Wednesday, September 07, 2005

CA Governor Schwarzenegger to veto bill allowing for marriage equality

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According to an article on 365gay.com, California Governor Schwarzenegger announced on Wednesday evening that he would veto legislation allowing same-sex couples the right to marry. Schwarzenegger's reason for not signing the legislation stems from California's Proposition 22 which bans the recognition of same-sex unions as marriages. Schwarzenegger said, through his press secretary:
"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 (the bill)."
The Governor's press secretary also said that the Governor...
"believes 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."
The Governor vetoed a bill today that would have banned the use of negative appeals based on sexual orientation in political campaigns. ===== I find it hard to believe that Governor Schwarzenegger truly believes in equal protection for gay people. If he does then why did he veto the campaign bill? I think he is hiding behind Proposition 22. One of these days, the United States Government and the government of each and every state in the Union will have to apologize to gays for the way in which they treated them. Hopefully that day will come sooner rather than later (as in I want to see it before I die).
posted by MHC at 9/07/2005 11:21:00 PM

3 Comments:

I would to. The governator has been a disappointment all around. No surprise there really. He was a fluke in a system that removes governors not for misconduct but simply because we're mad at the other guy. Yeah. Wait until the next election. After all, it was only a year away.

What is troubling is seeing rights based on majority whims. Gandhi put it well, "The measure of a democracy is how it treats its minorities."
i'm not surprised, but i am definitely disappointed and pissed off at this moment about this veto by "Arnold." Christopher said it right with Gandhi's quote indeed.
In this case, I believe Schwarzenegger was vetoing because he wants a future in politics. It would have been political suicide for him to approve this measure. Regardless of right or wrong, his decision makes total sense. I believe Schwarzenegger is trully liberal on these issues, however he does believe in that fundamental Republican ideal of small government. To allow government to override the perceived will of the people would have been out of line with this ideology. Had I been in Schwarzenegger's position, I would have most likely approved the bill into law... however, coming from his philosophical ideology, I would have struggled with this issue of people's voice over injustice. It is a fine line we must walk on this journey towards equality. We must move forward in our pursuits, but we must never overstep or force our ideas on people who are not ready at all. It leads to a backlash and sometimes goes much farther than we could have ever imagined. We can fight these battles and must push forward. However, we do have to realize the reality of politics in America. In many cases, it is ideology and career first and helping people who really need the help second and sometimes even last. It ain't pretty, but it is our country's system and the one we must work within.
posted by Anonymous Anonymous at 9/08/2005 11:51:00 PM  
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