Today's Revision

This is probably a lot beefier than it will look on Thursday but this is what I am handing to my editor to chop up as he sees fit.

On October 1, 1948, in a 4 to 3 decision the California Supreme Court overturned California’s antimiscegenation laws in the case of Perez v. Sharp; determining in the case that “[marriage] is a fundamental right of free men.”

Sixty years, one month and three days later, the people of California decided that same-sex couples were not entitled to those “fundamental” rights.

The results of last Tuesday’s election were quite historic, witnessing the election of America’s first African American president. Yet, the social progress was by no means universal.

California Proposition 8, Arizona Proposition 102 and Florida Amendment 2 eliminated the possibility of same-sex marriages in those respective states. Each state’s ballot measure allowed the voters to formally state the definition of marriage

The California Proposition was listed on the ballots as “[an elimination of the] Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.” Similar wording was used on the Arizona and Florida measures.

The three states joined twenty five other states which have formally banned same-sex marriage in their state Constitutions. This is in addition to twenty other states which have statutory laws in place in accordance with 1996’s Defense of Marriage Act. A federal law which formally provides that no state must allow a relationship between persons of the same-sex as marriage, even if that relationship is considered a marriage in another state. The act further states that the Federal Government will not treat any same-sex marriage as legitimate under any circumstance.

Justine Hollingshead, the Director of N.C. State’s GLBT Center, called the results “a major setback [toward same-sex equality].” Echoing the dismay and disappointment of many throughout the GLBT community who were surprised by the substantial nature in which the measures were passed; especially in California, generally thought to be a socially progressive area.

Jeremy Hall, a Junior in Technology Education, said he was “surprised to see California regress.” Addressing the concerns of many who can not understand why many Americans are still so sensitive on this particular Civil Liberties issue.

“I’m not sure what people are threatened by,” Hollingshead said. Pointing out the inequity in denying hundreds of thousands of stable, loving couples the same rights as their heterosexual counterparts. Also noting that the Federal Government alone specifies over one thousand rights and privileges bestowed only on heterosexual couples.

In response to the national outcry, a rally in support of same-sex rights will be jointly held in all 50 states this Saturday Nov. 15, between 1:30 and 3 p.m. EST. The closest local rally, being coordinated by Will Elliot, will be meeting in Downtown Raleigh and has several notable guest speakers, including: Jim Neal, US Senate candidate in 2008, Jimmy Creech, who performed the first civil union in the state of NC, and Sophia Bush, a GLBT advocate and star of the CW’s One Tree Hill.

Elliot claims the goal is a “peaceful rally,” in order to “show solidarity with California and the rest of the Nation.” A location for the rally has not yet been finalized, but more information can be found on jointheimpact.com and can be obtained from Raleigh’s organizers by emailing NCAgainstH8@gmail.com.

Many N.C. State students are expected to attend. When asked about why participating was important, Amber Meachem, a Junior in History and GLBT ally said “its become a Civil Rights issue.” Adding that same-sex marriage discrimination is “a strike against everyone’s Civil Liberties.”

After Tuesday, the only two states that still allow same-sex marriage are Connecticut and Massachusetts. But as Hollingshead says, even those small victories still mean nothing until DOMA is overturned.

The debate still rages on all across the country, and even on what would seemingly be a dark day for GLBT advocates, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has words of hope “I learned that you should never ever give up. . . . They should never give up. They should be on it and on it until they get it done.”