June 25, 2008
NOW
By Madison M. Wise
Gay Marriage Is Now Legal But For How Long?
State Debates Morals & Equality Over November Amendment
 Californians are once again morally and politically divided over the long debated issue of same-sex marriages.The recent California Supreme Court ruling declared unconstitutional virtually any legislation discriminating couples from marriage based on sexual orientation.
Since then politicians, activists, and religious groups alike have been rallying on either side of the issue.
In retaliation to the Supreme Court’s ruling, California conservatives collected signatures from across the state in order to have an amendment added to the November ballot defining marriage as “between a man and a woman” in the state of California.
Upon his return from Israel Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, vowed to support the Supreme Court’s decision and he offered to preside over as many gay marriage ceremonies as he could.
The day after the California Supreme Court struck down the gay marriage ban Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger stated he would respect the courts decision. Schwarzenegger has stated that he believes the union of marriage belongs between a man and a woman. In both 2005 and 2007 Schwarzenegger struck down two bills that would have legalized gay marriage in California. Schwarzenegger stated he did not feel the legislatures have a legal right to overturn the people’s decision on Prop 22. However he does not disagree with a Supreme Court ruling against voter elected legislation on the ground that it is the court's responsibility to rule the constitutional validity of said legislation.
Religious leaders in the Church of Jesus Christ and Later Day Saints have urged California Mormons to support the ammendment to ban same-sex marriage that qualified for the November ballot. Dave Melson, assistant director of Affirmation, a support group for gay/lesbian Mormons and their families expressed his disappointment stating “We had hoped the church would back off and stay on the sidelines of this one."
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