Judge rules Proposition 8 gay marriage case to be posted on YouTube, not live
”I always thought that if people could see how the judiciary really works, they would take a somewhat different view of it.”
Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker who apparently wanted to broadcast live the proceedings in a court case that will hear testimony for and against Proposition 8. That now-infamous voter-approved referendum repealed the ability of gay men and lesbians to be legally wed in California in late 2008. Judge Walker has ruled that because of the national importance of the case, that it should be posted to the video sharing website YouTube. His request needs final approval, but media outlets are mostly pleased with the ruling. Anti-gay marriage operatives, however, are bothered that their faces, names and testimony will appear in public. They have complained since Proposition 8 passed about an alleged backlash and say they fear further problems for having supported the much-hated measure which has become a rallying point for gay activists and their supporters. (ABC News)
”All the other experiences around this have felt so politicized and in some ways outside of my control. But being in a courtroom where the rules of discussion are so different from a political discussion, I am feeling like as an American I have a right to ask someone if this is fair, someone whose job it is to do this every day and can make as educated a judgment about this as maybe anyone has made.”
Kristin Perry, reported to be a married lesbian with four sons and who is the title plaintiff in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, a pending court case that will essentially put on trial the legality of Proposition 8. Gay marriage in California was legalized by a Court decision that found the states ban on same-sex unions to be unconstitutional, and in June legal marriage ceremonies began. But anti-gay forces in that state quickly gathered enough signatures to hold a referendum on the issue, and just a few month later, in November, Proposition 8 was passed by a fairly slim margin. That loss became a cause for much anger for gay and lesbian community members and their supporters, and though several challenges have been brought before the courts there, they have so far upheld the legality of the the voter-approved measure. (LA Times)
”It’s very ironic that proponents of Proposition 8 brought themselves into this state to deny Californians their civil rights, spent millions of dollars and now say we don’t want to be seen on TV explaining why we wanted [to ban gay weddings].”
Ted Olson, attorney for the plaintiffs in a California court case that is to determine the validity of Proposition 8. (Business Week)
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