Reply Brief Filed Today—The Next Step in the Lawsuit Seeking to Overturn Proposition 8

January 5, 2009——Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR), the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), and Lambda Legal filed a reply brief in the California Supreme Court, the next step in the lawsuit seeking to overturn Proposition 8, which passed by a mere 52 percent on November 4.

“But the rights of California minorities to equality under the law, particularly with respect to fundamental and inalienable rights, rest on the bedrock of our Constitution, not on the shifting sands of the ballot box.”
- Reply brief filed January 5, 2009

Read NCLR’s press release and the brief here.

Attorney General Defends Brief Seeking to Invalidate Prop 8

Attorney General Jerry Brown

01.05.09—At a press conference, Jerry Brown said, “People have a right to amend the Constitution. But when it comes to dealing with basic liberties, they should have to demonstrate a compelling interest that it needs to be done for the good of the community.”

Watch here.

Jerry Brown is doing exactly what he is supposed to do as our Attorney General. He is standing up for the California Constitution, which protects the inalienable rights of ALL people, not just the majority. We are lucky to live in a state and a country that value human freedom and the ideal of equality for all. If Ken Starr and the proponents of Prop 8 had their way, even the most fundamental rights of any minority could be put up for a popular vote at any time. But that is why we have a constitution in the first place to protect individual and minority rights. Anyone who cares about freedom and democracy should be applauding Jerry Brown.

—Shannon Minter, NCLR Legal Director