Los Angeles Group Files Ballot to Repeal Prop 8

Posted: 24 Sep 2009 05:30 PM PDT

A coalition of grassroots groups seeking to repeal Prop 8 in California next year filed an initiative with the state Attorney General Thursday morning. However, there is still no consensus on strategy or ballot language.

The proposed initiative submitted by Love Honor Cherish opens with strong language that protects "religious freedom" - exempting religious officials or institutions from have to perform same sex marriages.

The initiative then strikes the current definition of marriage as between a man and a woman and substitutes - "Marriage is between only two persons and shall not be restricted on the basis of race, color, creed, ancestry, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or religion."

Love Honor Cherish (LHC) co-founder John Henning said that the group conferred with attorneys and pollsters "within and outside the LGBT movement" on the language - some of whom do not favor the 2010 strategy - before the initiative was submitted.

Executive director Geoff Kors confirmed that they helped with the language.

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Intranecine quarreling bodes ill future re: Prop 8

OF INTEREST . . .

Judge denies gay groups in Federal Prop 8 case, then sets a trial date.

OF NOTE . . . . . . .

Early yesterday U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker set January 11, 2010 as the trial date for the federal challenge to Proposition 8 brought by Ted Olson, David Boies, and the American Foundation for Equal Rights. The Alliance Defense Fund, which is defending the proposition, had argued Friday that the case could be quickly decided without a trial. Boies and Olson wanted a trial before a judge without a trial before the end of the year.

OF FURTHER NOTE

At the same time Walker denied a coalition of gay groups' request to stand by Olson and Boies at that trial. Walker also disallowed the conservative Campaign for California Families to join the Alliance Defense Fund in the defense of the proposition.

OF COURSE . . . .

Lambda Legal, and the ACLU, representing the aforementioned coalition of gay groups, released the following statement: "On behalf of our clients, we are disappointed that the court did not permit organisations that represent California’s diverse lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community to participate in the case as the Court weighs the harms inflicted by proposition 8."

OF FURTHER COURSE

"The significance of this case for our entire community is enormous. To exclude the people whose very freedom is at stake is troubling. Our commitment to restoring marriage for all Californians is unwavering, and we will continue to do everything within our power to secure full equality and justice for LGBT people."

ADDITIONALLY

According to the San Francisco Chronicle, the city of San Francisco, which had requested to join the case as well, will be allowed to participate, "but only to assess proposition 8's impact on local government."

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