Prop 8, Overturned & Still Discussed. Duh.

I was very excited to see that Prop 8 in California was overturned by the courts this week.

Very happy. Anyone who saw my Twitter feed knows!

And of course with any hot topic the pendulum swings both ways.

A lot of people in this country [unfortunately] were not pleased with this news.

I am not writing this to be argumentative.

Just to share some thoughts and opinions...

And while I rarely keep myself up-to-date with MBP these days...

I was inspired to "reply" to Calvin's Proposition 8 post.

*PLEASE NOTE*

Some of Calvin's post is directed toward the Mormon theology,

but I am only going to stick with the generals.

 I am not Mormon.

I am not versed in the LDS denomination.

I am not planning on 'versing' myself in the foreseeable future.

Please don't ask me to.

A'ight. Let's do this... 

y

Prop 8 Trail : Day 2 [via Twitter]

I am following @TheAdvocateMag's live tweets
for  part of my coverage of the trial.

This blog will focus on Day 2.
[Day 1 is here.]

who is who in the trial:
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker
Ted Boutrous: (Theodore Boutrous) a lawyer for the plaintiffs
David Boies: a lawyer representing the plaintiffs
Ted Olson: (Theodore Olson) a lawyer representing the plaintiffs
Charles Cooper: lead attorney for the defendants
Chad Griffin: a Los Angeles political consultant, against Prop 8
Therese Stewart: San Francisco deputy city attorney
Jeffrey Zarillo: plaintiff, partner of Paul Katami
Paul Katami: plaintiff, partner of Jeffrey Zarillo
Kristin Perry: plaintiff, married to Sandra Stier in August 2004 in San Fran
Nancy Kott: plaintiff, Harvard history professor
Sandra Stier: plaintiff, married to Kristin Perry
George Chauncey: Yale history professor

I will continue to update this list as the trial proceeds.


The following are some live tweets from @TheAdvocateMag's courtroom coverage of Day 2. All timestamps are in mountain standard time. All tweets are linked to their individual url:

#prop8
Day two schedule to start shortly. Harvard prof and marriage expert Nancy Cott to resume testimony. 9:30 AM Jan 12th
Walker in bench, court in session. 9:40 AM
Cott: Procreation not necessarily the central or defining purpose of marriage. 9:44 AM
Cott: Ability to procreate has never been a litmus test for marriage in the U.S. 9:49 AM
Cott: No evidence that emerging gender equality in the 20th century has damaged the institution of marriage. 10:28 AM
Q: Is there any empirical evidence that authorizing marriage rights for same-sex couples wld damage the institution? Cott: No. 10:32 AM
Cott under cross-exam, defense attempting to paint her as a marriage activist, not a neutral party. 10:43 AM
Cott cross-examined, defense focused on Christian prtecepts of marriage in early American history. 12:06 PM
Cott is shocked how "marriage laws have been used punitively" against minorities in the U.S. 12:49 PM
recess for lunch; Yale history professor George Chauncey should take the stand in the afternoon session 1:37 PM
Therese Stewart calls George Chauncey to the stand 2:39 PM
Chauncey: Gay men and lesbians have experiences widespread and acute discrimination, manifesting in criminalization... 2:47 PM ... of sexual intimacy, discrimination in public, accommodations and censorship. 2:48 PM
Chauncey: Disorderly conduct statutes widely used in the 20th century by law enforcement to penalize behavior in gay men 2:51 PM
Entrapment: Chauncey details history of police entering bars in plainclothes to set up gays 3:05 PM
Police harassment/brutality "was one more way it was conveyed to gays that they were a despised group of people." 3:15 PM

Live tweeting of the federal Prop. 8 trial will continue on Wednesday, January 13. about 23hrs ago 

Additional materials:

Tuesday Recap: Federal Prop. 8 Trial

"One Of The Happiest Grandmothers"
They Don't Know

Nancy Cott's faculty page at Harvard Uni

until my Day 3 blog...
[Day 1 is here.][An introduction to the Prop 8 Trial]
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Chipotle Counter [5]

Prop 8 Trail : Days 1-8

I am following @TheAdvocateMag's live tweets
for  part of my coverage of the trial.

Therefore, you can be the judge of the
credibility & accuracy of my source.

who is who in the trial:
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker
Ted Boutrous: (Theodore Boutrous) a lawyer for the plaintiffs
David Boies: a lawyer representing the plaintiffs
Ted Olson: (Theodore Olson) a lawyer representing the plaintiffs
Charles Cooper: lead attorney for the defendants 

David Thompson: attorney for the defendants
Al Wilson: for the defendants
Andy Pugno: ProtectMarriage.com chief legal counsel
Ron Prentice: former Yes on 8 chairman who now serves at the Executive Director for ProtectMarriage.com, which is leading the defense.
Therese Stewart: San Francisco deputy city attorney
Danny Chu: City Attorney

Chad Griffin: a Los Angeles political consultant, against Prop 8
Jeffrey Zarillo: plaintiff, partner of Paul Katami
Paul Katami: plaintiff, partner of Jeffrey Zarillo
Kristin Perry: plaintiff, married to Sandra Stier in August 2004 in San Fran
Nancy Kott: plaintiff, Harvard history professor
Sandra Stier: plaintiff, married to Kristin Perry
George Chauncey: Yale history professor
Dr. Letitia Peplau: a social psychology professor
Edwin A Egan: Chief Economist, City and County of SF, Director of the office of economic analysis
Dr. Ilan H. Meyer: Associate Professor of Clinical Sociomedical Sciences at Columbia University’s Mailman School of Public Health
Dr. Michael Lamb: Social psychologist at Cambridge, before that at National Institutes of Health
Helen Zia: author and journalist. (lesbian)
Mayor Jerry Sanders: current mayor of San Diego, republican, daughter is a lesbian 

Lee Badgett: research director with PhD in Economics from Cal
Ryan Kendall*** is a gay man who testified about the “conversation therapy” he underwent in his youth and how he has been affected by discrimination
Gary Segura: Stanford University prof, discusses political power of gays and lesbians
Dr. William Tam: executive director of the Traditional Family Coalition in San Francisco

I will continue to update this list as the trial proceeds.


The following are [highights from] @TheAdvocateMag's live tweets from Day 1 of the trail. All timestamps are in mountain standard time. All tweets are linked to their individual url:

#prop8
Judge on the bench, court in session. 10:09 AM Jan 11th
Boutrous asks court to record opening statements today pending SCOTUS decision. Cooper disagrees. Walker sides with Boutrous 10:28 AM
Olson opening statements: "This case is about marriage and equality. Plantiffs being denied both right to marry and the right to ... 10:37 AM ... equality under the law." 10:37 AM
Walker: If Calif were to get out of marriage biz and classify all as domestic partner, wouldn't that solve the problem? 10:40 AM
Olson: That might solve the problem; that will never happen. 10:42 AM
Olson: Prop. 8 "perpetuates irreparable, immeasurable, discriminatory harm for no good reason." 10:53 AM
Walker: If Prop. 8 is unconstitutional, how can [DOMA] be constitutional? 10:58 AM
Olson: Even convicted murderers and child abusers have right to marry.... DPs seen as "equal" to marriage is "a cruel fiction." 11:04 AM
Olson: Gay, lesbian parents "every bit as capable of being loving and effective parents as heterosexuals." 11:07 AM
Olson: "Parenting not measured by gender, but by the content of the heart." 11:08 AM
Walker: "Why shouldn't the courts stand back and let this play out in the political process?" 11:12 AM
Olson: (After long pause): "Because that is why we have courts. That is why we have the Constitution." 11:12 AM
SF deputy city atty Therese Stewart explaining societal/governmental costs of prop. 8: hate crimes prosecutions, health care inequity 11:20 AM
Attys for Schwarzenegger decline to give statements. 11:20 AM
Cooper: Californians did not vote for Prop. 8 out of animosity, "but out of special regard for this venerable institution." 11:29 AM
Cooper: Marriage centers on procreation. Should not be "transformed into a pvt relationship designed simply to provide... 11:39 AM Jan 11th ...adult couples w/ personal fulfillment." 11:39 AM
Cooper "The reality is that you'll hear nothing but predictions in this trial on the longterm effects of adopting same-sex marriage." 11:52 AM
Cooper: "That, if no other reason, is reason enough for people of California" to approve Prop. 8 11:53 AM
Cooper: The people of Calif. are entitled to make their decision, "and they have." opening statements concluded. 11:59 AM
Plaintiff Jeffrey Zarillo takes the stand. David Boies examines the witness. 12:22 PM
Zarillo is candid, emotional on the stand: "Coming out is a personal and internal process." 12:24 PM
Zarrillo says of partner, Paul: "I love him more probably more than I love myself. ... I want nothing more than to marry him." 12:31 PM
Defense does not cross-examine Zarrillo. 12:37 PM
Paul Katami: "Husband is definitive. It's something everyone understands. And it comes from a modicum of respect." 12:44 PM Katami is Zarrillo's partner. 12:46 PM
Plaintiffs' first exhibit: a protect marriage ad from the Prop. 8 campaign 12:59 PM
Attorneys squabble over admissibility of campaign videos. Walker allows them to be played for the witness. 1:13 PM
[Video played: Stand Up for Prop 8 ad]
Walker does not permit plaintiffs to play the highly parodied "gathering storm" TV ad, given in part that it was post Prop. 8 1:24 PM
["Gathering Storm" ad]
LUNCH BREAK
Court back in session. 2:41 PM Jan 11th
Cooper wants to see evidence of all public comments on broadcast of trial. 2:43 PM
Walker: They're certainly available. I can't say I've read every one of them (there are about 138,000 comments submitted) 2:44 PM
Def attys cross-examining plaintiff Paul Katami...questions center on teaching children about marriage in schools. 2:56 PM
As with Prop 8 campaign, defense questioning focuses less on rights of gay couples and more on rights of parents to "protect"... 3:07 PM ...children from school discussions on marriage. 3:07 PM
Plaintiff Kristin Perry takes the stand 3:10 PM
Perry: I never let myself want [marriage]. Growing up you never let yourself want it, because you're told you can't have it 3:23 PM
Perry and Stier originally married in August 2004 in SF after Mayor Newsom ordered the city to allow same-sex ceremonies. 3:24 PM
Perry on 2008 Ca Supreme Court decision allowing marriage: "I didn't feel like it was a permanent solution... 3:29 PM ...and we had already experience an impermanent solution" in 2004. 3:30 PM
"It's not the same thing," Perry says of partnerships. "It isn't the same thing as a celebration." 3:40 PM Jan 11th from web
Perry: "Marriage symbolizes the most important decision you make as an adult." 3:40 PM
Defense declines to cross-examine Perry. Olson calls her partner, Sandra Stier to the stand. 3:48 PM
Olson: What is so special about the word marriage? Stier: I want someone who is my wife. We're not girlfriends, we're not partners... 4:09 PM Stier: We're married 4:09 PM
Stier: I feel [Prop 8 campaign] was used to convince people that there was a growing evil to be feared. That evil is us, I guess... 4:14 PM ...I felt sickened." 4:14 PM
Defense (again) declines to cross-examine a plaintiff (3 of 4). Nancy Kott, Harvard history prof, takes the stand. Boustrous questions 4:20 PM from Twitlonger
Harvard historian Cott: To think of marriage as universal around the globe is not accurate. 4:38 PM
Cott on defendant's notion of traditional, "biblical" marriage: To be honest I found that amusing. The bible is a situation where people are practicing polygamy. 4:46 PM from Twitlonger
Cott: Only those who can't marry their partner of choice are aware that the ability to marry is an expression of one's freedom. 5:00 PM
"There really is no comparison," Cott says of DP vs. marriage. "There really is nothing like marriage except marriage." 5:03 PM
Court adjourns for the day, resumes tomorrow at 8:30 (PST). Thanks to everyone for following us today. 5:05 PM

Additional materials:

Ted Olson's Opening Statement

Ted Olson, A Conservative For Civil Rights

Photos from outside the courthouse:

More Here.

until my Day 2 blog...
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Chipotle Counter [5]

[EDIT]


Day 2: 12 Jan 10


Day 3: 13 Jan 10

Liveblogging Day 3: Daily Summary
This is a single blog of the entire day in court.

Day 4: 14 Jan 10

Liveblog Day 4: Part I
Liveblog Day 4: Part II
Liveblog Day 4: Part III
Liveblog Day 4: Part IV
Liveblog Day 4: Part V
Liveblog Day 4: Part VI

Day 5: 15 Jan 10

Liveblogging Day 5: Daily Summary

This is a single blog of the entire day in court.

Additional materials:
Prop 8 to hit YouTube after all--in daily reenactments beginning Tuesday.
http://bit.ly/5cdJh1 - from @TheAdvocateMag

Day 6: 19 Jan 10
Liveblogging Daily Summary: Day 6
This is a single blog of the entire day in court.

Day 7: 20 Jan 10
Liveblogging Day 7: Daily Summary
This is a single blog of the entire day in court.
Wednesday Recap: Federal Prop. 8 Trial

Day 8: 21 Jan 10
Liveblogging Day 8: Daily Summary
This is a single blog of the entire day in court.

Additional materials:
You Gotta Give Them Hope
-A blog on Harvey Milk & MLK-

Of a Personal Nature:

Ryan Kendall is the witness "who testified about the “conversation therapy” he underwent in his youth and how he has been affected by discrimination." (source)
More importantly: Kendall on stand. Grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado, born in 1983. Went to Evangelical Christian Academy (ECA). Remember parents talking about homosexuals being evil, seeking special rights. (source)
I don't know if ya'll know this about me but I was born in Colorado Springs, CO in 1986. He grew up in the same area I did and is only 3 years older than myself. As I read his testimony on the stand there were tears in my eyes, just as I type this now. I am so proud of my home but acts like this are so shameful.
"Conversion therapy" is BULLSHIT fueled by religious crazies and certain denomination... It is more for the closed-minded family members, so they can "face" the other members of their congregation. But there is nothing to 'convert' or fix in the first place. UGH!

He discusses briefly the involvement of Focus on the Family (a Christian based org in Colorado Springs) and again I hate to feel shame about my hometown, but FotF is certainly a shame... So corrupt within it's own walls.

And people wonder why I have trouble trusting any Church org.
Best website to find more information:
http://prop8trialtracker.com/
{no it is not unbiased...}

Today Prop 8 Heads to trial...

WARNING:
This post is on a serious and personal topic.
No meanie poop-heads allowed!

If you know me IRL or follow me on Twitter,
you know I am very pro-gay
and one of the biggest fag-hags in my state.

Today is the 1st day of the Prop 8 trial.
It was going to be broadcast publicly on YouTube
but here is an article explaining why it is not.

Mostly I am writing this blog because
if you do not live in California or
if you are not actively pro- or anti- marriage equality,
you may not know what this trail is about.

Here is the Wikipedia page to give you a brief overview of Prop 8.
Yes- I know the arguments against Wikipedia
but it is a good introductory site.

& in my opinion the best description of the trail:

"Plaintiffs hope to take their case against California's Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and to overturn bans throughout the nation." (source)

This trail is sure to envoke a LOT of emotions in me.
I will be voicing my opinions here.
& as much as I love having 23 followers to my blog,
please ignore these posts if you are not going to be nice about them.

Also in my last blog,
I posted my current Twitter & Facebook profile pic.

& that content means I support the #NOH8Campaign.

& lastly...

I feel it is important to educate myself,
as well as all of you,
who is who in the trial:

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker

Ted Boutrous: (Theodore Boutrous) a lawyer for the plaintiffs
David Boies: a lawyer representing the plaintiffs
Ted Olson: (Theodore Olson) a lawyer representing the plaintiffs
Charles Cooper: lead attorney for the defendants
Chad Griffin: a Los Angeles political consultant, against Prop 8
Therese Stewart: San Francisco deputy city attorney
Jeffrey Zarillo: plaintiff, partner of Paul Katami
Paul Katami: plaintiff, partner of Jeffrey Zarillo
Kristin Perry: plaintiff, married to Stier in August 2004 in San Francisco after Mayor Newsom ordered the city to allow same-sex ceremonies

I will continue to update this list
and blog about this trial as it proceeds.

I am following @TheAdvocateMag's live tweets
for my coverage of the trial.
& so far they are very fair and unbiased.

so until next time...
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Chipotle Counter [4]