The question has been
posed: If the California Supreme Court chooses to uphold Prop.
8, wouldn't gay and lesbian couples then have the right to
return to the ballot some years from now and put same-sex
marriage to a vote again.
Arguing for overturning
Prop. 8, lawyer Shannon Minter says the following: "Same sex
couples would be put in the untenable position of doing that as
constitutional outsiders. This marks them as second class
citizens."
The subject of second
class citizens came up later, when lawyers arguing on behalf of
marriage equality suggested the following. Tomorrow, a ballot
initiative makes its way to voters saying that henceforth, men
serving the California Supreme Court will be referred to as
judges but women will be referred to as commissioners. Same
rights -- what's the big deal, right?
The justices said they
were faced with the same hypothetical with regard to race when
issuing their decision to allow same-sex marriage back in 2008,
saying that was then, but the constitution is
"different" now.