what I would ask a Prop 8 supporter

[dilemma]

I would love to hear how you would explain to a child of one of these broken families that his or her parents are no longer married because you didn't want them to be. That his parents are less than other people's parents', because his parents aren't heterosexual

Comments

Actually...

[rustycoon]

The United States Constitution, which is the supreme law in the land - even over a state constitution - is pretty clear. Article I, Section 10: "Thou shalt not pass ex post facto laws, also thou shall not pass laws which prevent the execution of lawful contracts."

Any marriages in existence prior to the amendment passing remain valid until SCOTUS says otherwise.

[suntyger]

The supporters of Proposition 8 spent an awful lot of money on advertising that convinced people that it wouldn't actually take any rights away from gay people, because a "domestic partnership" confers all the same rights as marriage. And technically it does in the eyes of the law, just not in a lot of people's heads. So while a domestic partner will eventually win a legal battle to, say, see their partner in the hospital, it might not be until after they're discharged or dead. You throw out the word "married," and they let you hop right in the back of the ambulance with them.

I take some small comfort in the fact that the supporters had to convince voters they weren't actually negatively affecting gays in order to get this crap passed. Also, a similar proposition passed with a 61% vote a few years ago, and this one only passed with a 52%. It's only a matter of time. The bigots can change the state constitution; so can we.