EDITORIAL: Marriage stance is correct

In a heartfelt endorsement of same-sex marriages, the Laguna Beach City Council has reportedly become the second city in the state to go on record opposing Proposition 8, the California Marriage Protection Act, which, if approved by voters in November, would amend the state Constitution to limit legal marriage to a man and a woman.

Apparently Los Angeles was the first city in the state to take a stand against the constitutional ballot measure, but who’s quibbling?

Since the landmark California Supreme Court decision — that marriage licenses cannot be withheld from same-sex couples — went into effect June 17, gays and lesbians have been lining up at county offices and holding formal ceremonies. It has been a joyous time for many who never thought they would ever be able to achieve public recognition of their unions.

For some, the word “marriage” is still a sticking point, even though they wouldn’t want to stand in the way of equal rights and protections for homosexuals. Marriage, however, has appropriately been determined by the state’s highest court to be a right of the citizenry and therefore should not be denied on the basis of sexual orientation.

Proposition 8 has muddied the waters for many couples who are hesitant to “take the marriage plunge” in the face of possible reversal of the high court’s ruling. It’s unfortunate and unnecessary, but there it is.

Those who want to constitutionally limit the definition of marriage are afraid that permitting same-sex couples to legally wed will destroy the foundation of the family, but it will have the opposite effect. It will strengthen relationships that exist and give a pathway to a brighter future for gay and lesbian singles and to future generations.

Laguna Beach has a proud history of leading the way in gay rights and boasts of having one of the first openly gay mayors for any city in the state, and no doubt the country. This city was one of the first in the state to offer domestic partnerships to same-sex couples, and it still is in the forefront of this civil rights movement.

City leaders are to be commended for unhesitatingly following through on the city’s long commitment to pushing gay rights ahead whenever and wherever possible.

Yet to be seen is whether the action of this and other city councils persuades voters to “just say no” to Proposition 8.