No surprise here: In California, gay marriage opponents are pledging to launch a statewide ballot initiative to amend their constitution to ban same-sex marriage. Some fear that the language might extend so far as to undo the spousal rights granted under the state's sweeping domestic partner law, which was legislatively approved. Marriage opponents, of course, could overreach to their detriment; but if there's a genuine backlash against a judicial ruling that goes against the majority's expressed will on marriage, all bets are off.
Yesterday, I called amending the state constitution through referendum a burdensome process, but I stand corrected. Some states require a second vote along with legislative approval; not CA, where it just takes enough signatures to hold a single election to amend the constution.
Meanwhile, a positive sign.
AP reports that while Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn't
"believe in gay marriage" he would not favor amending the state
constitution if the high court upholds the gay marriage decision.
"I think that this will be now going eventually to the Supreme
Court in California, and we will see what the decision is," he said
in a televised interview. "And whatever that decision is, we will
stay by that, because I believe in abiding by the law and sticking
with the law." Which is a good deal better than the Kerry/Edwards
position during last year's campaign.