Jerry Brown: ‘Counties must begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples’

Following the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling that the Proposition 8 case did not have standing, California Gov. Jerry Brown has told county officials the ruling applies statewide, reports the Sacramento Bee. In a prepared statement Brown said, “After years of struggle, the U.S. Supreme Court today has made same-sex marriage a reality in California.  In…

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SCOTUS rulings on DOMA and Prop. 8: a roundup of statements

President Barack Obama on DOMA: “I applaud the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act.  This was discrimination enshrined in law.  It treated loving, committed gay and lesbian couples as a separate and lesser class of people.  The Supreme Court has righted that wrong, and our country is better off for…

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SCOTUS: quotes from the majority opinion on DOMA

“DOMA writes inequality into the entire United States Code.” “DOMA’s principal effect is to identify a subset of state sanctioned marriages and make them unequal. The principal purpose is to impose inequality, not for other reasons like governmental efficiency. Responsibilities, as well as rights, enhance the dignity and integrity of the person. “And DOMA contrives…

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LGBT advocacy and civil rights groups express disappointment at Supreme Court ruling on Voting Rights Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, the Supreme Court struck down a central part of the Voting Rights Act, invalidating crucial protections passed by Congress in 1965 and renewed four times in the decades since. The sharply divided decision will significantly reduce the federal government’s role in overseeing voting laws in areas with a history of discrimination…

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OutServe/SLDN statement: ‘We are transforming-Robinson to continue during this period’

Today, the board of directors of OutServe/SLDN  issued a statement through Outservemag.com explaining that “the Board and staff are in the process of transforming the organization from primarily a legal services organization into a membership services and advocacy organization.” Board Co-Chair Josh Seefried went on to apologize for the events of the last few days stating…

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California Native American Tribe announces support of same-sex marriage

SANTA YSABEL, Calif. — Among those who have suffered the denial of basic human rights in this country, Native Americans can unfortunately take a prominent place. Because their historic experience of prejudice strongly resonates to this day, the Santa Ysabel Tribe, founded in 1893 in California, has announced its firm support for the LGBT community…

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