Proposition 8 Overturned In California

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LOS ANGELES (GaeaTimes.com)- The same-sex marriage rights got a dramatic twist on Wednesday as federal judge Vaughan Walker overturned the previously held same-sex marriage ban in California. The judge gave a written opinion ruling out the November 2008 referendum which is better known as Proposition 8. California Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger welcomed the decision and said that the new ruling is a “milestone” in America’s path to equality and freedom for all people. However, as the rights activists cheered celebrating the decision of the judge Vaughan Walker, the opponents of the same-sex marriage have already signaled that they would appeal Vaughan Walker’s decision in the coming weeks.

The right activists had argued in their appeal that Proposition 8 which barred same-sex marriages was discriminatory and violated the Constitutional rights of United States. On Wednesday, Judge Vaughan Walker said that he failed to “advance any rational basis” on which he could deny gays and lesbians the right to enjoy marriage license. The Judge held that Proposition 8, which was passed by a 52 percent majority within six months of a previous overturning of the same sex marriage by the California Supreme Court, only upheld the idea that the same sex couples are inferior to the opposite sex couples. The judge concluded in his statement that Proposition 8 prevents California from “fulfilling its constitutional obligations to provide marriages on an equal basis” and added that it referendum is “unconstitutional”.

Later on Wednesday, Judge Vaughan Walker issued a ruling that granted a temporary stay on his order to rule out Proposition 8. The stay will be held in effect until Friday during which period the opponents of same-sex marriage came file appeals against the ruling.