Locals celebrate ruling on same sex marriage

BY COLBY FRAZIER
DAILY SOUND STAFF WRITER

For the first time in their lives, thousands of gay and lesbians in Santa Barbara County fell asleep last night and did not have to dream about being treated the same way as everyone else.
That long fought dream became a reality yesterday when the California Supreme Court ruled that same-sex couples can marry — a decision that was celebrated by more than 100 people at the County Courthouse’s Sunken Garden.

“When I woke up this morning I really didn’t believe that by the end of the day today I would no longer be a second-class citizen in the state of California,” said Karin Quimby, a lesbian who works in Rep. Lois Capps’ office.
In the high court’s ruling, the majority found that the law banning same-sex marriage is discriminatory. The majority opinion, written by Chief Justice Ronald George, called marriage and the things it affords, a “basic civil right.”
“In contrast to earlier times, our state now recognizes that an individual’s capacity to establish a loving and long-term committed relationship with another person and responsibly to care for and raise children does not depend upon the individual's sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual’s sexual orientation, and, more generally, that an individual’s sexual orientation — like a person’s race or gender — does not constitute a legitimate basis upon which to deny or withhold legal rights,” George wrote.
Santa Barbara City Councilwoman Helene Schneider praised the court’s ruling, saying she was proud of the court and the state.
“June is a good month for weddings and this June will be an especially good month for everyone to get married,” she said.
Same-sex couples can begin tying the not within the month.
While an air of celebration dominated the event yesterday, some cautioned that a constitutional ballot amendment that aims to ban same-sex marriage will likely go before voters in November.
David Selberg, executive director of Pacific Pride Foundation, urged all of those present to celebrate last night, but begin organizing today.
“This is just the beginning of the fight of our lives,” he said.
Selberg, whose organization provides services to the gay, lesbian and HIV, AIDS communities, said the ruling marks a new day for California residents who, “Cherish fairness and opportunity.”
“California is now a state where every person has the opportunity to realize their hopes and dreams by being able to marry the person they love,” he said. “Gays and lesbians don’t want special rights or separate but equal rights, they just want the right to get married. It’s not hard people.”
Many who attended the event broke down in tears as they spoke. Some said the last time they were at the courthouse was to remember Lawrence King, a 15-year-old gay boy who was shot in the head at O.E. Green Junior High School in Oxnard. A 14-year-old boy has been charged with murdering King and Ventura County prosecutors have called the killing a hate crime.
Raquel Bernaldo, program coordinator for the organization Just Communities, said though the ruling is important, issues of hate and prejudice will remain.
“I don’t think we can think this is the end of queer activism because there’s so much more that needs to be done,” she said.
But that’s not to say Bernaldo wasn’t elated with the decision. She said it’s like, “Waking up with human rights given back to me.”
Christine Shearer, 30, said she’s spent so much of her life being told she’d never be allowed to get married, that she didn’t realized she cared anymore until she heard the news and began to cry.
“I never thought it would happen,” she said.
Rev. Mark Asman, of the trinity Episcopal Church, said he’s lucky to live in a city and have a congregation where his sexual orientation isn’t an issue, but “It’s about time that marriage became a non issue in our state.”
Jarrod Schwartz, executive director of Just Communities, said the Supreme Court’s ruling makes his straight marriage stronger.
“Today’s decision makes my family stronger because it places us in a just and equal community,” he said. “Love and not gender is at the core of a relationship.”