Victory against Prop 8!

 

Huffington Post:  Prop 8 Overturned

This is no stock photo! It's my daughter and daughter-in-law who were married at City Hall, San Francisco in October of 2008, during that small window before Prop 8 passed. Their marriage is considered legal because of its timing, their marriage is considered legal in California but the ruling today can only strengthen their union. This is such a victory for California's LGBTQ community and a step-forward toward a national awareness of this issue as being unconstitutional; not just in California but in all fifty states. A small step, but a victory, none-the-less!

A Letter to Friends

Hi to you, the faithful blog friends of the Slightly Erratic Pagan Sphinx. Now that Bobbie has passed away, I think the regular readers remain Susan, Singing Bear, Dianne, Mac and Jams.The Photo Pholks stop by for the memes but probably don't read the art or personal posts.  Thanks, Beautiful People. 

I'm writing to you briefly from San Francisco, California.  I didn't expect to be here for the last four days of my California trip but it was indeed a nice surprise to be parceled out from Santa Barbara, where I was visiting my daughter and daughter-in-law, and join WP in SF until July 5.  

Today's delights were crepes, fresh orange juice and dark coffee for breakfast and Filmore Jazz off and on all day. 

We are staying in Japan Town, which is very chill, as the San Francisco denizen, Lovely Step-Daughter #1, says.  We met her boyfriend for the first time and we had a genuinely great time out with them last night for dinner, over lots of wine and bustling city-cool restaurant atmosphere. Chill, indeed. Living-wise, I'd much rather San Francisco than New York City. Though I will visit the latter at the Drop of a Hat.

Both states need to get their act together regarding Marriage Equality. It's beyond sad that California rejected the equal marriage law, by popular vote.  Ouch. 

I digress ; sorry.

Listening to the strands of jazz music on Filmore straining up the the sixteenth floor of our hotel in Japantown.  Time to go back down to earth to groove.  :-)

Tomorrow:  San Francisco MoMA and more Filmore Jazz.

Next week:  lots of photos, here at The Pagan Sphinx.

Peace and Love,

Pagan Sphinx

Happy Birthday, Harvey Milk

Harvey Milk
(May 22, 1930 – November 27, 1978)

What's At Stake

An Alert from Equality California

Dear Gina,

Tomorrow, all eyes will be on California as we ask the state Supreme Court to invalidate Prop 8.

Join the fight and make your voice heard! Take Action Now!

• March in tonight’s candlelight vigils across California with the Eve of Justice Coalition as we ‘light the way for the Supreme Court’ together. Find the location nearest you >>
  
  
• Rally Tomorrow! See History Made! Join our community and allies outside the California Supreme Court in San Francisco as we make our voices heard! If you can’t join us in the streets, join us online – watch the hearing live at eqca.org starting at 9 a.m. PST at home, work, or at the Los Angeles and San Francisco viewing parties.
  
  
• Share this brand new grassroots video, created by activists at the Sacramento Lobby Day and Rally. Capture the spirit of the LGBT Movement and learn how all our rights are under attack.

Now is the moment! Join us!

Supreme Court Hears Prop 8 Case Thursday

California Supreme Court to Hear Oral Arguments
in Prop 8 Legal Challenge on March 5

The California Supreme Court announced today that it will hear oral arguments on Thursday, March 5, 2009 in the Proposition 8 legal challenge.

On November 19, 2008, the California Supreme Court agreed to hear the legal challenges to Proposition 8 and set an expedited schedule. Briefing in the case was completed on January 21, 2009.

The California Supreme Court must issue its decisions within 90 days of oral argument.

On January 15, 2009, 43 friend-of-the-court briefs urging the Court to invalidate Prop 8 were filed, arguing that Proposition 8 drastically alters the equal protection guarantee in California’s Constitution and that the rights of a minority cannot be eliminated by a simple majority vote. The supporters represent the full gamut of California’s and the nation’s civil rights organizations and legal scholars, as well as California legislators, local governments, bar associations, business interests, labor unions, and religious groups.

In May of 2008, the California Supreme Court held that laws that treat people differently based on their sexual orientation violate the equal protection clause of the California Constitution and that same-sex couples have the same fundamental right to marry as other Californians. Proposition 8 eliminated this fundamental right only for same-sex couples. No other initiative has ever successfully changed the California Constitution to take away a right only from a targeted minority group. Proposition 8 passed by a bare majority of 52 percent on November 4.

The National Center for Lesbian Rights, Lambda Legal, and the ACLU filed this challenge on November 5, representing Equality California, whose members include many same-sex couples who married between June 16 and November 4, 2008, and six same-sex couples who want to marry in California. The California Supreme Court has also agreed to hear two other challenges filed on the same day: one filed by the City and County of San Francisco (joined by Santa Clara County and the City of Los Angeles, and subsequently by Los Angeles County and other local governments); and another filed by a private attorney.

Serving as co-counsel on the case with NCLR, Lambda Legal, and the ACLU are the Law Office of David C. Codell, Munger, Tolles & Olson LLP, and Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP.

The case is Strauss et al. v. Horton et al. (#S168047). Click here for more information.

Encouraging Study on Prop 8 Voting Patterns

I just received this email:

I am very excited to share with you a major study of voting patterns related to Proposition 8.

The study, authored by Professor Kenneth Sherrill of Hunter College-CUNY and Professor Patrick J. Egan of New York University, was funded by the Evelyn and Walter Haas Jr. Fund and released in collaboration with the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, Freedom to Marry and Equality California Institute’s Let California Ring campaign.

Based on polling data funded by Equality California Institute and conducted by David Binder Research, the study found that voters who supported Prop 8 were primarily influenced by:

• Ideology – 82% of voters who identify as conservatives voted “Yes”
• Party – Republicans voted more than 80% in favor of Prop 8
• Religiosity – 70% of weekly church goers voted “Yes”
• Age – 67% of voters born before World War II voted “Yes”

The study also showed that race was not a driving factor in the election, as was purported by the National Election Pool (NEP) poll which said 70% of African-Americans voted for Prop 8. Our study found the number closer to 57% to 59%.

One of the most important--and rewarding--findings was the movement in all groups, except Republicans, toward support for full marriage equality. From 2000 to 2008 we moved Californians 9% in support of same-sex marriage – an amazing change in such a short time!

Find out more about voters and Proposition 8 and download the study at the Let California Ring website.

We will continue our outreach in all California communities and we encourage you to continue sharing your stories with the people in your life as a powerful tool to create change.

Warmly,

Geoff Kors
Executive Director
Equality California Institute