NATIONWIDE VIGIL SET FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT

"The Eve of Justice: Lighting the way for the Supreme Court"

UPDATE...
In my posting yesterday, I forgot to mention that I spoke with John Allard of Marriage Equality Arizona and he suggested that people attending tonight's vigil should bring their own candles (if you can afford it, a few extra to share would be appreciated). You can also bring signs with messages promoting marriage equality.

According to the Facebook page for this event, "At the conclusion of the vigil a minister will be available to preside over a 're-commitment ceremony' for any couple married in California, or joined in any other union. This will serve as a powerful reminder to all in attendance, or driving by, that our relationships have value and our commitment to each other deserves the protection of the 1138 rights granted through civil marriage."

My partner and I will be going and we hope to see all of you there. Pass the word.

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On Thursday, March 5th, the California Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the legality of Proposition 8, the homophobic ballot measure that stripped away the right for gays to marry in California.

On Wednesday evening, we will stand together to send a unified message to Californians and the Supreme Court Justices that individual liberties, guaranteed by the California Constitution, cannot be stripped away at the ballot box by a slim majority vote.

This vigil will also show our love and support for all the families headed by same-sex couples who were already legally married and whose relationships are now threatened by the callous passage of Prop 8. And, that we fully support all same-sex couples whose hopes and dreams of marriage and family have been frustrated by the enactment of Prop 8 in California, Prop 102 here in Arizona and Prop 2 in Florida.

In Arizona, the vigil will take place at the following locations and times...

IN PHOENIX

LOCATION: Camelback and Central

TIME: 6:00 TO 7:30pm


IN TUCSON:

LOCATION: United Church of Christ of the Painted Hills, 3295 W. Speedway Boulevard

TIME: 7:00 - 8:30pm

For other vigil locations and times, go to: http://www.marriageequality.org/

BTW - If you don't see your city or state on the vigil list and you would like to participate, go to Marriage Equality to find out how to contact your local chapter or, if there isn't a chapter near you, find out how to start one.

Congratulations California!

I just wanted to add a quick post to congratulate California's new newlyweds. There has probably been more national and international coverage of this story than almost any other news story of late so I only want to thank the California Supreme Court (a majority of which are republican appointees) for their fairness, foresight and wisdom in declaring the ban on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional in California.

AND MOST OF ALL, I want to congratulate all those who have gotten married. CONGRATULATIONS!! to all of you. And to all those who intend to do the same in the days, weeks and months ahead. As a good friend from GAA in New York, Chuck Solomon, told Vito Russo and I in 1970 when we told him that we had decided to make ourselves a couple --- "MOZEL TOV!! May your lives be filled with love, joy and purpose."

New Hampshire Reverses Position on CA Marriage Decision

The following is a news item from BoxTurtleBulletin.com. I love it! The Attorney General had to be told of her own state's law!!

One State Reverses Position on CA Marriage Decision Stay
Timothy Kincaid
June 2nd, 2008
Last week the Attorneys General of ten states united to request that the Supreme Court of California stay its decision to treat all citizens equal under the law until November: Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Idaho, Michigan, Nebraska, New Hampshire, South Carolina, South Dakota and Utah. They claimed that if California allowed gay couples to marry that this would create havoc and confusion for the court systems in their own states.
Immediately one state stood out from the others.
Although not all of these states have anti-gay marriage clauses in their constitution, only one state, New Hampshire, has taken efforts to offer recognition to same-sex relationships. And New Hampshire already had taken legislative steps to direct how out-of-state gay marriages would be treated - as civil unions.
Now it seems that the havoc and confusion caused by gay marriage in New Hampsire has been cleared up. Attorney General Kelly Ayotte, has now been appraised of the law in her state.
The Boston Globe reports
[O]n Saturday, Attorney General Kelly Ayotte announced that New Hampshire was withdrawing from the request because the state addresses the recognition issue in its civil union law.
She said under the law, New Hampshire will recognize a legal gay marriage from California as a civil union.

It's great when the bigoted homophobes get tangled up in their own webs!