Gay Marriage Bans Succeeding

State amendments to ban gay marriage did well across the country with voters in Arizona and Florida approving proposals to outlaw same-sex marriage and Californians on the verge of passing such an amendment in their state.

The proposal in Arizona was a stripped-down version of an amendment that was narrowly voted down two years ago. In Florida, social conservatives spent millions to push their ballot drive:

Florida's gay marriage amendment drew the most attention, with dueling groups pumping more than $5 million into TV advertising and statewide campaigns. Same-sex marriage has been illegal in Florida since 1997, but supporters argued a constitutional shield was necessary to make sure judges would never overturn the law.

And the most closely-watched gay marriage ban, California's Proposition 8, had slightly more support, 52% to 47%, with almost 60% of precincts reporting.

According to the Los Angeles Times:

A measure to ban gay marriage in California led in early returns Tuesday although the final outcome remained in doubt, leaving advocates on both sides in suspense about the most divisive and emotionally fraught contest in the state this year.

Proposition 8 would amend the California Constitution to define marriage as being only between a man and a woman.

Comments

[DarkWitch]

One battle won, many more to be fought. I can't stop crying because I am so proud of us for believing and taking a chance to get our country back on track by electing our first black president, something I never thought I would see in my lifetime. But I am bitterly disappointed that my state, AZ, and others in this country voted to make prejudice and discrimination state constitutional amendments.

As many commenters on this thread have said it, we can't vote to take away people's human rights. Gay families are just as valid and worthy of legal protection as straight ones. Time to litigate. And while we are at it, we need to put some type of legal provision in place that keeps these illegal referendums from even going on the ballot.

In some places this morning, people are celebrating their victory of oppression, but many of us stand with our gay brothers and sisters. We will stand with you, just like we all stood together to get Obama elected.

It's far from over.

[DeniseD]

Well put. I am in total agreement. We should take this one to the Supreme Court.

[americancontragenic]

I also reside in the Hate State of arizona, no more capital letters for az. Anyway, what's next? If we take this to the Supreme Court, where it will be easily defeated, what's to stop the red neck agenda from putting this crap on the ballot again? Heterosupremacy is a difficult thing because people cannot seem to get past their initial distaste of the subject in order to understand the real issue at hand. I had heard two or three months ago about a class action lawsuit against the publishers of the king james version of the bibble for inaccurate translation that incited violence. I have not seen anything more on that anywhere, but I would love to be a part of that lawsuit.

[DumbDad]

This is too painful to think about. This means trouble for a nation swelling with the new blood of immigrants who are not close to being part of the evolving liberality of our society. We may need a federal constitutional amendment guaranteeing the right of localities to protect their citizens from statewide dominance. San Francisco shouldn't have to yield to Bakersfield on a matter like this, so personal and so vulnerable to distorted perception. Plus, any attempt to put a national party behind the victims of this kind of politics will further poison our polity.

[xdevildawg4u]

It's a sad day when we learn that Californians, of ALL people in America, place greater value on the rights of farm animals than they do the rights of law abiding, tax paying, loving and committed gay couples. I feel like I've been punched in the gut with an ugly reality check. My heart aches for gay children and those who are struggling with their sexuality who have witnessed, up close and first hand, this shameful episode in California­n/American history.

We REALLY expected better from California and from her people.

The writing certainly is on the wall now (as Gavin Newsome said), abortion is out as a winnable cause (having lost in North Dakota, Colorado and California) whereas fighting gay rights is just as popular and productive as it ever was (having taken away gay rights in Florida, Arkansas, Arizona and California).

I honestly and sincerely fear for the gay community in America at this point. Literally, GLBT people and their rights are now the ONLY minority/cause left upon whom/which the hateful Christiani­st/Mormon/­Fundamenta­lists/ultr­a-Conserva­tive will be able to effectively target their laser beam of hate.

Today is a day of great joy and great sadness in America.

[walk0nwalls]

California,

you fail

FAIL!!!!

[Vern58]

In all the years i lived in California, there was always this undercurrent going on. The fault does not lie with California. It lies with the Religious Right in California. In some sections of the state it is very strong. Given enough time, i am convinced that the citizens of California will wake up and see the wrong they have done to their fellows. They nearly always do.

[DumbDad]

I don't want to imply another prejudicial suspicion, but it's a commonplace that majorities of African American Christians and Latino Catholics are pretty hostile to gay rights. Could that have been a factor in the religious right's success in California?

[cabledave]

How is any minority in the country ever going to truely be treated equally when the majority make the rules?

I live in California and I thought we were better than this.

[courageunderfire]

This makes me so sad. I was really hoping that this would not pass.
Where there is love, it should be recognized and honored and allowed to be what they want it to be.
If that is marriage, then it should be allowed. I believe in choice and to honor the love of any two people no matter what.
The civil rights has a ways to go, and it is just not as sweet a day as it should be.

[bmwracer]

Barack Obama is elected President of the United States and discrimination continues to thrive and grow.

The irony of it all.

[walk0nwalls]

Believe me, it's THAT irony that's keeping me drunk all day.

[buckdoctor]

When it becomes the job of the people to decide that discrimination is not only okay but should be state-sanctioned, then Democracy is no longer a good system.

It has become evident that ignorance and fear still run deep throughout this land.

[scottowego]

Laws say:
No, we cannot marry.
No, we cannot have civil unions.
No, we cannot adopt.
Soon... laws may say:
Gays have to wear a pink star.
Gays cannot socialize with straights.
Gays cannot shop in the same stores as straights.
Finally:
Gays must report to local train station for deportation to camps for "relocation".
Germany: 1933.

[sfmama]

NO! We will keep on fighting for equal rights. We can't be silent about this blatant descrimination and we will not allow our friends, family members, coworkers and neighbors to be treated like second-class citizens.
I'm so sorry that my state has allowed agents of intolerance to influence them to take rights from others.

[Vern58]

YES WE WILL!

[Vern58]

We will not give up- ever. Until our rights are as good as anybody elses, we will not give it up.

[kellygrrrl]

when will WE get past the Hate and Discrimination?

[Vern58]

Kelly, it will be when the majority of People in the United States get over their ridiculous fascination with extreme right wing forms of Christianity as a form of civil legislative law. Not until then.

[noseysniper]

Well christians are still christians regardless of their race.

[Paxhope]

I'd rather you said, "fundament­alists." For so many of us Christians, gay human rights has been a faith struggle for us in faithful following of Jesus.

[MyUserName]

With this statement.­.How is it that you get around these words of Jesus...

Mat 19:4 Have ye not read, that he who made them from the beginning made them male and female, and said, For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?

[HotheadPaisen]

Hey, this is America...­we gotta hate someone...

[creekfreak]

You got that right. we's some ignorant, hating folks. Makes us feel better about ourselves somehow...

[RedStateCenterLeft]

Despite the Obama win, fear and hate is somehow still victorious.

The day will come. It may take a while, but the day will come when all the marginalized will be just regular folks.

As a straight guy with plenty of gay and lesbian friends, I know this may be a tough day. Someday, the Lindsay Grahams of the world will come out of the closet and things will get better.

[MourningDood]

Remember that Obama is against gay marriage too. Where is the inconsistency?

[DelusionalAngel]

He was against prop 8 however. I know people personally against gay marriage, including a Mormon, who found prop 8 senseless. You can be personally against gay marriage and against a law that strips them of the right to marry they already have.

[Paxhope]

Most of us gave him a 'pass' on that..as pragmatically, he could NOT have gotten elected otherwise. Purity and politics start with the same first letter, that's all.

[TomInJax]

Marriage in the religious sense. But Civil Unions that guarantee me the same rights he has no problem with. That's why he is against any constitutional ban. It violates human rights. Of course narrow minded people think I don't have the same rights.

[cantbehavingwiththis]

Doesn't the United States Constitution have a line in it that says something along the lines of "all men shall be treated equally under the law"? (Of course, one must acknowledge that "men" in 1786 was used as the gender neutral collective noun and would today be written as "people".) I think that's grounds for a Supreme Court case.

[creekfreak]

Exactly...­Washington here we come. And, to all the radical, lying, fearful, ignorant Christians out there who voted yes...If you'd just have been honest in your campaigning, and thought about this, you wouldn't have had to sell out the true message of your religion and your constituti­on...and this wouldn't have passed...S­ee you in the streets neighbor!!

[IhateNeoCons]

Any constitutional lawyers on here? Please somebody tell me how this works in Arkansas where they banned the adoption of children by unmarried couples either straight or gay. I would think most state Constitutions guarantee equal treatment, and the U.S. Constitution certainly does. It seems to me the bigots may have overstepped themselves here, because if gays are now denied marriage in Arkansas they will not be able to adopt. This could be a wedge to force Arkansas to have gay marriage! THAT WOULD BE HILARIOUS! People need to start looking at this.