California Family Minute

By Ron Prentice,
Chief Executive Officer 

Since the decision has come down from Chief Judge Vaughn Walker in the Perry v Schwarzenegger legal case, nearly all of my time has been given to providing media interviews. Of course, I am only one of many individuals who are representing the concerns of our culture, our families, and legal integrity in response to the brazen and unfounded opinion rendered by Judge Walker.

In the past two days, California Family Council has been given opportunity to speak on Focus on the Family’s Family News in Focus, on KFI, KNX, KKLA, and KFAX radio stations covering Los Angeles and the Bay Area, CNN national radio, and LA’s KTLA-TV and tonight’s coverage on CBS Evening News. 

The primary question that comes to me in these interviews is “Where do we go from here?”  One answer is our concern for a “stay” of Judge Walker’s ruling, to keep new same-sex marriages from occurring. All parties to this lawsuit have submitted their arguments to Judge Walker, and it is now in his hands to decide whether to permit same-sex marriages now, or to stay his ruling until the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals takes the matter under consideration. 

A second answer to “Where do we go from here?” is to inform you that an appeal was filed yesterday with the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, and should the Court hear the appeal of this case, as is expected, a ruling may come in early 2011.

The media has exploded with responses to Judge Walker’s decision to overturn Proposition 8, and I have done my best to read as many articles and blogs as possible. Central to most commentary is that Walker has stepped into uncharted territory with his interpretation of the 14th Amendment to the US Constitution. The 14^th Amendment was made law in 1868 following the emancipation of slaves, providing all citizens with “due process” and “equal protection” under the laws of the land. In other words, my research tells me that equal protection was intended to provide persons similarly situated with similar treatment. The legal defense of Prop 8 provided “cast-iron” evidence of the many distinct differences between heterosexual and homosexual couples.

Law schools are filled with professors who unapologetically train students to ignore the “original intent” of the writers of the Constitution, promoting instead an evolutionary interpretation of the text. However, even many of those professors believe that Judge Walker may have attempted too much, too soon. 

We seek your ongoing commitment of prayer to God in this battle between two extremely opposed worldviews!

The day-to-day work of California Family Council continues, and while the financial needs for the legal defense of Proposition 8 are at the forefront of our minds, I ask that you please remember CFC’s ongoing financial needs, especially during these summer months. To make a secure online donation now, click here.

Be sure to keep track of the legislative activities in Sacramento by checking in at our Web site, and consider attending one of two trainings scheduled this month for Truth Project small group facilitation, in Pasadena and Sacramento. We’d love to see you there!

Thank you for your continued partnership!