There are several unique legal factors present in the progression of the landmark .
ruling in the case of Perez versus Sharp (1948) and the creation of Proposition 8 .
on the California ballot in 2008. Complicating this progression is the unique role .
of San Francisco's city government which overruled the findings of federal courts .
and allowed same-sex marriage in their city (Barron, 2218). As a result, there .
continues to be an influx of homosexual and lesbian couples to San Francisco to .
become legally married and then carry this status back to their individual states. .
They are doing this to be able to provide health care and other benefits typically .
given only to married couples. The argument that gay or lesbian partners are in .
fact a couple is the at the center of this debate from a philosophical and religious .
standpoint. .
As a result, Proposition 8 was the most hotly contested and divisive political .
issue on the California ballot in 2008, with each side spending nearly $74M to .
further promote their side of the argument and seek to win over cross-over voters .
who had not decided. The contention on those looking to ban same-sex marriage .
is that a marriage should be between a man and a woman. This was specifically .
supported by opponents to same-sex marriage realizing that many of the .
educational texts would be rewritten to show the political correctness of having .
gay or lesbian parents. This single tactic of showing how same-sex marriages .
would impact the overall educational process and content for children further .
intensified the efforts of the attorneys and legislators in the side of allowing for .
same-sex marriage to continue to show that in fact this would not be the case. .
Charging that the contention of educational content being completely re-written to .
sanction and as critics complained, promote same-sex marriage as approved in .
elementary school text books, those in favor of same-sex marriage looking to .