Conservative Anglicans form breakaway church

A new Christian orthodox movement that rejects a liberal stance towards homosexuality and claims to represent half the world's 80 million Anglicans has been formed following a conference in Jerusalem.

The group, calling itself the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, will sever ties with the main churches in the United States and Canada, accusing their leaders of ignoring biblical teachings.

The members are mainly from churches in the southern hemisphere -- Africa, Asia, Australia, South America -- but disgruntled evangelicals from Canada, England and the United States also support the group.

The timing of its creation after the Global Anglican Future conference in Jerusalem, which ended on Sunday, comes just weeks before bishops of the worldwide Anglican Communion hold their 10-yearly meeting at the Lambeth Conference in Canterbury, England.

Many of the bishops who attended the Jerusalem meeting plan to boycott the Lambeth Conference, which starts on July 16, in protest at the ordination in 2003 of Gene Robinson, the first openly gay bishop in the US Episcopal Church.

In a 14-point declaration, the Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans accused the US church of proclaiming "false gospel".

It added: "We acknowledge God's creation of humankind as male and female and the unchangeable standard of Christian marriage between one man and one woman as the proper place for sexual intimacy and the basis of the family.
"We repent of our failures to maintain this standard and call for a renewed commitment to lifelong fidelity in marriage and abstinence for those who are not married."

It also criticised the Lambeth Conference, saying it was planning to welcome "bishops of these unrepentant churches" and said its authority "has been undermined".

"The Lambeth conference has been structured so as to avoid any hard decisions," it said.

The fellowship also indicated it would challenge the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury, saying: "We do not accept that Anglican identity is determined necessarily through recognition by the Archbishop of Canterbury."

HIV resurges in men who have sex with men

A new analysis of HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men points to a troubling increase in new cases among young men, U.S. health officials reported Thursday.

Public health experts use the term "men who have sex with men," or MSM, because many of these men are not strictly homosexual or even bisexual.

Between 2001 and 2006, male-to-male sex was the largest HIV transmission category in the U.S., and the only one associated with an increasing number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses, according to a report from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The jump was highest — an increase of 12.4 percent — among boys and men between the ages of 13 and 24 years who had sex with other males, particularly among ethnic minorities.

"To reduce transmission of HIV among MSM of all races/ethnicities, prevention strategies should be strengthened, improved, and implemented more broadly," CDC health officials wrote in their Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Testing is important, they add, because "after persons become aware that they are HIV positive, most reduce their high-risk sexual behavior."

The report describes trends in diagnoses of HIV/AIDS in 33 states that have confidential, name-based HIV case reporting.

Of 214,379 diagnoses during the study period, 46 percent were among MSM. The rate of new diagnoses declined in all other transmission categories — injection drug use, high-risk heterosexual contact, and other routes of transmission.

California ballot will have at least 11 initiatives

California's November ballot will include 11 initiatives, dealing with topics ranging from abortion to high-speed rail construction to gay marriage.

Secretary of State Debra Bowen announced the general election lineup on Friday, but it could grow.

The state Legislature still has time to ask voters to approve additional proposals when they go to the polls on Nov. 4. Among the possibilities is a plan to borrow against future lottery proceeds as a way to balance the state budget. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger also wants lawmakers to put a $10.3 billion water bond on the ballot for reservoirs and conservation measures.

The record for the number of initiatives on a California ballot was set in November 1914, when there were 48 propositions on the ballot.

Here are the 11 measures that have qualified so far:

Proposition 1, high-speed rail: Would authorize the state to sell $9.9 billion in bonds to help pay for construction of a high-speed rail line that ultimately would link San Diego, Los Angeles, Fresno, San Francisco and Sacramento. The money also would be used for conventional commuter rail systems that would connect to high-speed rail.

Proposition 2, treatment of farm animals: Would require that farm animals that are kept in enclosures or that are tethered for most of the day be able to fully extend their limbs or wings, lie down, stand up and turn around.

Proposition 3, children's hospitals: Would authorize the sale of $980 million in bonds to pay for the construction, expansion, remodeling, renovation, furnishing and equipping of children's hospitals.

Proposition 4, abortion: Would require a 48-hour waiting period and parental notification before unemancipated minors could obtain abortions. A judge could waive the parental notification requirement if he or she decided that it would be in the girl's best interest. Similar proposals were rejected by voters in 2005 and 2006.

Proposition 5, drug offenses: Would require the state to expand and increase funding and oversight for treatment and rehabilitation programs for nonviolent drug offenders and parolees. It also would limit the ability of judges to incarcerate drug offenders who violate probation or parole and would shorten parole periods for most drug offenses.

Proposition 6, gang crimes: Would require new state spending to combat crime and gangs and to operate prison and parole systems. It also would increase penalties for several crimes, including violating anti-gang injunctions, using or selling methamphetamine and possession of firearms by certain felons.

Proposition 7, renewable energy: Would require all utilities to generate 20 percent of their power from renewable energy such as solar and wind by 2010. State law currently requires only private investor utilities to meet that standard. The mandate would be increased to 40 percent by 2020 and 50 percent by 2025.

Proposition 8, gay marriage: Would amend the California Constitution to ban same-sex marriages.

Proposition 9, victims' rights: Would require that crime victims be notified when they are allowed to give input at judicial hearings, including those dealing with bail, pleas, sentencing and parole. It also would require authorities to take victim safety into account when considering granting bail and parole, and would reduce the number of parole hearings.

Proposition 10, alternative fuel vehicles and renewable energy: Would authorize the sale of $5 billion in bonds to give cash payments of between $2,000 and $50,000 to those who buy alternative-fuel vehicles and those with high fuel economy. It also would allocate money for research, development and production of renewable energy and alternative-fuel vehicle technologies.
Proposition 11, redistricting: Would create a 14-member commission to draw new districts for the state Legislature and the Board of Equalization after each national census, taking that responsibility away from lawmakers.

Obama Calls California Amendment 'Divisive and Discriminatory'

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama took a strong stand this weekend against a constitutional amendment to appear on California’s ballot in November that would effectively overturn the state supreme court’s recent decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

In a letter to the Alice B. Toklas LGBT Democratic Club read yesterday at the group's annual Pride Breakfast, Senator Obama wrote, “I am proud to join with and support the LGBT community in an effort to set our nation on a course that recognizes LGBT Americans with full equality under the law … that is why I oppose the divisive and discriminatory efforts to amend the California Constitution, and similar efforts to amend the U.S. Constitution or those of other states.”

“For too long, issues of LGBT rights have been exploited by those seeking to divide us. It’s time to move beyond polarization and live up to our founding promise of equality by treating all our citizens with dignity and respect,” the senator wrote.

Obama also stated his support for “extending fully equal rights and benefits to same-sex couples under both state and federal law,” and reiterated his desire to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and “don’t ask, don’t tell” as well pass legislation to protect LGBT American against hate crimes and employment discrimination.

First Gay Pride March

Today marks the 38th anniversary of the first gay pride marches, which were originally called Christopher Street Liberation Day and meant to mark the first anniversary of the Stonewall uprising.

The first march went from Washington Place in Greenvich Village up Sixth Avenue to Central Park where there was a "Gay-In". The photo above, of the Central Park event, is from the New York Public Library's digital archive.

"Many of the men and women who marched that day would forever remember that moment on top of the bluff. Before them lay a field of uncut grass, a blizzard of banners, dancing, pot-smoking, singing and music, a huge American flag, 'gay pride' signs decorated with the Day-Glo hippie flower stickers, and men and women applauding each new arrival over the hill. And behind them—stretching out as far as they could see—was line after line after line of homosexuals and their supporters, at least fifteen blocks worth, by the count of the New York Times, which found the turnout notable enough to report it on the front page of the next day’s paper. No one had ever seen so many homosexuals in one place before. On top of the bluff, many of these men and women, who had grown up isolated and alone, stood in silence and cried."

White House Won’t Open EPA Emails on Global Warming

“The White House avoided implementing the EPA’s recommendations [on global warming] by informing the agency they would not open the email. The White House is treating the American environmental policy like a spam boner pill ad!”

Kmart exec leaves corporate world to fight California marriage battle

Bill Stewart, the out chief marketing officer for Kmart, is giving up his executive position for an unpaid job with the Equality for All campaign to defeat a California ballot measure to impose a constitutional marriage ban. The native Californian, now based in Chicago, was inspired to move back to his home state after attending a recent national board meeting of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation in Los Angeles and concluding he needed to do "everything possible" to make sure equal marriage rights remain the law there.

Craig and Vitter Key Sponsors of Bill To "Protect" Marriage

Just this week, a group of Republican senators re-introduced the Federal Marriage Amendment to the Constitution, which, as we know, would ban gay marriage.

This isn't especially surprising. Republicans are looking at the political landscape, and they're feeling awfully discouraged. The polls look bad, the base looks depressed, and fundraising looks iffy. Rallying the far-right troops with an anti-gay amendment to the Constitution -- even though it has no chance at even getting so much as a hearing -- might be helpful to the conservative movement.

But the funny part is looking over the list of the 10 original sponsors. Most of the names are predictable -- Brownback and Inhofe, for example -- but there are two others whose names stand out: Sens. David Vitter (R-La.) and Larry Craig (R-Idaho).

Yes, two of the principal sponsors of a constitutional amendment to "protect" marriage include one far-right Republican who hired prostitutes and another far-right Republican who was arrested for soliciting gay sex an airport men's room.

Michelle Obama: Barack Will Fight For Gay Rights

Barack Obama will fight for equal rights for gays just as he fought to help working-class families overcome poverty, the Democratic presidential hopeful's wife told a gay Democratic group Thursday.

Recalling his past work as a community organizer to help struggling families, Michelle Obama said he would take the same approach as president.

"Barack believes that we must fight for the world as it should be, a world where together we work to reverse discriminatory laws," she said at a Manhattan fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee's Gay and Lesbian Leadership Council.

Michelle Obama also drew a connection between the struggles for gay rights and civil rights.

"We are all only here because of those who marched and bled and died, from Selma to Stonewall, in the pursuit of a more perfect union," she said at the event, held days before the anniversary of the 1969 Stonewall riots between gays and New York police, and the city's annual gay pride parade.

"The world as it is should be one that rejects discrimination of all kinds," she said.

McCain Promises to Talk About Gay Marriage

Wooing conservative evangelical voters at a private meeting, Republican presidential candidate John McCain promised to speak out against gay marriage and seriously consider picking an anti-abortion running mate.

According to the Los Angeles Times, Senator McCain had a private confab in Ohio with several influential social conservatives who have criticized him for failing to toe the conservative line embraced by evangelical Christians. The newspaper reported that McCain scored some points with his audience.

Some of those attending the meeting confided to the Times that McCain would take seriously their requests that he choose an anti-abortion running mate and promised that he would talk more openly about his opposition to gay marriage, a pledge the Times wrote he carried out later when he endorsed a ballot measure in California to ban gay marriage.

"It was obvious there were a lot of changed hearts in the room," said Phil Burress, who led Ohio's anti-gay-marriage ballot measure in 2004. "We realized that he's with us on the majority of the issues we care about."

Meeting privately with evangelicals and promising to heed their concerns won't cut it with the evangelicals attendees, participants told the Times, adding that McCain needs to embrace their positions publicly, not just privately.

"We told him that if he didn't come out and share his pro-family stances on these issues, then he can kiss Ohio goodbye," Burress said. "We can't deliver his message for him."

The Arizona senator is showing his determination to win evangelical support by scheduling meetings with top Christian leaders. He is due to fly to Asheville, N.C., Sunday to meet privately with the Rev. Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham, who met with Obama earlier. McCain told the Ohio group that he hopes to meet with Focus on the Family's Dr. James C. Dobson, who has said he would not vote for McCain. "The senator spoke fondly of him, but believes there's probably room for some bridge-building," said Mike Gonidakis, head of Ohio Right to Life.

“We're toast.”

JAMES HANSEN, director of the Goddard Institute of Space Sciences, on the path being taken in response to global warming

Just Need Another Terrorist Attack for McCain

LGBT Groups Issue Warning To Out-Of-State Couples Marrying In California

Four LGBT legal organizations and five other leading national LGBT groups issued a warning Tuesday to couples planning to go to California to marry that they should mot use their marriages to fight for recognition in federal court.

"Pushing the federal government before we have a critical mass of states recognizing same-sex relationships or suing in states where the courts aren’t ready is likely to get us bad rulings. Bad rulings will make it much more difficult for us to win marriage, and will certainly make it take much longer." the groups said.

"If you’re ready and it’s right for you, get married in California. If you do, claim the name and act like what you are married. But don’t go suing right away. Most lawsuits will likely set us all back," the statement said.

The groups said that there are other ways to fight which are more likely to win.
The statement said that the fastest way to win the freedom to marry throughout America is by getting marriage through state courts and state legislatures.

"We need to start with states where we have the best odds of winning," the advisory said.

"When we’ve won in a critical mass of states, we can turn to Congress and the federal courts. At that point, we’ll ask that the U.S. government treat all marriages equally. And we’ll ask that all states give equal treatment to all marriages and civil unions that are celebrated in other states."

The statement also issued other warnings.

"If you are in the military, on a visa, thinking about adopting or getting government benefits, you should talk to a lawyer who knows that area, or get in touch with one of the legal organizations."

Last month the California Supreme Court struck down the state ban on same-sex marriage. The ruling goes into effect on June 17, although some clerks will begin issuing licenses after 5:30 pm the day before.

Unlike Massachusetts which limits the issuing of licenses to couples only from states where their marriages would be legal the California ruling opens gay marriage to any couple. Thousands of gay and lesbian couples from across the country are expected to take advantage of the ruling.

The advisory issued Tuesday was signed by four LGBT legal groups – the ACLU Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Project, the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), Lambda Legal, and the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) – and five other LGBT organizations: the Equality Federation, Freedom to Marry, the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the Human Rights Campaign, and the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

“Certainly it would be a big advantage to him.”

CHARLIE BLACK, Senator John McCain's chief strategist, on the advantage that another terrorist attack on U.S. soil would bring to the Republican candidate's presidential campaign

[To me, it is just shameful that they even think like this.]

“We didn't get real lucky with this lightning storm.”

DEL WALTERS, assistant regional chief of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, on a lightning storm that sparked more than 840 wildfires in that state

Retired clergy offer to perform gay marriages in California

More than 80 retired Northern California clergy from the United Methodist Church are offering to perform same-sex marriages, saying they want to help out active ministers who would risk more severe consequences for presiding over these ceremonies.

Church law forbids clergy - both active and retired - from performing gay marriages.
"We're willing to challenge the injustice and contradictions of this," said the Reverend Don Fado, retired pastor of St Mark's United Methodist Church in Sacramento.

As California enters its second week of legalised gay marriage, faith leaders are mobilizing to either fight the unions or support them.

During the annual meeting for the California-Nevada conference of United Methodists, 82 ministers agreed to perform same-sex marriages.

No Pride Service in St. Paul

Catholic Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis forbids liberal Catholic church from holding pay pride prayer service: "St. Joan of Arc Church in Minneapolis has held the event for several years in conjunction with the annual Twin Cities Pride Celebration. The archdiocese is instead suggesting that the church hold a "peace" service Wednesday with no mention of rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. Archdiocese spokesman Dennis McGrath says the gay pride prayer service is inimical to the teachings of the Catholic church."

Cuban Catholic Church Protests The Government's Recent Support For Gay Rights

Cuba's Roman Catholic Church on Tuesday protested the communist government's growing support of gay rights, including a daylong event raising awareness against homophobia and a law allowing sex-change operations.

''Respect for the homosexual person, yes,'' said an editorial in Palabra Nueva, the monthly magazine of the Archdiocese of Havana. ''Promotion of homosexuality, no.''

The editorial signed by magazine director Orlando Marquez referred to activities held May 17 by Cuba's Sex Education Center, which is directed by Mariela Castro, daughter of President Raul Castro.

The center also announced this month that the health ministry has approved a law authorizing government-paid sex changes for 28 people who have undergone extensive study after requesting the surgery.

Prejudice against homosexuals remains deeply rooted in Cuban society, as in much of Latin America. But the government has steadily moved away from the intolerance of the 1960s and 1970s, when homosexuals hid their sexuality for fear of being fired from work or even imprisoned.
Cuba's parliament also is studying proposals to give gay couples the same benefits as married couples.

Mormon church enters fight over gay marriage

Mormon church leaders will ask California members to join the effort to amend that state's constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman.

A June 20 letter sent to Mormon congregation bishops and signed by church president Thomas S. Monson and his two top counselors calls upon Mormons to donate "means and time" to the ballot measure. A note on the letter says it should be read during church services June 29, but it was published on several Internet Web sites Saturday.

Scott Trotter, a spokesman for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, said Monday that the letter is authentic. Trotter declined to comment further, saying the letter states the church's reasons for getting involved.

Nick and Andy's 20th Anniversary Celebration

Nick and Andy arrive at Terry's house for a small dinner to celebrate their 20th anniversary. Terry had original asked Nick and Andy to come on Saturday, but Andy couldn’t – he was going to be on Catalina Island for the weekend – or so he thought.

We started planning the celebration for Nick and Andy in January. It really all started with a little email on January 14.

Hi Don and Tim,

I know we haven't met in person, but we feel like we know you from the stories that Andy and Nick tell about the group in South Carolina. Andy has mentioned that some of ya'll from South Carolina have been talking about coming to California for a visit. That's great.

We have started talking about some plans for Andy and Nick's 20th Anniversary. Andy and Nick don't know that we are contacting you or that we are making plans for their 20th.

Andy and Nick are celebrating their anniversary by going on a cruise in July. Their actual anniversary is in June. We would love to throw some sort of party for them and have the South Carolina group and the Los Angeles group both there. We don't have anything definitely planned yet, but you know how happy it would make them to have everyone there.

Is this something that you all would be interested in? Can you find out who else in South Carolina would be interested?

We know that cost would be an issue for ya'll. We would be happy to have you stay at our houses to help with expenses.

Please let us know what you think. We are trying to keep this a secret from Andy and Nick.

I knew Andy wanted to go to Catalina Island and we needed to make sure Nick was going to be in town and that they didn’t have any plans. So, naturally, I made an offer they couldn’t refuse:

Okay, we have more info on Catalina! June 20 - 22.

Sean's friend owns three bungalows that a perched on the side of the hill overlooking Avalon. He will be doing a renovation on the kitchens so he can't rent them out that weekend. The bungalows usually rent by the week only - or something like that. So he offered to Sean to use them. Right now, only two are scheduled to be ready -- he doesn't know about the third one yet.

So, you and Nick would have one. Sean and I in the other. If the third one is ready, we can see if someone else wants to join us. They are, as I understand, 2 1/2 stories: bedroom (with outdoor jacuzzi) on the bottom and living and kitchen on top. I am not sure what is on the other 1/2 story. They overlook the city of Avalon and out over the water.

We were thinking - leaving on early Friday afternoon (to avoid traffic), take the ferry across to Avalon. We would have to get a taxi at the harbor to get to the bungalows (he says we could walk... 15 minutes - uphill). I vote for the taxi! When we are there -- each bungalow has a golf cart to get around. Then coming back on Sunday.

There are easy things to do on Avalon. I like the "submarine" ride - great for seeing all of the fish! The beach is really small. The bus ride to see the buffalo is good. The boat ride to the tip of the island to see the seals is fun. There is a casino. I have never done the night boat ride to see the flying fish - so I would really like to do that this time (I have not spent the night at Catalina - only day trips).

That's what I know now... we have plenty of time to talk and make plans. I just want to get it on your calendar (especially since Nick won't let you go on the cruise!). ;-)

Okay, now fast forward 6 months and many emails later... Andy and Nick arrive at Terry's for dinner. Andy is smirking as he comes up the steps to let me know that he knows something is going on. See, I know that he has no idea to what extent we have gone to surprise them and show them how much they mean to soo many people.

Yes, all of the LA boys were at Terry’s for dinner – surprise!

The real surprise was the boys flew in from South and North Carolina earlier that day! SURPRISE!

I love the look on Nick’s face. He can hear their voices in the kitchen… but what are those Carolina accents doing in Pasadena?

The boys from Carolina had flown in on Thursday and would be leaving on Monday. The surprise dinner at Terry’s was wonderful!

A little kiss at the end of the night!

Friday afternoon was a quick visit to the Huntington Gardens. It was a little hot - okay, so we had record high temperatures the entire time the Carolina boys were in town.

The sisters.

As the sun set on Friday, we were off to the Hollywood Bowl for the Opening Night.

The 87th season at the legendary Hollywood Bowl featuring spectacular performances by 2008 Hall of Fame inductees Liza Minnelli, Sir James Galway and B.B. King. This year’s opening night concert also included a special fireworks finale commemorating 50 years of Rock 'n' Roll at the Hollywood Bowl with special guest Duane Eddy.

We had a little picnic at the top of the Bowl and then to our seats for the concert.

On Saturday night, we had a large dinner party at Le Grand Orange with many friends.

Through out the entire weekend, we tried to think of what Nick and Andy’s favorite things were and incorporate them into our plans. Their favorite food and drinks at Terry’s and the Bowl. Their favorite appetizers at Le Grand Orange. Favorite cake – we contacted one of the parents at Andy’s school to make his favorite cake. Absolutely delicious.


As a follow up to the weekend, Nick and Andy set out a very touching email to most of us.

Subject: Our trip to Catalina

Dear Friends,

With much sadness, I just said goodbye and tucked the South Carolina boys into the airport shuttle van. And as quickly as it all began ... this incredible weekend has ended.

It's impossible to find the words to thank each of you for your role in the festivities of the past few days. But let me try to convey our most genuine gratitude for all that you did.

It's overwhelming to think of the planning and coordination that took place. And so to the "Secret Planning Committee", Kevin, Terry, Albert, David, Rodney, Daniel, Nelson, Juan, Sean, and other secret members we say Thank You and Bravo! You've no idea how awestruck we were by the magnitude of your efforts and how touched we are.

To our friends from South Carolina, thank you for making the trip you'll never know how much it meant for y'all to be here. You are our family and we love you.

To our friends here in California we thank you for coming out. You were great ambassadors to our out of town visitors and you are great friends to us.

While I don't want to prattle on too much, we do really want each one of you to know the extent of our humble and sincere gratitude. We felt like rock stars this weekend and y'all have given us a priceless memory that we will NEVER forget.

And so as a new week begins and life returns to normal please know that your participation in the celebration of our anniversary has left us changed. You have altered our understanding of what friendship and love are capable of.

We thank you all.

Andy & Nick

ANTI-GAY CHRISTIAN GROUP GIVES UP ON REPEALING MAINE GAY RIGHTS LAW

AntiAnother one bites the dust. Anti-gay initiatives are failing on both coasts

The Christian Civic League in Maine is giving up on efforts it launched in April to repeal the state's gay rights laws. Its initiative, for which it had only collected a third of the necessary signatures, was a proposed law that "had several components, including repealing Maine's law protecting gays and lesbians from discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodation, credit and education. It would have barred the use of state funds by the attorney general's office for its civil rights teams and civil rights programs in public schools. It would have reaffirmed Maine's existing law that restricts marriages to one man and one woman, and ensured that only one unmarried person or one married couple jointly could adopt a person.”

Michael Heath, the League's executive director and organizer of the initiative, said that one of the issues was that volunteers ""[didn't] want to be aligned with bigotry and homophobia and hatred."

Gay Rights Advocates Seek To Stop Marriage Measure

Gay rights advocates asked California's highest court Friday to keep off the November ballot a citizens' initiative that would again ban same-sex marriage.

Lawyers for Equality California filed a petition arguing that the proposed amendment to the California Constitution should be invalidated because its impact was not made clear to the millions of voters who signed petitions to qualify the measure before the state Supreme Court legalized same-sex unions.

''This court has recognized that gay and lesbian couples have a fundamental right to marry and, as of June 16, such couples have been getting married across the state,'' the petition states.

''Rather than effecting 'no change' in existing California law, the proposed initiative would dramatically change existing law by taking that fundamental right away and inscribing discrimination based on a suspect classification into our state Constitution.''

The petition also claims the so-called California Marriage Protection Act should be disqualified because it would revise, rather than amend, the state Constitution by altering its fundamental guarantee of equality for all -- in essence writing a law the state high court has already found unconstitutional into the constitution.

''If enacted, it would alter the underlying principles on which the California Constitution is based and make far-reaching changes in the nature of our basic government plan, by severely compromising the core constitutional principle of equal citizenship (and) ... by destroying the courts' quintessential power and role of protecting minorities,'' it states.

Unlike a constitutional amendment that can be approved by voters, a constitutional revision requires convening a Constitutional convention or the appointment of a commission to recommend changes to the Legislature and voters, according to the petition submitted by same-sex marriage supporters.

''For good reason, there's a strict process for making revisions to our Constitution, and it's more involved than simply collecting petition signatures,'' said attorney Stephen Bomse in a statement posted on the Web site of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, another petitioner in the case.

''That process is in place to safeguard our basic form of government, especially the most basic principle of equal protection of the laws.''

The petition names Secretary of State Debra Bowen and the measure's sponsors, a coalition of religious and social conservative groups called ProtectMarriage.com, as defendants.

Since Bowen's office already has certified the amendment for the fall election, a spokeswoman says she can remove it only through a court order.

''She has a ministerial duty to certify any initiative when they qualify through the petition process, and she can't remove an initiative without a judge's order,'' said Kate Folmar, a spokeswoman for the secretary of state.

The last time the state Supreme Court was asked to decide if a proposition should remain on the ballot was 2005, when it did so twice. In both decisions, the propositions were allowed to stay on the special election ballot.

In both 2005 cases, the state Supreme Court overturned lower courts who had taken the propositions off the ballot. The propositions were a redistricting initiative backed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and another that would have re-regulated the state's electricity market.

The Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, which represents the measure's sponsors, called the petition a desperate move it would fight.

''This is just another attempt to force a radical political agenda upon the people of California,'' said Defense Fund senior counsel Glen Lavy. ''The opponents of marriage are willing to use any means necessary to impose their will.''

“Despite what President Bush, John McCain and their friends in the oil industry claim, we cannot drill our way out of this problem.”

HARRY REID, Senate Majority Leader, on the White House's bid to start offshore oil and gas drilling

Reverend Neil Thomas

Reverend Neil Thomas married John Sanchez and Joel Wilsey at West Hollywood Park.

[Neil is a wonderful man. He also sings in the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles.]

LOS ANGELES MAYOR TO OFFICIATE GAY MARRIAGE

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will officiate at his first gay marriage ceremony Monday afternoon at Los Angeles City Hall.

The ceremony will join art consultant Gabriel Catone and movie producer Bruce Cohen, whose films include the Academy Award winner "American Beauty." The two have been together for five years.