BoiFromTroy reported yesterday that the California Assembly Judiciary Committee passed by a party line vote the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act which would ensure “equal treatment under the law by allowing same-sex couples to marry in California while continuing to guarantee religious freedom.”

It seems that the legislature is attempting to overturn the will of the people of the Golden State who just five years ago voted in a state law (Prop. 22) to define marriage as the union of the man and a woman.

Under normal circumstances, I would be delighted that the legislature (rather the courts) is taking up the marriage issue. But, given that referendum five years ago–a referendum passed by over 60% of California voters–I fear our posturing state legislature is playing with fire. And that, in the end, they could make things far worse for gay couples in the Golden State.

Indeed, Boi reported today that opponents of gay marriage are already pushing for a state initiative to amend the state’s constitution to ban gay marriage. The “LA TIMES” reports that Randy Thomasson, president of the Campaign for Children and Families, believes that if the legislature votes in favor of gay marriage, it “will ignite the majority of Californians . . . [to] override the politicians.”

Even in “blue” California, most citizens, while open to state recognition of gay couples, oppose calling such relationships “marriages.” They said as much in 2000 when they voted for Prop. 22. Because of the liberal initiative laws in the Golden State, the legislature should be very careful in choosing the bills it passes. Should they go against the will of the people, some interest group will organize and put a initiative on the ballot. And sometimes, that initiative will do more than merely undo the unpopular legislation.

Given the California vote in 2000 and given that some polls have, in recent months, shown an increase in opposition to gay marriage, this action by the legislature will likely backfire and we may be far worse off than we were before. I fear that the end result of this legislation will be an amendment to the state’s constitution defining marriage as the union of one man and one woman. And that is a result most gay people, including those who do not advocate gay marriage, should wish to avoid.

-Dan (AKA GayPatriotWest): GayPatriotWest@aol.com

In a comment, reader Pat Trick, alerted me to this article in the Hartford Courant which noted that only about 3,000 opponents of the state’s civil union law showed up at a protest of this groundbreaking legislation.

This a pretty pathetic turnout, especially since many of those there were bused in from out of state. Pat Trick also observed a number of cars parked near the rally with out-of-state license plates.

This limited opposition seems to be a sign that a broad consensus of the citizens of the Nutmeg State are comfortable with the actions’ of their state’s legislature. And a sign perhaps that the Connecticut legislation may be a model for other states. It may not be a perfect, but it’s one huge step on the right direction.

In 1989, the year I moved to Washington to look for a political job, I had, after just over a year “out of the closet,” gone back in. In the short period when I initially accepted my homosexuality, I did not meet a single gay person who believed same-sex relationships where possible. It was all about the quick hook-up with no possibility of an enduring connection. I felt more out of place in the gay world than I had in the Republican world which I had left shortly before graduating from college a few years earlier.

In D.C., as I looked for a job in the first Bush White House and in various Republican and conservative organizations, I was petrified that someone might find out I had recently lived openly as a gay man in Paris.

As part of my networking, a former colleague introduced me to a woman a few years my senior then working at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) where I had interned in college. This woman invited me to a party where I met a lanky, energetic man, Greg Stevens. Somehow I knew he was gay. And while I was trying to convince myself that I would one day end up with a woman, I wanted Greg to know about my “secret.” I never said anything to him. I did run into him a couple of times when I was over at HUD, but lost touch when I landed a job downtown.

Over the years, as I heard his name, I wondered how I could reconnect with him. When I did come out, his name came up once at a gathering of gay Republicans, but I can no longer remember in what context. I’m sure I asked about his sexuality, just don’t recall the response I got.

This morning, chills ran down my spine when I read this piece in the New York Times about his death in Carrie Fisher’s Hollywood home. (Hat tip to David Ehrenstein for alerting me to the article). The Times identified him as gay, confirming my sense back in 1989. My first thought was, would Greg still be alive had I, back in 1989, had the guts to approach him with my “secret.”
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Tuesday night, I went to an LA press club gathering of bloggers at the L.A. Athletic Club. And there I was fortunate to meet many people whom I had only previously known from their words on the screen. I didn’t at first recognize Roger Simon as he wasn’t wearing the hat he sports in his blog photo. A decent fellow, Roger asked about this blog’s founder. The ever charming BoiFromTroy was there as well. Hugh Hewitt was as gracious, friendly and engaging as I imagined him to be.

Hugh was familiar with this blog’s recent controversy and was delighted to learn that the blog is still going strong, saying, “Glad you’re keeping the flag raised.”

I also met blogress Cathy Seipp, whose wise and witty blog I only recently discovered, thanks to the “ADVOCATE.” (Although not a lesbian, she was the one conservative on their must-read list of bloggers.) And I was impressed that the L.A. TIMES Sunday Opinion editor Bob Sipchen showed up at a crowd largely hostile to his paper. Indeed, Patterico, one of the toughest critics of the Times, was a featured speaker at the event.

Giovindini Murty updated me about the Liberty Film Festival; conservative film-lovers should bookmark her site. Impressed by the quality of conversation of the bloggers I met, I discovered some great new blogs, including SoCalPundit, Baldilocks, Luke Ford and Matt Szabo. I met other great people, but did not alas write down all their names. (MEMO to Bloggers–next time print up cards with the name of your blog.)

And I met Mickey Kaus whose blog was the first I linked as a blogger. I liked Mickey. His intensity, in some ways, matched my own; he was eager to engage me in conversation on gay marriage, particularly speculating why many people, including those tolerant and accepting of gay people, oppose gay marriage. We also discussed our shared passion for driving cross country and I impressed upon him the beauty of North Dakota, a state which I drove across last August. So, let me give his blog a plug, even as I note that our styles are quite different, he, more stream of consciousness, I, essayistic.

It was a great event. And it was good to meet the faces behind words which educate, entertain and enlighten me. Hugh talked about how the media marketplace is changing and bloggers are becoming increasingly important as sources of news and commentary, the theme of his book (which I reviewed here). Given the quality of last night’s crowd, that’s a good thing.

-Dan (AKA GayPatriotWest): GayPatriotWest@aol.com

UPDATE: Hugh provides a more complete list of the bloggers at last night’s shindig.

UPDATE #2: Others blogging on the event include Cathy’s World, SoCalPundit, Flapsblog (with pictures), Luke Ford and Mickey Kaus.

UPDATE #3: Patterico offers his thoughts on the shindig here. And while you’re at his site, check out his great coverage of the LA TIMES’ bias.