The Democracy in America blog discusses it here, and the BBC's Mark Mardell does here. Suffice to say, there are complex issues here, including race and racism, complicated by the mid-terms coming up in November when everyone in politics is desperate to get their supporters out.
California's Proposition 8, banning gay marriage, was overturned in the US District Court in Perry v Schwarzenegger. Interesting, because Proposition was a direct piece of legislation voted on by Californians rather than politicians and because the fight about marriage in law is likely to go all the way to the Supreme Court. It is also interesting because it is a highly polarising measure (Democrats against, Republicans for). It also illustrates neatly the legislative process in America and also the ballot proposition measure in California, in which the two sides in the debate raised almost $85 million between them. The Democracy in America blog discusses it here.
I'll leave the final word to Judge Walker who decided the case:
PROPOSITION 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California constitution the notion that opposite sex couples are superior to same sex couples.
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