Gay marriage hangs in the balance

This is one of the Trevvy Scoops that caught my attention to further discuss about this,

“In the minds of many people, Proposition 8 is the most important thing nationally on the ballot,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Washington-based Family Research Council, which supports the measure. “We have survived bad presidents. But many, many are convinced we will not survive this redefinition of marriage.”

Four years ago, Massachusetts became the first state to have gay marriage legalized by its state's Supreme Court. On 15 May this year, California Supreme Court legalized marriage between same-sex couples in San Francisco, Calif. This made California the second state to legalize unions between gay and lesbian couples.

This new ruling set off a rush by gay and lesbian couples to seek legal recognition for their unions, which triggered the expensive battle on Proposition 8.

Religious and civil rights groups, wealthy philanthropists and middle-class donors have poured US$69 million into campaigns for and against Proposition 8. It is described by John Duran, a West Hollywood City Council member and fundraiser for opponents of Proposition 8, to be “the most expensive cultural war in America, ever.”

Proposition 8, which eliminates right of same-sex couples to marry would change California's constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, was put on the ballot after the ban on gay marriage in California was overturned.

Just one week before the election, campaign finance records show contributions totaling more than US$60 million.“It's a staggering amount,” said Matt Coles, director of the LGBT Project at the American Civil Liberties Union, which opposes the ban. Coles goes on and says that “California is a cultural trendsetter. If voters decide same-sex couples can marry, it has an enormous influence.”

A member from an evangelical group, The Call, emphasizes on the significance of Proposition 8 in California. “As California goes, so goes the whole nation. And in many ways, California is a leadership state for not just America but the whole world.”

It is undoubted that Proposition 8 is important as even presidential candidates revealed their differing stances. Senator John McCain endorsed it and Senator Barack Obama opposed it.

The opponent campaign, “No On 8”, has garnered tremendous support from major companies such as Apple Computers, the founders of Google, Yahoo, Adobe Systems and Levi Strauss & Co.

High-profile celebrities such as Barbara Streisand, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Bridget Fonda, Melissa Etheridge, Mary J Blige, Brad Pitt and Ellen DeGeneres have stepped out to show their support for "No On 8", helping with fundraising and creating awareness.

Influential political figures such as Bill Clinton and Senator Dianne Feinstein have also lent their voices to “No On 8”.

In a telephone call to California voters, Bill Clinton delivered a message regarding the unfairness of Proposition 8. “If I know one thing about California, I know that is not what you're about. That is not what America is about. Please vote NO on 8. It's unfair and it's wrong. Thank you.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein spoke directly to voters on a new television spot on the NO on Prop 8 campaign, telling Californians “Proposition 8 would be a terrible mistake for California. It’s about discrimination and we must always say NO to that.”

Proponents of Proposition 8 set out to oppose same-sex marriages with a massive campaign, “Yes On 8”, which organizes television ads and fundraising. Sonja Eddings Brown, spokeswoman for the “Yes On 8” campaign says that “the impact of Proposition 8 is going to set a precedent for the United States of America.”

“Yes On 8” warned in their Ads that schoolchildren “will be taught about gay marriage unless we vote yes on Prop 8.” This prompts “No On 8” to respond with commercials featuring California's top educator, Superintendent Jack O'Connell.

“Our schools aren't required to teach anything about marriage, and using kids to lie about that is shameful,” says O'Connell. While there are 2 distinct parties on Proposition 8, there is also a group of people who is conflicted. “They don't like gay marriage, but they don't like taking something away from other people,” says Matt Cole.

A University of California psychology professor, Greg Herek, who specializes in research on sexual orientation, said as a group, blacks, even those who support gay rights, tend to oppose same-sex marriage.

Herek, who opposes the ban, comments that “It's true the African Americans may turn out to vote against Proposition 8, but the younger may be more supportive of gay marriage.”

Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign says that “A setback for same-sex marriage in California would deprive the gay rights movement of the opportunity to show mainstream America what happens when gay couples can marry.”

Nonetheless, the fight continues as polls show that the race for the proposition is tight. Both parties, “No On 8” and “Yes On 8”, each believe that their victory is extremely crucial to shape public attitudes about same-sex marriage in the US under the next administration.

Updates: California voters have approved a constitutional amendment outlawing same-sex marriage. This overturns the California Supreme Court's decision that gave gay couples the right to wed on 15 May 2008. Proposition 8 led by a 52%-48% margin.
(Team Trevvy, Trevvy.com, 3 Nov 2008)

What's really gotten into these people's head.. Sighz. They did mention that California is a cultural trendsetter, which means the whole Country's cultural changes must first be experienced by California before the rest of the other states gets affected and change. How interesting. By the way, I ain't towards activist, but just that anything that steps on my tail or influences my future, I believes that I shall be given my share of influencing it the way I prefer. And thus my discussion.

In the whole article, we can see that Proposition 8 is a California state ballot proposition on over-riding the decision that recognize same-sex marriage as fundamentally right. Proponents of Proposition 8 are Senator John McCain, Senator Tom McClintock, Superintendent Jack O'Connell, California's top educator.

Opponents of Proposition 8 are Matt Coles, director of LGBT Project of American Civil Liberties Union, Senator Barack Obama, Apple Computers, the founders of Google, Yahoo, Adobe Systems, Levis Strauss & Co., Barbara Streisand, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Bridget Fonda, Melissa Etheridge, Mary J Blige, Brad Pitt, Ellen DeGeneres, Bill Clinton, Senator Dianne Feinstein and Greg Herek, a psychology professor.

Wow.. Interesting right?! Alot of involvement indeed, and with what I can see, there seems to have enormous support from the society to go against Proposition 8 and lesser agrees to it. I'm sure the situation sounds more stickier to know that those conventional and traditional believers of religions are on the for Proposition 8. Noting that this is described as "the most expensive cultural war in America, ever." And I tried and search for the result of voting, guess what? (drum rolls... ...)

With the info from Wikipedia, 52.2% voted Yes and 47.8% voted No. Guess the people gotta work harder next time.. But what I truely believes is that, sometimes the reason why thing shows the otherwise is due to undue distress and undue influence. Always believe that ignorance is around to strike on people's fear, people are always more selfish and choose a "wrong" but peaceful life than "right" but rocky life. "Right" and "Wrong" are just social application passing of judgement with more focus on moral and reasoning I hope, but to achieve this is just an idealistic concept which can never be achieved that is to say. That's why such things are often also known as Ideologies.