Schwarzenegger and California’s Same-sex Marriage Battle

On May 15, 2008, the Republican-dominated California Supreme Court overturned Prop 22, declaring in a 4-3 ruling that the California Constitution protects a fundamental right to marry that applies equally to same-sex couples. Immediately, California was flooded with homosexual and lesbian couples from across the country, who lined up to be “married” under the new court-imposed dispensation.

A battle royale is now underway in the Golden State, where proponents of traditional marriage have qualified Proposition 8 for the November 4 statewide ballot. The ballot measure would amend the state Constitution to include the same 14 words that were in Prop 22: "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California."

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Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a statement after the court’s decision saying he "respects" the ruling and "will not support an amendment to the constitution that would overturn" it. That should not have surprised anyone who had been following his executive record. Typical of the Hollywood set from which he comes, Schwarzenegger has courted and supported the Lesbian-Gay-Bisexual-Transgendered “community” since before Day One in office. Lesbian militant Susan Kennedy serves as Schwarzenneger’s chief of staff, and homosexual activist Daniel Zingale serves as chief of staff to Arnold’s wife, First Lady Maria Shriver. And those are only the more well known LGBT appointments. “It’s bizarre,” a California capital insider told The New American. “Under Schwarzennegger’s regime, it seems it’s almost a requirement to be gay or lesbian” to get appointed to any office.

Schwarzenegger announced his opposition to the Prop 8 effort in 2006. "I will always be there to fight against that," he promised at the 2006 annual convention of the Log Cabin Republicans, the nation’s largest “gay” Republican group. He received the group’s praise in return. "Log Cabin thanks Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger for signing a record number of pro-gay bills during his term in office," said Jeff Bissiri, Log Cabin’s California Director. "The Governor’s inclusive leadership can be a model for other Republicans around the nation,” said Bissiri. “His record shows that inclusion wins." A Log Cabin press release of September 29, 2006, notes: “With the signing of this year’s legislation, Governor Schwarzenegger has signed a total of 21 bills important to the LGBT community.”