by Karen Ocamb

For some, the issue of marriage for same-sex couples is about achieving equal rights guaranteed under the U.S. Constitution. For others, it is about the core of their emotional lives — their ability to freely express their love for one another. For yet others, the issue is an affront to traditional marriage, believed in conservative and religious circles to be the glue that holds society together.

All these arguments and more will be put before the California Supreme Court on March 4 in oral arguments stemming from a consolidated LGBT case seeking to overturn California law prohibiting the issuance of civil marriage licenses to couples of the same gender. (IN Los Angeles magazine hit the streets on the same day, so we will have coverage in our next issue.)

More than 90 briefs were filed in the case (posted on the Court’s website, at www.tinyurl.com/2h8cdj), 44 of which were “friend of the court” or amicus briefs, with 30 of those supporting marriage equality, including one filed on behalf of more than 400 local, regional and national religious organizations and clergy supporting separation of church and state. Five of the 14 amicus briefs filed against marriage equality represented fewer than 30 religious organizations, according to Marriage Equality USA (MEUSA).

In an unprecedented collaboration, MEUSA and the San Francisco-based LGBT Bay Area Reporter published a series of articles summarizing the 30 pro-marriage equality briefs on the BAR’s website (www.ebar.com) and MEUSA’s website (www.marriageequality.org).

“The arguments advanced by the amicus briefs are incredibly diverse, inspirational and critically important to understanding the importance of marriage equality in our society,” said Molly McKay, MEUSA’s media director, who co-wrote the articles with Pamela Brown, MEUSA’s policy director.

“Collectively, these amicus briefs repeat the sentiment that this court expressed 60 years ago in their historic Perez v. Sharp decision [striking down the California law barring interracial couples from marrying], that every individual must have the right to marry the person on their choice,” said Brown.

Kevin and Don Norte are one gay couple keeping their eye on the court’s decision, which will be rendered up to 90 days after oral arguments are heard.

Don Norte, who serves on Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Committee on Labor for People with Disabilities, plans to marry his high school sweetheart, Kevin Norte (Don took Kevin’s last name), a Log Cabin Republicans California PAC Board member, in a ceremony conducted by a minister in Provincetown, Mass., on July 7.

The couple then anticipates “enforcing” their marriage rights in California, in anticipation of the court invalidating Prop. 22, which forbids recognition of same-sex marriages from other states. Rev. Troy Perry and his partner Phillip De Bliek—who are party to the case now before the state high court—filed a separate lawsuit demanding recognition of their Canadian marriage.

“One of their first acts will be to re-deed our home as married men,” Kevin Norte told IN.

Additionally, Kevin has asked the governor's office, through the governor’s special assistant, Daniel Zingale, “to take a position similar to the position then-Gov. Reagan took against the Briggs Initiative (which would have banned gay and lesbian teachers) 30 years ago, and oppose the proposed anti-gay ballot initiative” to define marriage as only between a man and a woman in the state constitution. As IN goes to press, Norte has not yet received a reply.