In a victory for the minority, the California Legislature is the first state-governed body in the nation to approve a bill that could legalize gay marriage.

Massachusetts is the only state that currently permits gay marriage, and Vermont allows civil unions.

The bill, passed 41-35, stipulates that marriage is the union between two people and does not specify sex.

All of the Republicans in the Assembly voted against the bill, defending Proposition 22, a ballot initiative against same-sex marriage that was passed by a statewide vote in 2000.

Democrats passed the bill through and await Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's decision.

Although Schwarzenegger didn't have an official stance on the bill while the Assembly voted, his press secretary said he commented that the issue should be left to the courts or a public vote.

Don't be a girly man, Arnold. This is one of those "make-or-break" career moves. A veto might win the favor of the Republicans and conservatives, but it's also a chance to change the tides of political thought.

Many other states in the nation have had similar bills proposed, but none were able to rally the support of citizens and legislators. The mainstream mentality across the nation up to this point is that homosexuality is not only unnatural, but anti-American.

Discrimination is nothing new. Historically, many Americans, at some point, felt slavery, chauvinism and segregation were acceptable ideas. Like other minorities, the gay community won't go away until they receive their rights in this country.

Five years ago, Proposition 22 passed and Californians voted against gay marriage. Philosophically, it's questionable to have a majority voting over minority rights. At any rate, the way gays are perceived has changed a lot in five years.

The thoughts and perceptions of people can change drastically in that time. If the Republicans plan to fight this with amendments, they might find the public isn't as gung-ho about maintaining heterosexual-only marriage.

This bill doesn't involve constituting gay marriage as a holy union. Last time we checked, there was still a separation of church and state. The purpose is to recognize such a union as legal, meaning domestic partners would receive the same benefits as other legally married couples.

Other than religion, the opposition to same-sex marriage is finding it harder and harder to come up with excuses.

Faced with a dynamite issue, it's understandable that a Republican doesn't want to be responsible for permitting gay marriage in California. But he would be remembered far longer if he passed gay marriage than if he were to veto it.

This is the direction America is going and it needs to begin somewhere. The state that contains the gay capital of America, San Francisco, is a good place to start.