Blogcabin California

Laguna Beach became one of the first cities to oppose Proposition 8 or the Marriage Protection Act or “”Eliminates Right of Same-Sex Couples to Marry.  Initiative Constitutional Amendment” in a City Council meeting late Tuesday night.

Proposition 8, drafted for the 2008 California Election Ballot, would limit marriage to only being between a man and a woman if passed, legally prohibiting same-sex marriage.

Mayor Jane Egly and Councilmember Toni Iseman made a jump to bring the opposition before the council as an item in hopes of being the first city in the state to oppose the proposition.

Mayor Egly reminded members of the public present at the council meeting that because of the Brown Act, only two members of City Council may bring an item before the rest of the council, and assured the audience that the entire council supported the opposition.

“I never doubted for a minute – a second – that anyone on this council would not support this,” said Councilmember Elizabeth Pearson.

“I mean this is just who we are,” Pearson continued. “This is one of the things that make Laguna great.”
Councilmember Kelly Boyd became emotional when telling the audience of his great support for the opposition due to the fact that two of his family members are gay and have faced adversity.

All audience members who spoke in the public hearing on the opposition of Proposition 8 supported opposing the limitation and the decision was made unanimously.

As one audience member recounted to the council “It’s such a Laguna thing to do.”

We’ve just come a tremendous, long way in the process” of gay equality, said Frank Ricchiazzi, a co-founder of the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay and lesbian advocacy group and longtime Laguna Beach resident who attended Tuesday’s meeting.

(Special thanks to James Vaughn for contributing this item.)