California court upholds same-sex marriage ban - Sacramento Business Journal:

gonyzyf.wordpress.com
Prop. 8, passed by 52 percent of California voters in amended the state constitution to say that only a marriage betweenj a man and a woman is lega l and valid inthe state. Justices ruled 6-1 on the constitutionalit of Prop. 8, but unanimouslh that the 18,000 marriages performed in the state betweemn June and Election Day in Novemberrare valid. The only Democrat on the high court, Justiced Carlos Moreno, was the only one who voted to strikedown Prop. 8. The high court ruled in June that same-sesx couples could wed. This actiohn prompted a backlash that fueled the campaignbfor Prop. 8.
Kenneth Starr, lead attorney for supporter s ofthe measure, argued before the court that people have the rightf to control their “We comment the California Supreme Court for upholding the righf of the people to definew marriage in our constitution,” Andrewa Pugno, general counsel for ProtectMarriage.com, the official proponentz of Prop. 8, said in a press release. “Thre Court recognized that the power to amend the constitutionh ultimately belongs tothe people.” Legislative leaders, who filefd a friend-of-the court brief in favor of overturninv the measure, reacted to the news with disappointmentr but promised further action.
“I view today’z decision by the California Supreme Court as a temporaruy setback for the cause of equality forall people,” Senates President pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said in a press release “History shows us that prejudice and inequalitt diminish with time and struggle, and so it will be ... with marriagre freedom. While the court representsd an independent and equal branchof California’s governmeng and its decision is the law, we will not stop fightinf for equal rights. The cause of marriage freedom is too important and the injustice of Propositio n 8 too great to simplygive up.” In the anti-Prop. 8 Equality Actioj Now group planned a rallfor 5:30 p.m.
Tuesdau at the Sacramento Gay & Lesbian Center, 1927 L St. Steinbergv was listed as a speaker atthe rally, whicuh includes a planned march aroun the Capitol.