San Franscisco Mayor on California Supreme Court Ruling for Same-Sex Marriage

"Today, the California Supreme Court took a bold and important step forward to end discrimination in California. The Court’s ruling to grant same-sex couples the right to marry affirms the very best of what California stands for – and proudly continues our state’s long-standing commitment to equality and justice. As San Franciscans, we have taken an irrevocable step toward resolving one of the most important civil rights issues of our generation, and the state's highest court has done the right thing with their ruling. San Francisco is the first government entity in American history to challenge the constitutionality of state marriage laws that discriminate against gay and lesbian couples. I believe that the path San Francisco pursued was not merely right – it was inevitable. It is America’s path – the road to true freedom and equality. The rights afforded by California's Constitution have triumphed, as they must, over laws restricting marriage to opposite-sex couples. In the late 1940s, California courts were among the nation’s first to strike down laws banning inter-racial marriage. The state’s Supreme Court has once again distinguished itself as a leading defender of our civil rights." San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, May 15, 2008