Prop 8, Gay Marriage Ban, Judge To Teach College

Prop 8, or the ban on Gay Marriage was recently passed in California, opening up a huge nationwide discussion of the legalization of same-sex marriage and constitutional rights. Judge Vaughn Walker is the California Supreme Court Justice who actually ruled that Prop 8 was unconstitutional.

Can you believe that in a short period of time that California wanted to ban same-sex marriage AND keep pot prohibited? Has there been a mass exodus of liberals out of the Golden State?

Walker is going to teach a class at UC-Berkeley on decision making strategies in complex legislation. This would be a historic class to attend, considering that if his ruling ends up making gay marriage a wide spread right, he will go down in history.

The US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals has put a stay on Vaughn Walker's ruling, pending an appeal.

What do you believe will happen with Prop 8, and do you think that Vaughn Walker would be a great mind to learn from?

Ken Mehlman, Former RNC Chairman, Comes out of the Closet – Mehlman Reveal’s He’s Gay

Ken Mehlman, the former RNC Chairman, has revealed that he is gay. Ken Mehlman coming out of the closet is a very controversial story for the conservatives, as he is the highest profile Republican leader to ever come out of the closet.

Mehlman was also the campaign manager for George W Bush during his 2004 re-election campaign. He served as the RNC Chairman from 2005 to 2007.

He issued the following statement:

"It's taken me 43 years to get comfortable with this part of my life. Everybody has their own path to travel, their own journey, and for me, over the past few months, I've told my family, friends, former colleagues, and current colleagues, and they've been wonderful and supportive. The process has been something that's made me a happier and better person. It's something I wish I had done years ago."

Ted Olsen, a prominent republican lawyer and former solicitor general is leading the way against Prop 8. This means that Olsen is for gay marriage.

The current RNC chairman supports Mehlman and congratulates him on his announcement.

Society is becoming more and more accepting of gays and lesbians. Had he come out during his reign as RNC Chairman, it would have been a major scandal. However, it’s great that he’s able to come out and have support of prominent members of his party.

Gay Marriage in California Legal - Will Weddings Resume Wednesday?

Gay marriage in California is now legal, thanks to a ruling by judge Vaughn Walker.  Now that the stay on the ruling against Proposition 8, calling the voter-enacted legislation "unconstitutional", same-sex weddings may begin as early as Wednesday in California.

The judge lifted the stay, but delayed the effects until Wednesday, giving the chance for an appeal.  It's expected that the ruling will be appealed, but same-sex couples are still making their plans to head to city hall Wednesday after 5:00 PM

In addition, municipalities are getting ready for the sudden onslaught of marriage certificate applications, as many couples want to take advantage of the current law as soon as possible.

There are some that say that marriage is an institution between one man and one woman - and that same sex marriages are something different.  Allowing two men or two women to marry goes against tradition and history.

On the other hand, there are many - Glenn Beck included that believe that the government doesn't have the right to dictate who does and does not get married.

Prop 8 Stays End Next Week - California Resumes Same Sex Marriage Wednesday

The US District Court judge of California refused to extend Prop 8, the controversial gay marriage legislation which made same-sex nuptials illegal in the state of California. What this means that by next Wednesday August 18, same sex marriage will be legal again in California. This is a great victory for the people who were against prop 8.

The Judge's decision did not begin right away to give the appeals court time to weigh in on the matter. Still, to the people of California this was a victory.It was also a victory for the entire gay rights movement, as it marked one of the first times that  a court ruled in favor of gay rights and gay marriage.  Many people in states around the country are hoping that the legislation and precedent set in California will turn into legislation in their own states.

It has been reported that since November 2008 there has already been 18,000 same sex couples that have been married. So everyone can see that this has been a hot issue ever since the ban has been in place.

Reports have stated that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown would like the ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker to be put into effect as soon as possible.

Proposition 8, Repealed - What's Next for Gay Rights?

Proposition 8 was repealed after it was passed by California voters. The controversial law made same-sex marriage illegal in California, despite the legalization of gay marriage in San Francisco years earlier. San Francisco along with gay couples sued the state, and Judge Vaughn Walker agreed that the law was unconstitutional.

Appeals have already been filed, showcasing that this battle is far from being over. However, this is as expected - the fight for gay rights has become a modern day civil rights movement. As such, the fight will likely go all the way to the Supreme Court.

What will the end result be? Vaughn Walker's ruling will be used as precedent for other cases. Although same-sex marriage isn't legalized in all states, it's likely that the recent ruling will pave the way for more states to legalize the unions.

There have already been advances in offering the same benefits to same-sex couples as their heterosexual counterparts. Many companies allow insurance coverage on families with domestic partnerships. Adoptions are also possible.

Proposition 8 passed, and then was deemed unconstitutional. The further rulings of higher courts will further expand this issue and likely change the landscape of marriage as we know it.

Prop8 Ruling: Carly Fiorina, Barbara Boxer Disagree with Vaughn Walker’s decision

The Prop8 ruling has catalyzed the core of the gay rights movement. In California , judge Vaughn Walker overturned the voter-approved measure which banned gay marriage in the state.  San Francisco with the support of gay couples challenged the law, and successfully got it overturned.

An appeal has been filed, and we expect that the issue will make it all the way to the US Supreme Court before all is said and done.

The Senate Race in California is already setting up a debate, with Republican hopeful and former HP CEO Carly Fiorina stating that she’s against the judges ruling, citing that voters in California spoke their desires.  Barbara Boxer disagrees with her opponent, and cites that it’s an important step towards equal rights.

Diane Feinstein, another Senator from California who is not up for re-election right now is also supportive of the recent ruling.

While many are against the ruling, many are for it as well.  Gay rights is our modern-day civil rights movement, and it will be interesting to see how this case impacts the rest of the country

Glenn Beck and Prop8: Library Removes Gay Book While Prop8 Overturned

Glenn Beck requested libraries to remove copies of the book, "Revolutionary Voices" is the name of the book, and Glenn Beck calls it "child pornography." Gay rights activists are pointing to the possibility that Beck's problem with the book lies in it being about same-sex relationships.

While libraries in New Jersey are removing "Revolutionary Voices" from their shelves, a judge thousands of miles away, in California, made a ruling that Prop8 is unconstitutional. Proposition 8 is the Gay Marriage ban that was voted into law in California. Appeals are expected.

So we have two opposite reactions to the Gay rights movement. On one hand, an anthology of first person accounts of same-sex relationships is getting removed from shelves of libraries during Glenn Beck's 9.12 program, while a Federal judge has ruled that a ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional.

Gay rights, immigration, health care, and unemployment are all going to play big roles in the upcoming elections. What do you think about Glenn Beck getting a book removed from libraries, and what do you think about the overturning of Prop8?

Reference: USA Today

California Proposition 8 2010 - Judge Rules Anti-Gay Marriage Law Unconstitutional

California's proposition 8 has opposition.  Today - in 2010,  judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the proposition 8 anti-gay marriage law is unconstitutional.  After the passage of prop 8, the city of San Francisco and a couple of gay couples sued the state to stop the law from going in to effect.

The law previously passed with voter support on a ballot.

This is a battle won, but doesn't mark the end of the war.  There will likely be many more steps for this bill to overcome before we can say that it has been successfully overturned. The fight could go all the way to the Supreme Court - where a ruling would be a landmark for gay rights activists.

The attitude in California was rather celebratory.  Celebrities such as Ellen, Kim Kardashian, and more all applaud the judges ruling.

Many are concerned about the law, claiming that marriage is an institution between one man and one woman, and has been for the past millennium. Still others say it's time for a change, and time for same-sex couples to reap the same benefits as their heterosexual counterparts.  What are your thoughts on the matter?