Prop 8 overturn trial decision announcement Wednesday, Aug 4

[Update, 2:30p: Judge Vaughn Walker rules that Prop 8 is unconstitutional:

"Proposition 8 fails to advance any rational basis in singling out gay men and lesbians for denial of a marriage license. Indeed, the evidence shows Proposition 8 does nothing more than enshrine in the California Constitution the notion tha...t opposite-sex couples are superior to same-sex couples. Because California has no interest in discriminating against gay men and lesbians, and because Proposition 8 prevents California from fulfilling its constitutional obligation to provide marriages on an equal basis, the court concludes that Proposition 8 is unconstitutional."]

Napa has 2 events planned:

• A post-decision rally will be held at Veteran's Park, 6-8p to celebrate or pick up the torches
• A post-rally Guerilla Gay Bar mission is planned from 8-10p at Downtown Joe's

It has been months that we have been waiting. June 16, 2010, closing arguments began and Judge Walker's decision will be published tomorrow, Wednesday, August 4, 2010 between 1p and 3p.

Many in the pro-equality, pro-same-sex marriage side (the "Perry" in the Perry v Schwarzenegger) believe that the ruling will be in favor of same-sex marriage, but--as Joe.My.God. points out--it will likely be immediately appeale

d.

I know I'll be paying attention to the next steps in civil rights history...

The federal court announced today that it will release its decision in the American Foundation for Equal Right’s landmark case, Perry v. Schwarzenegger, on Wednesday.

Text “EQUAL” to 69866 to get a text message with the official decision on your mobile phone the moment the court releases its decision, or sign-up for an email alert at equalrightsfoundation.org. Join AFER on its Web site to watch a live press conference with our plaintiffs and co-counsels Ted Olson and David Boies following the release of the decision. As we receive news about the details of the release, AFER will update our Facebook and Twitter profiles, along with our Web site. [American Foundation for Equal Rights]

A short recap of the timeline:

• In 2000, CA bans (already unallowed since 1994) gay marriage
  
• SF begins issuing same-sex marriage licenses in 2004 to 4,000 couples
  
• The state forces SF to stop
• The state is sued for the law that bans gay marriage as being unequal and against the equality part of our constitution and loses
• May 2008, Same sex marriage is legal in CA for several months
• November 2008, A state election is held to change our constitution to allow inequality in marriage (and ban same-sex marriages) and the Proposition 8 passes, re-banning gay marriage
• In early 2010, the state is sued to overturn Prop 8 in Federal Court
• Judge Walker issues his ruling in early August 2010 that Prop 8 is unconstitutional
  

For those that want to read the full published ruling, you can access it on the court's website tomorrow afternoon.