Civil rights groups seek to block California gay marriage ballot initiative

[Newsjock]

Source: San Jose Mercury News

Civil rights organizations today asked the California Supreme Court to block a November ballot initiative that would restore the state's ban on gay marriage, arguing that it was not drafted properly.

In court papers filed with the state's high court, civil rights lawyers insist that backers of the ballot measure did not follow proper procedures for amending the California constitution. The measure would amend the state Constitution to limit marriage to a union between a man and a woman.

The 55-page petition to the Supreme Court argues that the measure circulated in the spring to potential voters was misleading because it was filed before the justices invalidated existing laws banning gay marriage. The civil rights groups, including the National Center for Lesbian Rights and the American Civil Liberties Union, are asking the Supreme Court to take the measure off the fall ballot until the legal challenge can be resolved.

... The Alliance Defense Fund, one of the groups backing the ballot measure, said the group's are "desperate to evade democracy."

Read more: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9651279

[David Zephyr]

1. It's about time! Yes! You don't get to vote on civil right.

Great move by the ACLU and the others!

[angstlessk]

3. eggactly..that is why we are a republic rather than a pure democracy

to prevent the majority from quashing the minority...our country was created thusly (I am sure the founders thought it was just for the rich...but turned out to be for the good of the country)

[LakeSamish706]

2. I hope the Supreme Court is paying close attention to this... If so, it should...

be an easy ruling for them.

[jody]

4. Interesting issue because several posters in the DU thread below argue that the Constitution and

state constitutions can be amended to take away rights that state constitutions explicitly state are inalienable rights and enumerated rights in the Bill of Rights that in reference SCOTUS recognizes as inalienable rights.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x3479758