I noted last week that those defending California’s prop 8 (which removed the right of marriage from same-sex couples in that state) in the Perry v. Schwarzenegger trial that began today have sought to keep the trial from being televised, though California law permits televised trials. Judge Walker, the federal judge hearing the case, has ruled that it can be live-broadcast through feed at several federal courthouses, and that clips of the trial may be uploaded to YouTube several days after each session.Today, the Supreme Court granted those defending prop 8 a temporary stay to stop the YouTube uploads. Since the defendants of prop 8 seem intent on limiting coverage of the trial—and public access to their arguments against same-sex marriage—it’s important that those of us who want as much information as possible about the court deliberations have access to up-to-date coverage of the trial.
To that end, I’d like to recommend a number of valuable resources that have come online today. Courage Campaign is doing a live blog of the trial, with constant updates. This is an extremely valuable resource in the absence of the YouTube coverage.
Pam’s House Blend will have exclusive coverage and commentary on an ongoing basis by Shannon Minter, Legal Director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights. And Lisa Keen’s Keen News Service is covering the deliberations carefully, with important commentary about how various news sources are dealing with this case.
As the reports from day one found on the Courage Campaign site are already indicating, those defending prop 8 are seeking to depict opposition to same-sex marriage as something mandated by the bible and by Christian belief. For people of faith who read the bible differently, this trial will be an important case to follow. It will be interesting to see if the biblical argument, which prevailed over and over in American courts prior before Loving v. Virginia struck down bans against interracial marriage that purported to be based on the bible, will carry the day in Perry v. Schwarzenegger.
