Voters in California passed Proposition 8, which amended the state’s constitution to define marriage as between a man and a woman, essentially eliminating same-sex marriage in the state.
Proposition 8 is the latest in a long line of actions taken to reach a permanent conclusion in the state’s struggle to define marriage. A majority of California voters had shown their disapproval toward same marriage once before, but this time their decision at the polls changed existing legislation.
In this day and age, the movement to legalize same-sex marriage is perhaps the biggest civil rights movement in the country. Though same-sex couples continue to fight for their right to marry, their movement continues to meet persistent resistance as voters in Arizona and Florida passed proposals similar to California’s.
It is ironic that at a time when Americans can overwhelming vote a minority into the highest office in the land, they still are unable to tolerate gays and lesbians. By calling into question what the exact definition of marriage is, it seems that gay marriage activists are now facing the same sort of struggle the black civil rights movement faced in the 1950s, ’60s and ’70s.
The 2008 election was notable for the amount of races won by Democrats and liberal ideas that were sweeping the nation, including the surprising passage of Proposal 2 in Michigan, which eased restrictions on stem cell research. But even in California, one of the most liberal states in America, same-sex marriage seems to still be too taboo.
In a far more shocking decision, although possibly less surprising, voters in Arkansas voted to ban gays and “unmarried couples” from adopting children.
By closing the door on gays adopting children, voters in Arkansas are literally saying they would rather see children raised in orphanages without a family than be raised by a gay couple who could provide for them.
Those who campaigned in support of Proposition 8 rallied around the idea that they were protecting the sanctity of marriage and teaching their children the correct values. However, instead of instilling acceptance of people who are different than themselves, all children in California and Arkansas will learn from this election is that it is not OK to be gay — a message of intolerance that is unacceptable.
California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Sunday said the state Supreme Court would try and overturn Proposition 8.
Though the ideals behind such a challenge might seem to be righteous, this second passage of ballot initiatives banning same-sex marriage should act as a final verdict in the state of California.
However, it probably would be a better idea for opponents of Proposition 8 to challenge it in a federal court in the future. By turning this into a national issue, a U.S. Supreme Court decision on same-sex marriage could be the new Roe v. Wade.
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