Arnold Says No: The Politics of Gay Marriage

What is it about allowing gay people to get married that freakes the bejeezus out of straight people?

Otherwise reasonable people seem to lose their mind and grip on rationality when this issue comes up. Take for example, members of the California Legislature. My own State Senator, a former College President, Jack Scott did not vote with 21 of his other Democratic colleagues to support AB 849.

Less than 24 hours after the historic passage of a bill to legalize gay marriage, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced he would veto the bill:

"In Governor Schwarzenegger's personal life and work in public service, he has considered no undertaking to be more noble than the cause of civil rights. He believes that gay couples are entitled to full protection under the law and should not be discriminated against based upon their relationship. He is proud that California provides the most rigorous protections in the nation for domestic partners.

"Five years ago the matter of same-sex marriage was placed before the people of California. The people voted and the issue is now before the courts. The Governor believes the matter should be determined not by legislative action - which would be unconstitutional - but by court decision or another vote of the people of our state. We cannot have a system where the people vote and the Legislature derails that vote. Out of respect for the will of the people, the Governor will veto AB 849."

Of course, this is just intellectually dishonest! Even if Arnold allowed AB 849 to become law without his signature the "people of California" would still have the opportunity to vote on the question of whether the state will recognize same-sex relationships equivalently to heterosexual marriage, probably by June 2006.