Now that the California Supreme Court has finally issued its advisory opinion that the Prop. 8 Proponents have standing to appeal, we can expect a speedy ruling from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.
We are on the cusp of achieving what we have been fighting for. For countless couples like our plaintiffs, Kris Perry & Sandy Steir and Paul Katami & Jeff Zarrillo, marriage equality cannot come quickly enough.
Help us win the freedom to marry for couples like Kris & Sandy and Paul & Jeff. Make a donation today so we can continue our fight for full federal marriage equality.
The Ninth Circuit’s impending ruling is important for a host of reasons:
First, we are confident that the Court will affirm our historic District Court victory. The anti-marriage Proponents of Prop. 8 failed to present a shred of credible evidence to justify discrimination against gay and lesbian Americans. Marriage is a fundamental right guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution, plain and simple.
Second, a Ninth Circuit victory can set an enormous precedent. The District Court decision that affirmed the right to marry for gay and lesbian Americans has had tremendous impact on public opinion. Since we filed the Perry case, seven national polls now show that a majority of Americans support marriage equality. That support will only grow as our case progresses and Americans are able to see the truth: when you look at the facts no American should ever be denied the fundamental freedom to marry.
Third, the potential reach of our case is greatly amplified. The Ninth Circuit is the largest appeals court in the nation, stretching the entire west coast and as far east as Montana and Arizona. This is an essential and critical step to bring our case before the U.S. Supreme Court and achieve our ultimate goal: full federal marriage equality.
The stakes have never been higher. Your support has never been more important. Please make a tax-deductible donation right now so that we can continue our work to win the freedom to marry for every American.
Every step of the way, AFER's stellar bi-partisan legal team—led by Ted Olson and David Boies, along with experts in sociology, psychology and history, as well as thought and political leaders—is defending the right to marry both inside and outside the courtroom.
The anti-marriage activists that passed Prop. 8 have used up every trick in their book to delay, conceal, and distract from the truth. Now they need to confront the fact that they have no case.
With your support, we will not stop until we win full federal marriage equality—nothing less.
Sincerely,
 |  Chad H. GriffinBoard PresidentAmerican Foundation for Equal Rights |
