With a voter initiative drive already underway, pro-family groups in California believe the battle over marriage in the Golden State is far from over, despite the historic state Supreme Court decision to allow same-sex couples to wed.

Last month, a coalition of churches and citizen groups submitted 1.1 million signatures to California's 58 counties to place a constitutional amendment on the November ballot recognizing marriage as only between one man and one woman.

"The people's overwhelming support to protect the longstanding meaning of marriage as between a man and a woman has been staggering," stated Ron Prentice, chairman of the ProtectMarriage.com Executive Committee and CEO of the California Family Council. "The California Marriage Amendment will allow the people of California, not politicians or judges, to reaffirm the definition of marriage by placing it in the Constitution."

The measure would have no fiscal effect on state or local governments, the supporters argue.


The state Supreme Court's 4-3 decision Thursday determined state laws specifying marriage as between a man and a woman were unconstitutional, setting off celebrations around the state.

A spokesman for the San Francisco-based homosexual-marriage advocacy organization Our Families Coalition called Thursday "an incredibly historic day.'

"I'm so thrilled, I'm so excited for what this means for my family and all Californians," she told WND.

Kate Kendell, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights said the votes of the four justices who favored same-sex marriage "will be vindicated by history."

But opponents point out that just eight years ago, more than 61 percent of California voters passed a proposition to keep marriage only between a man and a woman.

Now, with the statute declared unconstitutional, the voter initiative drive to amend the state Constitution is crucial to supporters of traditional marriage.

Officials in all 58 counties have received the petitions, the California Family Council told WND, and now must validate the signatures, ensuring the initiative has the required 694,354 voters.

Supporters collected most of the signatures in a little more than 90 days, far fewer than the 150 days allowed by law.

Signature gatherers faced a "decline-to-sign" campaign waged by homosexual-rights organizations, backers of the amendment said. But they note that despite significant harassment and intimidation, more than 1 million residents signed anyway.

Churches have been leaders in the petition drive, and Rev. Jesse Lee Peterson, a WND columnist, is urging more black congregations to join the campaign.



"For far too long churches have sat on the sidelines while serious moral issues have been decided without their participation," said Peterson, founder and president of California-based BOND, the Brotherhood Organization of a New Destiny. "Changing the definition of traditional marriage to include homosexuals is wrong and Christians have a moral duty to speak out against it."

Peter LaBarbera, president of Americans For Truth, believes opponents of the ruling shouldn't stop with the marriage amendment.

"Clearly, what needs to happen in California now is for pastors and Christians to get a backbone and lead two campaigns – first to pass the proposed marriage amendment and second to impeach these corrupt, anti-democratic judges, starting with the chief justice," he said.

LaBarbera chastised Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who promised to abide by the ruling.

"Shame on tough guy Arnold Schwarzenegger for being such a wimp on this issue, by pandering to the Log Cabin homosexual Republicans despite their tiny numbers in the GOP," LaBarbera said, referring to the organization of homosexuals who belong to the party.

**** YOU REPUBLI****S
i was trying to find out the minimum percentage of votes required to pass an constitutional amendment by popular vote in california but i failed...who has any idea?

"Pro-family" and "pro-life" my ass. More like "anti-freedom". I hate Christians, they are scum who should move to their own island.

i'm totally sick of the word family

So I should move to my own island? I'm a Christian but I'm no where near being like that, those Christians give other Christians like me a bad name , because there not even real Christians to begin with, they always like to judge people so damn much I respect gay's, bi's, any type of sexual orientation & other types of religions, I'm pissed too about this as well , these "Christians" always like to take over & believe me I want a democrat to win. So you should not say "you hate Christians" because it seems your saying that too ALL Christians & not all of us (like me) are like that. These "Christians" should get over it already, they can't always have it their way.

^i guess your not fundamentalist christian or w/e so your different than them

I'm just not religious like other Christians, some Christians go over the top & yes I'm not a fundamentalist Christian

Well, fundamentalist Christians need to be sent here:

http://www.atrl.net/?p=1998686

I hate FANATICISM.

Why don't they leave other people alone? It has nothing to do with them, they just like screwing people and that's it.

^ exactly!