Will California's Next Governor and Attorney General Stand Strong Against Prop. 8?

Victory is sweet. Yesterday the U.S. District Court in San Francisco ruled that Proposition 8, which stripped same-sex couples of the freedom to marry, is unconstitutional. We're getting closer by the moment to the day when all loving couples in California will have the same rights, the same responsibilities, the same respect.

We won the first round. The case will now be appealed to the Ninth Circuit Court and possibly all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. We have to keep supporting it as it progresses.

Why November Matters
Who can keep the case on track for a win for equality? You, and two of four people: Jerry Brown or Meg Whitman, Kamala Harris or Steve Cooley.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown made the unprecedented decision to not defend the discriminatory Prop. 8 in court. The state of California refused to defend its own law. Under bipartisan leadership, it withheld its skilled lawyers and immense legal resources, leaving only an anti-lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) extremist group to defend Prop. 8.

The moral stance of Governor Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Brown against Prop. 8 undoubtedly cleared the path for today's victory. We owe them our gratitude. As the federal case against Prop. 8 progresses, and as we work to restore the freedom to marry at the ballot box, it will only become more important that our governor, attorney general and other officials be firm in standing for full LGBT equality.

That's where you and I come in. This November, we must do everything we can to elect only those candidates who are 100 percent in support of LGBT equality -- from voting to donating to getting involved in campaigns. And we have to oppose those candidates who would continue to deny us the same rights that others enjoy.

Who Will Refuse to Defend Prop. 8?
When it comes to the federal case against Prop. 8 and the efforts to restore the freedom to marry for all loving couples, no offices matter more than that of governor and attorney general. Our governor and attorney general can decide whether or not to throw the state's weight behind Prop. 8 in court. And as the most visible figureheads in our state government, they can use their influence to further our march towards full equality, or to try to prevent us from achieving full equality.

Gubernatorial candidate Jerry Brown and attorney general candidate Kamala Harris have already said that they will refuse to defend Prop. 8 in court. Steve Cooley, candidate for attorney general, has said that he would defend Prop. 8. Gubernatorial candidate Meg Whitman hasn't said yet if she would defend Prop. 8, but when the California Supreme Court upheld Prop. 8 in 2009, she said it was the right thing for the court to do.

Equality California is calling on Meg Whitman and Steve Cooley to state on the record that they will refuse to defend Prop. 8 in court. We want them to know that, if they choose to stand on the side of bigotry, they can expect us to oppose them vehemently with our votes and our checkbooks. And we want you to tell them the same thing.

Our opponents know that this November's elections will make a huge difference in the efforts to restore marriage equality. The National Organization for Marriage has already spent $600,000 trying to push anti-equality candidates into office, and they are planning to spend much more. They are backing California Assembly candidate Andrew Pugno, one of the architects of Prop. 8, and U.S. Senate candidate Carly Fiorina, who supports Prop. 8, among others. We can't let NOM and their ilk roll back our progress.

Please, join me today in letting our state's candidates for governor and attorney general know that they can expect us to take our commitment for full equality all the way to the ballot box in November. We are the ones who can set the tone in our state for years to come.

 

Follow Geoff Kors on Twitter: www.twitter.com/geoff4eqca

Comments

[dbrett480]

09:45 PM on 08/11/2010

Does it even matter if the state government would oppose prop 8 in court? Many other organizati­ons have written briefs in opposition to it, so I don't think the state's role will be an issue.

[cordyc]

01:10 PM on 08/07/2010

We can expect eMeg to talk out of both sides of her monied mounth on this one. Her bill boards in WeHo will sound pro civil rights, and over on the east side of town she'll be defending "marriage" in Spanish.

Expect nothing less from the Queen of Hypocrisy.

[Arleen Lindstedt]

12:21 AM on 08/06/2010

All of Meg Whitman's millions can't buy her integrity, justice, and fairness..­....She must be defeated -- and I believe she wil be.......H­ow can she represent the rights of our citizens with her bigoted beliefs and questionab­le responses and associatio­ns? (FYI: I am a 58 year old woman, heterosexu­al, well-educa­ted, and a former republican­.......:)

[Romulus]

06:20 PM on 08/05/2010

Isn't it too late for the State of California to defend Prop 8?

[RoggieP]

03:03 PM on 08/05/2010

As a gay man living with a partner for 12 years I say with joy - What a great day it is today! In the end, tradition and the moral beliefs of one group are not enough a compelling enough reason to deny another group their civil rights.
Read this beautiful article written by TV host Rene Syler where she compares it with the struggles of her African American heritage. http://www­.goodenoug­hmother.co­m/2010/08/­propositio­n-8-good-e­nough-moth­ers-take/

[Bill J4321]

12:12 PM on 08/05/2010

Arnold Schwarzene­gger twice vetoed marriage equality legislatio­n for same sex couples. Had he signed the properly enacted legislatio­n into law, this would never have happened.

He only changed his stance when gay citizens started turning the tide in terms of their civil rights.

I do not owe Arnold Schwarzene­gger any gratitude for that.

He used gay citizens for political purposes, just as they all do.

He also owes me $8.00 for "Jingle All The Way."

[jobrien1950]

12:03 PM on 08/05/2010

People in California should know that Jerry Brown, as attorney general, refused to argue on the side of supporters of Prop 8, and as governor would not support prop 8, and so, when you go to the polls, please remember that Brown is on the side of equality for all california­ns, whereas whitman probably isn't. Don't know yet, because she won't comment, which means, she needs to find out first which position is politicall­y beneficial to HER.

[Richard Downey]

01:02 PM on 08/05/2010

Like the adage that no answer IS an answer, I'm concluding that conservati­ve Meg Whitman has made her position clear; she will NOT support equality in this state and will likely put her weight behind upholding Prop 8.

Vote Jerry Brown!

[Bill J4321]

03:48 PM on 08/05/2010

Meg Whitman MUST be defeated. She is an unethical liar whose business ethics will flush us further down the toilet here in CA. She's a known swindler and backstabbe­r - google the case between her and craigslist­. She's a fraud. And she's basically trying to PURCHASE the Governor's seat in California­. She has not voted in a single election in the last 28 years, as well. Yet feels she is qualified to lead the nation's most populous state? Huh?

She is against same-sex marriage rights. She will not fight for LGBT citizens in any way.

Indeed, Meg Whitman would be a giant leap backwards for ALL California­ns. Not just our LGBT citizens.

Jerry Brown, while commendabl­e for standing against Prop 8, should have done so BEFORE its passing. He was a bit cowardly in that regard. But I believe his intentions for California are far more noble than Meg Whitman.