It's too bad for the religious folk who petitioned for the delay--looks like the gays will be gettin' hitched.

Today, the California Supreme Court rejected petitions to delay the decision to make it possible for same-sex marriages.

When the court overturned a ban on gay marriage on May 15, I was estactic. It shows how far our society has come in terms of tolerance by recognizing the union of two people in love, no matter who they are. Think about how monumental this decision is. There will be children growing up in a place where gay marriage may become a commonality. Already, people are projected a jump for the wedding industry in California because of the ruling.

Of course, there are still plenty of people who find this ruling crazy, or even disgusting. The gathering of more than 1.1 million signatures in efforts to put a counter-initiative on the ballot in November proves that (the California Secretary of State Office is still verifying the signatures). Many people based these opinions on their strong faith to their religion, probably quoting the Bible's teachings. I can respect people for having Faith, but those arguments against homosexuality are hard for me to understand.

Growing up in San Francisco, I was lucky enough to be in an environment where learning tolerance is taken for granted. I know I did. When I was younger, my mom worked at a bank in the Castro. Her boss was gay, as was several of her co-workers, so even though I grew up in a fairly conservative, traditionally Chinese family, I never thought gay people were any different from me because there were always gay people in my life.

It wasn't until I was in college that I understood how much people in other parts of the country don't have tolerance for gays and lesbians. Even after multiple discussions and reading arguments from people who condemn homosexuality, I still don't get it. To me, love between people is just that--love. Why does it matter what gender those two people are?

Donna Tam is managing editor of Oh Dang! She loves gays and lesbians, even when they make fun of her for being a "breeder."