City Council Rejects Bishop’s Call to ‘Place Principle Over Politics’

In the final days of the battle to restore traditional marriage in California, Auxiliary Bishop Salvatore J. Cordileone urged the San Diego City Council not to interfere with the democratic process.

Bishop Cordileone addressed the council Oct. 27, as council members prepared to vote on whether to issue a statement in opposition to Proposition 8. In his remarks, Bishop Cordileone asked council members to “please place principle over politics, and allow the democratic process to work, unencumbered and objectively.”

The council ultimately voted 6-2 to oppose Proposition 8, a ballot initiative that would amend the state constitution to ensure that “only marriage between a man and a woman is valid and recognized in California.” Council members Toni Atkins, Kevin Faulconer, Donna Frye, Ben Hueso, Jim Madaffer and Scott Peters voted with the majority, while only council members Brian Maienschein and Tony Young prevented a unanimous council vote.

The council permitted about 30 minutes of speeches by proponents and opponents of Proposition 8 before making its decision. The council chamber was filled to capacity, and two overflow rooms equipped with closed-circuit televisions were used to accommodate the large crowds.

Bishop Cordileone began his remarks by expressing his concerns about the state of democracy in San Diego. “Those of us who favor preserving marriage as the union of a man and a woman in California are wondering what ever happened to our democracy,” he said.

The bishop recounted the history of efforts to safeguard traditional marriage in California, beginning with Proposition 22, which passed in 2000 with the support of 61 percent of California voters. On May 15, 2008, the California Supreme Court overturned Proposition 22 in a 4-3 ruling that legalized same-sex marriage throughout the state.

Bishop Cordileone reminded council members that many people had worked hard to place Proposition 8 on the ballot, “trusting in the democratic process.” He urged the council not to “disenfranchise” them. The bishop also cautioned council members against presuming to speak for all San Diegans on such a “divisive” issue.

“Have you taken a survey of the citizens of the San Diego area?” he asked. “The movement in support of Prop. 8 began here in San Diego and has spread like an October wildfire all throughout the state.

“At this time, the polls indicate that supporters for Prop. 8 outnumber its opponents,” the bishop continued. “How can you presume to speak for the entire city, when a majority — or at least, a very sizeable minority — is in favor?”

Toward the end of his remarks, Bishop Cordileone made one final plea for the council not to take a side in this debate. The bishop asked them to “let the people decide, fair and square” on the issue of same-sex marriage.

Only hours before addressing the council, Bishop Cordileone had joined other supporters of Proposition 8 at a rally outside Skyline Church, a Protestant church located in Rancho San Diego. The rally took place during the final stop in the “Yes on 8” campaign’s statewide media bus tour, which began Oct. 20 in Sacramento. A bus, designed to serve as a moving billboard in support of Proposition 8, traveled to several major cities throughout the state. At each stop, large crowds gathered for speeches from leaders of the fight to restore traditional marriage.

At the San Diego rally, speakers included: Bishop Cordileone; Ned Dolejsi, executive director of the California Catholic Conference; Kent Peters, director of the diocesan Office for Social Ministry; and Dr. Jim Garlow, lead pastor of Skyline Church.

Kent Peters was overwhelmed by the “sea of humanity” he witnessed at the San Diego rally. He estimates that between 1,500 and 2,000 people attended to show their support for traditional marriage.