ÿþ<html> <head> <meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html;charset=iso-8859-1"> <title>OnlineColumnist®.com: Putin Punishes Georgia</title> <meta name="generator" content="Adobe GoLive 4"> <style type="text/css"> .style3 { height: 68px; } .MsoNormal {} h1 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:"Times New Roman"; font-weight:normal; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style4 { font-size: large; font-weight: bold; font-family: Arial; } .style6 { height: 69px; } h2 {margin-bottom:.0001pt; text-align:center; page-break-after:avoid; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Arial; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; } .style7 { width: 285px; } .style8 { font-size: x-large; font-weight: bold; } .style9 { font-size: small; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline; } </style> </head> <body bgcolor="white" vlink="black"> <center> &nbsp;<table cool width="624" height="2719" border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" gridx="16" showgridx gridy="16" showgridy> <tr> <td height="118" rowspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style7"> <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="110" width="62" src="images/discobolos.logo.transp.gif" border="0"></a></td> <td width="7" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="482" colspan="2" valign="top" align="left" xpos="140" class="style6"><img height="75" width="450" src="images/banner.GIF"></td> <td width="1" height="118" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" class="style6"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="79"></td> </tr> <tr height="39"> <td width="182" height="39"></td> <td width="300" height="39" valign="top" align="left" xpos="322"><a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"><img height="14" width="267" src="images/divisionofNEW.GIF" border="0"></a></td> <td width="1" height="39"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="39"></td> </tr> <tr> <td width="624" colspan="6" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style3"> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="black" cellspacing="0"> <tr> <td> <table border="0" width="100%" bgcolor="#99ffcc" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="4"> <tr> <td align="center"> <div align="left"> <a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> HOME</strong></font></a><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> &#8226; <a href="articlesindex.html">ARTICLES</a> &#8226; <a href="books.html">BOOKS</a> &#8226; <a href="teflon.html"> THE </a><a href="teflon.html">TEFLON</a><a href="teflon.html"> REPORT</a> &#8226; <a href="mailto:letters@onlinecolumnist.com"> REACTIONS</a> &#8226; <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html">ABOUT DISCOBOLOS</a></strong></font></div> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> </table> </td> </tr> <tr height="2"> <td height="2" class="style7"></td> <td width="489" height="2576" colspan="3" rowspan="2" align="left" xpos="133" content valign="top" csheight="2573"> <p class="style4">California&#39;s Gay Marriage Ban Tossed Out</p> <p><b><font face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica">by John M. Curt</font></b><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b>is<a href="books.html"><br> </a></b></font><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><b> (310) 204-8700</b></font></p> <p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular"><i>Copyright August 5, 2010<br>All Rights Reserved. </i></font>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </p> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="style8">W</span>hen California voters went to the polls Nov. 5, 2008 and passed Prop 8 [52%-48%] the so-called gay marriage ban serious questions were raised about its constitutionality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>California s initiative process enables anyone who can collect 750,000 signatures to place anything no matter how bigoted on the ballot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Outside-the-state proponents of the ban poured in over $40 million, largely from James Dobson s Colorado Springs evangelical Christian church called  Focus on the Family and the Salt Lake City-based Mormon church.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>California State Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown (D-Calif.) promised to challenge the initiative in federal court, citing serious flaws with the Equal Protection and Due Process clauses of the 14th Amendment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Today s 138-page ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker makes it official, tossing out the controversial majority-rule ballot initiative.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Most church groups and religious organizations don t quite get the state s restriction on violating the U.S. constitution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Arizona just found out the hard way with SB 1070 that made it a crime to not have legal citizenship papers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>A District Court Judge in Phoenix tossed out July 29 key provisions of the controversial law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Whether enacted by initiative or an act of state legislature, laws must meet a federal constitutional test.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>While federalism respects states rights, it also must take into account constitutional protections.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Like the lawsuit filed in Arizona District Court, the suit against Prop 8 dealt with the Constitution of banning gay marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>High Courts in Massachusetts and elsewhere have viewed the gay marriage issue as civil rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Once it was taken out of gender discrimination and placed into the context of civil rights, gay rights groups began winning their cases.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>When the Massachusetts High Judicial Court ruled May 17, 2004 that it was unconstitutional to only allow heterosexual couples to marry, it paved the way for today s landmark ruling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Massachusetts High Court was the first court in the U.S. to determine that gay marriage was protected under U.S. civil rights laws, especially the 14th Amendment s guarantees of equal protection and due process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Prior to May 17, 2004, states dealt with the gay marriage ban by offering same-sex partners  civil unions or  domestic partnerships, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span> Massachusetts High Court banned that practice under the 1954 landmark ruling Brown v. Board of Education, where it struck down the practice of  separate but equal education.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Now U.S. District Court Judge Walker got it right in California, telling voters they can t, by initiative, violate the U.S. Constitution, regardless of personal preferences.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;<![endif]><span style="mso-tab-count:1">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span>Supporting the ban on gay marriages, proponents frequently cite the bible or obscure sociological ideas not based on credible science.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>No reputable scientific study indicates that gay marriage would have any negative impact on society.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Same-sex relationships don t vary according to social modeling or environment but rather as a product of genetic and biological selection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Gay relationships represent less than 10% of the general population, whether or not children are raised by same-sex partners.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Church or private groups can discriminate against same-sex partners just not local, state or federal government.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>When the state defines marriage under the U.S. Constitution it must not discriminate against anyone because of gender, race, religion or socioeconomic status.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Prop 8 expressly forbade the state from protecting the civil rights of same-sex couples seeking civil marriage.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <![if !supportEmptyParas]>&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <![endif]> Tossing out Prop 8, the federal government reaffirms the U.S. Constitution, not religion, local customs or values, as the final judge of civil rights.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Church groups can spend lavishly to ban gay marriage but they can t undermine the U.S. Constitution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>They can ban gay marriages within their tax-exempt institutions but they can t, as they did with Prop 8, ban the state from following federal law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Tossing out Prop 8 opens up a can of worms for state officials, who must restart performing civil gay marriages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>When Prop 8 went into effect Nov. 5, 2008, California stopped gay marriages, vowing to honor those consummated before the ban.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Prop 8 supporters must appeal to the liberal 9th District Court of Appeals looking for injunctive relief.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>If they can t get satisfaction, Prop 8 supporters promise to go to the conservative-leaning Supreme Court, where they think they ll eventually prevail.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn Walker got it right tossing out California s Prop 8.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>No state agency can implement laws that violate the U.S. Constitution.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Preventing gays and lesbians from marriage violates same-sex couples rights of due process and equal protection under the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Church or religious groups can t expect states to discriminate against one group simply because it doesn t fit their religious or local customs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>California s gubernatorial candidates should take as stand and set the record straight where they stand on legalizing gay marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Neither GOP candidate Meg Whitman nor Democratic candidate Jerry Brown has taken a stand on gay marriage or California s or Prop 19, California s marijuana legalization initiative.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Neither is willing to go out on a limb.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">&nbsp; </span>Both Brown and Whitman need to let voters know where they both stand on the big issues.</p> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <bAbout the Author</u> <p class="MsoNormal"> <span class="style9">About the Author</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><span class="style8">&nbsp; </span>&nbsp;&nbsp; </span> </p> <p class="MsoNormal"> <b>John M. Curtis </b>writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He&#x2019;s editor of OnlineColumnist.com and author of <a href="books.html">Dodging The Bullet</a> and <a href="books.html">Operation Charisma</a>.</p> <p class="MsoNormal"> &nbsp;</p> </td> <td width="1" height="2576" rowspan="2"></td> <td width="1" height="2"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2"></td> </tr> <tr height="2574"> <td height="2574" valign="top" align="left" xpos="0" class="style7"><img height="172" width="111" src="images/johninframe3.jpg"></td> <td width="1" height="2574"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="2574"></td> </tr> <tr height="1" cntrlrow> <td height="1" class="style7"><spacer type="block" width="133" height="1"></td> <td width="7" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="7" height="1"></td> <td width="182" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="182" height="1"></td> <td width="300" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="300" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"><spacer type="block" width="1" height="1"></td> <td width="1" height="1"></td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="2" width="597"> <tr> <td><font size="1" face="Arial,Geneva,Helvetica"> <hr noshade size="1"> </font><a href="index.html"><font face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular" size="2"><strong> Homecobolos> p><font size="2" face="Arial,Helvetica,Geneva,Swiss,SunSans-Regular">©1999-2005 <a href="aboutdiscobolos.html"> Discobolos Consulting Services, Inc.</a><br> (310) 204-8300<br> All Rights Reserved. </font></td> </tr> </table> </center> </body> </html>