(2nd ruling)Thanks to a semicolon, gays and lesbians keep marrying in S.F.

[Newsjock]

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/02/17/state1932EST0125.DTL
Thanks to a semicolon, gays and lesbians keep marrying in San Francisco

DAVID KRAVETS and LISA LEFF, Associated Press Writers
(02-17) 16:33 PST SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Two judges delayed taking any action Tuesday to shut down San Francisco's same-sex wedding spree, citing court procedures as they temporarily rebuffed conservative groups enraged that the city's liberal politicians had already married almost 2,400 gay and lesbian couples.

The second judge told the plaintiffs that they would likely succeed on the merits eventually, but that for now, he couldn't accept their proposed court order because of a punctuation error.

It all came down to a semicolon, the judge said.

"I am not trying to be petty here, but it is a big deal ... That semicolon is a big deal," said San Francisco Superior Court Judge James Warren.

more

[Lizz612]

1. Wahahaha!

Oh man! A semi-colon! Well, I'm very glad that people will still be able to get married.

[Hand]

10. Ah, the semi-colon...

Truly the great powerful Queen of punctuation! I remember once a lady told me that the thing really turned her on about me was the way I used semi-colons in letters to her (long time back).

I've always said, "The use of the semi-colon is as much art as it is science."

Oh, mighty semi-colon, brash and subtle at once, arbiter of nuance, bringer of order to complex lists, indefinable, inscrutable, demanding of skill and respect, is there any can master thee?

I think not; the semi-colon doth not submit readily...

Blah blah blah yak yak yak...

:crazy:

On edit: grammar :dunce:

[jono]

2. (nt)

[LeftCoast]

3. Two close friends just got married in SF today!

:kick: for the happy (male) couple!

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!

[proud patriot]

5. A toast ...To Love and equality

:toast: hugs to your friends

[bicentennial_baby]

18. OT but, The Pic is Back!!

Oh Randy, I am once again in love with your cutie pic! :loveya: :P

[LeftCoast]

20. *blush*

You always did know how to make me blush. :)

[dfong63]

4. that sounds like a biased judge...

and, when the case eventually does come to trial, the city had better have something more substantial in the way of a legal argument.

[foreigncorrespondent]

6. How about...

...the California Constitution? Afrer all prop 22 violates that!

[LeftCoast]

7. Hey fc, maybe you know the answer to this?

I thought that virtually all referendum-type laws in CA became part of our state constitution and that therefore Prop 22 (anti gay-marriage) was actually an ammendment. I do know that far more laws in CA are ammendments to our Const. than normal (my 1988 copy of the CA Const. is 116 pgs long!) I'm hoping Prop 22 didn't become an ammendment - do you happen to know for sure?

[foreigncorrespondent]

12. I have no idea...

...but I will ask Sapphocrat when I am talking to her later. She will be able to confirm that.

What I do know is, that regardless of whether of not prop 22 is in the states constitution, there happens to be an equality issue in there as well, and that is the one that Newsom is using.

Currently the state of CA isn't living up to that equality law.

Anyway, if you are interested the CA constitution can be found here: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/const-toc.html I haven't read all of it yet, but I do intend to read it completely, so I can learn where Newsom will stand on his fight.

[foreigncorrespondent]

13. LC, I just asked Sapphocrat...

...and she said prop 22 is just state law, and as so, it can be voted out at any time. :)

[LeftCoast]

16. Very cool!

This gives me a lot more hope!

PS: the two close friends I mentioned above are in an identical situation as you (1 partner a US citizen, the other foreign). They've got at least a small amount of hope of remaining in this country together. :)

[foreigncorrespondent]

17. LC...

...I so wish your friends all the luck in the world. I hope they can use their marriage licence as a weapon to sue the shit out of the immigration department, and get discriminating immigration laws overturned.

If Sapphocrat and I had the money, I would be on a plane right now heading home to San Francisco to get married to the woman I truly love more than life itself.

[kayell]

8. The RW complained about "activist" judges, wonder how they like these

inactivist judges? "Two judges delayed taking any action Tuesday to shut down San Francisco's same-sex wedding spree, citing court procedures"

I love them! :bounce:

[TrogL]

9. Anybody who's done some serious programming knows

semicolon's count.

[Stephanie]

15. as do apostrophes

:)

[AZCat]

11. Shut Out of the Limelight by Semicolon, Fellow Punctuation Speaks Out

$$ Wire Services, San Francisco

After hearing of the sudden activism of fellow punctuation Semicolon, several peers gathered in a local paragraph to comment on events. "Semicolon's always hogging the spotlight," grumbled Tilde. "Especially when she and that Close Parentheses get together- you know their up to something."

"I am fed up with this grandstanding," exclaimed Exclamation Point. When asked why Semicolon's behavior was not acceptable, he replied, "Bold statements are my arena! She's stealing my act! Where's the outrage!"

More mute in her criticism was Comma. "Sometimes you just have to speak out about what is right," she said. "Semicolon has felt strongly about this for a while, and when she had a chance to act, she did it." She leaned forward and whispered, "And ignore Mr. Point- he's trying to get a job in talk radio."

@,#, and \ contributed to this report.

[Stephanie]

14. If my pre-op M-to-F transgender friend wanted to marry her girlfriend

How would the court rule? They are lesbians according to them, but is my friend F or M under the law? If she is M, then they are a hetero, legal couple.

What would they do, a blood test? There's no other way to determine it.

This whole thing is so inspiring. I love S.F.

[Ladyhawk]

19. Congratulations to those who got married!!!

:thumbsup: