Equality California: Wait Until 2012 to Repeal Prop 8

So it’s been decided at the highest levels of the “gay establishment.”  We will wait until 2012 to try to repeal Proposition 8 in California. 

For the first time, we have the opportunity to choose the best time to go back to the ballot, and we strongly think 2012 is the way to go.

I suppose the thinking is that because it’s a presidential election, the turnout will be stronger.  The thinking probably also goes that because Obama will be on the ballot again, we can ride his coattails to victory.  It’s an idea, anyway.  But in the meantime, we have gay and lesbian families who are unable to marry, who are unable to protect their families.  That’s not directly the fault of Equality California, although the No on 8 campaign was weak, to be kind.  It never should have come to this.  It wouldn’t have, if the No on 8 people had taken this seriously and treated it as a campaign that could have been lost rather than one that was in the bag.

I don’t doubt their assessment: Proposition 8 can’t be repealed in 2010 and we have to wait until 2012.  My point is that it’s a long time to wait.  Prop 8 will continue to be attacked on legal and constitutional grounds, and have some chance of winning there (to my non-lawyer’s mind).  And some people will still try to get the Prop 8 repeal on the ballot for 2010.  Will the gay establishment in California back them if they’re successful?  That’s an important question; we cannot lose another statewide referendum; it would be a calamity.

In the meantime, though, same-sex marriage is threatened in Maine.  No on 1 needs our help.