Supremes’ ruling on gay marriage important, not critical
The U.S. Supreme Court announced Friday that it hear arguments in two important but very different cases involving gay marriage, raising the odds that it will soon establish the basic legal architecture for how that issue is handled in the future.
One case, out of New York, addresses how the federal government must handle gay marriages that are conducted in states where such marriages are legal. The second, out of California, raises the more fundamental question of whether gay marriage is a right protected under the Constitution’s promise of equal protection.
Given the range of legal questions at stake in those two cases, the court’s final ruling next June could take any number of turns. And you just know that Justice Antonin Scalia is itching to get his hands on this issue.
However, it is also important to point out that however the nine justices decide, all final decisions on the matter will be made by the American people. And they have already made it clear that we will not be going backward on this issue, and that whatever the Supreme Court’s ruling this year, in time the right to marry will be extended to all Americans, gay or straight.
Young people support that right overwhelming. Despite the stern opposition of their church, almost 60 percent of Catholics support it. According to a Pew poll in July, political independents support it by an 11-point margin. Black Americans, long dubious of the notion, also support it in increasing numbers.
As recently as 1996, 65 percent of Americans rejected the notion of gay marriage; only 27 percent supported it. Yet in the July Pew poll, 48 percent of Americans supported it and just 44 percent opposed it. That is an extraordinary shift in public opinion in just 16 years, on an issue that that you might think people might be stubborn about.
So do your worst, Justice Scalia. At worst, you and others can temporarily affect the pace of the change that is taking place across this country. But you cannot affect the final outcome.
– Jay Bookman
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1,132 comments Add your comment
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:09 am
Horwitz- God will speak to you if you invite God in to your life. God has spoken to me with a clear deep voice ” I will do my part. You do yours.” and I knew exactly what that meant and God kept his Word.
josef
December 8th, 2012
11:10 am
Morality
And sinister used to mean “left handed…” Until the witch-burners got a’hold of it…
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:10 am
“Why do heterosexuals believe they have the right to delve into
the bedroom of non-heterosexuals? Morality?”
Fear?
Common Sense isn't very Common
December 8th, 2012
11:12 am
Josef
You are NORMAL.
Before you said that I was all for everyone having a choice in marrying whomever they wanted, but now I will have to rethink my position.
J/k
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:12 am
Been waiting since 1966 for the Falcons to win the Super Bowl . Love those Dirty Birds.
josef
December 8th, 2012
11:13 am
COMMON SENSE
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:14 am
“God will speak to you if you invite God in to your life. God has spoken to me with a clear deep voice ” I will do my part. You do yours.””
And how do you handle it if God tells me something totally different from what he tells you?
barking frog
December 8th, 2012
11:15 am
Morality?
How long have you been hearing deep male voices?
roughrider
December 8th, 2012
11:16 am
It’s hard to believe that a civilized society would entertain the notion of two men or women marrying each other. Even dogs and cats know better.If this happens , what’s next ? People marrying dead people, peopled marrying animals ? Where do we draw the line?
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:16 am
Doggone – I have no interest in what you do in your bedroom as long as you are not a serial killer torturing someone or a child molester.
midtownguy
December 8th, 2012
11:17 am
“It’s just a matter of time.” I’ve been saying that for years. All you had to do is look at the gaps in age groups on this and many other social issues. It’s not so much that young people “support gay rights” as much as they are just don’t see how other people live or who they marry as any of their business. Now here is Georgia me and my partner will likely be long gone before it happens, but that’s OK.
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:18 am
Doggone : I don’t handle it. That is between you and God.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:18 am
“Doggone – I have no interest in what you do in your bedroom as long as you are not a serial killer torturing someone or a child molester”
Was that supposed to be an answer to my question? ‘Cause if it is…it’s not.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:19 am
” ………. that whatever the Supreme Court’s ruling this year, in time the right to marry will be extended to all Americans, gay or straight.”
You left out polygamy.
If the Supreme Court rules there is a Constitutional right to gay marriage then there is no legal basis for not extending that same right to those who which to have multiple marriage partners.
Kamchak ~ Thug from the Steppes
December 8th, 2012
11:20 am
People marrying dead people, peopled marrying animals ?
Marriage is a legal contract.
Neither animals nor dead people can enter into a legal contract.
Geez….
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:20 am
Excuse me: “wish” to have
Recon 0311 2533
December 8th, 2012
11:20 am
“People want a large Federal government that is a buffer against the nut down the street who would gladly force his Religious views right down your throat.”
The problem is paying for a large federal government and the billions of dollars its been taking out of the economy. It hasn’t worked and the country has never been terrorized and forced into religious bondage by Christians or Jews ever in our history.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:20 am
Multiple partners can enter into a legal contract.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:20 am
“Doggone : I don’t handle it. That is between you and God.”
But you will have to handle it if what I am told becomes more of the norm in society than what you are told.
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:21 am
Frog – Deep voice – God is neither male nor female. That’s what I heard – no doubt about it. God is TRUTH. God is LOVE. No matter who you are or what you have done – God loves you.
barking frog
December 8th, 2012
11:21 am
0311
Does more than one husband scare you?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:21 am
Recon:
A “polygamist” deserves the right to have those ten personal “exemptions” for his (or her) federal income tax return.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:22 am
“Neither animals nor dead people can enter into a legal contract.”
And neither can children
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:22 am
barking frog:
Do you think the Constitution should allow for multiple marriage partners ?
barking frog
December 8th, 2012
11:23 am
Morality?
So God has no genitals, wow!
barking frog
December 8th, 2012
11:24 am
0311
The Constitution provides equal protection before the law.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:24 am
“The problem is paying for a large federal government and the billions of dollars its been taking out of the economy”
If it’s been “taken out of the economy” – where did it go?
Georgia
December 8th, 2012
11:26 am
People are very sexual beings. Most viral videos are from German porn. Is sex a sin, and should playing house with a tranny be illegal? If its a sin, then it means that everyone is gay. How could some be condemned for sins impossible for others to commit? Sodomy. Bible lore insists that bestiality follows on the heels of sodomy. It’s a pendulum swing. It’s the tide. From sex between spouses wanting children, to divorce, to gay, to goats and then to where we are now, with the lingerie football league. What’s been happening for over fifty thousand years is an orgy for the ages. Followed by brief periods of missionary position. Everything and everyone. Shame itself seems to have been bred out of us all. A woman drives around an unloading school bus on the sidewalk. A man fillibusters his own bill. A good Samaritan’s near-fatal gift of boots. no rules. No right or wrong. Prayer itself relegated to tv shows with nuns saying the rosary. God’s wrath? Most stars are binary stars. Our Sun is no exception. There is a companion star, an undetectable brown dwarf moving so fast that we’ll have little warning when its orbit affects ours. 122112. Repent. There’s a rosary marathon tonite!
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:26 am
Doggone _ I am speaking for myself – can’t speak for all heterosexuals. I don’t think, but haven’t taken a poll, that most heterosexuals are concerned with what someone does in the privacy of their home as long as it is consensual and not child molestation. That’s my final answer.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:26 am
“Do you think the Constitution should allow for multiple marriage partners ?”
Does it prohibit them?
indigo
December 8th, 2012
11:27 am
Morality
Please furnish us with irrefutable scientific evidence to support your belief in God so that we may all be true belivers like you.
Thank you.
breckenridge
December 8th, 2012
11:27 am
As American citizens our first obligation is to the US Constitution, not the Bible. And the Constitution is very clear in instructing us not to legislate religion or religious beliefs.
And those that actively lobby to legislate their religious views – Family Research Council, Concerned Women for America, etc – are nothing but dirty filthy traitors.
josef
December 8th, 2012
11:29 am
For those wanting to cite the Biblical…guess what, Polygamy is, at least for the Sephardim, kosher…
http://www.shamash.org/lists/scj-faq/HTML/faq/08-06.html
Recon 0311 2533
December 8th, 2012
11:30 am
If it’s been “taken out of the economy” – where did it go?
To pay the interest on our national debt and to finance an ever expanding federal government along with our entitlement programs. In short spending money we don’t have.
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:30 am
God has no genitals! That is correct – ’cause God is not human…….. guess you are trying to be funny but it comes across as silly.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:31 am
Doggone:
““Do you think the Constitution should allow for multiple marriage partners ?”
Does it prohibit them?”
We won’t know until the Supreme Court rules one day but in my opinion if they rule that gays have the right to legally marry under the Constitution then there is no legal basis for saying polygamists can’t have multiple partners (gay or straight polygamists included) wth all of the legal, tax and health benefits involved.
Your thoughts ?
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:31 am
“To pay the interest on our national debt and to finance an ever expanding federal government along with our entitlement programs. In short spending money we don’t have”
In fact, it went BACK into the economy.
Stevie Ray..Clowns to the left and Jokers to the right..here I am...
December 8th, 2012
11:32 am
barking frog
December 8th, 2012
11:07 am
I can contribute one glaring reason. I was in DC this past week and walked by a bookstore that had at featured book on sale..SATAN YOU CAN’T HAVE MY CHILDREN…now, I’m not spun from any religious clothe so you can imagine how amusing this was to me. I flipped thru the chapters and it did address SATAN as somewhat of a steering committee to homosexuality and the like..
The evangelicals, grasping for relevancy, are desperate to make a final stand before judgement day when gays have the same rights they do…so absurd you gotta laugh..
Michael
December 8th, 2012
11:32 am
But, vultures are commonly kept in households. In fact, in the northeast it is common to live in a neighborhood with a vulture capitalist. Some of them, such as Romney, are celebrated. Some of them, such as Millken and now Madoff, are kept in confinement for violating investment norms. Or,what we think are investment norms.
Met a woman last month who is the daughter of a Greek Orthodox priest. I thought that was a scandal, but she said it is accepted in the Greek Orthodox church. Since the new testament was written in Greek, I suppose we have to defer to them over the Romans. Or, the various protestant offshoots of the Romans.
I suppose the supremes could decide that if the government is not enforcing DOMA, and the states are not enforcing the prohibition against gay marriage, there is no conflict that has to be decided. Usually, someone has to prove that they have been damaged to get some kind of action by a court. In this case I don’t know what the damage is.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:33 am
“Your thoughts ?”
You could have answered my question with one word: No
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:34 am
breckenridge:
Every law or regulation passed is one group’s attempt to legislate their morality on others.
What “you” might call fraud would be another group’s “slick business deal”.
If enough people think that is “morally wrong” ………. then you get the law/regulation you desire.
getalife
December 8th, 2012
11:34 am
cons spewing morals is like assad spewing freedom.
barking frog
December 8th, 2012
11:34 am
Morality?
God has no genitals! That is correct – ’cause God is not human…….. guess you are trying to be funny but it comes across as silly.
………………………………………………
Funny…Silly.. maybe but for a god with no genitals the followers
are certainly concerned about what people are doing with their genitals.
tom
December 8th, 2012
11:35 am
Jay, why point to Justice Scalia exclusively? 5 of the 9 justices are Catholic, are they not?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:35 am
Doggone:
Then you agree with me that “if” the SCOTUS rules favorably on gay marriage then legalized polygamy is not far behind.
Just be prepared for it.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:35 am
“I suppose the supremes could decide that if the government is not enforcing DOMA”
The government is, in fact, enforcing DOMA. What it is not going is DEFENDING it.
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:36 am
Indigo – Instead why don’t you get an open mind, join a Bible group that will explain the Bible to you and invite God in to your life. Then He will prove He is real to you himself. I know I am not here by accident.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:36 am
getalife:
I think you meant “Morsi” ?
Recon 0311 2533
December 8th, 2012
11:37 am
In fact, it went BACK into the economy
No it’s not going back into the economy and a deficit that exceeds 16 trillion dollars growing daily proves it’s not going back into the economy.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:38 am
“Just be prepared for it.”
No need to prepare. Just like gay marriage, it will have no effect on me.
getalife
December 8th, 2012
11:39 am
You can’t take the moral high ground cons because your actions prove you lost your your moral compass.
scalia is the only justice running his mouth on this issue tom.
I think we should join the other civilized countries and pass it.
Recon 0311 2533
December 8th, 2012
11:40 am
Morality, Indigo wants scientific proof there is a God. Maybe he/she should offer scientific proof there isn’t.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:41 am
“No it’s not going back into the economy and a deficit that exceeds 16 trillion dollars growing daily proves it’s not going back into the economy”
Then were IS it going? it doesn’t just disappear. Where does it go, it not back into the economy?
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:41 am
Supreme’s are not God…… neither is Obama….. neither is the gub’ment. Gub’ments throughout history have ended in corruption and immorality…… God is still here. SELAH!
getalife
December 8th, 2012
11:42 am
No scout,
I meant assad.
Why do you even care about this issue?
It has nothing to do with you or me.
You need to work on your own morals.
indigo
December 8th, 2012
11:42 am
Morality
That is not what I asked.
Since YOU are the one here talking about God as though His existence is factual, it’s up to YOU to furnish hard evidence to support this belief.
If this just isn’t possible, then have the decency to just man/woman up and admit all you have is childish blind faith.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:42 am
Doggone:
Then a Supreme Court ruling against gay marriage would have no affect on you either.
Good.
Jack ®
December 8th, 2012
11:42 am
I say if some hairy-legged dude wants to marry another hairy-legged dude instead of a nice pretty lady, got for it. If IRS changes the 1040 to accomodate same-sex marriage, it’ll be interesting to see who claims to be the spouse. Or will the word spouse be considered sexist? Or racist?
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:43 am
“Why do you even care about this issue?”
Because I am an American citizen and I hate to see this country in such a moral, political and economic decline.
curious
December 8th, 2012
11:44 am
If God created Adam and Eve, there must have been some big time incest going on in order for us to be where we are today.
jewcowboy
December 8th, 2012
11:44 am
I just have one comment before I have to go run errands, and it’s a long one so I apologize in advance. Gay marriage is as conservative of a value you can get.
As I’ve posted before, David Cameron explains it best, “But for me, leadership on families also means speaking out on marriage. Marriage is not just a piece of paper. It pulls couples together through the ebb and flow of life. It gives children stability. And it says powerful things about what we should value. So yes, we will recognize marriage in the tax system.
But we’re also doing something else. I once stood before a Conservative conference and said it shouldn’t matter whether commitment was between a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, or a man and another man. You applauded me for that. Five years on, we’re consulting on legalizing gay marriage.
And to anyone who has reservations, I say: Yes, it’s about equality, but it’s also about something else: commitment. Conservatives believe in the ties that bind us; that society is stronger when we make vows to each other and support each other. So I don’t support gay marriage despite being a Conservative. I support gay marriage because I’m a Conservative.”
Yes, the legalization of gay marriage is inevitable in this country, in large part due to straight advocates. But for those straight people who do not see this fight for civil rights as pertinent to their lives, ask yourself what you would tell your child who grew up to be gay and was denied the right to marry the person they loved due to your apathy.
This is best encapsulated in a quote by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., whose wife Coretta Scott King was an advocate for gay marriage, who was addressing the business community on January 27, 1965, at the Dinkler Plaza Hotel in downtown Atlanta. The business community had originally plan to snub Dr. King’s speech until Robert W. Woodruff allowed his name to be used on the invitation as a sponsor. Suddenly the event was standing room only. During the speech Dr. King said, “History will have to record that the greatest tragedy of this period of social transition was not the vitriolic words and the violent actions of the bad people, but the appalling silence and indifference of the good people. Our generation will have to repent not only for the words and acts of the children of darkness, but also for the fears and apathy of the children of light.”
So it remains true today for another group of American citizens and their struggle for civil rights.
The GOV
December 8th, 2012
11:44 am
“God has spoken to me out loud with a “male” toned voice.”
Was this “voice” coming from a dog?
Recon 0311 2533
December 8th, 2012
11:44 am
” Where does it go, it not back into the economy?”
I answered your question and the rest is only basic math.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:44 am
Jack:
Don’t forget those multiple “dependants” on that 1040 for polygamist marriages.
Jack ®
December 8th, 2012
11:45 am
go for it
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:45 am
Doggone – it does not go back in to the economy because it goes to China and Japan to whom we owe a few trillion and when they cut us off from MORE borrowing . the 47% will no longer have to vote Obama.. ’cause the gub’ment credit card will be MAXED out and DENIED.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:45 am
“Then a Supreme Court ruling against gay marriage would have no affect on you either.”
Quite right, it won’t. That doesn’t mean I have to agree with it. Nor does it mean it can never be changed. And it doesn’t mean that Congress can’t pass – or repeal – laws that affect it.
getalife
December 8th, 2012
11:47 am
“Because I am an American citizen and I hate to see this country in such a moral, political and economic decline.”
You voted for w twice and cheered on his destruction of your country.
You have no moral compass. You treated our President with disrespect and lies.
Repent sinner.
The GOV
December 8th, 2012
11:48 am
“Morality, Indigo wants scientific proof there is a God. Maybe he/she should offer scientific proof there isn’t.”
Where in the new testament or old testament (or any other religious book) can you find the mention of dinosaurs?
josef
December 8th, 2012
11:49 am
I’d think that our don’t take my money lot here would be championing the cause of the New York case…to my understanding, a pivotal argument is that the greedy gub’ment has some $400,000.00 in ill gotten gain riding on the outcome…
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:49 am
jewcowboy:
Since you mentioned Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. I am sure you would ascribe to these words also:
“The acceptable year of the Lord is that year when every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess the name of Jesus. And everywhere men will cry out, “Hallelujah, hallelujah! The kingdom of this world has become the kingdom of our Lord and His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. Hallelujah, hallelujah!” (1966)
barking frog
December 8th, 2012
11:50 am
The Federal government is restrained from failing to provide
equal protection of law to all citizens by the Constitution. The
Supreme Court has upheld that provision many times so there
is no reason to believe that it will not in these two cases.
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:50 am
Indigo and others: After you actually read and understand the Bible and ask God to come in to your life we’ll talk. Until then your closed mind won’t allow you to understand the difference between fact and fiction.
getalife
December 8th, 2012
11:51 am
How dare you cons pretend you have morals after the last decade.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:51 am
getalife:
You voted for “O” twice and cheer on his destruction of your country.
You have no moral compass. You treated President Bust with disrespect and lies.
Repent sinner.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
11:51 am
“Doggone – it does not go back in to the economy because it goes to China and Japan to whom we owe a few trillion and when they cut us off from MORE borrowing”
But it does go back into the economy, unless you think China and Japan are burning it when they get it. “The economy” is much bigger than just the US, you know. You DO know, don’t you?
Edward
December 8th, 2012
11:52 am
Morality and Recon must disprove the existence of the Easter Bunny and Tooth Fairy. After all, from what I can see, there is just as much evidence to support their existence as there is for your god. As a very wise man once stated, for all the same reasons you disbelieve in all the gods that came before or since, like Osiris or Thor or Zeus, I likewise dismiss your invention.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:52 am
Excuse me: “President Bush”
Same-sex marriage goes to high court - NBCNews.com | Batyam.co.ilBatyam.co.il
December 8th, 2012
11:52 am
[...] Court to hear gay marriage cases, fulfill long quest of rights activistsSan Jose Mercury NewsAtlanta Journal Constitution (blog) -CBS Newsall 2,396 news articles » This entry was posted in Uncategorized [...]
Saint Joan
December 8th, 2012
11:52 am
Indigo, How about this view? Think of America as a large house being held in place by a strong foundation. Then imagine, years ago that engineers discovered that the foundation, which had been done well but was lacking by current engineering standards. The foundation needed to be re-worked. Then let’s imagine that as other materials wore out and that technology brought roofing products that were sturdier and less toxic to the inhabitants. Then windows were invented that were not only safer but provided weather protection that kept the inhabitants more comfortable year around.
No one lives in the same house for decades without having to fix and adjust the structure.
0311/8541/5811/1811/1801
December 8th, 2012
11:53 am
barking frog:
You mean “equal protection under the law” ?
Then why don’t women have to register for selective service ?
Recon 0311 2533
December 8th, 2012
11:55 am
Where in the new testament or old testament (or any other religious book) can you find the mention of dinosaurs?
If that’s your scientific proof you get a maggy’s drawers for being way off the target.
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
11:56 am
Come to our Bible study tuesday night at 6:30 and learn – God said “Ignorance of His Word is dangerous”.
getalife
December 8th, 2012
11:57 am
scout,
Only problem is you lie:
“You voted for “O” twice and cheer on his destruction of your country.”
Liars, cheaters, unpatriotic, bigots can’t claim the moral high ground.
That is a lie too.
Corey
December 8th, 2012
11:59 am
I find it blasphemous that those who constantly invoke God have reduced God to a humanlike being with all the traits, characteristics and trappings of being human. An awesome being who created the universe has been reduced to words in fables on pages penned by man call the Bible. How utterly ridiculous. I think I will visit one of those God and country churches and pass out a copy of the great patriot, Thomas Paine’s “The Age of Reason” to all those church attending patriots.
Cheryl Anne
December 8th, 2012
11:59 am
To all the Bible thumpers, especially the one who said man can’t overrule God: Ah, actually, we’ve done it throughout history. And thank goodness we have, or, for example, we’d still have slavery:
However, you may purchase male or female slaves from among the foreigners who live among you. You may also purchase the children of such resident foreigners, including those who have been born in your land. You may treat them as your property, passing them on to your children as a permanent inheritance. You may treat your slaves like this, but the people of Israel, your relatives, must never be treated this way. (Leviticus 25:44-46 NLT)
getalife
December 8th, 2012
11:59 am
No cons, stop lying about you having morals.
Not on my watch.
I will blast you hypocrites .
Recon 0311 2533
December 8th, 2012
11:59 am
” I likewise dismiss your invention.”
And it’s your choice to make that nobody deprives you from making but that doesn’t make you right.
Morality?
December 8th, 2012
12:00 pm
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to ALL – especially Barking Frog, Indigo and Danny X.. See you on the other side -
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
12:02 pm
“After you actually read and understand the Bible”
And what if someone else understands the Bible differently from how you understand it?
getalife
December 8th, 2012
12:02 pm
Ted Olson won this argument.
Just deal with it cons.
Doggone/GA
December 8th, 2012
12:03 pm
“Come to our Bible study tuesday night at 6:30 and learn – God said “Ignorance of His Word is dangerous”.”
God teaches your Bible study class himself?
barking frog
December 8th, 2012
12:06 pm
0311 11:53
Women don’t have to register for selective service for the same reason
that men do have to register for selective service.
Soothsayer
December 8th, 2012
12:06 pm
NOT Georgia! Brrr-r-r-r-r !
Allzunah, Eastern Germany
jconservative
December 8th, 2012
12:08 pm
There is a lot of wrong info floating around this blog on this issue. Here are the Courts two orders granting certiorari. As is evident the Court has created several options on how to decide the cases.
12-144 HOLLINGSWORTH V. PERRY
In addition to the question presented by the petition, the parties are directed to brief and argue the following question:
Whether petitioners have standing under Article III, Section 2 of the Constitution in this case.
CERT. GRANTED 12/7/2012
Question presented:
Whether the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment
prohibits the State of California from defining marriage as the union of a man and
a woman.
————————————————————-
12-307 UNITED STATES V. WINDSOR
In addition to the question presented by the petition, the parties are directed to brief and argue the following questions:
Whether the Executive Branch’s agreement with the court below that DOMA is unconstitutional deprives this Court of jurisdiction to decide the case;
and whether the bipartisan legal advisory group of the United States House of Representatives has Article III standing in the case.
CERT. GRANTED 12/7/2012
Questions presented:
Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) defines the term
“marriage” for all purposes under federal law, including the provision of federal
benefits, as “only a legal union between one man and one woman as husband and
wife.” 1 U.S.C. 7. It similarly defines the term “spouse” as “a person of the
opposite sex who is a husband or a wife.” Ibid. The question presented is:
Whether Section 3 of DOMA violates the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of
equal protection of the laws as applied to persons of the same sex who are legally
married under the laws of their State.
getalife
December 8th, 2012
12:10 pm
President Bust indeed.
Anyhoo, this issue will be over this year.
getalife
December 8th, 2012
12:10 pm
Opps, next year.
Dekalb comments
December 8th, 2012
12:13 pm
Moralilty?
I am a Christian but don’t believe in the literal Adam and Eve story. The Biblical story of creation mimics and is younger than similar creation stories that were among other nomadic tribes at the time. It is a nice, simple story that places God’s relationship with mankind in a way people of the day could comprehend.
We now know that the universe, at least as we can perceive it today, originated with the Big Bang. I have no problem reconciling the big bang, the earth’s geologic development and evolution with my belief in God. God set all of this in motion. So he didn’t create Adam and Eve and set them in the garden.
Further there is NOTHING in the Bible that speaks of persons of same-gegnder attraction. Man-on-man sex was a method of humiliation and domination among many peoples at the time. It was, as with rape, a matter of power and control, but not sexual attraction. The concept of same-gender attraction is relatively new and only now being understood.
And if you are so convinced the Bible proscribes same-gender sexual activity, I guess lesbians get a pass because there is no mention of woman-on-woman sex in the Bible.
indigo
December 8th, 2012
12:13 pm
Saint Joan
The key phrase is “current engineering standards”
It’s those “current” standards that are undermining us.
KC
December 8th, 2012
12:16 pm
The fundamentalists will frame their arguments in such a way that they will always find biblical support for their belief that not *every* citizen deserves equal rights under the law but there are two separate issues here. First, marriage is a religious sacrament. If your church doesn’t want to sanctify marriage between people of the same sex, no one is going to force them to do so. Second, certain legal rights are conferred on those who are married.
Those legal benefits conferred on heterosexual marrieds can’t reasonably be denied to others based on religious beliefs, at least not in the US which was created on the stated premise that all are created equal by God.
The scripture fundamentalists need to revisit is the one about beams and motes I think.