As many of you may be aware, the battle for the legalization or ban of gay marriage has raged for years in California, espescially after a judge ruled that Proposition 22, which was an attempt to ban gay marriage, only affected marriages performed out of state.
Last week California's Senate passed the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act which would redefine marriage as a civil contract between two persons instead of simply a man and a woman.
In the past Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill, and publicly declared so before the vote. However, this time he has said nothing as to indicate what action, if any, he will take. He had vowed to follow the sentiment behind proposition 22 before, but the question is, will he do so again?
Persoally, I don't think that he should veto the bill. Bills similar to this have been passed through the senate before, and Schwarzenegger has been the only obstacle in the past. I personally think that he should realize that despite his personal beliefs, if the Senate is consistently able to pass this bill legalizing gay marriage, he should allow it to pass. If there are issues with the law, it will be tested in the court system, where it will either sink or swim.
I also would like to say that I am glad that both sides, though I may wish one side wouldnt, are excercising their right to assemble and petition their government, and of course, free speech. However, in my mind, this is a battle for rights for gays who wish to be recognized by the state, not by their religion, as married. They should have this right, and I still cannot understand why so many are so intent to stop gays from receiving legal rights denied to them under the current system.
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How is the "will of the Legislature" not the "will of the people"? Isn't that the whole point of electing these folks in the first place -- you know, as your (the people's) representatives? If they don't act like you want them to, then why do you keep electing them? The fact that the legislature has passed this twice now should indicate to any sane and reasonable person that this is exactly the will of the people!
Those were my thoughts as well. If the legislature passed this measure, even after proposition 22, and they are still in office without calls for resignation, it should be taken as the people changing their mind in all reality. Let them marry, whats it going to change aside from more people receiving civil benefits? Absolutely nothing
-Dan