Proposition 8

Proposition 8 was a legislative initiative on the election ballot in California in 2008. The Proposition changed the state Constitution to restrict the definition of marriage to a union between a man and a woman and eliminated the right of same-sex couples to marry. Proposition 8 was highly controversial with supporters and opponents raising more than $70 million to make their cases. While the court decides, the debate continues.

Proposition 8 has been challenged in several law suits now before the California Supreme Court. The state’s Attorney General Jerry Brown has also filed suit to overturn the Proposition, writing that the courts have already said that the right to marry is protected as an “inalienable right.”

In defense of the Proposition, Kenneth Starr has written, "Proposition 8's brevity is matched by its clarity." Starr also wrote, “There are no conditional clauses, exceptions, exemptions or exclusions." He is one of the Proposition’s authors and dean of Pepperdine University's law school.

by Tommy Mack Are you a writer, passionate about this or any other topic? Join Blogcritics!

Latest blogosphere posts tagged “Proposition 8”

• Court Rules Proposition 8 Proponents Can Keep Campaign Strategy Private, Nevada Legalizes Male Prostitution, Glenn Beck Ally Talks AIDS Crazy Talk

  
  the time of my life — Authority: 139
  Breaking new from the Los Angeles Times , who is reporting that “gay marriage supporters challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8 lost their bid Friday to see the internal communications of those who supported the initiative when an appeals court ruled that disclosure would violate the 1st Amendment.” ...
  4 hours ago

• Sundance to premiere film documenting Mormon push to defeat gay marriage

  
  Colorado Independent — Authority: 635
  The Mormon church poured money and effort into the campaign to pass Proposition 8 in California, the initiative that outlawed gay marriage there. Director Reed Cowan’s documentary about the effort was accepted into the Sundance film festival and will make its debut in Park City next month. The film features ...
  14 hours ago

• Maddow On Rick Warren & Uganda

  
  Joe. My. God. — Authority: 701
  Last night Rachel Maddow covered Rick Warrens long-overdue denouncement of Ugandas "kill gays" bill, pointing out his previous hypocrisies and lies about Prop 8. Watch this. Subscribe to Joe.My.God.
  20 hours ago

• Caring for the Poor as a “New Emphasis” for the Church

  
  A Soft Answer — Authority: 109
  Picking up on an earlier post , the SL Trib confirms that caring for the poor as a “new emphasis” for Church The LDS Church is adding “to care for the poor and needy” to its longstanding “threefold mission,” which is to preach the LDS gospel, purify members’ lives and provide saving ordinances such ...
  1 day ago

• Walker Reversed, Boies and Olson Legal Witch-hunt Stymied

  
  Beetle Blogger — Authority: 412
  Photo: Judge Walker’s Brand of Justice ? Good News! The Prop 8 campaign is getting a break. Judge Vaughn Walker’s order that all private emails and campaign communications be turned over to the opposition for scrutiny by the tolerance police is being reversed.  Law.com is reporting that the Ninth Circuit ...
  2 days ago

• News: Tel Aviv, Sonia Sotomayor, The Situation, Hubbles Deep Field

  
  -Towleroad News- [#gay] — Authority: 758
  GLAAD launches online petition against Buju Banton Grammy noms. Phoenix city councilman Tom Simplot and his partner David Smith, who were first to sign up for the citys domestic partner registry, have split . Tom Ford photographs, discusses Single Man cast for V magazine. Does Mariah ...
  2 days ago

• Why Prop 8 Is Unconstitutional: Read The Olson-Boies Brief

  
  The Mad Professah Lectures — Authority: 432
  Intrepid lesbian reporter (and now blogger ) Karen Ocamb has made available the first plaintiffs brief in the Olson-Boies federal lawsuit challenging Proposition 8 , formally known as Perry v. Schwarzenegger at her website. I have used Scribd to make it available below : Olson Boies Brief ...
  3 days ago

• The Great Divorce Ban of California

  
  TNTalk! America. — Authority: 106
  A ‘grass roots’ movement is under way in California to ban divorce. The author of the petition makes it clear that his motivation is a little grandstanding, what might seem to be a ’satirical attempt’ to ban divorce in revenge for ‘the right’ to ban gay marriage in California.According to the initiating ...
  3 days ago

• News: Evan Low, Spain, Annise Parker, Pink Floyd, Cook County

  
  -Towleroad News- [#gay] — Authority: 758
  POLL: Annise Parker holds slight edge in Houston mayoral race . Jesus Luz sells some more underwear . Madonna cozies up to Tom Ford . Spain apologizes to man jailed for being gay in the 70s : "Antoni Ruiz spent three months in prison under a law introduced during Gen Francisco Francos ...
  4 days ago

• Wrestler Lillian Garcia Joins NoH8 Campaign for Gay Marriage

  
  Gay Marriage Watch — Authority: 443
  Recently departed Diva, Lilian Garcia has joined a slew of celebrities to take part in the NOH8 campaign petitioning against anti-gay marriage laws. By doing so, the Decade Diva is the first wrestling personality to shoot for the campaign which has attracted Hollywod stars including the Kardashians and Perez Hilton. ...
  4 days ago

• CA: Yes on 8 Targeting Californians Against Hate Founder With Lawsuit

  
  Gay Marriage Watch — Authority: 443
  In a lawsuit against state election officials, Proposition 8 supporters have targeted the man who first exposed the financial role the Mormon Church and the National Organization for Marriage played in the referendum’s passage in Nov. 2008. In a subpoena, Yes on 8 and NOM want Fred Karger, founder of ...
  4 days ago

• Portia De Rossi discusses marriage on The View

  
  gay persons of color — Authority: 419
  Last Friday 4 December Portia De Rossi appeared on The View and eloquently spoke about her marriage to Ellen DeGeneres, the harmful repercussions of the passing in California of Proposition 8, and the inequality of civil rights distribution in the United States. "...This is whats so horrible about it. Ellen and ...
  4 days ago

• US Update on Marriage Equality: Disappointment in New York

  
  gaelick — Authority: 132
  “If there’s anybody threatening the sanctity of marriage, it comes from those who have the privilege and the right, and we have abused it for decades.” -  Sen. Diane Savino This week saw the Civil Partnership Bill finally get some floortime in the Dáil (which was covered by our own click here ). However, ...
  5 days ago

• So, Perry v. Schwarzenegger

  
  Letters in Bottles — Authority: 142
  Whats your take on the Boies-Olson federal suit to invalidate Californias Prop. 8 ? Heres the complaint .  The trial is slated to begin in January . From what I can tell, its going to be difficult, legally, to avoid the many analogies to the Colorado amendment struck down under equal protection in  Romer v. ...
  5 days ago

• 9th Circuit Likely to Overturn Prop 8 Campaign Document Disclosure Order

  
  Gay Marriage Watch — Authority: 443
  Looks like Northern District of California Chief Judge Vaughn Walker is going to suffer his first reversal in the federal challenge to Proposition 8. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals continued a stay of Walkers order forcing the Yes on 8 campaign to turn over internal documents and e-mails to challengers of the ...
  6 days ago

• If Ted Olsen and David Boise Win, Are They Doing the GOP A Favor.

  
  Michael-In-Norfolk - - Coming Out In Mid Life — Authority: 443
  I have posted several times about the challenge to Proposition 8 now pending in federal court in California being led by former U.S. Solicitor General Ted Olson and David Boise. The case contends that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional under the U. S. Constitution, not the least because it denies same sex couples equal ...
  1 week ago

• Wonder if the Yes on 8 Folks would endorse this marriage?

  
  The Liberal OC — Authority: 504
  I can hear them now; it’s a marriage between a man and a woman so it must be OK.  But according to this story , a man in Japan has married a female video game avatar. The bride didn’t wear white; she arrived in a red plastic game case. God save their virtual half breed children Pixel and Byte. From the story: ...
  1 week ago

• No Prop 8 insider documents for Olson/Boies

  
  Box Turtle Bulletin — Authority: 674
  Part of the Ted Olson/David Boies case against Proposition 8 is based on the argument that the campaign and its voters denied rights to gay couples out of animus. And to prove animus, they subpoenaed the internal communication of the pro-8 campaign. Although the presiding judge agreed that such communication should ...
  1 week ago

• News: Elf, Jersey Shore, James Franco, Roy Herron, Pittsburgh

  
  -Towleroad News- [#gay] — Authority: 758
  Prop 8 proponents to get to keep internal campaign documents private ? Nude Brangelina immortalized . Witness immunity sought for gay service members at "Dont Ask, Dont Tell" hearings . Alcee Hastings: "How can there be anything more important than a gay member of theservice having the ...
  1 week ago

• UT: Sundance to Show "8: The Mormon Proposition"

  
  Gay Marriage Watch — Authority: 443
  At 2 p.m. Thursday, the 2010 Sundance Film Festival announced that former Utah newsman Reed Cowan would bring his new documentary to the elite festival. By 5 p.m. Thursday, Cowan learned religious and anti-gay activists were organizing, discussing online whether they should gather at Park City to show their angry ...
  1 week ago

Comments about Proposition 8