Residents discuss Massachusetts law on gay marriage

Suzie Harrison and Mike Swanson

Many in Laguna Beach’s large gay community are optimistic that a

Massachusetts law passed last month permitting gay marriage will

affect California law positively, while some residents don’t expect

much change.

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court followed the lead of a

June judgment in Ontario, Canada that changed the definition of civil

marriage to “two persons” instead of “a man and a woman.” Four of

seven justices supported the decision, making Massachusetts the first

state allowing gay marriage.

“I think it’s an incredible event demonstrating the liberal

attitudes that we’re moving toward,” said 30-year-old resident Jeff

Mourer, who is gay. “I’m hopeful that other states will follow as

soon as we get [George W. Bush] out of office.”

Mourer said he didn’t know whether the law would affect Laguna

Beach’s already liberal population.

“It’s encouraging, but I think we’re already there in our minds,”

Mourer said.

Frank Richiazzi, co-founder of the Log Cabin Republicans, a

national gay and lesbian Republican grass-roots organization, agreed

that Laguna has already passed the law in their minds, but said

everyone should be allowed a legal marriage and the benefits that

come with it.

“I don’t want any rights,” Richiazzi said. “I want equal. Every

citizen, regardless of whether they’re gay, deserves civil

acknowledgment and equality.”

With one state now honoring same-sex marriage as legal, some

couples are wondering if they could travel to Massachusetts, get

married, and have their union honored in California.

“I don’t think as many people will travel to get married, but it

will give people more of a push to legalize it in California,” said

Sean Brown, whose wife of four years, Kelly, agreed. “I’m actually

surprised that it would happen there before California. I would think

that it would happen here first.”

Longtime Laguna resident Dan Huston, who is against the ruling,

said he doesn’t expect the decision to adversely affect Laguna Beach

or the rest of the country.

“It’s much ado about nothing,” Huston said. “There can be seven

brides or seven brothers can get married as far as I’m concerned. I

don’t know why a small element of the population gets so much

attention.”

Since the ruling in Massachusetts, many across the country who are

against it, including Bush, have stepped up efforts to re-word the

U.S. Constitution specifying that marriage be between a man and a

woman.

Mourer called such an action “bigoted, discriminatory and very

typical of the current administration.”

Richiazzi said the suggested alteration of the Constitution will

move too much toward strict adherence to the Bible, which would have

several negative repercussions.

“If you are truly a believer, then your wife must be a virgin,”

Richiazzi said. “And if your wife is not a virgin, you should kill

her. If these people truly believe, and I respect principled people,

then that’s what the Bible says they should do.”

Several in Laguna said that despite being against the

Massachusetts decision, they didn’t think something as old as the

U.S. Constitution should be changed over such an issue.

“[The Constitution has] already been made out,” Gina Barkey said.

“That’s why it’s made.”

Barkey doesn’t believe in gay marriage, calling it a man-made

belief that doesn’t come from God.

“Marriage is something that comes from God, and it’s something

between a man and a woman,” Barkey said. “In Holland, where I come

from, gay marriage is legal, but that doesn’t mean I believe in it.”

She added, however, that as long as a gay woman doesn’t try to

trap her into trying it, then she thinks it’s OK.

Ken Rocheleau, a 24-year Laguna Beach resident, didn’t agree with

the ruling and compared it to other movements he doesn’t support but

also doesn’t feel threatened by.

“Hey, if they want to, let them do it,” Rocheleau said. “It’s just

like the abortion trip. That came up, let them do it. If people want

to do it, it’s their body. I’ve been living here for 24 years, and

the gays have always been here. To each their own.”