Last Tuesday, the California Assembly voted to pass the state Senate’s bill that will allow same-sex marriage throughout the state.

Although “civil unions” of same-sex couples are very popular in California and offer couples many rights that “married” couples get, same-sex partners still can’t file taxes together, bring a spouse in from out of the country or pass social security on to a spouse.

Now, the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act goes to California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s desk. If he ratifies the bill, California will join Vermont in recognizing gay marriage and will become the first state to achieve it through the legislature.

But on Thursday, the governor stated that he plans to veto the bill despite his apparent support of civil unions. Schwarzenegger feels that gay marriage is not the will of the people. In 2000, the state passed Proposition 22, which recognizes only opposite-sex marriage as legitimate. His argument is that because Proposition 22 passed, the state does not want gay marriage.

Although Schwarzenegger’s attempt to protect the people of California from its own legislature seems reasonable, just which group of citizens is he trying to protect? It is clear that the 60,000 citizens registered as domestic partners in the state are not part of this targeted demographic. He is also obviously not protecting the population of San Francisco, which has been handing out marriage licenses to gay couples for over a year. A veto of this bill will also betray the gays and lesbians who supported his socially liberal and economically conservative platform.

The governor should listen to reason. If citizens are to have equal rights, then the marriage differential should be alleviated as soon as possible.

There should be no laws constraining the marriage of consenting adults. Refusing to let two citizens marry because they are of the same sex is just as oppressive as refusing to let two citizens marry because they are of different ethnicities.

Ed Board is serious about this.

Here in Texas, the 43,000 registered same-sex couples in Texas will find out if their love and commitment are equal to that of opposite-sex couples on Nov. 8, when the state votes to accept or reject a proposed same-sex marriage ban.

Ed Board hopes the governor will sense the gravity of his decision. Ratification of the Religious Freedom and Civil Marriage Protection Act will set a precedent for human rights in legislature. Arnold has the chance to end sexual oppression now.

To Arnold Schwarzenegger: It’s not too late. Ratify it.