Schwarzenegger and the gay marriage bill

Re “Citing Prop. 22, Gov. Rejects Gay Marriage Bill,” Sept. 8

I disagree with the idea that Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s low standing in the polls forced him to veto the bill. Currying the favor of the right-wing bloc is not going to get the governor reelected. Boxed into a corner like this, a savvy politician would sign the bill and become an independent. This would allow the governor to stay true to the ideals he has professed, and it would burnish his sorry image among Democrats and independents, who form the bulk of the California electorate.

For all his “outsider” appeal, the Terminator hasn’t done a very good job of thinking outside of the box like the visionary reformer he promised to be. Schwarzenegger isn’t above party politics -- he just isn’t very good at it.

JOHN ALEXANDER BURTON

Washington

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Proposition 22 was an egregious abuse of the initiative process, designed specifically to deny equal protection to one segment of the population. It amounts to the establishment of religion as state law. Because this is the kind of tyranny of the majority that the judicial branch is designed to protect against, it is particularly upsetting that Schwarzenegger would choose Proposition 22 as justification for vetoing the Legislature’s attempt to correct this injustice. The governor was elected to serve all of the people of California.

KENNETH H. GOLDMAN

La Crescenta

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The Legislature puts a same-sex marriage bill on Schwarzenegger’s desk, and what happens? He runs and ducks for cover behind the courts and “the people.” Who’s the girlie man now?

MARTIN RICE

Kapaa, Hawaii

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Re “Marriage for all,” editorial, Sept. 8

Contrary to what you wrote, there is nothing progressive about same-sex marriage. It is a barbaric practice on the same moral plane as plural marriage. Lawmakers in Congress had the courage to preserve the sanctity of marriage by passing laws to stamp out plural marriage. California voters followed in their footsteps by stamping out same-sex marriage. We will not let the Legislature get away with this.

MICHAEL EJERCITO

Long Beach

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No way -- again you liberals are out of sync. Good for Schwarzenegger. The outcome is truly inevitable: Gays are not allowed to marry.

JOE VERDI

Chatsworth

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According to the Declaration of Independence, there are some truths that are self-evident. They should not be up to a vote or to a court or to an official decision. No, these truths are so plainly evident that they should be obvious. The right for two people to marry, gay or straight, is one of these truths.

RABBI ZACHARY R. SHAPIRO

Beverly Hills