California Activist: Justices on Ballot Appear Biased Against Traditional Marriage
by James L. Lambert
October 25, 2006
(AgapePress) - - According to a conservative Christian activist, two currently seated California Supreme Court justices whose names appear on the November 7 ballot could ultimately affect the state of marriage in the Golden State. That activist is convinced the re-election of those two justices "has tremendous historical and cultural implications."
According to California law, State Associate Justices Carol A. Corrigan and Joyce L. Kennard must be reconfirmed by voters in order to serve another term in those positions on the California Supreme Court. The state ballot calls for a yes or no vote to either affirm or deny each position.
Corrigan was originally appointed to her position by Governor Arnold Schwarznegger after he hired Democrat Susan Kennedy, an open lesbian, as his chief of staff. Newspaper accounts at that time described Corrigan as living in Oakland with her live-in girlfriend. "You do the math," states The Gay & Lesbian Times in describing the moderate Republican as "(perhaps) the first lesbian appointed to the California Supreme Court."
Kennard, a Republican appointed by Gov. George Deukmejian in 1989, wrote for the minority in a 2004 ruling nullifying same-sex unions that "individuals in 'loving' same-sex relationships have waited years, sometimes several decades, for a chance to wed, yearning to obtain the public validation that only marriage can give." (See related article)
James Hartline, a former homosexual who is now a Christian activist in Southern California, contends that both candidates spell trouble for traditional marriage in his state. "Court rulings and personal lifestyles by these two radical women make it abundantly clear that when the California Supreme Court hears the appeal of a same-sex marriage case, [Corrigan and Kennard] will vote to legalize homosexual [marriage] unions," he says.
Hartline points out that Corrigan voted earlier this month to deny free marina status to the Sea Scouts, an affiliate of the Boy Scouts of America. Originally, free marina rights were granted to all non-profit groups by the City of Berkeley until city council members there began a hostile campaign against the Sea Scouts.
"The City of Berkeley created a discriminatory policy that gave favor to homosexuality over the constitutionally guaranteed right of freedom of association which was then used by city officials in their campaign against the Sea Scouts," Hartline explains. In Berkeley v. Sea Scouts, both Corrigan and Kennard sided with the City of Berkeley. The Christian activist contends the decision in that case further illustrates that the court, with the support of both of these justices, seeks to further affirm the homosexual lifestyle.
Hartline says he is disturbed that practically no one is debating the election of these two justices. "It is a chilling matter that perhaps the most significant judicial votes [of this election cycle] are not even being discussed in the media, either conservative or liberal," he laments. "When California Supreme Court Chief Justice Rose Bird continued to rule against enforcing the death penalty in 1986, voters used this forum to remove her from office."
Hartline believes voters should do the same with Corrigan and Kennedy on November 7.
James L. Lambert, a frequent contributor to AgapePress, is a licensed real-estate mortgage loan sales agent in the San Diego area and can be contacted through his website.
