California panel REJECTS gay marriage ban

[Bluebear]

SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Two legislative committees on Tuesday rejected a constitutional amendment that would ban gay marriages and strip away a long list of rights granted to domestic partners in recent years.

The Assembly and Senate Judiciary Committees both rejected an amendment offered by Republican Assemblyman Ray Haynes, who claimed the proposal would strengthen the intent of voters who approved a ballot measure five years ago that prevents the state from recognizing gay marriages performed elsewhere....

Conservative groups immediately said they would try to gather the nearly 600,000 signatures required to put an initiative banning gay marriage on the ballot in 2006.

"This disturbing display of arrogance against marriage and the voters means average Californians must take matters into their own hands," said Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families.

Democratic state Sen. Sheila Kuehl, the state's first openly gay legislator, predicted otherwise. "This is about America, the place where no civil rights movement has ever failed," she said.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/ap/20050511/ap_on_re_us/gay_marriage_california

[revree]

1. Oh, God, more petitions outside my Ralphs...

I am getting sick of yelling at those idiots to stop promoting Arnold's initiatives, now this? Oh well, let me get my yellin' voice up to par!