California Dreaming of Beating the Bigots

Assorted conservatives and homophobes are tryng to force their pathetic fear of same-sex attraction on the entire population of California by pushing a vote on Proposition 8.

Amusingly, while the bigots named their proposal The California Marriage Protection Amendment, California Attorney General Jerry Brown renamed it the rather more accurate 'Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry Act'.

The amendment seeks to legally restrict marriage to a link-up between a man and a woman. While it is probably no great surprise that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, California's Roman Catholic bishops plus assorted other Bible-bashers are promoting reactionary legislation, this particular move is significant in that it is the first attempt to get rid of legal gay marriage in a place where it already exists.

If you would like a taste of its supporters' views, try this letter, which compares Prop 8's opponents to Nazis and speculates that its defeat will be followed by the legalisation of man-sheep marriages (no doubt the sinister aim of woolly liberals).

Lining up to oppose homophobia are the California Labor Federation, Ellen DeGeneres of course, Steven Spielberg, and San Francisco's Jewish community. Good on 'em.

And the politicians? Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has previously opposed same-sex marriage legislation, but now opposes Prop 8 because he reckons that once a right is granted it should not be taken away. John McCain supports Proposition 8. But while Barack Obama opposes it, that is not stopping him campaigning alongside someone who writes in support of it.