FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE, CITIES & BOARDS TAKE STANDS ON PROP 8

Events planned this weekend by supporters and opponents of initiative
to overturn same-sex marriage

By Miriam Raftery

Art Madrid, La Mesa Mayor

November 1, 2008 (La Mesa) - La Mesa’s City Council voted unanimously
to take a neutral stance on Proposition 8, drawing applause from most of the
crowd assembled at council chambers last week.

“The city of La Mesa will not allow its council chambers to be the battleground
for conflicting social issues,” Mayor Art Madrid observed. 

Councilmember Ruth Sterling agreed with the decision.  “I also
felt it did not belong on the agenda, that it was an issue of personal beliefs,
and not in the city council purview of responsibilities to make a unilateral
decision on behalf of the citizens of La Mesa on a sensitive, personal issue
as Proposition 8,” she told East County Magazine.

Sylvia Sullivan, a La Mesa citizen, asked to have the issue put on the Council’s
agenda. Vice Mayor Mark Arapostathos made a motion to take no action on the
measure and criticized the City of San Diego for its recent vote to oppose
Proposition 8.

Conservative activist James Hartline condemned the La Mesa Council’s
decision.  “We have no respect for this kind of cowardice,” he
wrote in the Hartline Report.  “Subsequently, we do not support
any of the current candidates for the City Council of La Mesa.  The day
of using the Christian Conservatives to get elected and then not giving those
same voters anything back in return, IS OVER!”  Religious conservatives
argue that marriage should be between a man and a woman only, and that same-sex
marriage undermines the moral fabric of society. 

But supporters of Prop 8 maintain that local governing boards should not purport
to represent voters intentions on the measure, which supporters view as protection
of civil rights and an important step to protect same-sex couples rights to
healthcare coverage, pension benefits, hospital visitations, protections from
estate taxes and being forced to sell a home to pay for long-term nursing care.  Such
legal protections are guaranteed to spouses but not unmarried partners under
current law.  

Arapostathos called in “incredibly inappropriate” for San Diego
Councilmembers to claim to represent all citizens on the divisive Defense of
Marriage initiative, which would overturn same-sex marriages in California.

San Diego City Councilmembers Toni Atkins, Kevin Faulconer, Donna Frye, Ben
Hueso, Jim Madaffer and Scott Peters voted to oppose the ballot measure, while
councilmembers Brian Maienschein and Tony Young voted against opposing it.

Mayor Jerry Sanders and his daughter, a lesbian, have pledged to join opponents
of Proposition 8 in a candlelight vigil on University Avenue in Hillcrest on
Saturday night, November 1, the same night that supporters of Prop 8 are planning
a rally at Qualcomm Stadium.  “I just think we’re at a point
where people are valuing family more than they’re valuing party politics,” Sanders
said in a recent interview. 

The Grossmont Union High School District board voted to support Proposition
8, with only board member Dick Hoy abstaining on grounds that the measure does
not impact schools.    

Emotions are running high on both sides, with both supporters and opponents
complaining about theft of yard signs and in some cases, threats of violence.
On October 29, a Torrance man was charged with a hate crime for using a “Yes
on Prop 8” sign to actually assault a gay man.

More than $60 million has been raised by both sides of the Prop 8 campaign,
making it the costliest ballot initiative in the U.S. this year.  

 Ads by supporters of Prop 8 have drawn sharp criticism for featuring
children without consent of parents.  Major supporters include the Mormon
Church, which has contributed 40% of the funds raised, the Courage Campaign
reported in a campaign it has launched titled “Stop the Lies.  Other
supporters include Focus on the Family, American Family Association, the Roman
Catholic Church, and a coalition of Evangelicals led by Pastor Jim Garlow of
Skyline Church in Spring Valley.   

Donors to groups opposing Prop 8 include Time Warner, AT&T, PG&E,
Levi Strauss.  Some corporate donors have received threats of boycotts
from those supporting Prop 8.

“They are going after our long-term funding and trying to intimidate
Equality California donors from giving any more to the ‘No on 8’ campaign
and from giving to Equality California ever again, which would impact our work
for seniors, youth and other people in need,” Equality California director
Geoffrey Kors has stated.

The California Teachers Association also opposes Prop 8, along with State
Schools Superintendent Jack O’Connell, who has called the Yes on 8 ads “despicable” for
misleading the public to believe Prop 8 would force educators to teach children
about same-sex marriages. Prop 8 has nothing to do with what is taught in schools,
O’Connell states in “No on 8” ads.