San Diego Union Tribune: No On 8: Gay marriage right should not be repealed

Source: San Diego Union Tribune

The right of gay and lesbian couples to wed on an equal legal basis with heterosexual couples has long stirred opposition not only among social conservatives but also among a much broader swath of society. But in the four short months since a landmark California Supreme Court ruling legalized gay marriage, a significant social shift seems to have occurred.

As gay couples have gone to the courthouse and entered into matrimony, usually surrounded by champagne, family and friends, the worst fears of gay marriage opponents suddenly seem greatly inflated. For instance, Christian conservatives have asserted for years that allowing gays to marry would undermine heterosexual unions – hence, such laws as the Defense of Marriage Act. In truth, however, there has been no discernible impact on traditional marriage between a man and a woman now that gay couples in California have the same right.

With gay marriage a fait accompli, society has not crumbled. The long-standing institution of marriage is not in crisis. Californians have taken this change in stride. Indeed, there appears to be a marked shift in public opinion toward acceptance of gay marriage.

Consider that in 2000, when California voters last weighed the issue, fully 61 percent supported a ban on gay marriage. Today, with Proposition 8 on the Nov. 4 ballot, polls show that Californians support gay marriage by a margin of 54 percent to 40 percent, with 6 percent offering no opinion. The trend suggests that, by Election Day, a solid majority of Californians will register their approval of gay marriage.

Read more: http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/op-ed/editorial1/20080918-9999-lz1ed18top.html

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This is a good sign - the Union Tribune is a very right leaning paper in San Diego - Im glad they took a stance and its on the side of equality (The republican mayor and city council also came out in support of marriage equality earlier this year).

"Suddenly?" Those of us working for equal marriage have been saying that for decades.

It's the lowest common denominator they are talking about.

to them the Beehive Hairdo has suddenly become unpopular as well...

:thumbsup: It's a fait accompli and the world as we know it has *not* ended, save for extending a common civil right to gays and lesbians.

What did they think was gonna happen? An infestation of locusts?

that their straight sons and daughters would suddenly see this as permission to 'turn' gay!

This is where the anti-equality forces really jumped the shark. If they had gone with a "Let's go back in time to where we were a few years ago," or "Homosexual marriage is ickier than heterosexual marriage, and not the same thing, really," they might have had a shot in CA. But by saying that straight marriage was threatened by equal marriage, they crossed over a logic line that even those squeamish about gay people couldn't follow.

San Diego's pretty f'n right wing, at least by California standards.

In fact, 95% of the candidates they support are GOP.

My father, who is a registered Democrat living in San Diego simply takes the list of SDUT recommended candidates and votes for their opponent or the opposite of their stance on the Props. Heh.

However, I have to make sure that he votes against Prop 8, since the SDUT is also against it.

This is good. And there was a thread here today with Prop 8 losing by 17 points. This has it at 14. That is still one hell of a split.

I am elated! :bounce:



kt

are going to send the anti-equality forces packing, in fact, Arizona already did that once. Florida, on the other hand, is going to join the rest of the Deep South on this one, I'm afraid. I'd sure like to see another vote in Oregon, however.

"Christian conservatives have asserted for years that allowing gays to marry would undermine heterosexual unions." How exactly? No one's ever explained that.

I guess it's part of the conservatives' zero-sum mentality. They're always afraid that they'll lose something if "others" gain more rights. And have ya ever noticed that when minorities such as the GLBT fight for equal rights, conservatives holler that "those people" are demanding "special rights"?

same-sex marriages and unions threaten "straight" marriages?

How so?

Doesn't the 53% (or higher) national divorce rate threaten the sanctity of marriages more?

What's the main reason that these marraiges end in divorce? Some evil plan from the gays and lesbians?

Or is it infidelity, money problems, and spousal/child abuse?


Totally illogical to state that same-sex marriages threaten "regular" marriage more than divorce caused by infidelity, money problems, and spousal/child abuse.

San Diego, sort of assumed it would be for the ban.

Nice surprise! And yes, gee, the world hasn't crumbled, and hetero marriages haven't suddenly failed. Amazing, huh?