If you have something to say...
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If you have something to say...
Say it on the Huffington Post
The Blog
When politicians attack Perry or any judicial decision that doesn't accord with their own views, claiming those decisions are the product of "rogue" judges, they reveal a frightening misunderstanding of the American legal system.
Our son was 3 years old when Prop 8 passed, too young to understand what was going on but just the right age to articulate his thoughts on those "Yes on 8" signs he saw everywhere. They were, he announced, "the color of pee-pee." On some level, he got what was happening to his family.
Justice in our country is based on equality for all. Our nation separates church and state, so religious objections to civil marriage have no pertinence. I am tired of waiting while politicians posture and pontificate.
As Proposition 8 in California was ruled unconstitutional, I was reminded of my own first two marriages. But there were no divorces in between -- my husband Mike and I were never married to anyone else. Does this statement sound like a riddle?
It is especially ironic that Santorum would use polygamy as an example of the erosion of traditional marriage when historically, and biblically, polygamy was a perfectly acceptable traditional form of marriage.
In order to get divorced, I traveled back to the Midwestern college town where I'd lived for a year with my soon-to-be ex. I hadn't put down substantial roots there in a year's time, but I'd made some friends, including a nice couple from my church who let me stay with them for a few nights.
After Tuesday's Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals decision to strike down Prop 8 as unconstitutional, there are many questions on what this means and what comes next. Prop8TrialTracker.com consulted with our friends in the legal community and put together a list.
The broad language of the amendment could result in the denial of a wide range of rights and protections to non-married couples -- gay and straight -- on the grounds that those relationships would be barred from legal recognition if the amendment passes.
Even as the Ninth Circuit ruling may possibly go up on appeal, likewise, a number of important lawsuits challenging DOMA are working their way through the courts. Any one of these cases, or one that has yet to be filed, could make its way to the Supreme Court.
Under the Ninth Circuit Court's new ruling, Proposition 8 was found to violate the federal Constitution, so it no longer would control, and thus the right of gays and lesbians to marry would be restored fully under that ruling, assuming that the decision stands.
It took me years to accept the wisdom of the four justices on the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court who ruled that gay and lesbian Bay Staters had the right to marry, but now I realize they struck a noble blow for justice.
There's much to celebrate about the 9th Circuit's ruling confirming the lower court finding that Prop. 8 was unconstitutional. The ruling amounts to a pretty definitive slap down of the Boies and Olsen strategy in litigating the case.
I consider myself lucky to be experiencing the ongoing turmoil caused by the Prop 8 battle in my early- to mid-30s, well after I accepted myself as a gay man. I can only imagine what emotional damage this battle has caused teenagers who may be struggling with their sexuality.
The punishment Zubik's diocese dealt to me because of my marriage, and the way he continues to decry loving, committed same-sex couples just like my husband and me, is what initiated my journey out of the Catholic Church.
If the Supreme Court issues an opinion following the appellate court's reasoning, it might have a limited impact on same-sex marriage bans in other states. But it is precisely this that significantly improves the chances of it being affirmed by the Supreme Court.
Polling on same-sex marriage reveals that the changing landscape challenges some common stereotypes about religion and the issue of same-sex marriage. Last year was the first on record where supporting same-sex marriage was not a minority position.
