LGBT legislative caucus member John A. Perez responds to Prop 8 court ruling

May 29, 5:57 AMSacramento Statehouse ExaminerShawn E. Hamilton

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Sacramento Statehouse Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

What follows is the full text of the statement of Assemblymember, John A. Perez, following the California Supreme Court's ruling that upheld Proposition 8's ban of same-sex marriage in California (Tuesday, March 26, 2009)

"Thank you Mr. Ammiano. I join my colleagues and millions of Californians and indeed millions of people across the country with their eyes fixed on our state in expressing our disappointment with the Supreme Court’s decision on Proposition 8. Over the past year the state and the nation have witnessed same-sex couples marrying and strengthening their families and communities.

Los Angeles Democrat John A. Perez addresses reporters at a news conference held shortly after the California Supreme Court issued its decision to uphold Proposition 8. Perez is the first openly gay person of color to be elected to the Assembly.

Unfortunately, today, the Supreme Court was forced to render a difficult decision where passions run high on both sides. Sadly, a court that was with us a year ago is unable to be with us today. But, I am heartened by Justice Moreno’s dissenting opinion and his eloquent words when he said, quote, ‘Even a narrow and limited exception to the promise of full equality strikes at the core, the guarantees of equal treatment.’ In just over a year, more than five states have agreed with those words and recognized marriage equality in their states. This decision is deeply felt by millions of people across the state and the country who have seen California as a beacon of hope.

As disappointed as I am in Supreme Court’s decision with respect to Proposition 8, it is one moment in a long struggle, and I do not feel deterred today. I’m reminded of the words of Dr. Martin Luther King who said, ‘The arc of history is long, but it bends towards justice.’ I remain optimistic that through our hard work and dedication, California will strike down these temporary impediments to our long journey, but it’s up to us.

Assemblyman Ammiano made reference to Harvey Milk, and Harvey Milk intimately understood that our fate is in our own hands, and that we must work to succeed in the struggles ahead. We also need to remember that as we struggle for marriage—and marriage is an important civil right—it is not the be all and end all. The battle against inequality has many fronts.

In California, gay Californians are being discharged from the armed services. Gay Californians are still being denied domestic partner benefits by entirely too many employers, and disparities in health care access have created an absolute pandemic of HIV and AIDS in the African-American and Latino communities. These realities remind us that we’re not simply fighting to take advantage of a tax exemption, or Social Security benefits, or even a marriage certificate. We’re fighting for something more significant than that. We’re fighting for a dream shared by any oppressed minority: to be free to live our lives without unjust interference and to be treated with dignity and respect and to be treated as equals in everyone’s eyes.  

http://www.examiner.com/category-Prop8.html

 John Perez on YouTube