Defamation League and other groups sided with lawsuits that said Proposition 8, which reinstated a ban on same-sex marriage, amounted to a sweeping revision of the state Constitution instead of a more limited amendment.

More here.

California Democrats File Brief With California Supreme Court to Overturn Prop 8

Reporting from Sacramento -- Forty-three Democratic legislators, including leaders of the California Senate and Assembly, filed a brief Monday urging the California Supreme Court to void Proposition 8.

Assembly Speaker Karen Bass, Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata and incoming President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg signed the friend of the court brief, filed with the state Supreme Court.

More here.

Liberty Counsel Files Motion to Intervene to Defend Prop 8

San Francisco, CA – Today Liberty Counsel is filing a motion to intervene to defend against three lawsuits filed at the California Supreme Court by same-sex marriage advocates. The lawsuits, which were filed last week, are asking the Court to overturn the California Marriage Protection Act (Proposition 8) recently passed by California voters. Liberty Counsel represents the Campaign for California Families.

Same-sex marriage advocates erroneously argue that Proposition 8 was an illegal constitutional revision. But a revision covers multiple subjects, whereas an amendment is a single subject, as in this case. Moreover, the amendment was in the process long before the California Supreme Court’s decision in May 2008. The same-sex marriage advocates argue it violates the equal protection clause of the California Constitution, which they say protects minorities' rights against the majority vote. Proposition 8 opponents are requesting California to withhold issuing all marriage licenses, including licenses for heterosexual couples. The lawsuits were filed by the ACLU, National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, Santa Clara County, the city of San Francisco, the city of Los Angeles, and Los Angeles lawyer, Gloria Allred, on behalf of a lesbian couple.

Liberty Counsel's motion to intervene asks the Court for permission to join as a party in all three cases on behalf of Campaign for California Families. The Amendment passed with 52% of the votes and states: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California." Now that it has been passed, the Amendment will nullify the 4-3 ruling of the California Supreme Court issued on May 15.

Mathew D. Staver, Founder of Liberty Counsel and Dean of Liberty University School of Law, commented: "The proponents of same-sex marriage have thrown a 'Hail Mary' pass with no receivers down field. The law suit seeking to block Proposition 8 is patently frivolous. The people have a right to amend their constitution. It is amazing how much effort has been put in this battle to keep the people from deciding the future of marriage. It makes no sense that four judges can re-write the historic definition of marriage and more than 5 million people cannot restore it to its common understanding as the union of one man and one woman."

[Original posted here. Read about Liberty Counsel at www.lc.org]

The No Crowd Targeting More than Mormons

The No Crowd's protests have expanded beyond Mormons. In Chicago the No Crowd protested Focus on the Family's James Dobson when he was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame. Read about it here.

The No Crowd also protested in from of Saddleback Church in Orange County for Pastor Rick Warren's support of Prop 8. Read about that here.

Jim, Rick, welcome aboard.

California Supreme Court Prop 8 Filings

A lot of people are curious about the legal challenges to Prop 8. Most people don't understand how such challenges could even be made given that a majority of voters approved Proposition 8. The California Supreme Court has posted a webpage so that you can read the different petitions and motions in support of and in opposition to the challenges to Proposition 8.

See that webpage here.

I Told You Prop 8 Was Just the Beginning

Equality California has launched an online petition to get SSM back on the ballot. We're going to be in this for the long haul.

See the petition here.

The Terminator Out to Terminate Traditional Marriage and with it Freedom of Speech and Religion

Reporting from Sacramento and Pasadena -- Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger today expressed hope that the California Supreme Court would overturn Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that outlawed same-sex marriage. He also predicted that the 18,000 gay and lesbian couples who have already married would not be affected by the initiative.

"It's unfortunate, obviously, but it's not the end," Schwarzenegger said in an interview on CNN this morning. "I think that we will again maybe undo that, if the court is willing to do that, and then move forward from there and again lead in that area."

More here.

More Protests in L.A.

More than 20,000 protesters spilled into the streets of Los Angeles, San Diego, Sacramento and even Modesto on Saturday in mostly peaceful demonstrations over passage of Proposition 8, the statewide ballot measure that bans same-sex marriage.

The unfolding street scenes underscored the racial and religious tensions that have surfaced since Tuesday's vote threw into question the legality of 18,000 marriages of gay and lesbian couples and foreclosed the option for any more.

More here.

Protests at LDS Oakland Temple and Sacramento

A couple thousand people gathered outside the Capitol in Sacramento this afternoon to rally for the legalization of same-sex marriages just days after voters imposed a constitutional ban.

More here.

Protest Planned at LDS Oakland Temple

How exactly does protesting against a religion "build bridges"? Although I would like to take Timmy at his word, I'm having trouble swallowing this one.

OAKLAND, Nov. 9, 2008 - Proposition 8 opponents will converge at the Oakland Mormon Temple at Noon on Sunday, November 9th, to promote better relations between the LGBT community and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

"It was time to turn the other cheek," said organizer Tim DeBenedictis. "Many in of our community were deeply hurt by the passage of proposition 8, and are disappointed that the Mormon church supported it - especially since the church was once persecuted for its own beliefs on marriage."

"We are meeting at the Temple on a day that it is closed. Our intent is not to disturb church-goers. Our goal is to mend fences and build bridges, so that all Californians can achieve marriage equality under the law," said DeBenedictis.

Original here.

Catholic Bishop Decries Religious Bigotry Against Mormons

The following statement was released [Nov 7] by Bishop William Weigand, head of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sacramento and former Bishop of Salt Lake City, in response to attacks on (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) for supporting California’s Proposition 8, defending the traditional definition of marriage:

“Catholics stand in solidarity with our Mormon brothers and sisters in support of traditional marriage — the union of one man and one woman — that has been the major building block of Western Civilization for millennia.

“The ProtectMarriage coalition, which led the successful campaign to pass Proposition 8, was an historic alliance of people from every faith and ethnicity. LDS were included — but so were Catholics and Jews, Evangelicals and Orthodox, African-Americans and Latinos, Asians and Anglos.

“Bigoted attacks on Mormons for the part they played in our coalition are shameful and ignore the reality that Mormon voters were only a small part of the groundswell that supported Proposition 8.

“As the former bishop of the Diocese of Salt Lake City, I can attest to the fact that followers of the Mormon faith are a good and generous people with a long history of commitment to family and giving to community causes.

“I personally decry the bigotry recently exhibited towards the members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints — coming from the opponents of Proposition 8, who ironically, have called those of us supporting traditional marriage intolerant.

“I call upon the supporters of same-sex marriage to live by their own words — and to refrain from discrimination against religion and to exercise tolerance for those who differ from them. I call upon them to accept the will of the people of California in the passage of Proposition 8.”