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Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear appeals from five states that ban same-sex marriage where Federal appeals courts serving those states (Indiana, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Utah), effectively making same-sex marriage legal in these states.<\/p>\n
I had a few people, including my boss, ask me if I were celebrating.
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Sure, in one way, I am happy for same-sex couples in those states who want to marry. I am still thrilled for being able to marry my man last year when our home state was the first to make same-sex marriage legal by popular vote (when a referendum against a law authorizing same-sex marriage in Maryland did not pass.)<\/p>\n
But I am also deeply troubled that these decisions were made by court action — or in the case of the U.S. Supreme Court — inaction. There are many political reasons behind that decision that the pundits are all pontificating about. Liberal and open-minded people are jumping for joy while more conservative talk show blatherists are foaming at the mouth about “those activist judges.”<\/p>\n
I personally am very disappointed in the Supreme Court’s inaction by kicking the can down the road. By not hearing any of the cases, they defer making a decision on behalf of our entire country, while state-by-state, same-sex marriage continues to make slow and painful progress. <\/p>\n
I tell ya, this Supreme Court has been both good and bad — mostly bad — but I remain divided in my opinion. After all, it was this same court that overturned Section 3 of that hateful Defense of Marriage Act<\/em> that prohibited Federal recognition of same-sex marriage. With that decision, my spouse was able to extend his Federal benefits to me, including health insurance and a survivor’s annuity should he predecease me.<\/p>\n The non-decision by the Supreme Court yesterday empowers the forces against same-sex marriage. History and past practice show that such actions drive out the conservative voter base, forecasting a more right-leaning outcome in the upcoming elections in states across the country. I refrain from making more political statements, but you can read the tea leaves as well as I can. Forecast is frightening for some, hopeful for others, and for most of us, daunting and discouraging because most likely, gridlock will be permanent.<\/p>\n I think one article that I read summed up my feelings well, “As a result of [the Supreme Court] decision, there will not be a 50-state resolution any time soon. But the direction of the country, if not the court, is clear, and that’s more important than any Supreme Court decision.”<\/p>\n Yes, the tide is turning. Forces against same-sex marriage are slowly being overcome. I just wish it didn’t have to be by lower court case-by-case judicial action, but by a clear statement of Federal law and favorable interpretation of our U.S. Consititution’s Fourteenth Amendment equal protection clause by the cowardly and deviously political Supreme Court justices.<\/p>\n Okay, enough politics. Back to boots tomorrow.<\/p>\n Life is short: observe future impacts from short-term wins.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Yesterday, the United States Supreme Court refused to hear appeals from five states that ban same-sex marriage where Federal appeals courts serving those states (Indiana, Oklahoma, Virginia, Wisconsin, and Utah), effectively making same-sex marriage legal in these states. I had … Continue reading