My Statement as a Hayne's Scholar on Todays CA Ruling on Gay Marriage,

This will be short and to the point.

It concerns today's California Supreme Court's ruling upholding Proposition 8 which banned gay marriage in the state but let stand the 18,000 marriages which took place between their ruling that gay marriage was guaranteed under the equal rights protections of the US Constitution.

Todays' ruling focused entirely on the CA Supreme Court's decision not to overturn the "will of the people" in Prop 8.  The following is from the New York Times:

The language of Chief Justice George’s decision seemed almost regretful, as he wrote that “our task in the present proceeding is not to determine whether the provision at issue is wise or sound as a matter of policy or whether we, as individuals, believe it should be a part of the California Constitution.” Instead, he wrote, “our role is limited to interpreting and applying the principles and rules embodied in the California Constitution, setting aside our own personal beliefs and values.”

For those reading here who are not aware, CA was the first state to have the referendum/initiative process.

This was the result of the years of work of   John Randolph Haynes. (1853-1937), known as the father of the initiative, referendum and recall.

 

This is my statement as a Hayne's scholar myself and former US government teacher:

CA Supreme Court, if you think that the will of the people as put forth in an initiative can undermine the CONSTITUTIONAL EQUAL RIGHTS of ALL US citizens, you have LOST YOUR WAY.

The CONSTITUTION of the United States of America, the supreme law of our land, SHALL prevail eventually in this case because our UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION guarantees the rights of ALL against the rule of the masses.

Again, as a Haynes scholar, I REJECT your ruling today because it was NEVER the intent of John Randolph Haynes to have his initiative process override our United States Constitution!

I am making this statement with no current affiliation to the John Randolph Haynes Foundation but as a private individual, recipient of their scholarship while attending college.