Gov. Lingle concluded her press conference with a call for voters to decide on this issue. Yet I can't think of anything less in line with the values of America than putting the civil rights of one group up for a vote. She added that "hopefully over the course of time," citizens would see her decision in a positive light, and reflective of the values of Hawaii.

On the contrary, over the course of time, it'll only become more and more apparent that Gov. Lingle struck out, when she could have hit a homerun for her state's gay and lesbian citizens.