that it's too late for Californians to defeat Prop 8 last November.

Since the issue seems likely to go before voters again, I don't think it's too late for next time, for people to learn from the past.

As far as most gay-rights advocates are concerned, the courts are the only way to do this. Same-sex marriage is their right and the courts simply MUST rule in their favor. That is why they are so outraged about this decision. But the courts do not have to rule in their favor - as proven by the 6-1 decision. The people have to decide to do this, and when that happens the courts will not intervene. In fact they will probably support it. The cause is just and people will support it if they are shown why - and "because it's my due" is not a good enough reason for people to support somebody elses rights. People are not convinced right now that same-sex marriage is in the best interests of society, but they could be (because it is). So... start convincing. Why is this good for society? Not for GLBT people. For everybody else. Why should people support this?

The contrast between this beautiful ad and the rainbow-thing - 'I'm a doctor who can't be a doctor because gay people somewhere might get married' - is absolutely stunning. People will wake up, sooner or later. I hope it's sooner.

In a state where you can conceivably put initiatives on every ballot in any election, is this really over? Why not put an initiative onto the ballot in the next state wide election to overturn Prop. 8?

Obviously the right wing activists were far more active last time around, as the left "sat on its laurels". So, next time the stakes should be evident to all, no? And in one of the few states where the actual majority agree with allowing same sex marriage, if the left is actually engaged and aware (as they no doubt are now) there should be a reverse state constitutional amendment next time.

Did Prop 8 ban 100% of all "unions" for gay couples (marriages as well as civil unions), or does the state still allow civil unions?

(Sorry, I've been following the gay marriage stuff up here in the northeast but not so much out west)

Cheering for illegal aliens and against torture. You know there's only so much righteous anger to go around.

"Why is this good for society? Not for GLBT people. For everybody else. Why should people support this?"

Because it encourages the creation of stable, committed family units, recognized by the government. (And if you don't think marriage is different, by a degree of magnitude, than living together, you have never been married.)

Because it legitimizes the relationships within which children are being raised.

Because it allows for the public legitimization, recognition and legality of relationships decades-long. (Did you see how many married when it was legal after 30, 40 years together?)

Because it is another step in gay families being normal, and offering people who don't want the stereotypical gay sex life in the shadows another option.

You don't see how any of that is good for society?

You know you're preaching to the choir, right?

There's no point whining about what went wrong in 2008.

Time to start working towards repeal in 2010!

It's not, in fact, the case that the justices of the California Supreme Court couldn't do anything about the Prop 8 vote, even thought they were supposedly sympathetic to the cause. As Justice Moreno makes abundantly clear, there was a perfectly reasonable and judicially sound route to voiding the Prop 8 vote as an unconstitutional--and indeed unprecedented--maneuver that drastically restructured the California constitution to the detriment of a historically disfavored minority.

It probably would have been a good idea for you to have gotten one of your colleagues--perhaps a lawyer?--to help you with your analysis before making up your mind about whether the anti-Prop 8 movement was a day late and a dollar short. The only real mistake anti-Prop 8 forces made was assuming that their fellow citizens were less bigoted than they actually turned out to be.

Yes the timing of the anti-Prop 8 ad is too little too late and should have been aired before the election. However, to be honest, the GLBT community in California is exhausted from what seems to be decades of never ending assaults. Nationally and statewide our lives are being denegrated by well-funded political and religious groups with one single pupose. Destroy GLBT organizations and their efforts.

We have been fighting off the Republicans, Mormons, Catholics, Evangelicals for years. The demonization of the GBLT community has been a money-maker for the religious business since the days of Anita Bryant. They need us to be the great boogey-man to stay in business.

It is up to the younger generation to pick up the fight for Gay Rights and stop listening to the same worn out Gay leaders such as Lori Jean at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center. It's time to stop being nice and playing nice. It's time to get angry and start making people uncomfortable. Shut down airports and freeways. Do something, but get off their butts and stop waiting for the old guard to tell them what to do. It's your time. Do something.

Maybe the 18,000 people who felt most strongly about this issue were "busy planning their weddings", one of those unassailable excuses for poor work performance and two-and-a-half weeks vacation during busy season I've been given by lots of straight people I've worked with over the years.

That's it. Maybe those people most directly and immediately affected by the pending Prop 8 vote were just trying to enjoy their (all-too-brief) constitutional right to marry, lulled into beleivng that a court which spoke so eloquently about equal marriage rights on one occasion would NEVER allow them to be taken away on another. Maybe they were spending their money on lavish wedding receptions and honeymoons instead of.....ummm, media buys.

This is a marathon, not a sprint. There are other initiatives, other elections, other court cases. Keep the commercials coming.

And by the way Alex, have YOU made YOUR donation to Equality California today?