California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

I'm sure many of you have already heard about the fact that California's Supreme Court has overturned a ban against same-sex marriage. It's a great step forward that I personally feel is long overdue.

And today, the Pope reiterated the church's stance that "only unions between a man and a woman are moral". As far as I'm concerned, there was a time and place for advocating only male-female marriages, but it's looooong gone. I tend to look at these things from an evolutionary point of view, and while in the distant past it was a necessity for human survival that we procreate, we really don't face any threat of extinction from dwindling numbers at this point in human history. So marriage between a man and woman that's centered around the idea of populating the planet with our species has rightly evolved to be much more of a social foundation in which procreation is no longer necessary for survival. In fact, there are probably too many people on the planet as it is, so if anything, we could do with a little less baby-makin'. In my opinion, this is one of those issues where the church will end up clinging to the mindset of the past loooooong after the practicality of that mindset has gone bye-bye - like when they executed people who said things like the earth wasn't actually at the center of the universe.

In this current reality, I think that what's important to marriage's survival is more that it be between people who love each other, and who are willing to take on the commitment that pledging your companionship to someone for a lifetime requires. It's an institution that helps us mature as a society by teaching us the importance of being responsible for someone and something other than ourselves, being faithful to them by honoring our publicly stated commitments, and being there to support each other through difficult times. These values are absolutely essential to our positive survival as a society, but are not unique to a heterosexual relationship the way that creating a baby is.

So bravo to my home state of California, and let's hope it catches on.

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

I kind of feel all pressured now to be committed. Isn't that an oxymoron(s)(s)?

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

i actually forgot that california had a ban. it seemed like such a gimmie for equal rights for gays since so many of the equal rights laws were already in place.

i have no doubt that christian conservative states like georgia and alabama will follow up with homophobic tightening of legal language forbidding such sin.

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

I don't fully understand the way laws are passed and overturned over there, but is there any way that the Supreme Court's decision might be reversed, making same-sex marriage illegal again?

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

There's always that chance.

"A conservative group said it would ask California's Supreme Court to postpone putting its decision legalizing gay marriage into effect until after the fall election. That's when voters will likely have a chance to weigh in on a proposed amendment to California's constitution that would bar same-sex couples from getting married."

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

The Governator has said he'd fight any proposed changes to the California Constitution.

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

(?): Hey, let's go to CA & get married.

jOHN: What?

(?): No, no. Listen. Then, once it's all final, we go to the divorce court and ask for the paperwork to get a divorce.
We can get in the papers as the first gay couple to divorce.

jOHN: That's already happened.

(?): WHAT?

jOHN: Send me your picture. I'll get you in papers, heading's going to read: Goofy B.

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

and they say romance is dead! ;)

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

ooops, I know. I think I kind of got into some trouble with that one.

I change that film soundtrack wedding song thread thing to B. Idol's The Dead Next Door. It's still never going to happen.

Re: California overturns ban on same-sex marriage
 

I went down to SF City Hall on Mon to see the two old lesbians get married. Actually didn't see anything, was outside with the revelers (and protesters).

But this moment will go down in history. It will always be etched in my mind, just like the 2004 "marriages" I saw at City Hall. (I'm not a Gavin Newsom fan [SF mayor], but his 2004 decision was truly courageous.)

I've seen such beauty, love, commitment, excitment, and the fulfilment of equal rights this past week that it has brought tears to my eyes. The city, especially the Castro, has been a-buzz.

Gay Pride in SF next week is going to be special.

I'm proud to be a Californian.

Brad -- homo living in the Castro, SF who does NOT believe in the concept of marriage (but does love the Underworld!).