Californians Await Supreme Court Prop 8 Decision

The Supreme Court delayed the hearing for Proposition 8 on Monday although many Californians continue to wait for a decision on gay marriage.

Justices of the Supreme Court pushed back appeals to the 2008 referendum with no projected date to hear the case. Proposition 8 amended the California constitution to outlaw gay marriage in the state. The Western federal circuit court struck down the amendment and awaits a Supreme Court decision. However, the appeal may not be heard until November.

West Hollywood council member John Duran urges Californians to not speculate too much on this decision and watch the Supreme Court's rulings on other appeals related to gay marriage.

"They could be gathering more information or they could be waiting to make a decision on the Defense of Marriage Act," said Duran. "The problem is there are so many gay and lesbian couples out there waiting for four years to get married."

Duran said West Hollywood was the first city in America to allow gay marriages and recorded over 16,000 same-sex marriages during the summer of 2008 when the California Supreme Court guaranteed same-sex marriage. Although Proposition 8 passed five months later, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals filed an appeal to the Supreme Court.

While some Californians would like the Supreme Court to strike down Prop. 8, Duran stated that the court must make a decison based on the social climate of the county, not the state. He cited the interracial court case, Loving v. Virginia and said that "the country had to be ready first before the court could make this ruling."