other gay and lesbian couples are also cooinn out aa families.gures show same-sex couples make up one in every 100 california households. and like this family, one in five in the state re raising children. i juut sat down, i cried. i thought look at us! we're here on the front page as 3 lesbians and a little daughter and i thought wow, we're finally here and they don't havv to be afraid that their house is going to ggt firebombed or that their daughter ii going to get attacked n any way, then i thought what courage. a famill - they say that generatiins past were not allowed to have - but one that future generaaions will no gutierrez, cnn, eagle rock, cnn.script----- some of you may have alrrady recieved yours... yours...your tax refund.find out how many americans plan to actually splurge with it... and how many... will actuallyy save it for a ainy daa. thousands of it's mini-vans.- the dangerous problem... and ((break 3)) the dangerous problem... and ((break 3)) buying this juicer online was unbelievable. what a bargain! [ female announcer ] some

that was great day for california, it was a great day for gays and lesbians. it was a great day for america. it was a great day for everybody who believes in the culture of equality that is really the fundamental identifying characteristic of this country. >> rose: what's interesting is this argument made into california was made into a dramatic play. there was a playwright and i think it was... had several presentations here in new york. i think it was morgan free man that played you. it's now going to be made into a movie. are you ready for this? george clooney is going to play you. >> (laughs) i'm ready for it. >> rose: so the story continues. clearly david boies is on one side of this debate. he believe this is debate is over. many people have made that point but there are also people who believe there is an argument to be made and we will certainly try to find the right person to come here and make that case. my thanks to david boies. we'll be right back. >> thank you very much. >> rose: stay with us. benge man brafman is here. he is best known for handli

-- gay or lesbian reacted to these discussions? >> to repeal? >> repeal, sure. >> i mean, there's been a tremendous amount of celebration, you know? there's a sense of, i think there's a real sense, and we saw it at the outserve summit, there was a summit conference in october of several hundred folks both active and veterans as well, and there was a real passing of the torch that, you know, because of don't ask, don't tell we, you know, veterans have had to be the -- to katie's point, we've had to be the face and the voice of our lgb service members, lgbt service members who the t still is silent, and is we've done that for years. we've done the best that we could. and now effective september 20th our active duty folks, you know, jonathan, josh, so many others can now do that. so, you know, i think there's just a tremendous sense of, um, that we, we finally accomplish -- you know, a little bit i can't believe that we accomplished it. we finally accomplished getting don't ask, don't tell repealed. and even though, you know, many of

lesbians is unconstitutional. lesbians is unconstitutiona under the circumstances they enjoyed that right, given every other aspect of marriage and all that is taken away is the honorrific designation. are we free to go beyond your ruling in your favor? a holding of the repeal to the right to marriage, the right to use the label "marriage" and to receive -- >> from do i what i think is, i think the answer to your yes is that you could decide this on the narrow ground that the roemer case gives to you and put into conjunction with in re marriage from the california supreme court. but i think this case is -- i roemer and exclude them from this part of society. awhat goal is california trying to accomplish and what it has accomplished in proposition 8, does it pursue those goals in a proper way. that's where the rational basis falls completely down. you might say left-handed people are color blind, you might make some distinctions but if you're saying they can't participate in a right because of an immutable characte

by gays and lesbians can't get married until the issue is sorted out by a higher court. one legal expert says you can expect this case to go all the way to the top and he predicts the supreme court will allow gay marriage. >> this is an issue whose time has come. the cultural issues understanding of the issue is advance. it can be 6-3 or 7-2. >> many people back today's court decision. exclusive eyewitness news poll of 500 adults found 61% agree with the ruling and 75% say same sex couples should be able to share in the legal benefits of marriage. >>> an apartment complex went up in flames this morning trapping children inside. tonight, your heart will race as you see exactly what it takes to save lives. elizabeth cook shows us video from the helmet cam. >> anthony -- >> it is things like this that we never get a chance to see. as flames engulf an apartment complex, a desperate mother lowers one of her children into the pardon mes arms of a firefighter. >> she didn't know what to do. she handed her child down to me. >> and then this. two more children were trapped inside

they were essentially opening gays and lesbians to private and public discrimination and disabling any governmental body from intervening in that private discrimination, as justice kennedy emphasized. in common, ordinary civic life from banking to hospitals to hotels to common carriers. all the ordinary pursuits of civic life, homosexuals were rendered strangers to the law. they could be discriminated against in these fashions. that is a far, far more sweeping and different thing than simply adhering to the definition of marriage that has prevailed in california and everywhere else since time and memorial. again, the question comes down to this. are there distinguishing characteristics relative to an interest of the state has authority to implement at work in the opposite sex definition of marriage? if there are, then the courts cannot say that acting upon those distinguishing characteristics is invidiously discriminatory. so that's the issue. >> that's a terrific response. let me ask a question that's meant entirely to be neutral. is it the preference of the proponents -- let's assume

i am not sure if there are many lesbian bars left in the city. so i think we need to figure out a way to make sure this is a safe place, where members of our community can remain, because for us, many of us, as i have said before, during the hearing at 55 laguna, for many of us is not just out an option to relocate to other cities that are less tolerant. this is kind of something that is very critical, that we find ways to keep our community safe and here in san francisco. so i hope, again, as i mentioned earlier, we can have a broader conversation to talk about seniors who are living in shelters and what that looks like and housing issues and how we find more housing for seniors, and also as supervisor wiener mentioned, how we make sure that folks who own their homes remain in their homes. some people want to stay there, but they did not have the means to up keep their property. there are a lot of issues, but i think for our community, it is particularly sensitive because there are multiple reasons why we choose to be in san francisco, and is no

come out as more fair minded people say you know what i support equal rights i support gays and lesbians getting married and so it's not really clear to me that this is going to help right wingers would turn out it's really going to be a wash it's going to come down to people when they go into that voting booth they're going to look hard into their hearts and going to say you know what do i support loving gay and lesbian couples getting married or do i not and more and more polls show that more people support marriage equality than a are against it absolutely and. that's the minnesota one you know getting it on the ballot in new hampshire you've got the legislature talking about doing this the state's been taken over by wrecked right wing wacko doodles. what are the i guess the odds are pretty high that they'll probably push this thing through what are the odds that that's going to hurt the republican party in that state come november all . newsy or do you disagree with my reading of this and you know i think you're absolutely right the bottom line is we're going to see something really

it continues to exist an underground network of gays and lesbians. and i was able to bond with my friends in that way. but no one was ever vocal about this. i had seen cadets before me resigned due to don't ask, don't tell policy, and they were silent about it. they didn't see the reasons why they left the academy. and in their failure to cite the reasons for the resignations, they also failed to invoke change in any way. so when i decided to resign, when i decided i was going to be able to serve in the military as long as the dumbest don't tell policy was in place, i made a conscious effort to make sure that i was going to change something, that i was going to tell my story picks are networked with organizations such as outserve, such as servicemembers legal defense network, and also nights out which is west point lgbt alumni and allies. and i actually lead to my letter of resignation to them, and it went viral on the internet fairly quickly. and within a day and a half, and this is why i wrote about in my portion of "our time," i had appeared on th

is happening in your family you know in your family you have a gay person you have someone who's lesbian in your life either directly in your family or immediate family or you work next to that person or you pray with that person in your in your house of worship and so what we're seeing is in state after state people are realizing you know what i have gay people in my life and you know what i might not be comfortable with the term marriage but you know what they're just like i am and i support them they're equal to me and you know what i now have to make the connection between that support that i have for that person a family member and paying attention to the legislators that actually make the difference and will in the grant rights or take away rights and hopefully more people will be paying attention mark thanks so much for being here with us tonight my pleasure thank you michel as an extraordinary energy around the nation right now when it comes to giving gays and lesbians the equal rights they deserve as americans let's keep it up. lawmakers on capitol hill received eight hundred th

let's start with you, is this about gays and lesbians?ere be a moral conviction against allowing them? >> well, this is an issue of religious liberty and it's for the faith based organization to decide what is the concern that they may have. >> all right, now emily, basically he is saying that this will be okay if religious organizations say they don't want gay folks to adopt your view on that. >> well, what we're talking about here is the adoption rights of children in foster care in virginia. currently virginia is undergoing a foster care crisis. they have over 6,000 kids in the system. they rank second to last in the country in public placements. they also have the distinction of the highest rate of children who age out of the system every year without finding placements and this is because they don't have enough parents in virginia available to adopt these children. what this law does is further restrict the potential pool of parents that could come forward. >> i get this e-mail all the time from folks saying that exact argument. isn'

he ruled that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry. later the judge announced he is gay and in a long-term relationship. lawyers supporting prop-8 argued he should have disclosed his relationship or recuseed himself. the appeals court said today there was no evidence that walker was biased in his handling of the case. in the meantime, other states are tackling the gay marriage issue this election year. those with pending legislation or ballot measures in 2012 include washington state, minnesota, north carolina, maryland, new jersey, new hampshire and maine. they and others will be watching to see the ultimate outcome from in the california legal battle. >> ifill: today's ruling is limited to california, but, in a 128-page opinion, the federal panel emphasized the broader constitutional principle. judge stephen reinhardt, writing for the majority, concluded: "proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gay men and lesbians in california." we get two views of the decision and i

george mason university and the university of richmond also offer edicated housing for gay and lesbian students. 3&social networking... could lead to "social seating." you to pick who you sit beside on a flight.and the one catch... if you don't want to person.singing... ..- astronaunts... caught singing ... and dancing on the moon! what year ... this remarkable footage is from. ((break 3)) [ male announcer ] for a better-looking tomorrow. vicks nyquil cold & flu. the nighttime sniffling, sneezing, coughing, aching, fever, best sleep you ever got with a cold...medicine. [ deep breath ] ♪ 1, 2, 3, 4 ♪ [ laughter ] [ male announcer ] vicks dayquil. defeats 5 cold & flu symptoms. ♪ were you profitable last month?hat looks great. how much money is in your checking account? have the browns paid you for their addition yet? your finances are scattered all over the place. mm-hmm. what are your monthly expenses? you keep your receipts in plastic baggies? seriously? [ announcer ] get it done and get it off your mind with quickbooks. organize your small business finances all in one place, even onl

and the funny thing was that i admitted to you with some of my lesbian friends there. and i said hey, you should probably separate yourself from me this week, because i don't want kashmir i don't want any of you to get caught in the crossfire. >> how did the academy react? how did your fellow cadets react? how did the instructors react? >> surprisingly positive. even if there was a negative action it was geared towards the man and which represented by some as opposed to the minute which i conducted, as opposed to what i was advocating on behalf of. but i did feel, obvious he i was going to be discharged, so i did feel like even if it wasn't explicit that there was some support there. >> and has there been, those were in the air force, are you saying that more colleagues have come out, or hasn't been gradual? >> i would say there's not been an explosion. [laughter] a few people have come to me and said, you know, i am relieved at the current state of policy, although it's not going to impact wanted to in the future. maybe have enough courage to go into commanders, i'm a

. >>> old dominion university is giving gay and lesbian students a new option for living quarters. the university will offer dedicated on campus housing in the fall for gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students and their supporters. so far, at least 18 students signed up for the program. george mason university and the university of richmond also offer dedicated housing for gay and lesbian students. >>> well, lesli, coming up tonight at 7:00, dozens of places ban smoking in restaurants in public buildings, but what about outside your own home? hear why one city is trying to pass a lot of folks from lighting up on their own property. that's 9news now at 7:00. >>> and still ahead, people line up a full night in the rain for the latest hottest thing. find out what they were waiting for. and up next, michigan is the next stop for the candidates. a look for the republican push for campaign 2012 is next. >>> back on 9news now with campaign 2012 and the race for president. the next big primary contest is in michigan. voters head to the polls tuesday and today republican candidates

i am a lesbian. i had an experience, i lived in this place and they sold the house and i had to look for another place. i did some applications but most of them, you have to wait five years. the rents are too high. i could not afford it. i'm kind of homeless. my niece was kind enough to tell me to move over. i went to antioch and it gets me -- takes me three hours to get from san francisco and i miss my open house. i miss my meetings. and also for others and i wish they could do something about it. thank you. >> good afternoon. thank you for holding this hearing. i want to add my name to those who are encouraging you to sadr -- support services. especially for low-income housing as an open house is trying to do now. i must add that if it were not for the mayor's office of housing, i would not be a homeowner in san francisco today. it would be impossible. those who are in the middle need to be remembered when you are providing funds or other sorts of support for housing for the elderly in san francisc

. >> gay and lesbian couples won't be able to walk down the aisle right away. the law takes effect in june. but hours after the signing, opponents signed a referendum to

it basically prevented any kind of special benefits or legal protections for gays and lesbians. anthony kennedy, the critical swing justice, wrote that decision striking down amendment two in colorado. i think they're hoping the opponents of prop 8 are hoping he would be on their side in this as well. >> in an odd sort of way as california continues this fight, continues and continues, in states all around us and states around the country, we're seeing more and more moves to the legitimatization of gay marriage. is this almost a day late and a dollar short? >> i think people look at iowa, now washington state this week passed gay marriage, the governor says she's going to sign it. clearly things are moving along. that raises an interesting point because it may not be in the -- time may not be on the side of supporters of prop 8. but the longer this drags out, before it goes to the u.s. supreme court, you've got now new york state has it, new jersey's thinking about it, illinois's thinking about it. the courts tend not to like to get too far out in front. so if by the time this g

the lesbian couple have four boys that they're raising in a wonderful household. the trial had eight expert witnesses testifying about history of discrimination, what it's like to be gay, what it's like to be denied the right to marry. the district judge rendered a meticulous, thorough decision and the ninth circuit did so. this is the issue that should go to the united states supreme court someday. the people that we're representing and others like those people are not asking for anything special. they're asking for the right to be treated with decency and respect and dignity and afforded the same rights that we afford to other citizens in this country. they're not asking for much. just equality. i do think this issue will go to the supreme court. i think it will go to the supreme court in this case, and there could not be a better record or a better foundation for this important principle to get to the supreme court. >> hearing you speak about it in those terms makes me want to, i guess, put a question to you that causes -- will require a little extrapolation. t

there are obviously some gay men, lesbians in the congress who have not made that public. i would say this. if you look at the way in which those of us who are gay and lesbian in politics have responded, increasingly, if you are a democrat, and i think this is pretty much the case if you were a democrat, and you entered politics in the last decade you paid no penalty for being honest about your sexuality. there are those of us serving openly. on the republican side, the republican party has become increasingly less known for equality for those you are gay lesbian, bisexual, where transgendered. republicans are very underrepresented there. there are republicans to people generally assumed to be day. the republican party will continue to be ok with that until they say they are happy about that. you get support. i am going to be married to my partner jim in july in massachusetts, and frankly i have gotten a lot of very, very positive comments from my democratic colleagues, but on the republican side essentially, their attitude is that they understand that you cannot help it b

. >> reporter: frank we are at the san francisco gay and lesbian center where a band is warming up and the stage is set for a victory party tonight. they are celebrating a victory that did not come with an easy solution but it's a victory nonetheless. >> what do we want? >> reporter: supporters waited anxiously outside the ninth circuit courthouse, many nervous about yet confident of the decision that would come down. >> this is thrilling. the court said it is constitutionally order. >> there's always disaappointment when you have judges overruling the will of the people. to protect the only institution with their moms and dads but this was totally expected. >> reporter: after the ruling joyous gay marriage supporters marched to city hall to hear from city leaders and the audience, bruce ivy and david bowers. a couple of 31 year, legally married for the past eight before surge marriages were halted. >> we have literally followed this entire process, going to every court trial, every oral argument, every hearing. >> reporter: they know they are exstatic but they say they've noticed loca

gay and lesbian people are twice as likely than african-americans and jews to be harmed in hate crimes. four times more likely than muslims and 14 times more likely than latinos. there is a huge problem. we see it both with bullying in schools and also with hate crimes out on the streets. for someone to say because somebody looks different, because they don't like the way the handbag they are wearing is, or a number of things, these tweets gave license, i think they allowed people to justify rationalize harming gay, lesbian by sex equal and transtransgender people. >> bill: he says it was not anti-gay tweet he was beckham is a soccer player and that is what he was doing. >> that's interesting because i didn't see soccer in his tweet. if he wanted to talk about soccer. >> bill: you didn't see gay people either. there isn't anything gay in his tweets. we have to be careful. >> we know what he meant. >> bill: mocking soccer player because beckham is a soccer player and not gay people. i couldn't care less about roll manned martin. i don't follow him. i don't care what he says. i think is

to those of opposite sex couples so the movement for equal to achieve equal rights for gays and lesbians is taking off but not everybody is on board joining me now is maggie gallagher she's the co-founder of the national organization for marriage one of the leading groups in the nation working to ensure a marriage remains exclusively between a man and a woman and those remaining states recognize gay marriage you're welcome thank you we're on the coast to sion does it specifically say that the right to marry is what is even there much less unique to a man and a woman well it doesn't say there's any right to marry that was a supreme court interpretation but some things are fundamental and even prior to the constitution and the supreme court has always interpreted that not to say if you have a close personal intimate relationship you have a right to call that a marriage but that the union of male and female is so fundamental to society that that constitutes a fundamental right so there is now as in biblical historically if. you want me to speak for the supreme court or for myself on that on

getting this nation took another major step toward equal rights for gays and lesbians by wednesday the washington state house approved gay marriage legislation one week after the states senate approved similar legislation washington governor christine gregoire is expected to sign the legislation into law making her state the seventh in the nation to give same sex couples the same rights as straight couples and earlier this week a california court struck down that state's proposition eight ban on gay marriage as being a violation of the california constitution to one while ruling of the u.s. ninth circuit court of appeals judge stephen ryan our vote for the majority proposition eight serves no purpose and has no effect other than to lessen the status and dignity of gays and lesbians in california and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite sex couples so the movement for equal to achieve equal rights for gays and lesbians is taking off but not everybody is on board joining me now is maggie gallagher is the co-founder of the national org

one told the committee, people are not born gay or lesbian. he says being a victim of child molestation made him a day, but he is not any longer. the issue also brought out the worst in people. the parents of syrup, a 14-year- old -- sarah, a 14-year-old to spoke out, are worried about her safety. earlier in the day, gov. martin o'malley defended the bill. many believe they provided game changing testimony. >> if gays and lesbians are denied certain rights, why not also denies certain rights to those heterosexuals who commit adultery, have been divorced, had had an abortion? >> this rev. declared marriage is a christian union between a man and woman and he will refuse to marry a same-sex couple. >> notwithstanding my personal beliefs i can support a civil marriage protection act because civil marriage is not synonymous with religious marriage. >> legislator engaged the governors would several lively exchanges. what would be the harm before putting this before the voters of the state? >> people have spoken and a very personal sense by sending e

the lesbian couple have four boys that they're raising in a wonderful household. the trial had eight expert witnesses testifying about history of discrimination, what it's like to be gay, what it's like to be denied the right to marry. the district judge rendered a meticulous, thorough decision and the ninth circuit did so. this is the issue that should go to the united states supreme court someday. the people that we're representing and others like those people are not asking for anything special. they're asking for the right to be treated with decency and respect and dignity and afforded the same rights that we afford to other citizens in this country. they're not asking for much. just equality. i do think this issue will go to the supreme court. i think it will go to the supreme court in this case, and there could not be a better record or a better foundation for this important principle to get to the supreme court. >> hearing you speak about it in those terms makes me want to, i guess, put a question to you that causes -- will require a little extrapolation. t

. >> all of the imagery associated with gays and lesbians was someone you were supposed to laugh at or someone who was supposed to be ridiculed. >> i did not have anything that showed me it was ok to be who i am. >> i had times when i did not want to get up and get out of bed, face the day. >> the feeling was really low. >> i wanted to just not be around. >> i thought of suicide. i was depressed. >> mostly, the message was that there was something wrong with me and i should just died. >> it did not feel good to want what i thought everybody should want. it just made me angry. >> there was a part of me that was a little bit ashamed. >> when the pain got too bad, in the pit of my stomach, i realize i need to tell my parents. >> mom, i think i am gay. she says, i think i knew that. >> it was harder for me to tell my mom that it was for my mom to hear what i needed to say. >> i was a police officer for four years, thinking i was the only gay male police officer in the world. i believe i was the only gay male police officer in the world. >> others were like, huh? >> their jaws dropped. i ex

the gay and lesbian couples appeared in sphrn to -- in san francisco to applaud the ruling. >> i look at my family and i feel such pride and excitement in what lies ahead. >> we are anxious to get married before our youngest son, our twin boys, graduate high school nex year and begin their lives as adults. >> 17-year-old spencer perry says letting his parents get married is important. >>> with this ruling and i as a government my family is finally normal. we are different, and we don't need a trial to prove we love each other. >> a three-judge panel voted 2-1 that proposition 8 serve no's purpose and has no affect other than to lessen the status of gays gays and lesbians in california and reclassified the relationships as inferior to those of opposite sex couples. the constitution simply does not allow for laws of this sort. prop a supporters are preparing are -- prop 8 supporters are preparing for the next fight. >> this is out of step with all of the other law out there in the country. frankly it is out of step with californians and the seven million voters who came out and after a