LA Times: Let Couples Marry Now

By Advocate.com Editors

As Californians wait for Prop. 8 to work its way through the courts, the Los Angeles Times says gay couple should be allowed to get married.

Reads the article: "Although the federal courts expedited their handling of the lawsuit challenging Proposition 8, the issues are far from resolved. And now that the California Supreme Court has been asked to weigh in, the case could be delayed for another year or more.

"Enough already. Gay and lesbian couples should be allowed to wed while the case works its way through the system."

Read the full article here.


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California Gay Marriage Supporters: Lift Prop. 8 Stay

(from left) David Boies, Chad Griffin
Ted Olsen and Ted Boutrous.

By Advocate.com Editors

Attorneys who brought the federal case against Proposition 8 asked the U.S. court of appeals for the ninth circuit to lift the court-imposed stay on marriage equality in California.

A three-judge panel of the ninth circuit had imposed that stay last year without comment after U.S. district judge Vaughn Walker ruled the 2008 voter initiative unconstitutional. Gay couples are still unable to wed in California as a result.

“There there can be no justification for prolonging the suffering of plaintiffs and the tens of thousands of couples like them for an additional year,” attorney Ted Olson wrote in a court filing.

“Having prevailed at trial, having demonstrated that they had a fundamental right to marry, and having shown beyond dispute that Proposition 8 works irreparable harm upon gay and lesbian Californians by denying them that right,” Olson wrote, “it is simply intolerable for this Court to continue to deny them that right and to perpetuate their pain for such a length of time — especially given that this Court itself has recognized that Proponents may well have no right to appeal at all.”

The move comes on the same day the Department of Justice announced it will not defend section 3 of the 15-year-old Defense of Marriage Act in federal court after a directive from President Barack Obama.

Read more on that story here.

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Watch: Mormon Mom Reposts Video Speaking Out for Same-Sex Marriage Despite Threats from Church Officials

Melanie, a married Mormon mother of five, a loyal member of the Church of Latter Day Saints, and a self-described "disciple of Christ", made the following video in 2008 in reaction to the Mormon church's campaign to pass Proposition 8 and remove marriage rights from gay people.

After threats from church officials, she took it down, but this week reposted it.

Melanie writes:

I did not discuss the video with my local leaders before making it public, but they were directed to it by church headquarters. At the end of some very heart felt discussions, my speaking out with this video threatened my temple recommend and my calling, and I ultimately chose to take it down to protect my standing in the church.

I have lived to regret the decision. And so today, in honor of the Valentine legend and in support of the love that drives so many of us to share our lives with each other, I stand up once more in favor of marriage, all marriage, with my Prop 8 video.



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No Marriage for Straight People

Written By: Kimo

No marriage for straight people! Its funny to actually see those words grouped together. Whats even more strange is to see that as reality. I read an Article today on the ADVOCATE.com that in response to the California supreme court's decision to uphold Prop. 8 two California pastors will not be officiating heterosexual marriages in their churches until Prop. 8 is no more! Two pastors in Glendale also went on record that they will also follow suit!

This could turn out to be a very powerful blow to those who use religion as a weapon to keep gays and lesbians from having the equal right to marry. I hope more brave religious figures come out and make similar statements like this.

Please feel free to share your voice and comment on this blog!

If you would like to read the article just click the blue link above.

Rob Thomas has a “Big Gay Chip On His Shoulder”

Written By: Kimo

Yesterday I read an article about Rob Thomas, former Matchbox Twenty lead singer now solo artist, let loose to the Huffington Post this past Wednesday. The name of this article is “The Big Gay Chip On My Shoulder.” This article was a result of the supreme courts decision to uphold proposition 8.

I consider myself to be a gay Christian and I found that Rob made some very interesting and valid points against the ultra-conservative Christian right wing regarding religion and gay marriage. Here are some of the quotes from Rob that I thought were very interesting.

“I believe the fact that an atheist, who doesn't believe in God at all, is allowed to enter into the holy land of marriage while a gay Christian is not, shows that this law is arbitrary. Are we to believe that anyone who doesn't live their life according to the King James Bible isn't protected by the same laws that protect those who do? Using the same argument that I've seen on the 700 Club, that would mean that Jewish, Hindu, or Muslim weddings are also null and void.”

“I believe that to deny this right to the gay population is to say to them, "this god is not your god and he doesn't love you." There isn't one person who is against gay marriage that can give me a reason why it shouldn't be legal without bringing God or their religion into it.”

Rob even adds his comments on civil unions. We have all heard the argument, “If two women or two men enter into a civil union, why isn’t that enough? Why do they have to have marriage?

Rob Thomas answers that with, “A civil union has to do with death. It's essentially a document that gives you lower taxes and the right to let your faux spouse collect your insurance when you pass away. A marriage is about life. It's about a commitment. And this argument is about allowing people to have the right to make that commitment, even if it doesn't make sense to you.”

If you would like to read more about Rob Thomas’s “Big Gay Chip On His Shoulder” You view the full length article at the Huffington Post website at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rob-thomas/the-big-gay-chip-on-my-sh_b_208183.html

Feel free to share your thoughts and opinions!