"Prop 8, officially titled
Proposition 8 - Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry, is a statewide ballot proposition in California. On November 4, 2008, voters approved the measure and made same-sex marriage illegal in California. On Wednesday, August 4, 2010, a federal judge ruled that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional under the U.S. Constitution and barred its enforcement.
Proposition 8, before it was declared null and void by the federal courts, created a new amendment to the California Constitution which said, "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California". Before it passed, same-sex marriage was a constitutionally-protected right in California; a majority of the justices of the California Supreme Court affirmed this understanding of the constitution in May 2008.
The campaign over Proposition 8 was fiercely contested. In the aftermath of the vote, an intense focus on Proposition 8 continued with protests around the country and litigation focusing on many aspects of the initiative and campaign finance. Three lawsuits seeking to invalidate Proposition 8 were filed soon after the election; on November 19, the California Supreme Court announced it would consider these lawsuits. On My 26, 2009, the California Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the amendment.
Some Celebrities who oppose Proposition 8 include, P!nk (Alecia Beth Moore), Steven Spielberg, Ellen Degeneres And, Mary J. Blige. Supporters of Prop. 8 say that unless it passes, gay marriage will be taught in public schools.
This is the theme of a television ad in heavy rotation on California's airwaves, and the Associated Press is reporting on October 22 that the issue has emerged as the leading focus of the campaign.
Shortly after Prop. 8 qualified for the fall ballot, presidential candidates Barack Obama and John McCain aligned themselves on opposite sides of the issue, with Obama opposing and McCain supporting it. A reporter for the San Francisco Chronicle described this as "a move that puts gay rights front and center in the 2008 presidential campaign".
Obama's statement on the matter said that he opposes "the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution", while McCain told the group that worked to put the measure on the ballot that he agrees with their idea of recognizing "marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman."
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