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    Paul Wellman

    Tracie Jones, left, and Valerie Paget walk up State Street on their way through Santa Barbara.


    Lesbians Walk for Justice

    Passage of Proposition 8 Inspires Statewide Walk to Fight for Equal Rights


    Thursday, November 27, 2008
    By Cathy Murillo
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    Cold rain and burning blisters didn’t stop Valerie Paget and Tracie Jones from continuing their social-justice journey from West Hollywood to San Francisco. On Tuesday, November 25, the two women walked along Cabrillo Boulevard in Santa Barbara, then turned up State Street, wearing signs that drew waves and honks of support.

    The Pasadena couple is walking a good length of California to protest Proposition 8, an anti-gay marriage initiative that passed on November 4.

    “Our mission is to appeal to the Supreme Court,” said Jones. “They’ve already declared discrimination against one group of people is unconstitutional. We should not allow the Constitution to take away anyone’s civil rights.”

    Christian Van Den Heuvel (left) signs the Revoke 8 petition and participates in a "If you could speak directly to the Supreme Court Justices, what would you say?" video interview with Tracie Jones (center) and Valerie Paget (right).
    Click to enlarge photo

    Paul Wellman

    Christian Van Den Heuvel (left) signs the Revoke 8 petition and participates in a "If you could speak directly to the Supreme Court Justices, what would you say?" video interview with Tracie Jones (center) and Valerie Paget (right).

    The California Supreme Court has agreed to hear the Proposition 8 case; it is scheduled to begin hearings in March 2009. Until the legal outcome is determined, same-gender couples are not allowed to marry.

    Paget said that prior to the election, many of her friends believed there was no way Prop. 8 could succeed, that California was beyond bigotry against gays. “On November 5th, there was this uprising of disbelief and anger,” she said. “We are tired, as gay and lesbian individuals and couples, and as a community, of being treated like second-class citizens.”

    Wanting to funnel their anger into something positive, the women decided to take time off of work and make the pilgrimage they believe will last 30 or 40 days. Jones said they expect to land in San Francisco around December 20. Along the way, they are collecting signatures to repeal Prop. 8, and they are videotaping statements from supporters that will be presented to the Supreme Court.

    Their adventure is chronicled at revoke8.com. Next stops: San Luis Obispo, Salinas, and Santa Cruz.

    Story Help (Click-ability)
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    Comments

    Discussion Guidelines

    OK - here's an idea:

    Find North on a compass ... Walk north - don't stop

    Hell - I'd give money for that walk as I am sure MANY others would (oh yea, we did pass PROP 8).

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 1 • Thumbs Down: 1 of 1

    BeachLivin (anonymous profile)
    November 27, 2008 at 1:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

    At the Indy Blogs, here is my video Short-Leash Subject story to accompany this news article about the same people visiting Santa Barbara and their efforts for marriage equality under the law:

    http://www.independent.com/blogs/santa-b...

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 0 • Thumbs Down: 0 of 0

    David_Pritchett (David Pritchett)
    November 27, 2008 at 2:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

    For the people who look to Jesus, the state has never defined marriage. The state's contours don't even come close to the shape any given marriage should have.

    For those on the other side of the argument, you must make it clearer that you want "state-marriage." That doesn't mean it is necessarily acceptable to some on the other side, but please don't deny that there is tradition and as much as we say "it is what it is" that is not true. We all know that what matters and needs to be addressed is the ubiquitous "it is what it seems."

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 0 • Thumbs Down: 0 of 0

    ahem (anonymous profile)
    November 28, 2008 at 12:55 a.m. (Suggest removal)

    BeachLivin,

    Don't have the courage to sign off your hate with your real name?

    Simcha Udwin

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 1 • Thumbs Down: 1 of 1

    palmsierra (anonymous profile)
    November 29, 2008 at 3:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

    "I'd give money for that walk" --

    almost 500 miles, are you kidding --

    why don't you post back when you have done it --

    I joined them on their journey for ONE day (about 15 miles) and I was done for - they have been at it about 12 days now (most of their days being more than 15 miles) - they are absolutely amazing

    and as for Prop 8 -- you do realize that in a civil society you can't "vote" to take away the rights of a minority? Who's next . . . Jews, Christians, Hispanics, Asians, African-Americans???

    Think about it people --

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 0 • Thumbs Down: 0 of 0

    cal_defender (anonymous profile)
    November 29, 2008 at 11:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)

    Physician Says Science of Medical Consequences of Homosexual Behaviour is Being Trumped by Political Agenda
    Interview provides information resource on medical dangers of homosexuality
    http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2003/sep...

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 0 • Thumbs Down: 0 of 0

    ann (anonymous profile)
    November 30, 2008 at 2:39 a.m. (Suggest removal)

    Permalink: http://www.zenit.org/article-8199?l=engl...

    Medical Downside of Homosexual Behavior

    A Political Agenda Is Trumping Science, Says Rick Fitzgibbons

    WEST CONSHOHOCKEN, Pennsylvania, SEPT. 18, 2003
    (Zenit.org).- Amid the push for same-sex unions
    in Canada and the recent overturning of Texas' sodomy law, an aspect of the
    underlying issue is sometimes overlooked: the medical consequences of
    homosexual behavior.

    MEDICAL CONSEQUENCES OF WHAT HOMOSEXUALS DO
    http://www.familyresearchinst.org/FRI_Ed...

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 0 • Thumbs Down: 0 of 0

    ann (anonymous profile)
    November 30, 2008 at 2:51 a.m. (Suggest removal)

    God Destroyed Sodom Because of Fornication and Homosexuality

    However, miss Fontaine needs to look at the entire Word of God, not just Genesis. The Bible plainly states in the New Testament, in Jude 1:7

    And God spoke all these words, saying: 'I am the LORD your God…

    God ten Commandments

    ONE: 'You shall have no other gods before Me.'

    TWO: 'You shall not make for yourself a carved image--any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth.'

    THREE: 'You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain.'

    FOUR: 'Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.'

    FIVE: 'Honor your father and your mother.'

    SIX: 'You shall not murder.'

    SEVEN: 'You shall not commit adultery.'

    EIGHT: 'You shall not steal.'

    NINE: 'You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.'

    TEN: 'You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet your neighbor's wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor's

    "If you love Me, keep My commandments." (John 14:15)

    » "He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him." (John 14:21)

    » "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make Our home with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me." (John 14:23-24)

    The apostle James calls the Ten Commandments "the royal law," meaning it came from a King and is worthy of His Kingdom (James 2:8-12).

    God has never done away with His Ten Commandments, and they never shall be done away. They will be lived by all those given eternal life forever. They will also be the basic law of those possessing mortal life when Jesus returns. From God's commandments, all laws governing every aspect of a moral life will be drawn and applied in their spirit. Their standards will be the rule of law against which people's lives will be guided and judged.

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 0 • Thumbs Down: 0 of 0

    ann (anonymous profile)
    November 30, 2008 at 3:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

    Ann, I'm afraid you've violated commandment #9 - you shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

    Dr. Rick Fitzgibbons is echoing the research of Dr. Paul Cameron, who the American Psychological Association, the Canadian Psychological Association and the American Sociological Association denounce as consistently misinterpreting and misrepresenting research in regard to gays and lesbians.

    The Fitzgibbons references above received this reply from the author of the Dutch study cited:
    LIFESITE NEWS AND ONENEWSNOW HAVE MISINTERPRETED OUR REVIEW.
    Evidence from around the world identifies the main stressors leading to mental distress in gay and lesbian people as discrimination, prejudice, bullying in schools and colleges, and the consequent need for many LGB people to keep their homosexual identity secret, even from their families.

    Why don't you think about not adding to the hatred of your fellow human beings and love your neighbor as yourself?

    Readers say: Thumbs Up: 0 of 0 • Thumbs Down: 0 of 0

    cal_defender (anonymous profile)
    December 1, 2008 at 3:15 a.m. (Suggest removal)

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