Contra Costa County Stands on Sidelines of Prop. 8 Lawsuit
Categories: City of Concord Headlines
Written By: Mayor Concord California
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(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...County supervisors of Contra Costa County had a vote in joining the lawsuits challenging the petition of Proposition 8, the ban on gay marriage. Over 50% of Contra Costa County voted NO in the Novembers elections.
A dozen more cities and counties — including Alameda, San Mateo and Marin counties and the city of Oakland — on Wednesday joined the petition challenging Prop. 8 in the state’s highest court. Voters statewide passed the law Nov. 4, and the city and county of San Francisco, city of Los Angeles and Santa Clara County filed the petition the next day, claiming Prop. 8 violates the state constitution’s equality provisions.
In closed session Tuesday, Contra Costa supervisors voted 4-1, with Supervisor John Gioia of Richmond dissenting, not to join the lawsuit. Most other Bay Area counties have taken up the fight, with the exception of Solano, Napa and Sonoma, which have not decided what to do. Sonoma County supervisors plan to discuss the lawsuit in closed session Tuesday. – CoCo Times.
Contra Costa County was very vocal on Prop. 8. There were people standing on corners for both sides holding signs in support or opposition of the ballot measure. The police even had to be called because of an altercation between the groups in Walnut Creek. This is a video of the protesters in Walnut Creek.
Why would Contra Costa County make the decision to stay out of the lawsuit? Many factors played into it. Here are some quotes.
“Contra Costa is still a very conservative county, and change comes slowly, and I don’t think the Board of Supervisors realize how much diversity exists in Contra Costa County.”
“I think, collectively, we feel there’s so much going on in the county, and our policy-making decisions are where we need to be concentrating, especially on the same day that we had to cut jobs,” said Supervisor Federal Glover of Pittsburg.
Of the four board members who voted against joining the lawsuit, only Supervisor Mary Piepho of Discovery Bay revealed her personal beliefs on same-sex marriage.
“I voted my conscience in the election,” Piepho said. “I believe the definition of marriage is between that of a man and woman.”
I can agree that Contra Costa County has it’s fair share of issues that need to be addressed especially with the budget crisis in the area but if the community wants to put up this fight, shouldn’t the county support them?
As for personal issues with Proposition 8, I don’t know if that should be relevant. Yes, everyone is valued an opinion on the matter but as a politician working for the people in your district, your personal feelings should not dictate how you act. You should be acting in the best interests of the people you represent.
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December 14th, 2008 at 10:35 pm
This is one thing CoCo county got right. The Democratic party has turned it’s back on the democratic process. It wouldn’t surprise me at all if the Democrats actually try to pass a law to order people to vote for whatever they choose. If you refused their choice you wouldn’t be allowed to vote. The Democratic party has become devoid of democracy!
December 15th, 2008 at 8:07 am
Huh? You lost me on your point about the democratic process. I’ve seen no evidence that such a liberty has been removed. Don’t confuse the process for the right to choose with your OWN personal beliefs. People HAVE voted democratically on issues. Do I agree with every outcome? Of course not. We all have our own personal opinions on matters, that shapes who we are. Sometimes you win issues and sometimes you lose issues. At least we’re not drones who all vote the same way.
That being said, I’m very disappointed that we’re not a party to the lawsuit. Proprosition 8 is discrimination, pure and simple. When the issue first came about, I thought both sides did a poor job of explaining the proprosition. One said it was worried that kids would be taught ‘gay’ stories in school, and the other side said it’s not about that.
It’s about gay marriage. Prop 8, as I understand it, repeals an earlier right granted to allow same sex marriages. It also ammends the California constitution to say that a marriage is between a man and a woman.
There are strong opinions about the issue. My take is that I don’t think I have the personal right to tell others they cannot marry because it does not fit my view of a traditional marriage.
That Concord officials are staying out of it concerns me. During my lifetime I remember when it was taboo for a mixed race marriage. Divorce was also considered verboten.
If you don’t believe is gay marriage, that’s fine. Don’t have a same sex marriage. But is it right to impose YOUR view onto others and tell them they cannot marry?
Even though we’ve come a long way in terms of discrimination, in some ways, we still haven’t.
December 15th, 2008 at 11:05 am
Can you say prop. 22? They had no right to marry same sex partners. The state supreme court invalidated the peoples voice. The state had no right to do that. The Democratic party has tried to overthrow the peoples voice. Thats what i’m talking about. Get a clue. Is it the right of gay people to burn down churches and send anthrax to church members?
December 16th, 2008 at 2:15 pm
It was ruled unconstitutional that’s why it was reversed. Why is everyone so afraid of letting gays get married? Get off your soap boxes!
December 16th, 2008 at 11:40 pm
It was ruled unconstitutional AFTER prop. 22 was passed. Why are gays so afraid of democracy and common decency? Why don’t you find somewhere else to live so the rest of us can live in peace!
December 20th, 2008 at 4:28 pm
And there it is. Discrimination.
December 24th, 2008 at 5:13 pm
I wear that as a badge of honor.
March 24th, 2009 at 11:19 am
This is a very debatable topic, coming from Canada where Gay marriages are legal, I can tell you that gay people live within their communities and never bother anyone.