The Antelope Valley Times

Your community. Your issues. Your news.

High court clears way for same-sex marriage in CA, residents to rally

by •

The OUTreach Center is hosting a rally in Lancaster today (July 26) to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court rulings.
The OUTreach Center is hosting a rally in Lancaster on June 26 to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court rulings.

LANCASTER – Gay rights advocates will host a rally in Lancaster Wednesday to celebrate the U.S. Supreme Court rulings this morning that essentially cleared a path for gay marriage to resume in California.

The “Rally in Support of Equality” starts at 6 p.m. on the corner of 15th Street West and Avenue K in Lancaster. The event is presented by the Antelope Valley Outreach Center to celebrate rulings made by the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday (June 26).

The high court struck down a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as between a man and a woman for the purpose of federal law and allowed states to refuse to recognize same-sex marriages performed under the laws of other states.

In United States v. Windsor, the U.S. Supreme Court declared Section 3 of the DOMA unconstitutional because it was “a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth Amendment.” Read the full text of the ruling here. The ruling was supported by President Barack Obama, who tweeted immediately after the ruling, “Today’s DOMA ruling is a historic step forward for #MarriageEquality. #LoveIsLove”

In a win for gay rights supporters in California, the U.S. Supreme Court determined that California’s proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage was not properly before them, and they declined to overturn the lower court’s striking down of the law. Read the full text of that decision here.

We will have local reactions from gay rights supporters after today’s “Rally in Support of Equality.”

Filed Under: Lancaster

82 comments for "High court clears way for same-sex marriage in CA, residents to rally"

  1. I am proudly in a tradional relationship!!! I am proud to be straight and I am proud to support a male and female relationship!!!

    • I will not be trendy and support the gay rights movement. Oh ya, I dont buy Apple products because they are the “in & trendy” either. I also refuse to be criticized because I do not support your way of life.

  2. I think this is a good day for Christianity. I think this will force Christians to start thinking about doing good deeds in their communities and loving their neighbor instead of advocating the mindset of a bunch of uptight church ladies and their self-righteous “tut-tutting.”

  3. Breakdown of society is a little extreme. The number of gay people who will actually get married is a very small percentage of the population. The fact is, legislation is not going to stop gay people from having sex, nor is it going to encourage “gay” sex. The thing that the American people will have to grapple with, however, is do we limit marriage to just two people? Why or why not? Should a Muslim gay man be able to have multiple husbands? People may scoff at these questions, but it hasn’t been that long ago when people scoffed at gay marriage, but here we are.

    • You’re so right. We shouldn’t have allowed marriage between a man and a woman in the first place as it started down the ‘slippery slope’ you are pointing to.

      How ’bout that?

      • I think the key word in your comment is “allow.” Gays have now legally joined “we” in the community of people that define what marriage is and isn’t. We’ll see how tolerant they are when people start pushing for polygamy. However, it is their day. Let’s let them enjoy it for the time being. Personally, I think people who use the US Supreme Court as their moral compass are sheep. Consider Plessy vs. Ferguson.

        • It’s fun to watch you and others kicking and screaming while the world passes you by and history leaves you in the dustbin with the flat earthers, birthers and Holocaust deniers.

          Advanced society and culture will move on without you.

          You know how people refer to some Middle East countries as being in the 13th century. Well, you are there as well.

          • I’m actually not that far away from your point of view, William. My hat is off to the LGBTQ community for pulling off a stunning political feat. The genius of the plan was that they only asked for one thing: equality in marriage. They now have it, at least in some states. The thing that I’m scared of, however, is that they will become the new oppressors. If someone teaches their child that homosexuality is wrong, will they have DCFS come and take that child away from them because they are promoting hate? There is already a case of a teacher kicking a kid out of class because he said he didn’t approve of homosexuality because he was Catholic. He didn’t say he hated gays. Also, you are prejudging that I am against gay marriage, I just have a slightly different angle on the issue. I know it’s much easier to just lump people into one big group and beat them up and label them Neanderthals, but ain’t that just human nature! According to the way the Constitution is written, you can’t really prohibit gay marriage, nor can one prohibit polygamy. For the gays it’s a civil rights issue, for the polygamists, it’s a religious issue. Who trumps who? We are going to have to be defining what a marriage is over the next few years or so, and we are going to have to answer some tough questions. I think the Christian majority has tried to equate the Constitution with the Bible, and that’s stupid, not to mention illegal. AS I said before, because I mention polygamy, I will probably be labeled 13th Century, etc., but what will the legal basis be for denying it? Bueller? Bueller? *Waiting for the ad hominem arguments to start flying*

          • “What if this?

            “What if that?

            “What if people want polygamy, marrying with a animal or many animals (polymcdonald’sfarm, it’s called) , incest, whatever?”

            That’s a pretty lame argument against marriage equality for same-sex couples.

            You don’t say the same thing about allowing one man/one woman marriage. “What if he want’s to marry his sister or three women, do you?” Why does same-sex marriage provoke all those other ‘what ifs’?

            It’s a dishonest argument you are making except you don’t realize it.

            Forgetting religion, marriage is a legal contract sanctioned by our government with certain rights and benefits. It allows same-sex couples who aren’t going to marry those of an opposite sex because it’s unnatural for them to do so but gives them the freedom to enter into a legal contract with a partner for a long term which has many beneficial qualities to it.

            Since gay and lesbian couples are equal citizens under the law in the United State, they should have access to that type of legal contract regardless of the religious beliefs of others. We aren’t a theocracy. We are not a Judeo-Christian nation subject to its doctrines. Look up the Treaty of Tripoli passed by Congress and signed by President Adams. It hasn’t been repealed.

            I’m sure there are many things you don’t like or refuse to accept. This country isn’t designed around what you don’t like or refuse to accept.

          • Just to make things clear, William. If I were invited to a gay wedding, I would probably go. I’m sure the food would be excellent!

          • William, if you could put your machine gun down for a second, you’d realize that I’m not arguing against you. Gay marriage is now the law of the land, at least in California. I really appreciate that you’ve defined it as a legal contract between TWO PEOPLE for their mutual benefit. At least you outlined a definition, which is very helpful The situation now at least creates the potential for more stability in the gay community that they have not really experienced heretofore. As I stated before, if I were invited to a gay wedding, I would go. I believe Jesus would go. He went to a party of tax collectors, who were really nothing but a group of embezzlers. He took major heat for it, but didn’t care. He was there for the people, not for their activity. I think he would do the same for a gay wedding. Now. Take my point at face value. The gays have been successful in arguing that marriage is a civil right. According to the Constitution, I personally think it’s iffy, but that’s how the SCOTUS is defining it, so that’s what it is. The question is now, does this force all other states to define it the same way. Can Utah now expand the definition of marriage to include multiple people? For many Mormons it’s a religious issue. They feel the government has harrassed them and broken up their families. My point is, now that gays have joined the ranks of married folk, they are going to have to help define the institution. With rights come responsibility. Are they going to draw the line immediately behind them and say, “no more.” “We’re it?” or are they going to help other oppressed groups achieve the same rights they did. The argument about people marrying animals is beneath this discussion and anybody who brings it up in the context of gay marriage is not worth regarding IMHO.

  4. God doesn’t hate gays, God is Love and he loves every human being… people need to get that right.. God said LOVE THY NEIGHBOR… what HE doesn’t like are the sins we commit and our wrong doings that keep us from HIM and that goes for everyone whether you’re straight/gay/lesbian/black/white/hispanic,etc… I for one don’t agree on same-sex marriage nor do I want my son reading about about it in his textbooks as he gets older but I will not bash/judge you for how you have chosen to live your life… the only one who can judge is GOD and that day will come the day we die and come before him.

  5. SAME SEX- MARRIAGES???
    What a NASTY combination….Yes, and I’ll always say the same thing over and over…. Lesbian and Gays…. Ok, I’ll take that..
    SAME SEX MARRIAGES?? Never will be accepted in the Society.. ….
    I’ll never let my children play with these couple’s children…Grosss……
    Typical Excuse.. “Yeah, I born as a girl on a boy’s body”, “Yeah, I was born a Boy on a girl’s body”… BS….
    I will never accept this type of couples in my house.. NO WAY.. even less as “Friends”…
    My personal Point of View…..

    • If you have a daughter, she is way more likely to be abused or mistreated sexually or even raped by a straight boy than a lesbian or a gay man.

      Sleep on that, why don’t you? The statistics on women being raped is pretty high.

      But, for you, I guess that’s preferable to her having a loving relationship with another female.

  6. I think it’s okay to love someone of the same sex, but I don’t think it’s okay to touch the same sex in a sexual manner. I believe that is a form of perversion, and it shouldn’t be done, period.

  7. FINALLY.!!! im so happy that they all get equal rights now especially with DOMA.! I support the LGBT community 100%

  8. I see this is a real debate, some with valid comments others just trying to bash folks who love God….Your comments about how anyone can love anyone they want will come back to haunt you..If this is the mindset of our society and affirmed by His Royalness Obama then why can’t a MAN love his daughter? Why can’t a MAN have sex with his children? He loves them true?? Why can’t a WOMAN have sex with her son? Or what’s wrong with a teacher loving a student? You all get on a high horse about this, but it’s ok for a man to love a man and woman love a woman so hey let’s let them get married!!! Not the same thing you say? Why not? That man loves his daughter, she has become of an age where she can have sex, so why not?? Why can’t MEN love boys?? They have an organization that says it’s ok, so can they get married??
    You feel this is a celebration, it’s not. It’s a direction our society and country is taking. If I knew more gays than hetero, then why are we still producing babies? If the gay lifestyle is so wonderful, how do you continue without more of you? Oh wait you get a woman to have a man’s sperm and have a baby….well, if gay/lesbian was normal, then you wouldn’t need a woman and a man to reproduce….Hence forth, not natural!!!

    • I think you are missing the point. We are talking about consenting adults, not children.

      Doesn’t the Bible talk about this very in fact? Sarah and Abraham where 1/2 brother and sister where they not? What about Lot and his 2 daughters? Then there is the whole thing of Adam and Eve and their children. Where did Cain’s wife come from? According to the Bible, in more then one instance it is perfectly ok.

      So excuse me if I question the validity of many of the so called truths set forth in the Bible.

      • So if we’re talking about consenting adults, are you in favor of adult siblings marrying?…How ’bout having 10 wives?

        • The Bible has already ok’ed both these scenarios actually. So if the Bible says something is ok it must be right? Because you sure have latched onto the idea that it is unnatural under God. But wait, I can tell from your post you find both ideas reprehensible. So if the Bible is wrong about that, what else could it be wrong about… Hmmm?

          The point being, that most posters against gay marriage claim it is against God’s word, however they have selective memories when it comes to the Bible.

          Your examples are at the extreme end of the spectrum and most would agree that neither is an acceptable situation. But we aren’t talking about such extremes, we are talking about 2 non related people looking to build a life together. There is so much hate and violence in the world as it is, why add to it by denying 2 people their heart’s desire? How does it hurt you? How does it impact you on a personal level? It might offend some people, ok I get it. Then don’t look. You can argue that it is tearing at the very fabric of our society. I am pretty sure the crime rate isn’t effected by homosexuality.

    • well said lulu. “if gay/lesbian was normal, then you wouldn’t need a woman and a man to reproduce….Hence forth, not natural!!!”

  9. I SUPPORT gay marriage! Who are we to tell people who they can and cannot marry or love? Gay bashing is a form of prejudice, hate, and ignorance. So what they want to get married, its not YOUR child(ren). People get over yourself it’s 2013 and more people than you know are not heterosexual. You opinions don’t matter in the eyes of the courts, its equality that does.

    P.S I am not gay, bisexual, or lesbian I just support their cause.

    • Considering it is legal in 13 countries already and in I believe 12 states now, I think it IS becoming acceptable.

      • Not acceptable, crammed down our throats! If we don’t approve it it’s a hate crime to say so…you go a head and be swishy all you want. I will never ever accept it…my right to do so too!!!

      • Go ahead. Marry your brother. I don’t care. In fact, i doubt that millions of gays and lesbians don’t care if you marry your brother.

        But, I bet your brother won’t go for it if he has any sense.

  11. While I am a believer in “to each it’s own”, this seems to me to be offensive to traditional marriage. Biblical principles aside, it’s just not the same thing. Why not call them ‘civil unions’ and grant legal rights to homosexual couples and let THAT be the reason. And since we are granting rights based on sexuality, what’s next: polygamy, child-marriage, animal-marriage, or whatever floats your boat? This is not a civil rights issue, it is too personal and marriage is a religious institution. This is an example of the danger of mixing church and state, because one should not influence the other.
    On top of this, California also passed legislation to include stories of homosexuals in the schools curriculum. That indicates to me that the lawmakers want our children to believe that people who are not matched physically and mentally with their gender are normal.That the sexual morality your parents have taught you is wrong. This is an allotment of rights based on behavior that people want you to accept because they are tired of feeling guilty about it.

  12. I find it interesting that many of the posters are so concerned with the sexual aspect of marriage. What about love? I am fully aware of the passages in the Bible that refer to homosexuality, and they are discussing sex, not emotions. For self proclaimed religious people, you all seem to have your minds in the gutter a lot.

    of course it is all mute since the vast majority don’t follow the Bible really anyways, even if they profess to be Good Christians. And going to Church, confessing your sins, or praying for forgiveness then going out and dong the very same thing just kind of defeats the purpose of learning from your mistakes.. Look to yourselves before you worry about others. What was that saying, oh yes, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. Perhaps you should all try to remember that

  13. Can someone please think about the kids?!?!?
    I am a parent of two children so it bothers me to know that our government is allowing my children to be exposed to same-sex partnerships legally. It messes with their natural thinking. Does this make sense to you?

    • Your kids will be better off living in a tolerant society not a bible repressed one.

    • I have news for you, there are many many things in the world you should be more afraid of. Like bigotry, narrow-mindedness and hate to name a few.

      • This is just as confusing as GAY people. I don’t understand this like I don’t understand the Gays.

        1. The Women do not want to be with a Man, but they want to be with a Woman who asks like a Man? and vis versa

        2. The Woman don’t like men, but they want to act, dress, and carry themselves as a Man? and vis versa

        3. Now they want to be married, well I’m sorry marriage is between an man and a woman, period. Why not call your situation a CONFUSED UNION. Because of the aformentioned.

        • Why do you get to decide what marriage is or isn’t? Besides there are plenty of heterosexual couples where the roles are reversed or the lines are blurred. Or are you all for a woman’s place is barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen?

      • Not to mention commercial sexual exploitation of children, drugs, poverty, gang violence, domestic violence, murders and burglary/robbery. Each of these happens in our valley too but nobody’s making a fuss over that. Each of these are incredibly more damaging to our children and our community. I, for one, will put my energy into fighting those things that are bringing true hurt and despair to people’s lives. Not persecute those trying to express love in the world.

    • The government shouldn’t allow your kids to be with you. Not good.

      What is this thing you call ‘natural thinking’? Did you make it up? If so, how can it be natural for everyone else then?

      And, no, you don’t make sense to me.

      • Unnatural thinking would come from someone gay. This unnatural thinking is what probably declines you from making any sense from what I have mentioned. Natural Thinking = Human Instinct. Do I need to simplify this for you? This isn’t difficult to understand, for the average homosapien ofcourse.

  14. Most of these comments are IGNORANT and DISGUSTING. If two people are happy together and love each other they should be able to get married. Why are so many people concerned with other people lives?? I can’t believe I see so much prejudice. it’s sad and pathetic. most of you should be ashamed of yourselves. If you don’t like the same sex than that’s fine, but don’t belittle people and say hateful things because someone else does. I’m happy that two people who are happy and in love can be married. Congrats. And all you simple minded people need to grow up. I’m heterosexual by the way. :)

  15. Sodom and Gomorrah was destroyed for pervertion. Californianjust turned into that! U wanna be Gay, go create your own world. First the Boyscouts, now this! Can u say lets shove it down everyones throat? So disgusting!

    • Why are you folks always concerned about things being ‘shoved down your throat’?

      Y’all have the deepest throats around.

      Y’all called yourselves t-baggers before you discovered what that meant. Too funny. I don’t think the colonists who threw tea into Boston Harbor called themselves t-baggers but the modern day ones are not quite that smart as you demonstrate for us.

      Thank you.

    • I agree, they can go to another state that recognizes gay marriages. Its always in our faces, keep your sexual preferences to yourselves.Because of gays we have aids. God will eventually be the one to judge !!!

      • If you would stop making a big deal out of it, you wouldnt feel that it is always shoved in you face.

        If you dont like something dont pay attention to it.

      • we have aids because of ignorance and misinformation become educated on the subject so that you dont spread more ignorance

        we have ignorance because of fear and intolerance

      • Are you truly that ignorant? Do you even know how the HIV virus was first transmitted? It was a primate virus that mutated into a human one. It can be spread by more then just sexual intercourse.

  17. eliotte, the difference between biracial couples was that one male and female were not able to marry and that’s wrong. The fact that it takes one man and one female to create a human, tells you that this is the only way. Please don’t give the argument, “well then that means an infertile man and woman can’t marry…”. Yes they can due to the above fact. Let me know when when two sperms or two eggs (without manipulation) can create a human and I’ll change my mind.

  18. It is sad! I couldnt agree more. God created a men and a woman to be united… Lets remember Adam & Eve, not Adam & Steve! He also said go and reproduce, two men or two women cannot reproduce

      • Like I said, God created Adam & Eve, not Adam and Steve.
        I would never give a gay couple a child for adoption. A child is supposed to have a mother & a father not two of each.

        • Too bad you dont run any adoption agencies so you dont really get to make that decision.

          • That’s right, you can be happy I don’t make that decision but I am sure that a lot of mothers that give their child up for adoption will do the right thing and not want their child in a home with gays

        • In line with that thinking, do you find it unacceptable if it is a single parent household?

    • And how can you say that when there are so many loving people on this earth, some that happen to be homosexual? What do you tell the children who’s parents gave them up? Sorry, mommy and daddy didn’t love you. Why can’t someone else? Doesn’t have to be a man and woman, just someone who can give a child love. Also, there’s too many people on this earth already. We should be focusing our attention on them rather than going “Oh my god what about the unborn?!”

    • “Adam and Steve”??? That’s clever. Did you think that up yourself?

      Of course not. You’re just repeating nonsense that you’ve heard others say, probably Bill O’Reilly. If you did your own thinking we wouldn’t recognize you any more.

  19. I am so excited to hear this great news! I cant wait to go home and kiss my longtime boyfriend. Now, I cant wait to get married!

    I wonder which churches in the AV will let us have the cerimony.

    You are all invited!

    • Just like homosexual “marriage” is not really marriage. A “church” that would actually allow this to be performed is not really a church.

      • Or a “God” that doesnt love all of it’s creations equally isnt really a “God”.

        • Homosexuality destroys people. The diseases are rampant. A loving God would never condone something that is so destructive on the individuals he created. God believes so much in equality that he would never tolerate homosexuality.

    • You can contact Pastor James Fuller at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church if you’re looking for a Christian same-sex marriage ceremony. Wedding bells!

  20. If a couple are in a civil union, they should get the same benefits as a married couple. No problem with that. They should also be under laws regulating those type of relationships (division of property, alimony, etc). However, a gay relationship is not marriage. It is a civil union. Husbands are guys who are married to girls not guys; wives are girls who are married to guys not girls. This is the way our civilization has recognized it for 5,000 years. Anyway, congrats to those who believe in equality for heterosexual couples in straight marriages and homosexual couples in civil unions!

    • You make good points. It is nice to see comments from people that may not necessarily share the same opinion but are respectful and do not resort to ignorance.
      Im sure there will be plenty of ignorant hateful comments to follow I believe that is the real breakdown of society.

    • How so? Getting married is usually a very happy occasion for couples but you are sad.

      Interesting.

      Do you laugh at funerals?

      • Your comments are quite ridiculous. I am sad because of the wrong direction our country is going. Granting same-sex couples a license to marry will not create true marriage. Neither two men nor two women can become one flesh. Licensing the unnatural does not make it natural. It would be a state-sanctioned counterfeit, a sham and a fraud. A licensed electrician cannot produce power by taping two same-sex plugs together. Homosexual sex is dangerous and destructive to the human body and powerless for human reproduction.Homosexual marriage will devalue your marriage. A license to marry is a legal document by which government will treat same-sex marriage as if it were equal to the real thing. A license speaks for the government and will tell society that government says the marriages are equal. Any time a lesser thing is made equal to a greater, the greater is devalued. The biggest problem we have in getting people, especially younger ones, to understand why marriage is devalued by the existence of a counterfeit is that much of the public does not value marriage at all. Adultery is no big deal. No- fault divorce is tolerated. Absentee fathers and mothers devalue marriage. Unmarried pregnancies are common. Fornication is “normal.” When we make the case against homosexual marriage, we need to speak against these other problems that devalue marriage too. As we acknowledge these problems we can emphasize that legalizing homosexual marriage will compound the problems, not solve or lessen them.

        • Comparing marriage equality to electical plugs is RIDICULOUS.

          Your comment is ridiculous. But, fortunately, you’re not in charge of things that aren’t ridiculous. You are in charge of the ridiculous and you’re doing a great job.

          Thank you very much.

          • William,

            Your comment is ridiculous. But, fortunately, you’re not in charge of things that aren’t ridiculous. You are in charge of the ridiculous and you’re doing a great job.

            Thank you very much.

          • QHR

            First. This country isn’t a theocracy.

            Second. People who don’t believe in your god don’t have to abide by your god’s rules. Marriage isn’t a ‘natural phenomenon’. It was invented by man and has undergone many changes over the millenia.

            Third. You don’t even abide by your god’s rules but you insist that others do.

            Fourth. That’s called ‘hypocrisy’. And, thank you for illustrating it so well.

            Fifth. BTW. You lost this one. You will spend the rest of your life fussing, fretting and complaining about it. That is apparently God’s plan for you.

            Sixth. Enjoy.

      • Will you listen to yourself? That’s exactly what they said when they freed the black and allowed biracial couples to marry. How will this affect you personally?

        • Yeah, I listened again and it still sounds like I’m right. Abolishing slavery and allowing homosexual marriage are completely different things. Society is crumbling around you and you don’t see it. Next thing you know, marriage of two consentual adult siblings will be ok. That doesn’t affect me either, right? Pathetic.

          • I see religion’s hold on society crumbling not society itself.

            People using science to explain the universe is better than 2000 year old fiction stories.