Wednesday, March 27, 2013

SUPREME COURT - California's Prop-8 Ban on Gay Marriage

"High Court Hears Challenge to Same-Sex Marriage Ban" PBS Newshour 3/26/2013

Excerpt

SUMMARY:  The Supreme Court considered the constitutionality of California's Proposition 8, a ballot measure that bans same-sex marriage.  Kwame Holman reports on reactions from supporters on both sides of the debate.  Judy Woodruff talks to Marcia Coyle of the National Law Journal, who analyzes the arguments inside the courtroom.


Significant exchange


CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS:  If same-sex couples have every other right, it's just about the label.

THEODORE OLSON, Former U.S. Solicitor General:  The label marriage means something.  Even our opponents ...

CHIEF JUSTICE ROBERTS:  Sure.

If you tell -- if you tell a child that somebody has to be their friend, I suppose you can force the child to say, this is my friend.  But it changes the definition of what it means to be a friend.  And that is, it seems to me, what supporters of Proposition 8 are saying here.  You're taking -- all you're interested in is the label, and you insist on changing the definition of the label.


COMMENT:  This IS an issue of Equal Rights (equal treatment under the law), part of our U.S. Constitution.

Banning gay marriage is in the same context as WAS banning women's right to vote.  Banning equal treatment under the law because of one's gender.

1 comment:

Larry Reding said...

The whole issue is so steeped in religion and its sad in a state that is supposed to be so open would pass a proposition like this one.