LGBT POV

I worked at CBS News in November 1977 and watched in studio when anchor Walter Cronkite asked Egyptian President Anwar Sadat by satellite if he was willing to hold peace talks with Israel. Sadat said he was willing to go anywhere, including Jerusalem to address the Knesset. He just needed a formal invitation from Israel.  Cronkite immediately ordered up a satellite interview with Israeli Prime Minister Menahem Begin – considered a hard liner – who said he would issue an invitation via the Americans immediately. It was a stunning bit of journalism and I confess I cried when Sadat touched down in Jerusalem and hugged former Prime Minister Golda Meir - whom he called “a tough old lady” who also wanted peace. You didn’t have to be John Lennon or a hippie to think that if this could happen, that there really was hope for peace, justice and equality in the world.

Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 1, I watched on CNN as hard line Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu turned to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas at a meeting in the White House and called Abbas “my partner in peace.” Thursday, direct peace talks begin. Both Israel and its neighbors, including the Palestinians, have a common enemy in expansion-minded Iran so there is cautious hope here. President Barack Obama warned “this moment of opportunity may not soon come again.” Please click inside for a transcript of the remarks made by all the key parties.

MSNBC is reporting that actress and socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor ’s husband, Frederick Prinz von Anhalt, called 911 on Tuesday because Gabor was “unresponsive.”  The 93 year old actress had been given last rites and returned to the couple’s Bel Air home to die.

Here’s an old interview with Zsa Zsa in a story by John Tesh:

Temperatures in the Los Angeles area are expected to reach 95 degrees today – part of a heat wave this week. While many of us know that the heat particularly impacts infants, the elderly and the ill, the LA County Department of Animal Care and Control (DACC) also cautions that pets are at risk, too, and must also be kept cool and comfortable. My little rescue dogs – Pepper and Charlie – pictured here in the little yard area outside our WeHo apartment, actually love the sun. But they bask only for a few minutes then retreat inside. If it gets too hot, I spritz them with water.

Here’s the county’s advisory:

In extreme heat, it is best to leave your pets at home.  Limit your pet’s exercise to early morning or evening hours.  Pets can suffer from heat exhaustion and heat stroke, which can be life-threatening. Be aware of common signs of heat stress, which could include: heavy panting, glazed eyes, a rapid pulse, or vomiting. Should this happen, immediately immerse (or spray) your pet with cool water and take the animal to a veterinarian as soon as possible.

Always make sure your pets have easy access to clean, fresh water and a cool, shaded area during the day.  Never leave a pet in a parked car.  Not only can leaving your pet in a car be fatal, but it is also a crime. Even with the windows open, the inside temperature of a car can easily soar to 120 degrees within minutes on a warm day.

These precautions are as important for rabbits, birds, hamsters, etc. as they are for dogs and cats. These small animals are especially sensitive and cannot withstand hot temperatures for long periods of time.  They should be caged in a cool, shaded area and out of direct sunlight.  They must always have cool, fresh water as well.

For more information, visit our website, http://animalcare.lacounty.gov or contact or visit your local animal shelter.

The California Legislature is on a bi-partisan roll when it comes to LGBT rights. Monday, Aug. 23, the State Senate unanimously passed (36-0) a bill to repeal the antiquated language in the California Welfare and Institutions code that tells the California Department of Mental Health to conduct research into the “causes and cures of homosexuality,” implying that gay people are inherently sexual deviants, potential sex offenders and a threat to children.

The Repeal of Discriminatory Code bill, AB 2199, was introduced by Assemblymember Bonnie Lowenthal (D-Long Beach) – pictured here on the left with San Francisco District Attorney Kamala Harris and Equality California executive director Geoff Kors at the EQCA gala last Saturday. EQCA sponsored the bill, which garnered considerable media attention because no one could believe such a law was still on the books.

Please click inside for more on the bill and the DOMA resolution.

“Rami” tells about being a gay Palestinian boy who was persecuted by family and friends and convicted of being gay at age12. After three years in jail, he was released and fled to Israel, the only country in the Middle East where homosexuality is not illegal. With no work, he became a male prostitute at 15 with devastating personal impact. He found an LGBT center but was afraid to get caught going there too, lest the Israeli police deport him. This video from the BBC series “Secret Lives: Middle Eastern Taboos.” Hat tip to Andy at UK Gay News.

There are a few General Admission tickets left for the LA Gay & Lesbian Center’s popular Simply diVine event. Center CEO Lorri Jean says this is her favorite summer event – a night under the stars at Two Rodeo in Beverly Hills –- where folks can mingle and sample wines and food from restaurants and wineries. Other drinks are also available, including sake, beer, margaritas and vodka cocktails—and non-alcoholic beverages, too. Visit www.simplydivinela.org.  General admission ticket: $150

CNN reports that an Iowa egg producer has recalled more than 170.4 million eggs distributed to stores and companies serving 14 states – including California. Some of those bad eggs with salmonella have been distributed in Los Angeles- INCLUDING ALBERTSONS AND RALPHS.  The elderly, infants, and people with compromised immune systems through HIV/AIDS or cancer are particularly at risk for more serious illness or reaction. Bottom line: DO NOT USE RAW EGGS AT ALL; COOK OR BOIL. ALSO – BE AWARE OF RAW EGGS USED IN SOME FOODS – SUCH AS CAESAR SALAD DRESSING, HOLLANDAISE SAUSE,  MOUSEE, AND TIRAMISU.

PLEASE CHECK THIS CNN SITE FOR COMPLETE BRAND NAMES AND PLANT ID NUMBERS.

I’m going to be on Warren Olney’s “Which Way LA” show on KCRW at 7:00pm tonight. The station number is 89.9 FM.

I’m talking about the 9th Circuit’s stay on Judge Walker’s Prop 8 ruling…..and I’m not a happy camper.

This is me sitting in the office of WeHo Mayor Prop Tem John Duran (in a photo taken by his deputy, Hernan Molina) just before running over to King’s Road Park to cover what everyone thought would be an avalanche of same sex marriages.  I witnessed the elation and I felt the despondency when the stay was lifted then temporarily extended. After a news conference, I dashed over to WeHo City Hall to call Tim Curran, my friend and news editor at Sirius/XM OutQ News to record a “reaction” to Judge Walker’s ruling on the stay. Tim just blogged about it – and provided some audio of that somewhat breathless report.

I’m really glad he did because I’ve been caught up in radio reports and other news stories and haven’t had a chance to write my own piece.

But here’s the thing — this one was personal and I’m trying to figure out why. I’ve already had a few epiphanies so now that Tim has been kind enough to offer a contribution from me, news-wise – I’m going to spend tonight writing a more emotional eyewitness account. Some of it is funny, in a curious way. For instance, everything at Kings Road took place under a big banner advertising “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.” Things like that.

Anyway – here’s Tim’s piece. I’ll post mine in the morning – probably in sections, if it gets too long with photos and videos and such.

CA couples’ high and low reaction to stay decision

Crowds of same-sex couples hoping to get married at city halls across California experienced elation followed by disappointment Thursday afternoon.

First they heard a federal judge had lifted a stay on his ruling that overturned the Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage. Then minutes later they learned U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker had delayed the effective date of that decision until next Wednesday.

OutQ Correspondent Karen Ocamb was at West Hollywood City Hall. Moments after the decision came down, she described the excitement as word came on the Freedom To Marry twitter feed that the stay had been lifted.

Ocamb: “Everybody was cheering, ‘Yay! Yay! We’re gonna start performing marriages as soon as the couples get their licenses, and start showing up here’. And then, ‘Wait a second, wait a second, we need confirmation of that.’ And then slowly, when that started coming in — that people actually started reading the ruling and that there was a stay until August 18th — all of a sudden, you could just feel the deflation. I mean, we’re outside, but you could feel everybody getting despondent. This emotional roller-coaster was happening again.”

The delay in lifting the stay gives same-sex marriage opponents the chance to apply for an emergency stay from the Ninth Circuit U-S Court of Appeals, which they have vowed to do.  Listen to the full interview with OutQ correspondent Karen Ocamb (4:20)

–Tim Curran

Read More →

There’s a protest against the National Organization’s Ruth Institute tonight at 6:00pm at the Renaissance Airport Hotel, 9620 Airport Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90045. Please click here for the report I posted yesterday about the Ruth Institute and why it’s important to let them know LGBT exist and are just fine and “normal,” thank you very much – except we’re righteously angry over the efforts by NOM and RI to continue to deprive LGBT of full and equal rights to citizenship.

This is from organizers Arturo Sernas and Carlos Ramirez:

The Ruth Institute (RI), a project of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), will hold an opening Gala event in Los Angeles for its It Takes a Family ‘10 weekend Student conference at the Renaissance Airport Hotel.  Operating under the slogans: One Man One Woman For Life and Making Marriage Cool, the Ruth Institute (www.ruthinstitute.org) is proudly part of openly homophobic NOM.

Six independent grassroots activists have made a call to demonstrate at the hotel (tiny.cc/n12jm) to counter the homophobic and discriminatory messaging of RI. Activists will rally to challenge RI and its message of hate and their disinformation campaign primarily aimed at youth and young adults.  RI and NOM see the current trend in liberalization of attitudes on social issues, like gay marriage, as a threat to heterosexual “opposite” marriage. With the recent ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker that Prop. 8 is unconstitutional, confronting the Ruth Institute and its relations with NOM on August 12^th bears heavy significance.

NOM’s current Summer for Marriage 2010 Tour is not only failing to rally its “audience” but has emboldened large numbers of pro-LGBT activists to confront their hate and bigotry. L.A. must follow their example and tell the Ruth Institute that they and their discrimination are not welcomed here.

L.A. says NO! to Anti-Gay Hate!

WEST HOLLYWOOD CITY CLERK TOM WEST (pictured) JUST ISSUED THE FOLLOWING ADVISORY ON WHERE TO GET MARRIAGE LICENSES. I’M HEAING DOWN TO WEHO’S KING’S ROAD PARK TO POST REACTION AND WILL FILL ASAP THEREAFTER.

City Clerk Issues Update on Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies

Posted Date: 8/12/2010

U.S. District Court Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker is expected today, between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m. to rule whether or not he will lift the stay on same-sex marriages. If the stay is lifted by Judge Walker, in conjunction with the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s Office, the City of West Hollywood will begin performing civil ceremonies on Thursday, August 12, 2010. Once the stay is lifted, ceremonies will be performed on a first-come first-served basis between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. Please continue to check our website for updates as we plan to eventually only perform ceremonies by appointment.

To obtain a civil ceremony you must first visit one of the County’s branch offices (see the listing below) and obtain a marriage license. While obtaining your license you must let the County know that you are planning to have a civil ceremony at the City of West Hollywood and ask to pre-pay for your ceremony. Please read the information below for more details on obtaining a marriage license. 

Once you have obtained your license please got to Kings Road Park – 1000 N. Kings Road Park, West Hollywood, CA 90069 – to have your civil ceremony. (Remember – Please bring all paperwork and receipts provided to you by County when coming to City Hall for your civil Ceremony.)

The Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder’s Office branch offices are listed below and at their website Their marriage information line is 562/462-2137. The closest branch to West Hollywood is the Beverly Hills Branch, highlighted below.

COUNTY BRANCH OFFICES

AVALON – Catalina Branch Court – (310) 510-0026 (Call for appointment)

BEVERLY HILLS – 9355 Burton Way, 1st Floor – (310) 288-1261 – Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., M-F 
Closed the 3rd Wednesday of each month due to court closure.

LANCASTER - 1028 W. Avenue J2 – (661) 945-6446 – Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., M-F

LAX COURTHOUSE – 11701 S. La Cienega Blvd, 6th Floor – (310) 727-6142 – Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., M-F

LOS ANGELES – 4716 East Cesar Chavez Avenue – (323) 260-2991 – Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., M-F

LOS ANGELES – 7807 S. Compton Avenue – (323) 586-6192 – Hrs. 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., M-F

NORWALK – 12400 Imperial Highway – (562) 462-2137 – Hrs: 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., M-F

VAN NUYS – 14340 West Sylvan Street – (818) 376-3700 – Hrs: 8:30 a.m. – 3:00 p.m., M-F

If you wish to obtain a marriage license, couples are encouraged to complete the application for a marriage license online. It’s easy and saves time. Click on “Marriage Licenses and Ceremonies.” Once the online application is completed, you must pay for and pick up your marriage license at any location listed on the County’s website. Both couples must be present to pick up the license. Please see the requirements for obtaining a marriage license below.

Please note that once you obtain your license, you must have a ceremony to solemnize your marriage within 90 days. You are not married until you have the ceremony. The ceremony can either be a civil ceremony or a private ceremony performed by someone with the authority to solemnize a marriage. For more information about who can perform a ceremony, please visit the County’s website.

In order to obtain a marriage license: • Both parties must provide valid photo ID (driver’s license, passport, state ID card, resident alien card). If a person’s ID does not contain their full legal name they must provide a certified copy of their birth record or a social security card. 
• Both parties must appear to apply for and pick up their marriage license. There is a fee of $90 for a public marriage license and $85 for a confidential license. The fee for a civil marriage ceremony is $25. And the fee to have a certified copy of you marriage license mailed to you is $13. (Cash, check or money orders will be accepted. If paying by check, valid identification i.e. driver’s license of the signer is required and must be presented at time of request.) 
• If a person has been divorced within the last two years they must bring in a certified copy of their divorce decree. 
• Parties who have entered into a State Register Domestic Partnership must provide proof of termination, if the termination occurred within the last two years or less. If the termination was more than two years, written proof may not be required, but the date of the termination must be provided at the same time the license is requested. 
• Parties marrying the same partner, who each entered into a State Register Domestic Partnership must present a copy of the Declaration of Domestic Partnership.

Changing your name when you get married The Name Equality Act of 2007 (AB 102, Chapter 567, Statutes of 2007) gives specific rights to parties at the time they are applying for a California marriage license to choose and list on the marriage license the name that each party will go by after marriage.

Parties are not required to have the same name, nor are they required to change their name. For specific rules and information regarding name changes please visit the County’s website.

Since its incorporation in 1984, the City of West Hollywood has been one of the most ardent advocates for the legal rights of same-sex couples and the right to marry. It was one of the first cities in the country to pass a resolution in support of same-sex marriage. The City, along with a number of other cities in California, filed an amicus brief in the case in support of same-sex marriage rights. The City of West Hollywood is known throughout the world for its pioneering efforts on behalf of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered (LGBT) rights and established one of the first domestic partnership laws in the country in 1985.

For more information, please call our marriage hotline at 323-848-6332 and leave a message. Messages will be returned promptly.

Both sides in the battle over Prop 8 have until 5:00pm Pacific today to file papers with District Court Judge Vaughn Walker on whether he should lift or continue the temporary stay on his Prop 8 ruling. The stay remains in effect until he rules.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown filed motions opposing the stay.

On Wednesday, Walker found Prop 8 unconstitutional in the case of Perry v. Schwarzenegger and enjoined the defendants – the governor and agencies of the state of California and the Clerk-Recorders for Alameda and Los Angeles counties from enforcing Prop 8.

But Dean Logan, the Registrar-Recorder/ County Clerk for Los Angeles County, who was named in the lawsuit, is prepared to issue marriage licenses and Tom West, the Clerk of the City of West Hollywood, is preparing to have weddings performed in that city – as soon as the order is lifted – if it’s lifted.

DEAN C. LOGAN
Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk, Los Angeles County told me:

“My office is definitely following all developments concerning the ruling and subsequent order to stay judgment. We plan to take immediate action to implement the court’s orders if the stay is lifted and judgment is entered. Operations wise the department is ready to issue same sex marriage licenses, our marriage license forms would not need to be altered and I have directed management staff to prepare for possible implementation.

We have received a number inquiries from members of the public regarding marriage licenses and also to volunteer as deputy commissioners of civil marriages. At this point we can only wait to see what action the court makes.”

Tom West says that he is working to have West Hollywood city councilmembers deputized on Monday in case the window in which to perform same sex marriages is short. “We’re hoping to perform same sex marriages as fast as we can,” West told me.

For local residents, West suggests applying for a marriage license online through the LA County Registrar’s office - and then going to the Beverly Hills Courthouse office to pick up the license. That’s at 9355 Burton Way in Beverly Hills,  90210. Their hours are 8:30-3:00pm Monday-Friday.

West said he is also preparing to have marriages performed at West Hollywood City Hall (pictured), which is 1.3 miles from the Beverly Hills Courthouse. He requests that people call to say they are coming so he can schedule the ceremonies: 323-848-6409.

Meanwhile, both Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown filed  motions opposing the stay. As Equality California Executive Director Geoff Kors said in a piece in the Huffington Post, Brown’s opposition to Prop 8 is critical, considering that his opponents in the November elections, Meg Whitman, would order the Attorney General to fight to uphold Prop 8. LA County District Attorney Steve Cooley also said he would fight to uphold Prop 8. He is running for AG against San Francisco DA Kamal Harris.

Kors says of Brown’s opposition to the stay:

“We are truly grateful to Attorney General Brown for opposing a stay in this landmark case, as there is simply no valid reason to deny a loving same-sex couple the freedom to marry. With the State of California opposing a stay, there is no justification for not resuming marriages for same-sex couples immediately. Brown has long fought for all Californians to enjoy equality and the constitutional protections promised to each of us. As we stand at a historic crossroads, we need a leader who strives to unite Californians and who shuns the destructive politics of division. With his tremendous leadership, Brown has demonstrated why he should be our state’s next governor.

Equality California will stand firmly with Brown in his candidacy for governor, just as he has stood with our community and on the side of justice.”

Here’s the conclusion of  Schwarzenegger’s motion:

“The United States Supreme Court has cautioned lower courts against “reflexively holding a final order in abeyance pending review.” Nken, 129 S. Ct. at 1757. Such caution is warranted here. Allowing this Court’s judgment to take effect, and denying the extraordinary relief of a stay, furthers California’s vital interest in respecting the relationships of same-sex couples and does not burden any governmental interest. Accordingly, the Administration respectfully requests that the Court deny defendant-intervenors’ motion for stay pending appeal.”

Here’s Brown’s motion:

“The Attorney General opposes Defendant-Intervenors’ Request for a Stay of this Court’s August 4, 2010 Order permanently enjoining the application or enforcement of Proposition 8 pending appeal of that Order. As the Attorney General has consistently stated and as was convincingly demonstrated at trial, Proposition 8 violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the United States Constitution. Defendant-Intervenors thus cannot demonstrate a likelihood of success on the merits in their appeal of this Court’s Order. Moreover, as this Court has concluded that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, the public interest weighs against its continued enforcement.       Defendant-Intervenors’ argument that the Attorney General’s opposition to Plaintiffs’ initial request for a preliminary injunction supports their request for a stay pending appeal ignores the fact that there has now been a trial on the merits that conclusively demonstrated that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. In opposing the request for a preliminary injunction, the Attorney General argued that “the parties, the Court, and, indeed, the general public would benefit” from having the constitutionality of Proposition 8 “decided on the merits following full briefing and argument by the parties.” (Attorney General’s Opposition to Plaintiffs’ Motion for

Preliminary Injunction at 11–12.) That has now occurred. And while there is still the potential for limited administrative burdens should future marriages of same-sex couples be later declared 12      invalid, these potential burdens are outweighed by this Court’s conclusion, based on the overwhelming evidence, that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Accordingly, the harm to the plaintiffs outweighs any harm to the state defendants.

There is now a final determination that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional. Each of the four 16      factors this Court must consider in determining whether a stay is warranted weigh against a stay. See Golden Gate Rest. Ass’n v. San Francisco, 512 F.3d 1112, 115 (9th Cir. 2008). Accordingly,the Attorney General respectfully requests that Defendant-Intervenors’ request for a stay pending appeal be denied.”

West Hollywood just issued this press release:

West Hollywood City Clerk Issues Update on

Same-Sex Marriage Ceremonies in West Hollywood

WEST HOLLYWOOD – The recent historic ruling made by U.S. District Court Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker which held that California’s Proposition 8 is unconstitutional, has created an overwhelming interest in same-sex marriages. The City of West Hollywood is gearing up for the possibility of the U.S. District Court lifting its stay on same-sex marriages. In conjunction with Los Angeles County, the City of West Hollywood is preparing to officiate same-sex marriage ceremonies once the stay is lifted.

“The City of West Hollywood is working closely with the Los Angeles County Register-Recorder/County Clerk,” said West Hollywood City Clerk Tom West.  “At this point the final entry of the judgment regarding Proposition 8 has been stayed by the U.S. District Court. Both Los Angeles County and the City of West Hollywood are auditing developments with the Court Order and will keep the public abreast of all new updates,” continued Tom West.

“I am ecstatic that people who love each other will again have the opportunity to marry,” said West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman. “Judge Vaughn R. Walker’s ruling is a tremendous milestone for LGBT people and all Californians. We may again join with L.A. County to perform marriage ceremonies,” continued Mayor John Heilman.

“Now that our right to due process and equal protection has been reaffirmed by our courts, it is time to resume the issuance of marriage licenses and be part of such an important part of people’s lives as it is marriage” said Mayor Pro Tempore John J. Duran. “West Hollywood has been a place of tolerance, in which LGBT people have not only been accepted but also embraced; thus, it is a natural place for people to marry,” added Mayor Pro Tempore Duran.

The City of West Hollywood was one of the first cities in the country to pass a resolution in support of same-sex marriage. The City has been one of the most ardent and vocal advocates for the legal rights of same-sex couples and the right to marry, both in and outside its City boundaries. Since 1995, the City Council has passed almost a dozen resolutions supporting progressive

domestic rights initiatives, and condemning the opposite, in various states and on the federal level.

The California Supreme Court ruled on May 15, 2008 that same-sex couples had the right to wed. From June 17 until Nov. 4, 2008, the City of West Hollywood issued more than 1,000 same-sex marriage licenses and performed more than 600 marriage ceremonies. When Proposition 8 was passed by the state of California in November 2008, the law was overturned and same-sex marriages were no longer allowed. In May 2009, the California

Supreme Court made a devastating ruling that upheld Proposition 8 and reinstated the ban on same-sex marriage in California and halted all same-sex marriages in the state. The marriages granted during this time period, however, remain legally recognized.

For updates regarding the status of marriage equality and the issuance of same-sex marriage licenses, please contact Tom West, West Hollywood City Clerk at (323) 848-6408.

After speaking at a press conference in San Francisco on Wednesday to discuss U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker’s historic decision declaring Prop. 8 unconstitutional, the plaintiffs and their legal team — headed by Ted Olson and David Boies — flew back to L.A. to appear as the sun was setting at a rally in West Hollywood Park. The American Foundation for Equal Rights, which initiated the lawsuit, also put on the rally that featured speakers including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa; West Hollywood Mayor John Heilman; Perry v. Schwarzenegger plaintiffs Kris Perry and Sandy Stier, and Paul Katami and Jeff Zarrillo; and attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies.

Photos by Mark Hefflinger

CLICK INSIDE FOR A PHOTO SLIDESHOW FROM THE RALLY—>>

Prop 8 Ruling FINAL

This from Jon Davidson, Legal Director for Lambda Legal, about the ruling by Judge Vaughn Walker:

“The plaintiffs won on both Equal Protection and Due Process grounds.

The judge found that Prop 8 is unconstitutional and enjoined it enforcement. He ordered that all defendants stop enforcing Prop 8 and start allowing same sex couples to marry again.  He directed the clerk to enter the judgment.

I expect to rule on the stay of his ruling but as far as know, he hasn’t yet.

The judge also found that there was not even a rational basis for excluding same sex couples from marriage. He described the evidence as overwhelming that the measure was unconstitutional.”

Davidson is still reading the ruling but he offered this:

“This is an historic decision. Clearly Judge Walker asked for and received a detailed factual record that will help guide consideration of these issues on appeal.”

UPDATE: THE JUDGE JUST STAYED HIS RULING TEMPORARILY UNTIL HE HEARS A MOTION ON AUG. 6

Conclusion of Walker’s ruling:

“Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion that opposite- sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. Because California has no interest in discriminating against gay men and lesbians, and because Proposition 8 prevents California from fulfilling its constitutional obligation to provide marriages on an equal basis, the court concludes that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional.”

READ THE FULL DECISION HERE.

Graphic from 10News.com

CNN REPORTING: U.S. District Court Judge Vaugn Walker ruled today that Prop 8, the voter-passed California constitutional amendment that stripped same sex couples of the right to marry – is unconstitutional under due process and equal protection!

CNN is live at Abbey in WeHo!

Twenty-five year old Mitrice Richardson – a lesbian who has been missing since September of last year – may be in Las Vegas, law enforcement officials said Thursday.

Law enforcement officials from Los Angeles and Nevada held a news conference Thursday in Las Vegas asking for the public’s help in finding Mitrice Richardson – and pleading with the young woman to please come forward.  Richardson has been missing since she was released from a Malibu police station where she was taken after she exhibited bizarre behavior and failed to pay her restaurant bill.  Her car had been impounded and she left the station without her cell phone or wallet.

That was last September and both the LAPD and the LA Sheriff’s Department have been looking for her ever since. Please click inside for more information about Mitrice and the independent investigation into how law enforcement has handled her case.

LA County Sheriff’s spokesperson Steve Whitmore told me that the news conference has already generated several new leads. He says police have already checked out over 70 leads, in addition to the two that brought them to Las Vegas.

Anyone with information about Mitrice Richardson should contact law enforcement or call (877) LAPD-24-7, or (702) 750-433.

Here’s a Las Vegas news report in advance of the news conference:

Video streaming by Ustream

“The rich are different from you and me”, says Nick Carraway, F. Scott Fitzgerald’s protagonist in The Great Gatsby. That’s the East Coast. On the West Coast, it’s fame – the latest example being actress/singer Lindsay Lohan, pictured here in her booking photo. She reported to the Beverly Hills courthouse Tuesday morning where she was taking into custody and delivered to an L.A. County jail in Lynwood, where she will serve 13 days of a 90-day sentence in “isolation” on a fame-ward.  LA County Sheriff Lee Baca – who let Paris Hilton out of jail when the socialite said she was having a mental breakdown in jail, says Lohan’s early release is due to prison over-crowding. Here’s the LA Times story on Lohan’s surrender.