It's really about time:
From the Chicago Tribune: The Supreme Court will take up California's ban on same-sex marriage, a case that could give the justices the chance to rule on whether gay Americans have the same constitutional right to marry as heterosexuals.
The justices said Friday they will review a federal appeals court ruling that struck down the state's gay marriage ban, though on narrow grounds. The San Francisco-based appeals court said the state could not take away the same-sex marriage right that had been granted by California's Supreme Court.
The court also will decide whether Congress can deprive legally married gay couples of federal benefits otherwise available to married people. A provision of the federal Defense of Marriage Act limits a range of health and pension benefits, as well as favorable tax treatment, to heterosexual couples.
The cases probably will be argued in March, with decisions expected by late June. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/chi-gay-marriage-supreme-court-20121207,0,5679861.story
Personally, I think this is a state's right issue, though I do understand the gay comnmunity wanting the Surpremes to make gay marriage legal. I don't think the Supremes will do this- I think they will rule that deciding gay marriage will be up to the States.
As far as the Defense of Marriage Act, I really have no clue how the supremes will rule.
As far as I am concerned, I hope the States will be able to decide for themselves whether to accept gay marriage or not. I do hope that the supremes will say civil unions are ok, though.
But we do need a decision from the Supremes on the issue, so i am glad they are taking up the issues.
Eric Hovde: The Ultimate Carpetbagger
15 minutes ago
When interracial marriage had a patchwork of states allowing and disallowing it, the Supreme Court eventually had to step in. Imagine a couple getting married in DC, and then getting arrested for it in Virginia. And can you believe that couple was named "Loving"? That's pretty weird right there.
ReplyDeleteSure, Nevada didn't arrest me after I got married in California. But most California marriages are honored here, no questions asked. Mine isn't. I could go for your states' rights stance IF marriages performed elsewhere were honored, and were honored by the federal government. Then it would be like when first cousins marry in a state where it is legal, and then move to another state. Or states where you can marry at a younger age. Kind of creepy comparison, I know, but legally it should be the same.