It was a case of the public voting on public policy directly. --- it's a good thing the USA is not a democracy
On Jan 6, 2:43 pm, dick thompson <[email protected]> wrote: > Who tried to bribe the lawmakers - and what does that have to do with an > electoral initiative. This was not a case of law by the lawmakers. It > was a case of the public voting on public policy directly. The > lawmakers had nothing to do with it. > > > > plainolamerican wrote: > > Attorneys for Proposition 8 backers said television coverage would > > expose their witnesses to further harassment and intimidation > > --- > > and expose those who attempt to bribe the lawmakers > > > On Jan 6, 1:40 pm, dick thompson <[email protected]> wrote: > > >> Home <http://www.washingtontimes.com/> News > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news> *National* > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/national> > > >> Wednesday, January 6, 2010 > > >> Gay-marriage foes slam plans to televise Prop 8 trial > > >> Rate this story > > >> /critic/1/1/79/407075/vote/?r=/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-lash-out- > >> at-plan-to-televise-pro/ > >> /critic/1/2/79/407075/vote/?r=/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-lash-out- > >> at-plan-to-televise-pro/ > >> /critic/1/3/79/407075/vote/?r=/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-lash-out- > >> at-plan-to-televise-pro/ > >> /critic/1/4/79/407075/vote/?r=/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-lash-out- > >> at-plan-to-televise-pro/ > >> /critic/1/5/79/407075/vote/?r=/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-lash-out- > >> at-plan-to-televise-pro/ > > >> Average 0.00 > >> after 0 votes > >> Login or register to rate this story <javascript:registration_callback();> > > >> Witnesses harassment feared > > >> * Font Size - > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-las...>+ > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-las...> > >> * Print > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-las...> > >> * Email > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/mailfriend/79/407075/154889f326/> > >> * Comment > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-las...> > >> * Tweet this! > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-las...> > >> * Yahoo! Buzz > >> > >> <http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzz?publisherurn=washington_ti859&guid=http%3A...> > >> * > >> Share <http://www.addthis.com/bookmark.php?v=250&pub=washingtontimes> > > >> * Article > >> * Comments (38) > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/gay-marriage-foes-las...> > >> * Click-2-Listen > >> > >> <javascript:OpenC2LWindow('WashingtonTimes','news_2010_jan_06_gay-marriage- > >> > >> foes-lash-out-at-plan-to-televise-pro',m_nwamp3_file,'dfp_zone='+sitepage,' > >> WashingtonTimes','','Production');void(0);> > > >> More National Stories > > >> * Obama: $250M in education initiatives > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/obama-announce-250m-e...> > >> * Vegas gunman had past of crime > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/vegas-gunman-had-past...> > >> * Massachusetts college bans face coverings > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/massachusetts-college...> > >> * Facility opens to help military families with bereavement > >> > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/jan/06/facility-opens-to-hel...> > > >> By Valerie Richardson > >> <http://www.washingtontimes.com/staff/valerie-richardson/> > > >> Supporters of traditional marriage are outraged over a California > >> judge's efforts to bring television cameras into court next week to > >> cover a trial challenging Proposition 8, California's initiative against > >> gay marriage. > > >> Judge Vaughn R. Walker, chief judge of the Northern District of > >> California, proposed a last-minute revision of the court's rules that > >> would allow television coverage of the trial. Those who want to comment > >> have until Friday, and the trial begins Monday. > > >> Attorneys for Proposition 8 backers said television coverage would > >> expose their witnesses to further harassment and intimidation. Backers > >> of Proposition 8 were targeted for harassment in the months after the > >> initiative's passage in November 2008. Some donors received threatening > >> e-mails, letters and phone calls, while churches and businesses were > >> singled out for boycotts and protests. > > >> Brian Brown, executive director of the National Organization for > >> Marriage, which campaigned for Proposition 8 but isn't a party to the > >> case, said he is worried about the safety of witnesses, who could > >> include contributors, campaign staff and volunteers. > > >> "The question is really whether Judge Walker can put people on the stand > >> where they can be threatened," said Mr. Brown. "It's a question of > >> people's safety." > > >> A hearing on the matter is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday in San > >> Francisco, said David Madden, a spokesman for the 9th U.S. Circuit Court > >> of Appeals. > > >> He said the rules and parameters for any televised coverage were under > >> discussion, including decisions on how many cameras to allow, where to > >> place the cameras, and whose cameras would be permitted in the courtroom. > > >> "We're trying to work this all out," said Mr. Madden. "We want to make > >> sure people know we're being very cautious about this." > > >> The court ordinarily bans television, radio and photography, but the > >> Judicial Council of the 9th Circuit announced Dec. 17 that it approved > >> on an experimental basis "the limited use of cameras in federal courts > >> within the system." > > >> "We hope that being able to see and hear what transpires in the > >> courtroom will lead to a better public understanding of our judicial > >> processes and enhanced confidence in the rule of law," said 9th Circuit > >> Chief Judge Alex Kozinski. "The experiment is designed to help us find > >> the right balance between the public's right to access to the courts and > >> the parties' right to a fair and dignified proceeding." > > >> Since 1991, the 9th Circuit has allowed some television and radio > >> broadcasting of oral arguments with the approval of the judges hearing > >> the case, according to a statement issued by the court. > > >> Those backing cameras in the courtroom include a consortium of media > >> outlets as well as gay rights groups. The Courage Campaign on Tuesday > >> sent an alert asking its members to sign a petition in favor of > >> television coverage. > > >> "The case presents issues that are very important to the public, and > >> will affect millions of people," said Rick Jacobs, chairman of the > >> Courage Campaign, a group that advocates gay marriage. "However, if the > >> case is not televised, only a tiny fraction will ever be able to watch > >> the trial in person. > > >> "By televising the trial, the public will be able to see for themselves > >> the arguments and evidence presented by both sides, and will therefore > >> have more confidence in the outcome of the trial," he said. > > >> Meanwhile, opponents of same-sex marriage point out that the > >> experimental use of cameras was intended initially for low-profile > >> cases, while the Proposition 8 trial has generated huge media interest. > > >> The lawsuit, filed in June by two same-sex couples, argues that > >> Proposition 8 violates the U.S. Constitution. Representing the > >> plaintiffs are high-profile lawyers Theodore Olson and David Boies, who > >> argued on opposite sides of the U.S. Supreme Court case to decide the > >> 2000 presidential election. > > >> Critics have accused Judge Walker of judicial bias, pointing to an > >> earlier ruling against Proposition 8. Attorneys for the plaintiffs had > >> asked to see internal Proposition 8 campaign communications, arguing > >> that they might reveal attempts to create a "discriminatory animus" > >> against gays. > > >> Judge Walker ruled in favor of the plaintiffs, but a federal appeals > >> court panel in December reversed his decision. > > >> "Judge Walker has not shown himself to be an impartial judge in this > >> case," said Mr. Brown. "He has attempted to make this entire process a > >> circus, and he wants to be the ringleader by putting it on television." > > >> The California Supreme Court ruled in favor of allowing same-sex > >> marriage in May 2008, but the decision was overruled six months later by > >> Proposition 8, which California voters approved by a margin of 52 > >> percent to 48 percent. > > >> [Get Copyright Permissions] Click here for reprint permissions! > >> <http://license.icopyright.net/3.7280?icx_id=/news/2010/jan/06/gay-mar...> > >> Copyright 2009 The Washington Times, LLC- Hide quoted text - > > - Show quoted text -
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