GREEN PARTY OF CALIFORNIA
www.cagreens.org
October 03, 2005
(Originally released September 30, 2005)
Contact: Sara Amir, spokesperson 310.270-7106 saraamir@earthlink.net
Pat Driscoll 916.320-6430 pat@sonicfrog.com
Susan King 415.823-5524 funking@mindspring.com
Beth Moore Haines 530.277-0610 beth@ncws.com
Greens join in chorus of other progressives to condemn governor's
unfair, late night veto of same-sex marriage legislation
SACRAMENTO - The Green Party of California today
joined a chorus of other progressive voices in condemning Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger's decision to "terminate" equal marriage
rights for same-sex couples in his veto of the legislation late
Thursday.
AB 849, also known as "The Religious Freedom
and Civil Marriage Protection Act," and authored by Mark Leno,
D-San Francisco, would have required California to recognize marriages
as gender neutral civil contracts. Massachusetts is the only state to
currently recognize gay marriages, but began doing so only after an
order from its Supreme Court.
While the governor's veto was expected, it will,
and rightfully so, infuriate the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgender community, as well as other fairminded Californians, said
the GPCA.
"We are outraged by the Governator's decision
to terminate marriage rights for same-sex couples. We will be
back," said Thomas Leavitt, a National Lavender Greens Caucus
officer and Santa Cruz Green.
"California's Lavender Greens do thank the
California Legislature for finally acknowledging what the Green Party
has said all along: we all deserve the right to marry the person of
our choice, regardless of their gender," he added.
"The governor had the opportunity to do the
right thing, to show us that he does believe in equality for all. He
failed," added Starlene Rankin, Green Party Lavender Caucus
National Delegate.
The GPCA platform supports the right of all
persons to marry, with "without discrimination based on sex,
gender or sexual orientation" (http://www.cagreens.org/platform).
