Protest to begin at 8am — San Diego Alliance for Marriage Equality (SAME) has responded to the decision by the 9th Circuit Court in the federal case against Prop. 8 to delay justice and stay the historic ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker finding Proposition 8 unconstitutional. Despite what many are calling a solid ruling by the judge, the justice that he called for could be on hold for three or more years. Members of SAME, in conjunction with others in California, will hold a sit-in at the San Diego County Clerk’s office Thursday beginning at 8AM (the day after Judge Walker’s stay was to expire and many couples had appointments to obtain their long-awaited marriage licenses.)
SAME believes the US Constitution supports equal treatment for all, and that the pain of proposition 8 should end now. When calling for civil disobedience to strengthen the African American civil rights movement 50 years ago, Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. said “Justice delayed is justice denied.” Sean Bohac, a member of SAME who plans to join the sit-in said, “[Judge Walker’s] decision acknowledged the suffering gay and lesbian couples have been forced to endure, and continue to endure, because they are shut out from rights heterosexual couples are afforded. We are compelled to stand up and make it known that we are not satisfied with second class status; justice is not being served.”
Speaking about Judge Walkers ruling and the inspiration to proceed with Thursday’s sit-in, Cecile Veillard said, “There is evidence that the State of California is not required to wait, and could legally provide this justice to all committed couples. Our motivation to sit-in after Judge Walker’s stay expires is to apply the pressure needed to persuade the clerks in San Diego and everywhere across the state to comply with the August 4th ruling; to begin issuing marriage licenses immediately.”
In April of 2008, the California Supreme Court ruled that equal marriage rights were due to all, including same-sex couples. Then in November of the same year California’s Proposition 8 was passed by a slim majority, eliminating those equal rights. On August 4th 2010, Federal Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that the equal protection and due process clauses of the 14th amendment disallow the discrimination that Proposition 8 introduced. SAME is an open, democratically-run organization committed to fighting for LGBT rights, including the right to marry. It envisions a California where human rights are recognized for all people, regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, ethnicity or nationality. More information is available at www.samealliance.com
