Six months after the California Supreme Court cleared the way for gay and lesbian couples to wed legally, the estimated 18,000 same-sex couples who took advantage of the landmark decision now are wondering if they will be the last.
The campaign pitted those who argued that a same-sex marriage ban was nothing more than outdated discrimination against gays and lesbians, and conservatives and Christian groups who countered that the state and the courts have no right to change unilaterally a definition of marriage that has existed for centuries.
The flood of dollars that poured into California from every part of the country made Prop. 8 the most expensive social issue race the nation has ever seen. And behind every one of those checks was someone desperately worried about what the result of the election could mean to them and their state.
The Prop. 8 campaign set a record as the most expensive social issue election in the nation's history, with more than 140,000 donors giving a combined $73 million to the two sides. Across the state, thousands of volunteers worked phone banks and knocked on doors in an effort to drum up support."
[Editor's update @ 0340 PST: Early returns are showing voters favored Prop 8, but " about one in six votes counted, the preponderance of them by-mail voters who — polls say — tend to be more conservative, the outcome was anything but clear as both campaigns waited for returns for the Bay Area to come in."
http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_10899883?source=most_emailed]
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- groups:
- News, News and Politics, Sex and Love, Election 2008, 2 more
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- tags:
- News and Politics, News, Sex and Love, Election 2008, 7 more + add
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- fauxsherrrr
- added this
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Proposition 8
Yes or no Votes Percentage
Yes 1,601,444 54.5%%
No 1,340,008 45.5%%
Invalid or blank votes ?? ??%
Total votes 2,941,452 100.00%
Voter turnout ??%-
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- fauxsherrrr
- 1 year ago
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I voted no. Totally unfair and discriminatory.
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My opinion on Mormons (who are the major backers of yeson prop 8) has just lowered. I had no idea it could get any lower either.
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I hope a California yes on prop 8 won't be a sad note on this amazing day.
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- fauxsherrrr
- 1 year ago
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The anti-gay marriage state amendments in Arizona and Florida both look like they're going to be passed as well. Also, Arkansas's ban on adoption for gay couples is also going through.
Obama's success is bittersweet as such deafening blows to civil rights are being done in the same election.
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This news makes me extremely sad. California is supposed to be progressive/liberal.
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- GreenTransman
- 1 year ago
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CNN is reporting that it can still be defeated. Remember this is just 14% of the precints reporting. Obama was down double digits in Virginia early on only to narrowly win the state.
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Go prop 8...it's your birthday!!!
said by a non-mormon backer of prop 8. I wish i could have voted for it.
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We amend the constitution to add rights, not take them away.
at least we picked the right president... let's just hope the voters didn't understand the ballot and aren't really this horrible at heart -
CNN is showing exit polls at 52%-48%, with the majority voting no on 8 - http://current.com/items/89491539_prop_h8_loses
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- checkerchic89
- 1 year ago
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We'll wait until all the precincts are in.
Someone told me that most of NoCal hadn't been counted yet, including SF and Santa Cruz.
It might still get shot down.
I hope so.
Otherwise, man, what a bittersweet victory.
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DIE PROP 8 DIE!
I want to have a marriage thats just as valid as my parents!
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I guess having religious beliefs and believing that the country was built on those beliefs makes me a horrible person. Ah well. I'll learn to live with myself one day.
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After the past 8 years of curtailed civil liberties why would anyone vote yes on prop 8?
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- satanskidney
- 1 year ago
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10:30 pm....only 30% are in!
let's not call it too soon :(
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I just can't believe that so many people actually voted yes on Prop 8. It truly is sad.
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$78,000,000 was spent backing prop 8. Please take a moment and realize the good this money could have brought to many people who are in need. Instead it went to bigotry.
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seriously?
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- Cuddlebones
- 1 year ago
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great news to hear.
let's keep the definition of marriage as it was intended to be. -
Humans have a long way to go and just a bit of history repeating if it is indeed banned.
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Gay marriage is being defeated all over the country tonight. Not just in California. And it's not just McCain supporters as California went big for Obama. The American people have spoken out for traditional marriage tonight.
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I don't think gay marriage should even be an issue, people are free to live their own lives and make their own decisions. Why the fuck would I care if two guys get married? That's their choice and I don't have to be part of it.
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- futurehempfarmer
- 1 year ago
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No surprise with Florida and Arizona
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It is much more significant (as Rachel Maddow pointed out) in that these are existing rights now being taken away. I am happy my vote helped to elect President Obama, but now I am looking forward hopefully to some presidential influence in the support of the GLBT community.
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sigh...
civil rights take 1 step back.
So sick of this, it is the constitutional right of every same sex couple to have marriage rights equal to that of any heterosexual married couple. Who are you to deny any one their right; this is how institutionalized racism was allowed to exist.
