Court Upholds Ban on Gay Marriage in California

The pro-gay marriage forces took it on the chin once again:

A state appeals court ruled Thursday that California's ban on gay marriage does not violate the constitutional rights of gays and lesbians, a critical defeat for a movement hungry for a win after high courts in New York and Washington state upheld similar bans.

In reversing the March 2005 ruling of a San Francisco trial judge, the 1st District Court of Appeal agreed with the state's attorney general, who argued it is up to the Legislature, not the courts, to change the traditional definition of marriage as a union between a man and a woman.

"We conclude California's historical definition of marriage does not deprive individuals of a vested fundamental right or discriminate against a suspect class," the court said. "The time may come when California chooses to expand the definition of marriage to encompass same-sex unions. That change must come from democratic processes, however, not by judicial fiat."

They'll keep trying, and they'll keep losing.