Never expected such a broad ruling.

Incredible news.

Kennedy wants his legacy back

I think he just got it. I really wanted Roberts to just up and say fuck it, shame he didn't.

Looks like Roberts did cross the line on the Prop 8 vote, though it was on a procedural basis. They basically punted Prop 8, setting no precedent.

All in all, my summation of what today means:

The federal government will now provide benefits to anyone who is legally married, regardless of sexuality. The state controls the definition of legal marriage, and each state can set their definition accordingly. I doubt gay marriage will be deemed a legal right anytime in the next decade, but this affirms the federal rights of gay couples in a huge way. More and more states will join up as opinions shift.

This makes me want to cry. Extremely happy right now.

In 50 years time, animal-human relationships will be deemed normal.

But that means you can be free to marry the pigs you get intimate with. Rejoice!

Not even Algren can bring me down with this one. So happy about this decision.

What the fuck just happened?

It already is in Sweden.

FUCKING AWESOME

This arrives the same week the Supreme Court made it much easier for bosses to sexually harass employees, weakened tribal sovereignty, and
gutted the Voting Rights Act which will probably mean Wendy Davis loses her next election.

So good news, but it's worth knowing some of the really vile decisions SCOTUS made this week too.

They already are:

It's true.

Was gay marriage made legal or what?

One of my Facebook friends has this status:

"The Knot" magazine has a new magazine for gay weddings. I unsubscribed from their site immediately. Stand up for traditional marriage, which is the only natural, biological way to continue human society.

To unfriend or not to unfriend?

No. The Supreme Court struck down The Defense of Marriage Act, which means that same-sex married couples are now entitled to federal benefits. It also struck down Prop 8 which means that gay marriage is legal in California.

Slightly off topic, but I agree with the Supreme Court's decision in the Voting Rights Act. Times have changed, the formula does place an inordinate burden on some states and not others, and it's not constitutional.

In addition, the majority opinion makes it clear that this doesn't overturn the ban on discriminatory voting rules. It also leaves in place the ability for Congress to draft new rules, using current conditions, to address any voting discrimination that arises.

The Supreme Court is semantic, they basically said this law is no longer constitutional in it's current form (in essence the success of the law eliminated it's constitutionality), Congress can draft new laws that are valid. The law was placing an undo burden, it should have been removed, now it's up to the legislative branch to legislate the issue.

To me, these were the expected rulings.

Awesome news!

Unfriend.

From what I understand, Prop 8 was Not struck down directly, else gay marriage would have been declared a Right.

Instead, SCOTUS looked at the fact that both California Governor Jerry Brown and the Attorney General
declined to challenge the 2010 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision which declared Prop 8 as being Unconstitutional. Because they declined to defend Prop 8, SCOTUS said that the Pro-8 camp lacked the legal authority to defend the Act, and in the absence of State government representation, that SCOTUS itself could not hear the arguments.

If so, then SCOTUS basically remanded the case back to The State of California, where nobody in Authority is defending Prop 8. This leaves open the probability that other States may continue to enforce against gay marriage, and that SCOTUS will eventually end up hearing the argument once it is represented by those of Legal Standing.

There is also the possibility that a different Governor or AG could appeal to SCOTUS on the matter, though not as likely since SCOTUS did strike down DOMA and since California as a power is financially Broke.

I don't know if you're trolling, but even if you are, fuck you! I can't wait until people like you die out which won't be long, considering where you live.