Arnold Vetoes Gay Marriage Bill

This news came to me and the rest of my campus PRIDE club last night during our weekly meeting. Govenor Arnold vetoed the bill that was passed by the California State Senate and Assembly that would have legalized gay marriage in the most populated state in the nation.

According to this and other articles, the Govenator vetoed the bill citing Prop 22 that was voted in several years ago, saying that he could not overturn the wishes of the Californian people as demonstrated by their votes. This is all well and good, except that Prop 22 did not outlaw gay marriage to begin with. Prop 22 states that California will not/does not have to recognize the marriage of a same-sex couple preformed in other states, not that it is banned here. Additionally, Prop 22 has recently been ruled as unConstitutional as it violates the National Constitution's "Full Faith and Credit Clause" which rules that states must recognize the laws and legal proceedings of all the other states.

Despite this not resulting in the clear victory we had hoped for, this is still a victory. The author of the legislation that would have allowed gay marriage in California has submitted it three times, being turned down each time -- but he still keeps resubmitting it. He is not giving up. Neither should we. Additionally, the legislation was rapidly approved by both the California Senate and the Assembly this attempt. It was only the Govenor that stopped it. One man. The fact that the gay marriage bill was so speedily approved by both of California's legislative branches is an historic event; it has never happened (Mass. got gay marriage legalized via their judiciary).

Fellow Californians out there, write to our Governator with your disapproval. Good luck for the future.