Civil Rights protections are too important to leave to "popular" voting: Prop 8

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Anyone catch Jon Stewart interviewing Huckabee last night. Grilled him on gay marriage, good stuff. Sorry I'm too lame to find a link, but trust me, it was great.
 
<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>New Jersey Commission Says Gays Should be Allowed to Marry</strong></span>



Dec 10, 2008

<em>In a landmark new report released Wednesday, a New Jersey commission has recommended that state legislators allow gays and lesbians to marry. The report paves the way for the Garden State to potentially become the first to legalize same-sex marriage by passing a law, rather than by a court ruling, the Associated Press reports.</em>



<a href="http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid68134.asp">New Jersey</a>
 
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<span style="font-size: 14px;"><strong>California Supreme Court to hear Prop. 8 arguments</strong></span>

<em>

The justices announce a March 5 hearing on the constitutionality of the ban on same-sex marriage. Their decision will come within 90 days of the session.



Reporting from San Francisco -- The California Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it would hear arguments March 5 over the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the November ballot measure that reinstated a ban on same-sex marriage.



The court's decision in the case will come within 90 days of the three-hour hearing, which will be held in San Francisco and broadcast live on the California Channel. In addition to hearing challenges to Proposition 8, the court will consider the fate of 18,000 same-sex marriages that occurred before the November election.</em>



<a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-prop-8-spending4-2009feb04,0,3808081.story">LA Times story</a>



Prop 8 is going *down*.
 
I hope it does... really, I do.



But if it goes down on the question of a mere plurality of votes not being enough to amend the constitution, it leaves the door open to yet another ballot measure explicitly written to get past the California Supremes. The question then becomes, what are you prepared to do to keep your rights?
 
<a href="http://www.wmur.com/news/18646334/detail.html">Listen to Reverend Gene Robinson</a> small video in upper right corner.



New Hampshire gay marriage bill debate.....The Rev. V. Gene Robinson testified in favor of the bill at the State House on Thursday, calling it a matter of fairness.
 
Trooper and friends, this is a very inspiring and hopeful article: <a href="http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-journeys7-2009feb07,0,7275668.story">Faith forms a bond for a lesbian priest and a Mormon father of three</a>



A documentary film about same-sex marriage and theology leads to friendship, admiration and new understanding. Whole article is well worth the read. Here's a snip: <em>"So for me, the coming-out experience really had nothing to do with a sexual act or even a relationship or a person," she adds. "It was about really, finally understanding my fullest, deepest self and getting all the pieces in place."



As Russell told her story to Hunter, he realized that he wasn't just filming, he was learning from her. He was especially moved by the priest's concept of romantic love, with its emphasis on spiritual and emotional intimacy as a precursor to physical expression.



"That resonated with me and gave me a renewed appreciation of my relationship with my wife," he said.



Hunter also felt his empathy growing for gays and lesbians, especially friends who felt compelled to hide their sexual orientation. Perhaps that was because he, too, held a secret: Hunter had been sexually abused as a child by two neighbors in his native Philadelphia.



He knew what it was like to hide a part of himself and pretend his life was in order. "I kept that locked away," he said.



Something else was occurring: Hunter and Russell were becoming friends. As election day neared last November, Hunter began showing up at "No on 8" rallies alongside his documentary subject.



Russell's initial curiosity about Hunter gave way to admiration, particularly over his decision to vote against the same-sex marriage ban and to speak out against it. She realized that she was sharing in his transformation. And that filled her with a sense of wonder.



"It isn't a risk for a priest from All Saints to go to a Prop. 8 demonstration, but it is for a devout, straight Mormon father of three," Russell said. "It just speaks volumes about how deeply Douglas walks the talk in terms of really putting his faith into action."



Hunter had to balance his new friendship against his obligation to his church, whose members, at the urging of church leaders, were contributing millions of dollars to help pass the ban.</em>
 
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