MARRIAGE EQUALITY SUPPORTERS rally in San Francisco, five other California cities

16 October 2007

"With a stroke of a pen, the Governor could have been remembered as one of our nation's courageous and principled leaders," said Pamela Brown, Marriage Equality USA Policy Director. "Instead, he will be remembered as one who blocked the way for thousands of loving, committed same-sex couples from getting married."

Marriage equality supporters rallied Monday in San Francisco and five other California cities to express their "disappointment with the Governor's veto the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act.

California Assemblyman Mark Leno (D-SF-Marin-Sonoma), who authored the Act, joined other officials, community leaders, and members of the public at the 5:00 p.m. Castro and Market Streets rally.


Photos by Bill Wilson

Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA) took the lead in organizing gatherings in San Francisco, Bakersfield, Modesto, Porterville, Sacramento, Stockton, and Ukiah.

"Lesbian and gay Californians are hardworking, tax-paying citizens, who simply want the dignity and respect that everyone else has for their relationships and families. It's a simple matter of fairness. How would Governor Schwarzenegger feel if someone vetoed his marriage?" commented David Janis-Kitzmiller, MEUSA Board President, who seeks to marry his partner of seven years, Jeff Janis-Kitzmiller.



The California Legislature has passed the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act not once, but twice in successive legislative sessions, by increasing majorities. No legislator who voted in favor of the bill lost a re-election bid in the intervening election. The Governor's veto is a sequel to his veto two years ago, which the New York Times characterized as a "Prfile in Timid! ity."

Both Brown and Janis-Kitzmiller vowed that they and Marriage Equality USA would be undeterred from pursuing their goal of ending the ban on same-sex couples from marriage despite the veto.

"My partner Shauna and I have been a loving family for over 10 years now. The veto feels like a slap in the face, but we'll do what anyone would do under these circumstances, continue to stand up for our family," stated Brown.

"It's unacceptable for Governor Schwarzenegger to continue to hide behind the language of Prop 22 that clearly applies to out-of-state marriages as justification for his veto," continued Brown

"Furthermore, so much has changed since that vote almost eight years ago, at a time when same-sex couples couldn't even register as domestic partners.

"The entire landscape for LGBT equality has moved light years forward from that dark time in California 's history.

"Californians have witnessed over 4,000 same-sex couples in San Francisco standing for hours and days in line simply to marry the person they love. Since then, support for marriage equality has grown not just within that gay community but across the state as we have seen voters who elect and re-elect legislators who support the freedom to marry," concluded Brown.

Founded in 1998, Marriage Equality USA is a national grassroots organization whose mission is to secure legally recognized civil marriage equality for all, at the federal and state level, without regard to gender identity or sexual orientation . For more information go to marriageequality.org