Shannon Minter: Perry v. Schwarzenegger Proceedings, Day 11

[Butterfly]

Shannon Minter: Perry v. Schwarzenegger Proceedings, Day 11
Pam's House Blend
by:  Lurleen
Tue Jan 26, 2010 at 22:38:43 PM EST


http://www.pamshouseblend.com/diary/14997/shannon-minter-perry-v-schwarzenegger-proceedings-day-11


Today was one of the most dramatic days of the trial, with startling admissions by the proponents' two expert witnesses:  Professor Kenneth Miller, testifying about the political power of gay people, and David Blankenhorn, testifying about the purposes of marriage.

The morning began with the conclusion of David Boies's cross-examination of Professor Miller.  Boies confronted Prof. Miller with several of Prof. Miller's own earlier writings, which were highly critical of the ballot initiative process and particularly highlighted the risk that majorities will use the initiative process to target minority groups.  Prof. Miller admitted that ballot measures can, and have, drawn upon anti-minority sentiment.  Indeed, one of Prof. Miller's own articles cited Proposition 22, the California initiative prohibiting marriage for same-sex couples that passed in 2000, as an example of such an anti-minority initiative.