May 15, 2008 10:14 pm US/Central
Chicagoans Weigh In On Same-Sex Marriage
After California Overturned A Gay Marraige Ban, Will Other States Follow?
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Same-sex couple Shelly Bailes, left, and Ellen Pontac react to a California Supreme Court decision to overturn the ban on same-sex marriage May 15, 2008, at the California Supreme Court in San Francisco.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The highest court in America's most populous state has cleared the way for same-sex marriage.
CBS 2's Dana Kozlov reports supporters in Chicago see some hope in the California ruling.
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Part 2Tim Oviatt cried after hearing California's supreme court overturned the state law defining marriage as a union between a man and a woman. That ruling means gay marriage is now legal in the Golden State in 30 days.
"Marriage is the right to marry the person that you love and I'm here with the person that I love," a man in California said Thursday.
The ruling prompted strong reactions from those both in favor of and opposed to gay marriage here in Illinois.
Art Johnston, Board President of Equality Illinois, and believes California's ruling symbolizes a change in attitudes throughout the country.
"Although this has no legal significance here in Illinois, it is evidence that courts and legislatures and public opinion continue to move toward equality for all citizens," Johnston said.
But the conservative Illinois Family Institute's Dave e. Smith says the ruling is a slap in the face to everyone who believes in the time-tested institution of marriage.
"Government should never recognize an unhealthy, immoral lifestyle and that's what it's doing right now with homosexual marriage," Smith said.
The IFI was unsuccessful in their attempt to get an amendment defining marriage as a union between one man and one woman added to Illinois' constitution.
Smith says that fight will likely be reignited here, but gay rights activists like Johnston believe people are becoming more accepting of the idea every year.
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