So with all the passing of Prop 8 recently, I almost didn't here about this. It was a small picture on Yahoos page and I think it is a interesting story.

After Calif. loss, gays get right to wed in Conn.



By JOHN CHRISTOFFERSEN, Associated Press Writer John Christoffersen, Associated Press Writer - 29 mins ago
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NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Same-sex couples walked joyfully down the aisle Wednesday for the first time in Connecticut, while gay activists planned to march in protests across the country over the vote that took away their right to marry in California.

Advocates said they expected thousands at a demonstration at Boston's City Hall Plaza later Wednesday, with gay couples and families featured to try to keep the tone positive, said Ryan McNeely, an organizer for the Join the Impact protest movement.

"We're not trying to convey an image of persecution, we're not trying to attack any specific group," he said. "The point we need to be making is that we need to bring everybody together and to respect each other, and that hate breeds hate."

Bubbles and white balloons bounced in the chilly autumn air as well-wishers cheered the marriage of Peg Oliveira and Jennifer Vickery in New Haven. They wed outside City Hall, next to a statue commemorating the struggle for freedom among captives on the Amistad slave ship.

Despite the roaring traffic and clicking cameras, "it was surprisingly quiet," Oliveira said after the brief ceremony. "Everything else dissolved, and it was just the two of us. It was so much more personal and powerful in us committing to one another, and so much less about the people around us."

The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled 4-3 on Oct. 10 that same-sex couples have the right to wed rather than accept a 2005 civil union law designed to give them the same rights as married couples. A lower-court judge entered a final order permitting same-sex marriage Wednesday morning.

"Today, Connecticut sends a message of hope and inspiration to lesbian and gay people throughout this country who simply want to be treated as equal citizens by their government," said the plaintiff's attorney, Bennett Klein.

There was no comparison between civil unions and marriage for Robin Levine-Ritterman and Barbara Levine-Ritterman, who obtained a civil union in 2005 and were among eight same-sex couples who sued for the right to marry.

"We didn't do it with pride or joy," Barbara Levine-Ritterman said of getting the civil-union license. "It felt gritty to be in a separate line."

On Wednesday, however, she proudly held up the first same-sex marriage license issued in New Haven as about 100 people applauded outside City Hall. She and her betrothed, who held red roses, plan to marry in May.

"It's thrilling today," Barbara Levine-Ritterman said. "We are all in one line for one form. Love is love, and the state recognizes it."

Manchester Town Clerk Joseph Camposeo, president of the Connecticut Town Clerks Association, said clerks in the state's 169 communities were advised by e-mail shortly after 9:30 a.m. that they could start issuing marriage licenses to gay couples.

"The feedback I'm getting from other clerks is that we're all at the ready, but no one really has a sense yet of what kind of volume we're going to get," he said.

According to the state public health department, 2,032 civil union licenses were issued in Connecticut between October 2005 and July 2008.

The health department had new marriage applications printed that reflect the change. Instead of putting one name under "bride" and the other under "groom," couples will see two boxes marked "bride/groom/spouse."

Massachusetts is the only other state allowing gay marriages. Like the highest courts in that state and Connecticut, the California Supreme Court ruled this spring that same-sex marriage is legal. After thousands of such unions were conducted in California, however, its voters last week approved Proposition 8, a referendum banning the practice.

Constitutional amendments to ban gay marriage also passed last week in Arizona and Florida, and Arkansas voters approved a measure banning unmarried couples from serving as adoptive or foster parents.

Gay rights advocates are citing Massachusetts as an example at planned rallies this weekend to demonstrate why gay marriage is beneficial to families and children.

"In Massachusetts, in particular, we have a great story to tell, a great story to tell about marriage equality, that it works and that it's good," said Marc Solomon, executive director of MassEquality.

Kris Mineau of the Massachusetts Family Institute, which opposes gay marriage, said planned and past protests, some of which have been angry in tone and targeted churches, are meant to intimidate the California high court into reversing its ruling that Proposition 8 was constitutional.

"We are a nation that goes by the rule of law," he said. "No court should ever be intimidated by mob rule. And that's what our opponents right now are trying to do."

The California vote has sparked protests and several lawsuits asking that state's Supreme Court to overturn the prohibition.

A group of Southern California activists have launched an effort to have simultaneous protests outside statehouses and city halls in every state Saturday. Demonstrations have been scheduled outside the U.S. Capitol and in more than 100 cities.

Activists also are aiming boycotts and protests at businesses and individuals who contributed to the campaign to pass Proposition 8. Many of the donors are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which played a significant role in encouraging its members to support the California ban.

Mormon churches in several states have become the focus of protests and some vandalism since the vote.

Since lawyers for gay rights groups and the cities of Los Angeles and San Francisco have asked the California Supreme Court to invalidate Proposition 8, same-sex couples in California are not flocking to Connecticut and Massachusetts to wed, said Shannon Minter, executive director of the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

"I think couples are still very hopeful they will be able to marry here," Minter said.

Connecticut voters could have opened the door to ending gay marriage last week by voting for a constitutional convention to amend the state's constitution, but the measure failed.

Peter Wolfgang, the executive director of the Family Institute of Connecticut, a gay-marriage opponent, acknowledged that banning gay weddings in Connecticut will be difficult but vowed not to give up. He condemned the high court's decision as undemocratic.

"Unlike California, we did not have a remedy," Wolfgang said. "It must be overturned with patience, determination and fortitude."

The state's 2005 civil union law will remain on the books for now. Same-sex couples can continue to enter civil unions, which give them the same legal rights and privileges in Connecticut as married couples without the status of being married. Several states, including California, allow domestic partnerships or civil unions for same-sex couples.

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Associated Press writers Susan Haigh in Hartford, Conn., and Lisa Leff in San Francisco contributed to this report.

So I just found out that it is for sure my sis had her baby, so I'm an uncle won't be able to see her till Tuesday. But the question I have is I think I might have all ready been an uncle. I will admit I have trouble with what makes someone this to you in a family. 4 of my cousins have kids so doesn't that make me those kids uncles or am I their great uncle?

I have recently been a little bit under the weather. Both last night and Friday I tried to sit down and Watch the Sabres, both nights I couldn't make it through the entire game. I'm going to the game on Friday vs. The Blue Jackets, it should be a good time and I hope they win, I don't remember where my seats are. I'm thinking about going to see the new James Bond movie Quantum Of Solace before the game that day. Not sure if I want to eat at the game or some place before. If I had 200 level tickets I'd go to the place there and eat.

Yes I'm a Bills fan. They started out so good and then lost 2 games to people in their division. The game today in New England is a big game for both teams I think who ever wins would be in first place and could be there all alone also. I know the Bills are good enough to win but I wonder if they will play like they are. Based on what my guide on Cable says the second game is the Steelers Vs. The Colts. The last time the Bills and Steelers where both on they both lost and they lost in what I thought was a nasty way to lose. I'm hoping both teams win but we shall see, should be a good day of football.

I hope our teams get it together and start winning cause I would really like to see the sabres win when I go see them, and this is a win the Bills really need, not sure how the Steelers are doing but it would be nice to see them win also.

So I'm Happy Obama won. I Will admit he hasn't done anything yet so it is to early to be happy. But let us assume that he Doesn't completely mess things up, and I hope he doesn't then that lends its self to a problem. What will people like SNL and Bill Maher do for jokes. I know that isn't all that they do jokes on But Clinton, Bush, and W. all had good stuff you could make fun of. I haven't seen anything on Obama other then he is Black. But see those jokes unless you are black you can't do on TV or in public really. You can tell jokes to your friends or send e-mails or texts and I've all ready heard some funny ones. But they aren't things that Leno could say for example. I think there is a difference between private and public jokes and that it is a differnt thing. For example you and your buddies might have inside jokes about something stupid one guy did or little things within a group but that doesn't mean you can go do stand up comedy. What is true about black jokes, is true for other groups of people. There are all kinds of polock jokes but you couldn't really say them on tv. I also think that Public and Private jokes sometimes use a different kind of humor but I don't know how to explain. So with Obama as president I don't know what the comedy writers are going to do, I realy don't. On a side note I thought the recent South Park with McCain and Obama as theives was a pretty intersting one.

I admit I have posted a lot of comments today so I don't feel much like writing. Yes I'm glad that Obama won. That being said him winning dosn't mean much yet. Often people are judged in their first 100 days in office. It is what he does and what he tries to do. Hey most people who don't like what Bush wound up doing or some of the stuff he did wouldn't be saying he was a bad President when he started. We shall see what happens. What we do know is that we are at a point in history. I also think that with states banning gay Marriage we are at another point in history. Hey maybe when we look back at this time it will be the pivotal point that went on to get people who are for gay marriage to get together and strengthen the fight and that is what is looked at as what got a case to the supreme court. Maybe it takes one case or 12 cases to make Gay Marriage protected legally by the constiution or maybe it will go the other way. I'm hoping that at some point it will be legal in every state. I don't know what will happen but I do think that there is a good chance that this years election in the future could be a big history point.