2:45pm | California state Senator Alan Lowenthal has issued the following statement on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals panel ruling that California’s ban on same-sex marriage, Proposition 8, is unconstitutional:
“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.”
11:30am | Ron Sylvester, President and Chairman of The Gay and Lesbian Center of Long Beach released the following statement regarding today’s decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Proposition 8:
For the second time the courts have ruled that Prop 8 is unconstitutional, and discriminates against same sex couples. This latest ruling is huge step forward for the fight for marriage equality in the California. We applaud the court’s decision and urge them to lift the stay, so committed gay and lesbian couples in our great state can get married once again. We also look forward to the day that we celebrate this ruling on a national level.
10:42am | Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster released the following statement regarding today’s decision by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Proposition 8:
“Today’s Ninth Circuit decision is an important step towards marriage equality,” said Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster, a long-time supporter of 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.”
10:37am | Long Beach City Councilmember Robert Garcia released the following statement regarding the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decisions ruling Proposition 8 unconstitutional:
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.
10:30am | Lt. Governor Gavin Newsom today issued the following statement following the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals’ Proposition 8 ruling:
“Today’s decision by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals stands as a victory for the fundamental American principle that all people are equal, and deserve equalrights and treatment under the law. This is the biggest step that theAmerican judicial system has taken to end the grievous discrimination against men and women in same-sex relationships and should be highly praised.
“Proposition 8 has done nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that same-sex couples are inferior to heterosexual couples. These men and women are our firefighters, our paramedics, our law enforcement, our service-members, and to treat their relationships differently is unfair, unlawful, and violates the basic principle of who we are as a nation.
“Today however, it has been made clear that this type of discrimination will not be tolerated—there is no state power or law that can claim one type of love is more deserving of status and benefits than another. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has fulfilled its obligation to all Americans by protecting the fundamental right of all people to marry those whom they love. It hasupheld the overall integrity of the American judicial system by placing individual characteristics of judges and justices secondary to their duty and commitment to true justice and equality.
“Although countless people have worked tirelessly to achieve this ruling, I would like to recognize the inspiring dedication demonstrated by the American Foundation for Equal Rights. They have never relented in their mission for equal marriage rights and should be highly commended for these efforts.
“While today marks a historic milestone towards equality for all Americans, our journey is not over until the highest court in the United States reaches the same decision that the Court of Appeals did today. It is on that day that the struggle for equality will be over and the dream on which this great nation was founded will become a reality.”
10:21am | The Los Angeles Times is reporting that a federal appeals court today struck down California’s ban on same-sex marriage, clearing the way for the U.S. Supreme Court to rule on gay marriage as early as next year.
The 2-1 decision by a panel of the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals found that Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that limited marriage to one man and one woman, violated the U.S. Constitution. The architects of Prop. 8 have vowed to appeal.
Click here to read the full story.