Proposition 8 Hearing Underway at U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, Jesse Jackson In Favor of Gay Marriage
The Proposition 8 hearing is underway at the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco, with pro-Prop. 8 attorney Charles Cooper laying out his case for why anti-gay marriage forces have legal standing to appeal U.S. District Court Vaughn Walker's ruling that the anti-gay marriage ballot measure is unconstitutional.
Ted Soqui Gay marriage supporters in West Hollywood.
The hearing has been split into two sessions -- one for the question about legal standing and the other about the merits of Walker's decision. It can be viewed live on C-Span and at the American Foundation for Equal Rights web site.
There is also a viewing event at the Los Angeles Gay & Lesbian Center at The Village at Ed Gould Plaza. The hearing will last until a little after 12 p.m.
Marriage Equality USA has announced that the Rev. Jesse Jackson has declared his support for overturning Proposition 8 and allowing legalized gay marriage.
"If Dr. (Martin Luther) King and our civil rights movement has taught us anything," Jackson said in a statement, "it's the fundamental principle of that all people deserve Equal protection under the law. LGBT people deserve equal rights - including marriage equality - and equal protection under the law. Discrimination against one group of people is discrimination against all of us. The State - and the Courts - should not sanction discrimination.
"To those that believe in and fought for civil rights, that marched to end discrimination and win equality, you must not become that which you hated. It's past time to exist in hypocrisy and ignorance, and time to come out of the shadows and darkness to support unequivocally, equality for all people. Those that support civil and human rights cannot, must not, become perpetrators of discrimination against others based upon race, religion, culture, sexual orientation."
Contact Patrick Range McDonald at pmcdonald@laweekly.com.
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