[UUA-L] UUA President Celebrates California Supreme Court Ruling

[Unitarian Universalist Association]

(Boston - May 15, 2008)   UUA President William G. Sinkford today
applauded the ruling of the California Supreme Court and its historic
support of marriage equality.  The Court, in issuing its opinion
<http://www.courtinfo.ca.gov/opinions/documents/S147999.PDF>  said, "in
view of the substance and significance of the fundamental constitutional
right to form a family relationship, the California Constitution
properly must be interpreted to guarantee this basic civil right to all
Californians, whether gay or heterosexual, and to same-sex couples as
well as to opposite-sex couples." 

Sinkford responded:  "I rejoice today in the California Supreme Court's
decision to end discrimination in the state's marriage laws.  On behalf
of the Unitarian Universalist Association, I thank the brave justices
for honoring the spirit of the California constitution and extending its
protections to same-sex couples.  Decades ago, California led the nation
in affirming the right of inter-racial couples to marry, and it is
fitting that the state now joins Massachusetts as a leader in full
marriage equality for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender citizens.


"I want to thank the Unitarian Universalist Legislative Ministry of
California (http://www.uulmca.org/main.html ) for their tireless work on
behalf of marriage equality.  UULM-CA was the driving force behind the
Interfaith Amicus Brief in support of marriage equality that was signed
by more than 400 clergy and religious organizations.  I am proud that so
many Unitarian Universalist ministers and congregations were signatories
to the brief.

"The California decision makes a profound difference in the lives of
thousands of couples and families in California, and it offers hope for
same-sex couples across the country.  Marriage is a civil right." 

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