Bring It On, Prepare To Lose Again
2009-11-16 21:24:12 UTC
http://www.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idUSTRE5AF52G20091116
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Gay marriage advocates on Monday launched their
effort to overturn California's same-sex marriage ban, hoping to become
the first U.S. state to convince voters to approve gay people's right to
wed.
In the five U.S. states where gay marriage is permitted -- Iowa,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont -- the right was
achieved through court and legislative action.
Every state where the issue has been put before the voters, gay marriage
has been rejected, including California's 2008 passage of the ban known as
Proposition 8. Voters in Maine two weeks ago overturned a state law
allowing same-sex marriages.
"All eyes are on California now," said John Henning, executive director of
Love Honor Cherish, a California gay rights group, and one of the leaders
of an effort to gather a million signatures in order to place the measure
on the November 2010 ballot in California.
Signature-gathering began Monday after the state approved proposed ballot
language.
The battle over the gay-marriage measure is expected to cost tens of
millions of dollars on both sides of the issue.
Bigger gay rights groups including Equality California have expressed
concern that next year's election may be too soon to change enough minds
to win the vote.
California's Proposition 8, which limited marriage to a union between a
man and a woman, passed with 52 percent support a year ago. The vote
surprised gay rights advocates nationwide and handed a major victory to
the social conservatives who oppose gay marriage.
California's top court earlier last year had legalized same-sex marriage.
The ballot language approved by the state to go before voters next year --
if supporters get a sufficient number of signatures -- states that the
measure "reinstates (the) right of same-sex couples to marry."
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Gay marriage advocates on Monday launched their
effort to overturn California's same-sex marriage ban, hoping to become
the first U.S. state to convince voters to approve gay people's right to
wed.
In the five U.S. states where gay marriage is permitted -- Iowa,
Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Vermont -- the right was
achieved through court and legislative action.
Every state where the issue has been put before the voters, gay marriage
has been rejected, including California's 2008 passage of the ban known as
Proposition 8. Voters in Maine two weeks ago overturned a state law
allowing same-sex marriages.
"All eyes are on California now," said John Henning, executive director of
Love Honor Cherish, a California gay rights group, and one of the leaders
of an effort to gather a million signatures in order to place the measure
on the November 2010 ballot in California.
Signature-gathering began Monday after the state approved proposed ballot
language.
The battle over the gay-marriage measure is expected to cost tens of
millions of dollars on both sides of the issue.
Bigger gay rights groups including Equality California have expressed
concern that next year's election may be too soon to change enough minds
to win the vote.
California's Proposition 8, which limited marriage to a union between a
man and a woman, passed with 52 percent support a year ago. The vote
surprised gay rights advocates nationwide and handed a major victory to
the social conservatives who oppose gay marriage.
California's top court earlier last year had legalized same-sex marriage.
The ballot language approved by the state to go before voters next year --
if supporters get a sufficient number of signatures -- states that the
measure "reinstates (the) right of same-sex couples to marry."