Why haven't other California cities joined Newsom?

[Dookus]

Specifically, Berkeley and my own town of Santa Cruz. Both would seem to be perfect choices to back up Gavin Newsom and start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

I'll be contacting my mayor tomorrow to ask about this, but I was wondering if anybody had any ideas as to why it hasn't been done yet?

I'd would be great if a bunch of cities all over the state started doing this.

[foreigncorrespondent]

1. They may do, Dook?

I don't know. Maybe they are waiting to see if the state is going to actually acceot the weddings or whether they will reject them like they said they would.

But nevertheless the move is on. This will end up a city of San Francisco vs The State of CA, and SF will be on the winning side.

[Dookus]

2. I just think it would be very powerful

if a few cities joined in ASAP. Then, it's not just "one whackjob mayor".... it's the beginning of a movement.

[foreigncorrespondent]

4. OH I agree with you.

It certainly would send a powerful message.

[KharmaTrain]

3. Reading Tea Leaves...

This isn't a game that's local...this is now an issue that can't be touched without the highest powers-that-be involved. The GOOP started this noise and are getting a lot of mileage from it.

The polls show how strongly those who oppose gay marriage are and this is a great non-issue to divert attention from Iraq, economy and other pillage. Personally, I think federal intervention is highly unconstitutional and violates tons of states rights issues...imagine Democrats standing up for that...LOL.

Flaming the issue at this time plays right into GOOP hands...take the pressure off monkeyboy and isn't one that needs be addressed on any other than a local/state level. My marriage license is issued by the State, not the Federal...they only know me as married through my joint tax returns. These are legal, not social matters...yet by making this an issue it pulls away from that point and serves those who want the benefits and equal rights of a "legal" marriage poorly.

As others have pointed out using inter-racial marriage, it's an idea whose time has come, just society moves slow on this. I would imagine that millions never thought about gays marrying until this issue came up and now are just beginning to sort it out.

To let the GOOP make an issue on this by pushing cities to do the displays SF did just give them more reasons to fundraise and lionize all of us...they're not concerned with anything but dividing us and this issue can (and I see it happening here).

By removing this regime, we then will be able to have the honest and open debate...be it on a national, or preferably state and local level to finally address all civil rights and legal custody issues. Surely with this regime in power that's not going to happen and could very well get worse.

[Dookus]

5. I actually don't think this is a losing issue

Clearly, gays will be allowed to marry in the not-so-distant future.

Young people overwhelmingly support the right of gay people to marry - perhaps making this an issue will invigorate a lot of young people who are otherwise tuned out to politics.

Most Americans really didn't give a rip about civil rights of African-Americans until some brave people started standing up - or sitting down (on buses, at lunch counters, etc.)

Once people see a) that real people are being hurt and b) the outcome is inevitable, I think a lot of people will come on board. I bet a lot of people currently opposed to gay marriage wouldn't vote solely on that issue.

[KharmaTrain]

9. There's Good Happening Here...

I kinda think this issue is starting to backfire on the wingnuts...by making it a rallying cry in their hive, they've brought the entire issue of gay marriage into the mainstream for the first time. People haven't really expressed their feeling in a large scale on a gay issue before, and now here's one they can.

I hope it broadens the discussion into what a family really is...and the importance of maintaining the health and education of it...REAL family values, not the divisive crap the Christian Coalition spews.

Another by-product is scraping away a lot of gay Repugnicans...the Log Cabin and others...who know exactly where they stand with this regime. Watching Andrew Sullian sweat and whine on Chris Matthews yesterday was sweet irony. Yep, he still defends this regime, but do you honestly thing he can go to the polls and vote for him, yet advocate his re-election to the several million gays who did vote for bunnypants.

[foreigncorrespondent]

6. I take it you never saw the reults...

...from the CNN poll today?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1146792


Current reults are:

Should same-sex couples be allowed to marry?

Yes 77% 3234 votes

No 23% 977 votes

Total: 4211 votes

[Lindsey]

7. I voted on the late edition of Wolf Blitzer

show. The bastard had Gavin Newson (mayor of San Francisco who was wonderful) on and Wolf was a total prick. He metioned the poll and I immediately voted. I wonder if he ever mentioned the poll since he (blizter) was so obviously opposed it made me sick.

[foreigncorrespondent]

8. Oh I bet it did.

I don't know why these idiots think they can say what is in a persons heart and decide for the queer community what is best for them.

[mulsh]

10. city & county of San Francisco

Jerry Brown pointed out yesterday that the mayor of sf has more wiggle room than other mayors because SF is both a city and county. For example if jerry did something like this he'd have Alameda county supervisors breathing down his neck.
LA is also a city & county but I can't imagine their mayor following suit.

[pmbryant]

11. LA County is not the same as LA city though

For Los Angeles, the city is only a relatively small fraction of the county (maybe half, population-wise), and they have separate governments.

So their situation is not the same as with SF, in which, I assume, the city and county government are the same since they govern exactly the same people.

--Peter

[MurrayDelph]

12. LA County is more than just the City of Los Angeles

It includes many separate cities, such as Inglewood, San Fernando (which is in the San Fernando Valley, but most of the San Fernando Valley is in the city of Los Angeles), Torrance, Hawthorne, Long Beach, Whittier, Burbank, and many more.

There is an area called Los Angeles that is not in the City. The unincorporated areas are in Windsor Hills and Baldwin Hills. In the
1920's, those hills were mostly oil-wells, and the two families that owned them -- the Windsors and the Baldwins -- chose not to be part of the city (and had to the clout to get away with it).


Murray Delph
(who grew up in Windsor Hills).

[Cleita]

13. I wish our cities would go beyond the gay marriage issue and start

rebelling against everything these repukes stand for.