SET 'EM UP IN THE OTHER ALLEY

Circumventing the law appears to have failed in San Francisco, at least for the time being:

The California state agency that records marriages said yesterday that forms that have been altered, which San Francisco has done on its homosexual “marriage” licenses, will not be registered.

California has a standard application form for marriage licenses, “and if it has been altered in any way, then it will not be registered and recorded. It will be sent back to the county of origin,” said Nicole Evans, spokeswoman for Kim Belshe, the California Health and Human Services secretary.

The more than 2,600 homosexual couples who have been “married” since last week with the help of San Francisco city and county officials have been crossing out “groom” and “bride” as printed on the standard application and writing in phrases such as “Applicant #1” and “Applicant #2” or “spouses for life.”

None of these forms will be accepted, Ms. Evans said yesterday.

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California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, who generally supports homosexual rights, criticized San Francisco officials for disobeying state law.

“I support all of California’s existing laws that provide domestic-partnership benefits and protections,” Mr. Schwarzenegger said in a statement released late Tuesday. “However, Californians spoke on the issue of same-sex marriage when they overwhelmingly approved California’s law that defines marriage as being between a man and a woman.

“I support that law and encourage San Francisco officials to obey that law.”

They won’t, but it’s a nice thought from the California governor.