Proposition 22 Overturned

Local advocates cheer clear path to gay marriage
Proponents celebrate at SLO courthouse Thursday, but opponents say the state Supreme Court ruling ignores the will of voters who passed a ban in 2000
By Tonya Strickland
May. 16, 2008

Local gay-marriage proponents celebrated what they called an important step toward equality Thursday after the state’s highest court overturned a voter-approved ban on same-sex marriages in California.

But the decision striking down Proposition 22 left some locals complaining that the state Supreme Court disregarded the will of people.
…
“This is a landmark day for the gay and lesbian community,” said the Rev. Caroline Hall of St. Benedict’s Episcopal Church in Los Osos. “It’s a tremendous sense of the vindication that we should not be discriminating against gay and lesbian civil rights and that (gays and lesbians) should have the same legal and civil protections that everyone else has.”
…
Hall has officiated about five local spiritual same-sex ceremonies in the past four to five years (the state had previously allowed civil unions for gay and lesbian couples). She said the ruling Thursday upholds the religious freedoms of leaders such as herself to marry same-sex couples.

“Not being able to marry gay people in legal ceremonies was against my own values,” she said. “I felt like I should have been able to marry people both spiritually and legally and, until now, I was limited to simply spiritually.”

It’s all here …

Local Gays Celebrate CA Supreme Court Ruling
LGBTQ Community Stresses Many Additional Obstacles Remain in the Fight for Equality
By Brooke Elliot and Laura Wiesenberg
Daily Nexus
May 16, 2008

Following yesterday’s California Supreme Court decision to end a ban on same-sex marriage, the local gay community celebrated and declared the ruling a victory on the path toward equality.
…
Also present at the courthouse were several members of the religious community, including Reverend Mark Asman of the Trinity Episcopal Church in Santa Barbara. Asman said the gay and lesbian community should not merely celebrate the victory, but commemorate the work of past activists.

“We stand on the shoulders of women and men who have fought for us,” Asman said. “It’s not enough for us to just be happy today; we need to get organized.”

It’s all here …

Area gay, lesbian couples to wed
By Fred Ortega
Pasadena (CA) Star News
05/15/2008

…
The Rev. Susan Russell of All Saints Episcopal Church in Pasadena said she is thrilled that her church, which has been blessing same sex unions for 15 years, will soon be able to offer official wedding rites.

"It is a very exciting day," said Russell, who had her union with her partner blessed at All Saints last year. But she acknowledged the continuing efforts to outlaw same-sex weddings.

"It is not the end of the story by any means," she said, noting the court's decision means homosexual persons are entitled to equal protection under law. "But it is a huge step nonetheless."

It’s all here …and here's the response from some of California's Episcopal bishops...

Bishop of California Responds to today's Ruling by the California Supreme
Court      
Written by The Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus    
Thursday, 15 May 2008 

I welcome the ruling of the California Supreme Court affirming the
fundamental right of all people to marry and establish a family.

All children of God should be afforded the same rights under the law, and
this decision recognizes that all Californians, regardless of sexual
orientation, have equal access to one of our fundamental human institutions.

This decision gives our church another opportunity to partner with our state
to ensure that all families have the support they need to build
relationships that strengthen our communities, state and country.

Jesus tried to free his disciples from a narrow definition of what it means
to be his follower. In Matthew 10:42, Jesus says "whoever gives even a cup
of cold water to one of these little ones in the name of a disciple-truly I
tell you, none of these will lose their reward." God affirms the good in the
world outside the boundaries of religious creeds and dogmas. In this spirit,
we also affirm and rejoice in this decision by the California Supreme Court
precisely because we are Christians.

Clearly, this momentous decision will have ecclesial implications for the
Episcopal Diocese of California. I intend to be in prayerful consultation
with the people of our diocese to see how we can use this decision to
strengthen our support of our lesbian and gay sisters and brothers, and our
witness to God's inclusive love. The Diocese of California will issue an
appropriate statement in due course.

The Rt. Rev. Marc Handley Andrus
Bishop, Episcopal Diocese of California

++++

The Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles, has issued the following statement concerning today's California Supreme Court decision regarding same-gender relationships:

    Today's Supreme Court decision on same-gender relationships is important because it reflects our baptismal vow to "strive for justice and peace among all people and respect the dignity of every human being" and our commitment to justice and mercy for all people.

    The Episcopal Diocese of Los Angeles has been a leader in working for the rights of all people in the State of California, and that work is honored in today's ruling. The canons of our church, under "Rights of the Laity" (Canon 1:17.5), forbid discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnic origin, national origin, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, disabilities or age. We affirm equal rights for all.

    We will continue to advocate for equality in the future and will do so at the General Convention of the Episcopal Church, which will meet in Anaheim in 2009.

    I celebrate and give thanks for this decision of the court and look forward with joy and excitement to a future of justice and mercy for all people in the State of California and the Episcopal Church.

    To paraphrase St. Paul, there is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, gay nor straight in Jesus Christ our Lord.

    J. Jon Bruno
    Bishop of Los Angeles

Comments

[Jeremy Dawes]

Be determined to be in begging discussion
with the people of our district to see how we can use this conclusion to
make stronger our hold up of these lesbian and gay sisters and brothers, and the
observers to God's complete love. The district of California, which will issue an
suitable statement in due course has to be accepted every one.