Friday, July 31, 2009

VIDEO: Central Valley's Porterville Continues to Work Against Marriage Equality

This video by Marie Cunninham shows in further detail the story behind Porterville, the only city in California to pass a resolution in support of Prop 8.



Now, the city council of Porterville, located in the Central Valley, is considering a resolution that would oppose Senate Bill 54, which would allow California to recognize legal same-sex marriages performed outside its border.

Former Mayor and current council member, Cam Hamilton, is shown in the video. He's been the driving force behind the anti-marriage equality resolutions. Shortly after the interview in the video taken post Prop 8's passing, Cam was replaced as mayor by Pete McCracken. However, despite this change, the anti-LGBT resolution against SB 54 is still being considered. Currently, Cam is drawing up a draft the council will later vote on.

3 comments:

  1. RESOLUTION NO. _______-2009

    A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL
    OF THE CITY OF PORTERVILLE OPPOSING
    STATE SENATE BILL 54 (LENO)

    WHEREAS, Article 1, Section 7.5 of the California Constitution reads “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”.

    WHEREAS, these words reserving marriage for a man arid a woman were placed into the Constitution by the people’s affirmative vote on Proposition 8 on November 5 last year.

    WHEREAS, 78,578 voters in Tulare County or 75.1% of the electorate voted in favor of Proposition 8.

    WHEREAS, the California Constitution, Article II, Section 1 states that “all political power is inherent in the people” and that “they have the right to alter or reform it when the public good may require”.

    WHEREAS, the natural institution of marriage is, was, and should always remain a beautiful, special relationship between a husband and a wife.

    WHEREAS, marriage between a man and a woman is an important and beneficial role model for children to emulate.

    WHEREAS, Proposition 8 reserved marriage licenses to a man and a woman by stating that the only “valid” marriage is “marriage between a man and a woman”.

    WHEREAS, Proposition 8 additionally prohibited recognition of out-of-state marriages by stating that man-woman marriages are the only marriages “recognized” by the State of California.

    WHEREAS, Senate Bill 54, authored and coauthored by eight Democrats in the California Senate and Assembly, would undermine Proposition 8, the people’s vote, and the marriage institution itself by awarding marriage licenses and marriage rights to out-of-state relationships that are not “a man and a woman”.

    WHEREAS, SB 54 stipulates that a “marriage” between two persons of the same sex contracted outside this state is valid in California if the marriage was contracted prior to the passage of Proposition 8.

    WHEREAS, SB 54 blatantly violates Article 1, Section 7.5 of the California Constitution, which states that the “only” type of marriage “recognized” from outside California is “marriage” bctwccn a man and a woman”.

    Page 1 of 2

    WHEREAS, the Constitution refers to marriages past, present, and future when it absolutely and unequivocally states that, “Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California”.

    WHEREAS. the Proposition 8 proponents further stated in their ballot arguments that “Your YES vote on Proposition 8 means that only marriage between a man and a woman will be valid or recognized in California, regardless of when or where performed”.

    NOW, THEREFORE, BE if RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Porterville, in respect of the voters, the California Constitution, and for the sake of the best interests of children, the City of Porterville opposes SB 54 as a blatant violation of our state constitution and the people’s vote to reserve marriage licenses for a man and a woman in the State of California.

    PASSED, APPROVED AND ADOPTED this 4th day of August, 2009. "



    porterville city council will vote to pass this on tuesday aug 4th at 7pm!

    but i have a good feeling!.. it won't pass! and it will go down 3-2! thanks jessica! oh plz e-mail the council members and tell them! what they need to hear!
    The meeting is at 7PM on Tuesday August 4 at City Hall on Main Street in Porterville.

    Here are the Council email addresses:

    Mayor Pete McCracken
    petemccracken@ portervilleca. gov

    Cameron Hamilton (is writing the resolution)
    cameronhamilton@ portervilleca. gov

    Felipe Martinez
    felipemartinez@ portervilleca. gov

    Pedro Martinez
    pedropetemartinez@ portervilleca. gov

    Brian Ward (wrote last year's resolution)
    brianward@portervil leca.gov

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  2. thanks unite the fight just one thing tho as i was reading you put
    "after the interview in the video taken prior to Prop 8's passing, Cam"

    this video, and that part of cam's interview was shot 2 weeks after prop 8 was upheld on may 26-09..
    ms Marie Cunninham came to porterville and tulare co 2 times...she shot the video from the 2nd council meeting that was held after the prop 8 case was upheld....just wanted to clear that up thank you so much for the storyies and time you have given us! here in ground zero # 2 lol
    jessica

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