807,615 voter signatures are required to repeal Proposition 8 (Prop 8) and there is so little time to collect them. Advocates and supporters of equal marriage rights for same gendered couples in California only have until May 14 to gather the required signatures for the initiative to appear on the November 2012 ballot.

Hopefully the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals overturns Prop 8 declaring that it impedes on the civil rights of Gay and Lesbian Californians. If the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals does not overturn Prop 8, Californians will take it back to the ballot.

This is an exciting time for California. Hopefully this time; we can win back our rights to marry. With May around the corner, there is no time to lose. If you live is California, think about getting involved. Getting involved can mean gathering signatures among your family and friends and sending them into an organization gathering signatures.

Love Honor Cherish (lovehonorcherish.org) is spearheading the initiative on gathering signatures. They have a really detailed instruction manual and have all the forms you need to gather signatures. This is a great way to empower individuals to get involved and gather support within their own communities.

The Fraternity I’m involved in, Alpha Delta Chapter of Delta Lambda Phi, will be gathering signatures in the San Diego Area to help out and get involved in a cause that hits home for all of us. Hopefully by the end of 2012 marriage will be a protected right for all California Citizens.

Below is the language in the initiative proposed by Love Honor Cherish:

The Proposition

This amendment would amend an existing section of the California Constitution. Existing language proposed to be deleted is printed in strikeout type. Language proposed to be added is printed in underlined type.

Section 1. To protect religious freedom> no court shall interpret this measure to require any priest, minister, pastor, rabbi, or other person authorized to perform marriages by any religious denomination, church, or other non-profit religious institution to perform any marriage in violation of his or her religious beliefs. The refusal to perform a marriage under this provision shall not be the basis for lawsuit or liability, and shall not affect the tax-exempt status of any religious denomination, church or other religious institution.

Section2. To provide for fairness in the government’s issuance of marriage licenses, Section 7.5 of Article I of the California Constitution is hereby amended to read as follows: Sec. 7.5. Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized in California. Marriage is between only two persons and shall not be restricted on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, or religion.
(source: http://lovehonorcherish.org)