The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals issued its Prop. 8 decision this morning finding 2-1 that limiting marriage to one-woman, one-man is unconstitutional. California voters narrowly approved banning gay marriage in 2009. Today's decision will almost certainly be appealed to higher courts.
Long Beach City Councilwoman Gerrie Schipske, the city's first lesbian elected:
?The federal court of appeals clearly explained in its ruling that the people may not use the initiative process to strip any group of a right as important as the right to marry and that Proposition 8 served no purpose other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians by reclassifying our relationships and our families as being inferior to those of opposite sex couples.
As someone who has been in a committed, loving relationship with a same sex partner for over 31 years, this ruling iterates something those of us in the gay and lesbian community already knew ? that taking the constitutional rights of one group takes from all of us as Americans.
"This decision is a triumph for all Americans by affirming the importance of freedom and human dignity as our constitutional rights. ?
California State Senator Alan Lowenthal, who represents Long Beach and is running for the newly created U.S. Congressional District 47:
"The Ninth Circuit has reaffirmed what most of us already knew--that Proposition 8 is discriminatory. This is the exact same discrimination we have seen all too often in this country, from the streets of Selma to the suffrage marches of the 1920s.
"The appellate panel has made it clear, as many courts before have done, that the U.S. Constitution is not a tool for those seeking to strip others of basic civil rights."
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster:
"Today's Ninth Circuit decision is an important step towards marriage equality. To me, this issue is a one of fundamental fairness and it is heartening to see that belief validated by today's ruling."
Long Beach Councilmember Robert Garcia, city's first gay man, and man of color, elected:
"Today is a great day for our country, our state, and for Long Beach. ?We are one step closer to ensuring marriage equality for all Americans. There is?no question that today's court decision will be remembered for being on the right side of history."
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