Washington State's ongoing battle.

It took gay rights activists 30 years to pass a law banning discrimination against gays in Washington State. Now antigay leaders are hoping it will take only about 30 weeks to undo it.

Gov. Chris Gregoire signed the law January 31, one day after antigay activists filed to begin gathering the 112,440 signatures needed by a June 7 deadline to put a repeal on the November ballot. "We think it's a bad day for the people in the state of Washington," said Bob Higley, a lobbyist for the antigay Faith and Freedom Network. "There's no question this is part of an advancement of an agenda."

But gay state representative Joe McDermott, who supported the law, said he isn't worried. "I am certain that should a referendum campaign come together to repeal the law, you will see a groundswell of opposition," he said. "Washingtonians condemn discrimination and will see [it] as bigotry and opportunism."