Local Newscast - Proposition 8

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HOST: From KALW News in San Francisco, I'm Casey Miner with this local news update. Advocates of same-sex marriage are celebrating in San Francisco today, after a federal court ruled California's Proposition 8 unconstitutional. The majority decision upholds a lower court ruling against the ballot measure, which has banned same-sex unions since 2008. KALW's Jayme Catsouphes has more. AMBI Cheering CATSOUPHES: The court found that Prop 8 lessens “the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California.” Earlier today, dozens of people gathered outside the federal building to celebrate the 2 to 1 decision. Joe Capley-Alfano said he and his husband have been worn down by discrimination. CAPLEY-ALFANO: I grew up hearing the messages that I didn’t matter and that I could never fall in love, and that gays were incapable of loving, and other horrible stereotypes like that. And I’m really happy now that the next generation of kids don’t have to grow up that way. They get to grow up in a world where they are included and accepted and treated as equals, and that’s an amazing thing. CATSOUPHES: San Francisco Supervisor Scott Weiner represents the Castro District – the same district that Harvey Milk represented 30 years ago. Milk was the city’s first openly gay elected official. WEINER: When Supervisor Milk was in office, it was a lot less clear whether LGBT people would ever get true equality in this country. Today, we can actually see the light at the end of the tunnel. We still have a ways to go but we can actually see the end game here, and that’s something that I’m sure Harvey Milk is smiling from heaven right now. CATSOUPHES: The ruling applies only to same-sex marriage in California. Proponents of Proposition 8 are expected to appeal to the US Supreme Court; the advocacy group Protect Marriage issued a statement saying today’s decision “disregards the will of 7 million Californians.” For KALW News, I’m Jayme Catsouphes.