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<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";
color:black'>"Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in
singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the
evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California
Constitution the notion that opposite sex couples are superior to same-sex
couples. Because California has no interest in discriminating against gay men
and lesbians, and because Proposition 8 prevents California from fulfilling its
constitutional obligation to provide marriages on an equal basis, the court concludes
that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";
color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.5pt;font-family:"Georgia","serif";
color:black'>Because Proposition 8 is unconstitutional under both the Due
Process and Equal Protection Clauses, the court orders entry of judgment
permanently prohibiting the official defendants [state of California] from
applying or enforcing Proposition 8."<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>- U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker upon ruling against
California’s Proposition 8 that bans same-sex marriages (August 4, 2010)<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><a
href="http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/la-mew-prop-8-judge-exerpts-20100805,0,7957358.story?track=rss">http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/la-mew-prop-8-judge-exerpts-20100805,0,7957358.story?track=rss</a><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Seeya round town, Moscow.<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Tom “free to be you and me” Hansen<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>Moscow, Idaho<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>“Bless his heart.”<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal>- 85-year-old Phyllis Lyon, whose lifelong partner Del
Martin died in 2008 (56 years after she and Lyon joined together in a lasting
lovers’ union) upon hearing of federal Judge Vaughn R. Walker's ruling on
Proposition 8, <o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p>
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