CA Supreme Court Imposes Same-Sex 'Marriage,' Overturning Prop. 22

Ruling Underscores importance of November's Ballot Initiative Protecting
Marriage

WASHINGTON, May 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Family Research Council
today sharply criticized the California Supreme Court for its decision
overturning the definition of marriage as the union of a man and a woman,
which was overwhelmingly adopted by 61 percent of the state's voters in a 2000
referendum.

"It's outrageous that the court has overturned not only the historic
definition of marriage, but the clear will of the people of California, as
expressed in Proposition 22." said FRC President Tony Perkins. "The
California Supreme Court assumed the powers of a legislative body by imposing
same-sex 'marriage.' However, in 2000, the people of California spoke loudly
and clearly on the value of marriage when 61 percent of voters approved
Proposition 22."

"The California Supreme Court has taken a jackhammer to the democratic
process, and the right of the people to affect change in public policy. Four
judges discarded the votes of 4,618,673 Californians who approved the state's
'Defense of Marriage Act.' Voters understand that children should not be
deprived of a mother or a father," added Perkins.

FRC urged Californians to support a marriage amendment to the state's
constitution, which is slated to appear on the ballot in the November
election. "Anticipating this ruling from a court of activist judges, over 1.1
million California voters signed petitions placing a constitutional amendment
on the ballot this November. The California Marriage Protection Act will
provide voters with the opportunity to correct this exercise in judicial
activism and to permanently protect the definition of marriage, said Perkins.

"This decision put marriage at risk all across the nation and again highlights
the need for a Marriage Protection Amendment to the U.S. Constitution so that
this divisive campaign for the oxymoron of 'same-sex marriage' will be ended
once and for all."

SOURCE Family Research Council

J.P. Duffy or Maria Donovan, +1-866-FRC-NEWS, both of the Family Research
Council