Porterville City Council hears earful on its Prop. 8 decision

A line of speakers took to the podium tonight to address Porterville City Council members on their support of Proposition 8.

Some supported the council’s decision: Others decried it.

The November ballot measure would add language to the state Constitution stating that a marriage in California is only between a man and a woman.

“You were elected to represent all of the citizens of Porterville,” John Coffee said. “How can you do that when, without knowing us, you label some of as immoral, degenerate, or deviate? As the City Council you should be looking for ways to unite the citizens, not divide us.”

Coffee attended with his husband, Brock Neeley.

“On June 17, approximately 14 same sex couples were at the Tulare County Courthouse to get marriage licenses — eight were from Porterville,” Coffee said. “If my civil marriage to the person I love is a threat to your marriage then I would submit to you that your marriage is in deep, deep trouble.”

The couple from Porterville said they were the first male-male marriage in Tulare County.

They were not alone. For more than a hour, many others stood and spoke during the public comments portion of the council agenda.

“It’s a matter of basic justice,” Barry Caplan of Porterville said. “In the long run, Prop. 8 is a losing cause. Interracial marriages took 20 years for it to be acceptable. People were just as up in arms about it then. Now, nobody cares.”

Caplan said Porterville is the only city council in the state to come out and say it supports the proposition.

The Yes on 8 Web site lists numerous elected city and county officials, state Assembly members and state Senate members as supporting Proposition 8. The Porterville City Council is not on the list. The individual Porterville City Council members are also not listed.

The council on Sept. 2 unanimously approved a resolution in support of Proposition 8 and challenged other Tulare County municipalities and the Tulare County Board of Supervisors to follow suit.

Jessica Mahoney, 29, said she was very upset over the council’s resolution.

“Do you represent us or represent yourselves?” Mahoney asked. “You’re denying somebody’s rights.”

Other speakers applauded the actions of the council members.

“Thank you for your decision on Proposition 8,” the Rev. Rudy Martinez, pastor of Evangelical Free Church of Porterville, said. “Such tough decisions are not always popular.”

Retired minister Bud Goins of Living Word Church talked about Roe vs. Wade, a controversial U.S. Supreme Court case concerning abortion. He said it is now legal to kill babies, and referred to homosexuality as sin.

Tony Mauck referred to council members as innovators at the forefront of stopping nonsense.

“We don’t all here have to agree but nonsense is still nonsense,” Mauck said.

One mother, Martie Mahoney, sat through it all and finally decided to stand up.

“I have a daughter that’s gay. What am I supposed to do? She’s my daughter. I love her. You sit there and judge with your resolutions,” Mahoney said. “My daughter is a gift from God.”

Mahoney spoke for several minutes before being asked to wrap it up.

“This isn’t the time for Porterville to be standing up against gay people,” she said. “With all that is going on in the world, it is a total waste of time.”

-- Contact Esther Avila at 784-5000, Ext. 1047, or eavila@portervillerecorder.com.