Cali School Boards Weigh In on Gay Marriage

When it comes to political views, Jim Gibson of Vista and Mike Katz-Lacabe of San Leandro are at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Gibson, 54, a father of four, is a political conservative and an evangelical Christian; Katz-Lacabe, 40, describes his politics as “hippie-liberal-granola.”

But the two men have a bond: Both are school board members in small California districts who want their boards to wade into the debate on Proposition 8, the initiative that would amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage in California.

The initiative is the most hotly contested social issue on the ballot this fall, and although the boards’ actions would have little effect in the classroom, both men said they thought it was important for their school boards to take a public position.

The deliberations in Vista, San Leandro and other communities reflect a deep-seated divide in California culture and politics. They have provoked debate about the role school boards should take in the political process.

Gibson serves on the board of the Vista Unified School District in conservative northern San Diego County. The school board made news in the 1990s when it passed a resolution to encourage the inclusion of “creationism” in the curriculum. That conservative majority is no longer on the board, but Gibson said he planned to ask his colleagues at their next meeting to endorse the anti-marriage proposition.

“This is an important issue for our culture,” said Gibson, who owns a telecommunications company. “The most stable unit in society right now is the family, and that is based on a marriage between a man and a woman. It has been that way for thousands and thousands of years. It’s the best way to raise kids. It’s that simple.”

Get the rest of this story from the montereyherald.com.

LDS Game Plan on Passing Proposition 8

Daily Kos has posted a letter sent from Boyd K. Packer (president of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) on July 28th to the California LDS (Mormon) stake (diocese) presidents.

Apparently, there is a plan in place to put up one million ‘Yes on 8′ yard signs at 7:00 am on September 22nd.

This letter makes clear that those walking their precincts on behalf of the ‘Yes on 8′ campaign are not doing so to persuade their neighbors, but rather to identify potential ‘Yes’ votes. As such, the precinct walking is clearly part of a standard get-out-the-vote operation, rather than an attempt to change hearts and minds.

Read the letter with the plan at DailyKos.com.

McCain Blast Gay Marriage at Warren Forum

McCain said he believes the decision by the California Supreme Court to legalize “gay marriage” was wrong.

“I strongly support preserving the unique status of marriage between man and woman,” he said before stressing his backing of marriage amendments on the state level. McCain’s home state of Arizona will be voting on a marriage amendment in November. “… In my state, I hope we will make that decision, and other states, they have [made that decision] to recognize the unique status between man and woman. And that doesn’t mean that people can’t enter into legal agreements. That doesn’t mean that they don’t have the rights of all citizens. I’m not saying that. I am saying that we should preserve the unique status of marriage between one man and one woman.”

McCain voluntarily gave his thoughts on a federal marriage amendment, which he has opposed.

“If a federal court decided that my state of Arizona had to observe what the state of Massachusetts decided [on gay marriage], then I would favor a [federal] constitutional amendment. Until then, I believe the states should make the decisions within their own states.”

McCain’s comments against gay marriage were followed by a loud and lasting applause from the largely evangelical crowd.

Let California Ring - Support Freedom to Marry

Every so often there’s a moment in history where we turn a corner - a tipping point. It happens when regular people create enough momentum for social change through their every day actions. Today, more people than ever support the freedom for gay and lesbian people to marry, and we are very near the tipping point in California.

We have a chance to change the course of history, but we need your help. Here’s how: join the Let California Ring campaign and make your support seen and heard. Pledge your support to have a conversation about the freedom to marry with your loved ones, and start changing hearts and minds.

Click here to visit the site and sign the petition or vistite letcaliforniaring.org.

Gay Marriage Fight in Mass Not Over Yet

Looks like the fight for gay marriage fight in Massachusetts may not be over after all.  Opponents of same-sex marriages are seeking a ballot spot preventing gay and lesbian couples from getting married here if their union wouldn’t be legal in their home state.

Brian Camenker of the group Mass Resistance said Friday that state lawmakers and Gov. Deval Patrick caved in to the ”gay lobby” by approving the repeal of a 1913 statute banning people from other states to wed in Massachusette if it was not legal in their home state.

Patrick, the state’s first black governor and the father of a daughter who recently announced she’s a lesbian, said the 1913 law had racial undertones from a period when interracial marriage was discouraged.

Camenker Said, “The Legislature and the governor changed our marriage laws to please the well-connected minority and force a social experiment into other states that’s very offensive to a majority of the people, at least the way the votes have been going.”  He also stated, “The fact that this happened the way it happened just adds to the sense of sleaziness and underhandedness of the whole process.”

The group fighting the repeal of the law will need about 32,000 signatures to get their issue on the November ballot.

Gay marriage supoorters have stated they are disappointed, but not surprised by the petition.

Marc Solomon of MassEquality stated, “I’ve learned that when it comes to equality for gay and lesbian people, the struggle is never over because there are certain people that are just strongly opposed to any rights for gay people. It’s never shocking; it is disappointing.”

Gay Massachusetts residents have been allowed to legally marry since 2004. Opponents, such as former Gov. Mitt Romney, said the 1913 law prevented Massachusetts from becoming the “Las Vegas of same-sex marriage.” California also permits same-sex marriage and has no restriction on out-of-state couples.