Let's Call Prop 8 What It Is

[furrbear]

News on marriage equality in California from the L.A. Times:

Supporters of Proposition 8, the proposed state constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriage, said they would file suit today to block a change made by California Atty. Gen. Jerry Brown to the language of the measure's ballot title and summary.

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Petitions circulated to qualify the initiative for the ballot said the measure would amend the state Constitution "to provide that only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

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In a move made public last week and applauded by same-sex marriage proponents, the attorney general's office changed the language to say that Proposition 8 seeks to "eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry."

Jennifer Kerns, spokeswoman for the Protect Marriage coalition, called the new language "inherently argumentative" and said it could "prejudice voters against the initiative."Proponents of the measure said they want voters to see ballot language similar to what was on the petitions that began circulating last fall.

"This is a complete about-face from the ballot title that was assigned" when the measure was being circulated for signatures, Kerns said.

On the other side, Steve Smith, campaign manager for No on Proposition 8, applauded the language change.

"What Proposition 8 would do is eliminate the right of same-sex couples to marry, which is exactly what the attorney general put in the title of the measure," he said. "It will be very difficult for them to win the case."

Political analysts on both sides suggest that the language change will make passage of the initiative more difficult, noting that voters might be more reluctant to pass a measure that makes clear it is taking away existing rights.

Comments

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

Fundies hate truth and light. Kind of ironic, actually.

AG Brown's wording is entirely truthful. It accurately describes the effect Prop. 8 would have under the current situation - which is admittedly different than when the proponents started gathering signatures. Voters should know the exact effect their vote will have, and so the wording SHOULD be based in the current situation.

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

Exactly! It's just like the "study" done before the decision that determined that Prop 8 would have no negative economic impact. That was when there were no same-sex weddings being contemplated or performed. Now they are being planned and performed by the the hundred per week (WAG estimation).

[magebear.livejournal.com]

Hey look, a spade!

[danthered.livejournal.com]

↑Pravda!↑

[theevilnub.livejournal.com]

Finally, someone in power to put into print precisely what the measure is!

[backrubbear.livejournal.com]

Yay for them.

The wiggle-wording of Michigan's Proposal 2 a few years ago is probably one of the bigger reasons it passed so easily.

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

Along with the empty assurances that it wouldn't hurt things like existing DP benefits.

[backrubbear.livejournal.com]

Amen

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

At least the homophobia and hatred from the Religious Reich is open in Texas.

[backrubbear.livejournal.com]

Michigan is a bit more mixed in its forms of hatred. You get the oddly internalized loathing of the Calvinists and their relations. There's the transplanted "southern" (mostly Kentucky and Tennessee) baptist bible thumpers. You get the mid-state Methodists who can't decide if they're quite Methodist or not. Then you also get the Catholics who vary between being tied to some 18th century oddities and relatively modern.

Contrarily we get a lot of passive support from the mid and northern state Lutherans who seem to get along with the Episcopalians for reasons I don't theologically understand.

...

The fact that I'm able to rattle off this state-wise breakdown actually boggles me. I don't think I was consciously aware of it before typing it out.

[furrbear.livejournal.com]

*chuckle*

Yeah, I also had noticed the Episcopal-Lutheran thing. Seems to be pretty common.