Jerry Brown's Advice for Scottish Pols on Marriage Equality: Be a Leader

Jerry Brown

California governor Jerry Brown has some advice for politicians considering whether to get behind marriage equality in efforts brewing overseas: "Our job is not to give brilliant speeches only, but it is also to lead the people and to get them to follow."

That's what BBC News reports Brown telling leaders of Scotland about whether they should support same-sex marriage, which is being debated in their country. Brown said the Scots could learn from what happened in his state.

The court ruled marriage legal, then a voter initiative banned it, but polls over time have moved toward the pro-marriage equality side.

"There was certainly opposition to same-sex marriage a decade ago, but very regularly this opposition has declined," Brown told Scottish first minister Alex Salmond during the latter's visit to Sacramento, according to the BBC. Brown pointed to polls showing a majority of Americans now favor marriage equality.

The Scottish Cabinet is expected to decide whether to move forward with consideration of marriage equality in a July meeting.