WASHINGTON – In a stunning reversal, the star witness against same-sex marriage at the Proposition 8 trial in California has come out in support of marriage equality.
Here is how Blankenhorn started his op-ed piece in the The New York Times:
In my 2007 book, “The Future of Marriage,” and in my 2010 court testimony concerning Proposition 8, the California ballot initiative that defined marriage as between a man and a woman, I took a stand against gay marriage. But as a marriage advocate, the time has come for me to accept gay marriage and emphasize the good that it can do. I’d like to explain why.
At the Prop 8 trial, Perry v. Brown, Blankenhorn testified that he opposed marriage for same-sex couples and was one of only a couple of witnesses to testify in favor of Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure that took away marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples in California.
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A federal judge and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals have agreed that Prop 8 law is unconstitutional, and the U.S. Supreme Court has been asked to take up the case. The nation’s high court will review the case in October and decide whether to uphold the ruling or take up the case in the spring of 2013.
Evan Wolfson, founder and President of Freedom to Marry, commented on Blankenhorn’s change of heart.
“David Blankenhorn’s announcement today reflects the shift towards understanding among the majority of people when they hear the stories and see for themselves why marriage matters to same-sex couples,” Wolfson said.
“As the leader of a right-of-center think tank and network that promotes conservative values, David knows that children grow up best when they are raised in families that are treated with fairness, respect, and dignity. His journey towards marriage has been a long time in the making and he is a welcome addition to the majority of Americans who support the freedom to marry,” said Wolfson.
