Southern California cautious when it comes to gay marriage
GO SLOW: Los Angeles takes cautious approach to issuing licenses
James Sterngold, Chronicle Staff Writer
Los Angeles -- To the extent that the Bay Area registers at all for many Angelenos, it is often regarded as a pleasant backwater, best for those content to putter along in life's slow lane. But at least some here are suddenly nursing an unfamiliar emotion toward their San Francisco neighbor.
"We're having serious marriage license envy," said John Duran, a councilman in the hip, heavily gay city of West Hollywood. While San Francisco has taken the lead nationally in issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, in defiance of state and federal laws, Los Angeles is taking a slow, deliberate, non-confrontational approach, in spite of its cutting edge self-image. No same-sex marriage licenses have been issued here, and nobody, including positive-minded activists, expects that to change soon.
"We like to consider