Prop 8 Overturned? Nope: Year-Old HuffPost Article on California Gay Marriage Goes Viral

By Simone Wilson Fri., Dec. 9 2011 at 10:20 AM

PHOTO BY TED SOQUI

From our own West Hollywood slideshow on victory day 2010.

Come on, guys -- this is how rumors get started!

A Huffington Post article from August 2010 (and updated in May 2011) was littered all over Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and the rest of the Internet this morning. "Prop 8 OVERTURNED: Gay Marriage Ban Struck Down In California," reads the headline. Nope. Hard to say who was the instigating drunkard to first stumble across the piece and blast its (very dated) information to his/her entire social network, but since then, the piece has racked up thousands more shares. It currently holds HuffPost's No. 1 slot in "Hot on Facebook."

That's not to say that appeals-court proceedings aren't looking hopeful right now:

The Los Angeles Times reported this morning that "a federal appeals court appeared unlikely Thursday to throw out a ruling against Proposition 8, the 2008 California measure that banned gay marriage, on the grounds the judge was in an undisclosed, long term same-sex relationship."

The three judges handling the appeal are expected to issue a ruling in the next few weeks.

So maybe this false alarm comes at an entirely perfect -- and, for conspiracy theorists, perhaps non-accidental? -- time for the trial. Thinking of everybody's hopes being dashed all over again, when they find out they've been propagating old news, is super painful, even from a laptop screen.

Gay-rights activists are on the home stretch: They've been pushing extra hard in recent days for a final ruling to be made. Now that last year's sentimental atmosphere of temporary victory is back in the air, Prop. 8 opponents are pointing out the absurdity of these delays. After all, some same-sex partners can't wait forever. Which brings us to the heartbreaking story of Palm Springs lovebirds Ed and Derence:

Ed Watson of Palm Springs died Wednesday at the age of 78. Alzheimer's caught up with him. All Ed wanted to do was marry his partner of over 40 years, Derence Kernek, before he passed or lost the ability to even remember who Derence was on their wedding day. ...
Now that the courts have finally heard all their appeals, no more excuses: we need a ruling now before the human costs of these delays mount. Sign now to respectfully urge Judges Reinhardt, Hawkins and Smith: issue a ruling NOW!

The triumphant HuffPost piece puts a quote from now-retired Judge Vaughn R. Walker, the same one whose sexual orientation has been under attack ever since his ruling, back on everyone's lips.

"Fundamental rights may not be submitted to [a] vote; they depend on the outcome of no elections."

Word. For more rumor-mill corrections: "Prop 8: What's Really Going On" and "No, Twitter And Facebook, Prop 8 Was Not Overturned Yesterday." Turns out an NBC station in Ohio even picked up on the HuffPost thing! So depressing.

And for more nostalgia, because that's way more fun: "Prop. 8 Ruling: Thousands Rally In West Hollywood, Long Beach."

[@simone_electra / swilson@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]

Tags:

appeals court, gay marriage, Prop 8, Prop 8 overturned

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great idea for them to marry.

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i think its not necessary

GeorgeVreelandHill2

Gay marriage is here to stay. You can't base marriage on the Bible anymore. Church and state have different laws. There is a reason for that. You can't push religion on people. Since we live in the State of California, gays are equal. That means equal to man and woman in marriage.

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Bobby

What about people that don't base their views of Gay Marriage on the Bible? Afterall, marriage ISN'T based on the bible in most cultures, and wasn't in history either. You can't push Gay Marriage on people that don't want to accept it, nor should you be able to push ANYTHING, on people in a truly free society, yet that's the cause of most of our problems.

Theweeston

What is being pushed on you? Are you being forced into a gay relationship? No? Well then shut up.

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Carol

How is this:"That's not to say that appeals-court proceedings aren't looking hopeful right now:The Los Angeles Times reported this morning that 'a federal appeals court appeared unlikely Thursday to throw out a ruling against Proposition 8, the 2008 California measure that banned gay marriage, on the grounds the judge was in an undisclosed, long term same-sex relationship.'" hopeful? Doesn't this say that Prop H8 will be upheld on the discriminatory and unfounded grounds that the judge may be biased because he happens to be gay?

Shawn Brooks

The double negative is tricky...

They are unlikly to throw out a ruling against prop 8 = They are likely to uphold the ruling against Prop 8

It means that are most likely going to stick with the Judge's ruling again Prop 8 despite critics saying he was biased.

Kristi Shelloner

I think heterosexual judges should be recused. They got it backwards.

Jessldana

they didn't make anyone that was already married unmarried....just that no one else could get married after the fact. so that twitter post or whatever makes no sense.

Liz Reinhardt

THANK YOU for posting this! :) I tried a status earlier to clear up this crazyness, but people were still posting it :-P

Alexander L

" "Prop 8 OVERTURNED: Gay Marriage Ban Struck Down In California," reads the headline. Nope."

YES. The ruling in on hold on appeal, but it was in fact struck down.

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