Same Sex Unions

GLENDALE — Emotions flared Tuesday in Glendale and Burbank just hours after the California Supreme Court upheld a gay-marriage ban approved by voters in November. Proposition 8, narrowly approved by voters last year with 52% of the vote, amended the state Constitution to define marriage as being between a man and woman, but only after about 18,000 same-sex couples had said their vows. The court’s ruling on legal challenges of the ban upheld Proposition 8 and will prevent future same-sex unions.

At San Francisco City Hall, officials are awaiting their moment in history, but they just don't know when it will come. In the complex calculus of gay marriage in California, weddings could become legal within days. So City Hall is preparing for a possible crush of same-sex couples seeking marriage licenses and making contingency plans for demonstrations. But it is also possible that this preparation is for naught and the future of same-sex unions will remain up in the air for months or longer.

As state officials make their case for gay marriage, a new Field Poll showed record support in California for same sex unions. "By a nearly two-to-one margin (61% to 32%), California voters approve of allowing same-sex couples to marry,"  according to the poll.  This represents a complete reversal in views about the issue from 1977, when the Field Poll conducted its first survey on the topic, and is the highest level of support ever measured by the poll. The poll noted that in 1977 only  28% approved of gay marriage while 59% disapproved.

Last week, the Episcopal Church moved closer to full acceptance of gay men and lesbians, taking steps toward recognizing same-sex marriage and gay bishops. However, some believe that this decision by the church is doing it more harm than good, as seen by the many churches that exist as part of the breakaway Anglican Church in North America after the 2003 election of Gene Robinson, the Episcopal Church?s first gay bishop. What do you think about this? Do you believe that in time, full acceptance of gay men and lesbians, same-sex marriage and the ordination of gay bishops will no longer be an issue for the church, or any church for that matter?

This race card was out of line and cowardly Monday morning, on the windshield of my car was a most offensive political message. It was on a 12-by-18-inch stiff card, in huge lettering, facing outward, so it could be easily read, even from across the street. The obvious intention of the perpetrator was to make it appear that I was promoting the vile content. As the poster was professionally produced and printed, I assume that others were also subjected to this indignity. The message was anti-Barack Obama, but that is purely incidental.

GLENDALE — Emotions flared Tuesday in Glendale and Burbank just hours after the California Supreme Court upheld a gay-marriage ban approved by voters in November. Proposition 8, narrowly approved by voters last year with 52% of the vote, amended the state Constitution to define marriage as being between a man and woman, but only after about 18,000 same-sex couples had said their vows. The court’s ruling on legal challenges of the ban upheld Proposition 8 and will prevent future same-sex unions.