Here’s the Pitch: A conservative lawyer uses Hollywood money to battle in court for gay marriage rights! [video]
”Ted Olson joining our team and deciding to spearhead the legal effort has given us an opportunity to basically say, ”This is not a partisan issue. This is not Republican. This is not Democrat. This is not conservative or liberal — this is about equal justice and equal rights for everybody in this country. And the Constitution provides for that.”
Rob Reiner, one of Hollywood’s best known figures, explaining to CBS News how he came to be “financing much of the legal expense” associated with the current court battle over gay marriage in California. The federal court case, known as Perry v. Schwarznegger, seeks to effectively overturn the legitimacy of the voter-approved Proposition 8. That law rescinded the rights of lesbians and gay men to marry in that state. Ted Olson is a well-known conservative lawyer who reportedly helped to clear the way for Republican President George Bush to take the High Office. His co-counsel, is David Boise, one of the lawyers who argued for Al Gore‘s case in that same situation. Rob Reiner is a producer, writer and actor known for his role as the liberal son-in-law on the controversial 1970s sitcom “All in the Family.” In summary, this video claims that certain Hollywood heavyweights grew tired of watching LGBT rights groups lose the battles for gay marriage. So, they’ve taken it upon themselves to fight the battle over gay marriage with this case. (CBS News)
”I understand, but reject, certain religious teachings that denounce homosexuality as morally wrong, illegitimate, or unnatural; and I take strong exception to those who argue that same-sex relationships should be discouraged by society and law. Science has taught us, even if history has not, that gays and lesbians do not choose to be homosexual any more than the rest of us choose to be heterosexual. To a very large extent, these characteristics are immutable, like being left-handed. And, while our Constitution guarantees the freedom to exercise our individual religious convictions, it equally prohibits us from forcing our beliefs on others. I do not believe that our society can ever live up to the promise of equality, and the fundamental rights to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, until we stop invidious discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.”
An outtake from Ted Olson‘s long argument that was published by Newsweek magazine on January 9. Even though he and David Boise are presenting a landmark case on the merits of same-sex marriage, it’s Olson’s history as a powerful, conservative lawyer that is raising eyebrows. In this Newsweek article, he puts forth many sound reasons why the extension of marriage to lesbians and gay men is the correct path for courts and lawmakers, especially for those expressing concern about family and social stability. (Newsweek)
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