“No union is more profound than marriage, for it embod- ies the highest ideals of love, fidelity, devotion, sacrifice, and family. In forming a marital union, two people be- come something greater than once they were. As some of the petitioners in these cases demonstrate, marriage embodies a love that may endure even past death. It would misunderstand these men and women to say they disrespect the idea of marriage. Their plea is that they do respect it, respect it so deeply that they seek to find its fulfillment for themselves. Their hope is not to be con- demned to live in loneliness, excluded from one of civiliza- tion’s oldest institutions. They ask for equal dignity in the eyes of the law. The Constitution grants them that right.”
So wrote Justice Anthony M. Kennedy in the closing paragraph of his 28-page majority opinion for Friday’s landmark 5-4 ruling, with Kennedy casting the deciding vote.
Here at WLA we received a flood of press releases following news of the court’s historic decision. Out of everything, we particularly liked this simple statement from U.S. Rep. Tony Cárdenas (D-San Fernando Valley, Calif):
“I have officiated the marriages of several same-sex couples, and I have seen the love in the eyes of those whose hands, and whose lives, I have joined,” said Cárdenas. “For the Federal government to have told those Americans that their love is lesser or, worse yet, illegal, has been an embarrassment to our nation and a violation of our founding principles. All people are created equal. All love is equally valuable. Today the Supreme Court confirmed what loving families have known in their hearts, Love Wins.”
Indeed. Love wins. At last.
Now, we only have to wait for them to sue religious institutions for not marrying them, allowing them to teach in private religious schools, etc., etc,. This is a sad day for many of us. I don’t care what Justice Kennedy said about religious freedom, just wait and see.
This is a sad day only for those who wish to impose their religious views on others. You can’t sue a church for refusing to marry you, they have the religious freedom granted by the 1st Amendment to pick and chose based on their criteria. Private institutions also have the religious freedom to pick and chose who teaches their faith. Nothing has changed in that regard. This Supreme Court decision affected PUBLIC institutions and marriage licenses. Even when you marry in a church, you still need to get a license issued by the registrar/recorder’s office.
Eyeswideopen….are you sure eyes are WIDE open? Welcome to America.
If we don’t get vaporized like the Biblical cities of Sodom and and Gomorrah did then we will know:
There is no God.
All these lofty ideas regarding state sanctioned marriage. State marriage has been a bad joke for quite some time now, why not let gays in on the misery? Who gets to play the part almost always assigned to the heterosexual male?. You know, the one who gets to pay for everything , and support the spouse well after divorce , often till death. Silly gays, don’t worry , the state is going to give it to at least one of you, good and hard.
Even though this latest victory further shows why America is……”The land of the free and the home of the brave”……the right wingers will make an excuse to keep their “tighty whiteys” in a bunch.
Dohhh! Wide-eye, the sadder you are, the happier I am.
Lefties are funny and for once Robert’s was right. The Constitution means nothing any longer. Some gays celebrated by spitting on a priest, yeah it’s all about the love.
Yawn….
For #7, it was certainly about love. His love of hating “Wide-eye”. It’s about love people, it’s all about love.
@ 8. Hey Sure Fire: BVD’S or Fruit of the Loom
@Independent….When you can’t argue laws, facts, or truth…
Sure Fire: Obviously the Supreme Court is clueless in your eyes. Nice
Yeah, some. I’m not some gay basher, think the decision was wrong simple as that. Be interesting to see where it goes from here. I know there’s a segment of the left, and certainly of the gay community, that is of the opinion that if you feel the decision is wrong you’re a hateful homophobe and nothing more. They’re wrong. Some out there like that I’m sure, I’m not one.
Was the Supreme Court right in Citizens United? How about in their lethal injection ruling they just made? We can play SCOTUS rulings all day…nice.
I guess texas isn’t on board