Oct 12, 2007 8:30 PM
Subject: California Governor Blocks Marriage Equality Body: PRESS ADVISORY:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE ON OCTOBER 12, 2007

MARRIAGE EQUALITY USA DISAPPOINTED BY GOVERNORS VETO OF HISTORIC BILL TO END THE EXCLUSION OF SAME-SEX COUPLES FROM MARRIAGE

Rallies Supporting Same-Sex Couples to Be Held Statewide; Media Contact:
Pamela Brown, Policy Director, 510-384-3655, policydirector@marriageequality.org

San Francisco, California: With a stroke of a pen, the Governor could have been remembered as one of our nations courageous and principled leaders, said Pamela Brown, Marriage Equality USA Policy Director. Instead, he will be remembered as one who blocked the way for thousands of loving, committed same-sex couples from getting married.

Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) and other allied organizations will be holding rallies across the state to express their disappointment with the Governors veto of Assembly Bill (AB) 43 (SF: Leno) the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act (sponsored by Equality California).

In San Francisco, a rally will be held on Monday, October 15th at Harvey Milk Plaza (corner of Market and Castro) at 5:30pm. Other rallies are scheduled that same day for Bakersfield, Modesto, Porterville, Sacramento, Stockton and Ukiah.

The Governors veto of this Legislation hurts thousands and thousands of same-sex couples and their families by excluding them from the cherished institution of marriage. Lesbian and gay Californians are hardworking, tax-paying citizens, who simply want the dignity and respect that everyone else has for their relationships and families. Its a simple matter of fairness. How would Governor Schwarzenegger feel if someone vetoed his marriage? commented David Janis-Kitzmiller, MEUSA Board President, who seeks to marry his partner of seven years, Jeff Janis-Kitzmiller.

The California Legislature has passed the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act not once, but twice in successive legislative sessions, by increasing majorities. No legislator who voted in favor of the bill lost a re-election bid in the intervening election. The Governors veto is a sequel to his veto two years ago, which the New York Times characterized as a Profile in Timidity.

Both Brown and Janis-Kitzmiller vowed that they and Marriage Equality USA would be undeterred from pursuing their goal of ending the ban on same-sex couples from marriage despite the veto. My partner Shauna and I have been a loving family for over 10 years now. The veto feels like a slap in the face, but well do what anyone would do under these circumstancescontinue to stand up for our family, stated Brown.

Its unacceptable for Governor Schwarzenegger to continue to hide behind the language of Prop 22 that clearly applies to out-of-state marriages as justification for his veto. Furthermore, so much has changed since that vote almost eight years ago, at a time when same-sex couples couldnt even register as domestic partners. The entire landscape for LGBT equality has moved light years forward from that dark time in Californias history, concluded Brown. Californians have witnessed over 4,000 same-sex couples in San Francisco standing for hours and days in line simply to marry the person they love. Since then, support for marriage equality has grown not just within that gay community but across the state as we have seen voters who elect and re-elect legislators who support the freedom to marry.

Founded in 1998, Marriage Equality USA is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation . For more information go to www.marriageequality.org.