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San Francisco faith leaders oppose gay marriage ban
Gay marriage
Episcopal bishops meet to speak out against anti-gay ballot initiative.
"Proposition 8 supports the prohibition of same-sex marriages, and will be voted on as part of the General Election ballot in November 2008"
The Episcopal bishops of California and Los Angeles will meet on 10th September to openly oppose the gay marriage ban initiative.
Proposition 8 supports the prohibition of same-sex marriages, and will be voted on as part of the General Election ballot in November 2008. If passed, the California constitution would be amended with a new section to read: 'only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognised'.
This follows a year of controversy regarding gay marriages. In May the California Supreme Court voted to strike down all bans on same-sex unions, but subsequently refused a stay of its order. State Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger then vetoed two bills approving gay marriages as a direct result.
The Episcopal faith leaders will join gay couples to speak out against the proposal in a bid to counter the huge efforts of the Catholic Church in favour of the ban.
A spokesman from the Episcopal (Anglican) Church said that their faith "stands for equal rights for all persons and fair treatment for all Californians."
Democratic Senator Barack Obama has also announced his opposition to the November initiative, which places gay rights at the centre of the elections.
