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| Angelika/Mike Schilli |
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Angelika The translation of the provided text to English is:
"Good things come to those who wait. Since June 16, same-sex couples in California can legally say 'I do.' This makes California the second state, alongside Massachusetts, to allow this. You might remember how it all started. In February 2004, our Mayor Gavin Newsom gave the green light, and thousands of same-sex couples got married in an ad-hoc ceremony at San Francisco City Hall. Rundbrief 03/2004 It seems like there might be a mistake or missing text in your request. Could you please provide more context or clarify what you would like translated?
Shortly thereafter, however, a high court ruling annulled these marriages again on the grounds that they violated existing California law, and the legal dispute began. The process dragged on for over four years. Then came the surprise: The California Supreme Court decided by a narrow majority (4 to 3) that the right to marry in California applies equally to heterosexual and homosexual couples and that the California Constitution prohibits any discrimination based on sexual orientation. A historic ruling; the judges thereby overturned Proposition 22 from the year 2000, which defined marriage in California as existing between a man and a woman.
Interestingly, in California, it actually no longer makes a difference whether a same-sex couple is married or has a registered partnership. Since January 2005, registered partnerships have been essentially equivalent to marriages between a man and a woman, with all the associated rights and obligations. Since 2007, couples who have opted for a registered partnership can even file a joint California tax return.
However, it is important to note that the rights only apply to the state of California and are not transferable to other states or to the general federal laws of the United States. For example, the federal income tax return is still filed separately. In America, people typically file two income tax returns: one for the state in which they reside ("State Income Tax") and one at the federal level ("Federal Income Tax").
Immigration laws are also federal laws and do not apply to registered partnerships. This situation does not change with the legalization of same-sex marriage in California. Despite getting married, there is still no green card for the foreign partner or pension claims from the American Social Security system.
Now you're probably wondering what the whole thing is about. It's more about the pursuit of a general civil right. There is also hope that more and more individual states will recognize same-sex marriage. For example, if Michael and I were to move to the state of Nevada, the authorities there would recognize our marriage just like in California. The governor of New York has already announced that he will recognize Californian same-sex marriages just like traditional ones.
The state of Massachusetts already passed a similar law in 2004, but California additionally allows same-sex couples from other states to get married in California. This has led to a veritable marriage tourism. People are now waiting for these couples to sue for recognition of their Californian marriage in their own states. However, this is associated with some hurdles, as most states have already legally established that a marriage is only valid between a man and a woman.
In California, various conservative groups are also trying to put an end to same-sex marriage. In November 2008, Californians will vote on whether to amend their constitution to define marriage as only between a man and a woman, which would override the ruling of the state's Supreme Court. However, most legal experts doubt that the same-sex marriages already performed could be retroactively dissolved. If Californians vote for the constitutional amendment, it is predicted that lawsuits would be filed again on the grounds of equal treatment, with the argument being, why can't we marry if other couples were allowed to do so?
There is, of course, also the possibility that California will vote against the constitutional amendment. According to surveys, the mood barometer has shifted: a narrow majority is in favor of same-sex marriage. Schwarzenegger is also against a constitutional amendment, but he justifies this with vague remarks that the constitution is a sanctuary that should not be tampered with lightly. The man always puts on a balancing act when it comes to the issue of same-sex marriage. He cannot afford to expose himself to overly liberal ideas among his fellow Republican party members.
It is rumored that he is actually in favor of it in private, after all, the Hollywood star has many homosexual friends. I also found it hilarious that Arnie was immediately all fired up when smart minds calculated that the additional weddings in the next three years would bring the state of California up to 684 million dollars. That's our "Governator" being very pragmatic. At the moment, San Francisco is definitely celebrating, and the stores are stocking their shelves with wedding cards featuring groom and groom and bride and bride.
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