Today is shaping up to be a landmark day for equality in the US. Heck, a landmark month in certain ways, given recent changes to the standing of TG treatment in government health care. Whether you agree with gay marriage or not, though, let's all give a few moments to feel happy for all the people whose lives, both now and in the future, have a chance of being enriched by the decision the court made today.
Melanie E.
Comments
Yeah
It has been a good 48 hours here in America . First people did not lose health insurance and now marriage equality nationwide instaed of the patchwork system we had , legal in some states but not in others.
Two Sides to Same Coin
While Justice Kennedy spoke with compassion about the effect same sex marriage bans have on the feelings of "gays and lesbians", Justice Scalia suggested the court was overstepping its bounds by ruling on this issue since many of the nine judges went to the same law schools, and none were evangelical or protestant Christians. His complaint is the SCOTUS is too homogeneous.
I'll stop before I either start laughing (or crying) uncontrollably. I wonder how Ginsberg felt when Scalia implied her views were too similar to his?
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Smart Woman
She's a smart woman, I imagine she gave it all the attention it deserved. ;-)
I went outside once. The graphics weren' that great.
I can see those issues too
A few people on the news earlier today were comparing the issue to Roe Vs. Wade in terms of social impact, as well as how it impacts on the government's ability to override state's rights. I can see the issues, too, and I'll admit it's a bit hypocritical to ignore them when the result is in favor of policies I'm all for even though I'd object if I disagreed with them, but I have a hard time arguing with a policy that, to me, speaks directly in support of our country's self-proclaimed rights to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness."
Melanie E.
The key to keep in mind Hon....
Is that as the separation of powers is laid out in the Constitution, it is the job of the Legislative Branch to create laws, the job of the Executive Branch to enforce those laws, and the job of the Judicial Branch to enterpret the law.
I am wholly in favor of equality in marriage, and very much in favor of equality in health care. I do feel that health care should be available to everyone - but I don't feel that it should be provided by the government; primarily because a beauracracy has never done anything economically sound.
That is a discussion for another time - preferably over a glass of wine. The point I was making is that I am reasonably happy with the outcome of the courts decisions.
However, I also understand the strict constructionist view that several of the justices had. The court is creating law, not interpreting it. And just because we like what they did doesn't make it right to do it. The ends justifying the means? Nuremberg anyone?
The correct way for this to have happened would have been for Congress to legislate it - or for 37 states to force it as an ammendment to the Constitution. What the court did could arguably be held as unConstitutional. Of course, since the court would have to rule on that case, I think that we are safe - at least until the structure of the court changes anyway.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
Good luck
to all those benefitting from the new law. An article in the Guardian makes it seem as if things may still need to be clarified about protection of people in other ways, such as employment. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/jun/26/same-se...
Angharad
Right You Are
Similar articles have appeared in our press regarding future rulings needed. Many had a tone of fait accompli.
Attitudes shape laws. Laws shape rulings. Rulings shape attitudes. And so it goes.
Hate will not abate overnight, as we saw all to well this last week in South Caolina.
However . . . I never thought this day would come in my lifetime.
As you and I know, human interaction is complex and fraught with peril.
You keep on writing Bike and I'll toss out an occasional story. That's what we do . . . and it's all part of this amazing "cycle" toward acceptance.
A few years ago I asked a friend of mine, who is the publisher of several monthly business magazines, why people were opposed to gay marriage. My perspective was . . . Why should anyone care if two adults want to celebrate their love? he said, "It's all about acceptance, and for the vast majority of people that acceptance will never happen."
It happened today because the vast majority of people in the U.S. do accept gay rights. AND . . . people are quickly understanding that transgender have the same rights as gays.
It's very exciting. Maybe this world isn't a totally fouled as it appeared to be yesterday.
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Hopefully ...
... the situation will work itself out quicker than many realise.
I listened to a programme on BBC R4 last week which discussed the dramatic change in attitudes to homosexuality in the UK (well, certainly Great Britain. Ulster is still dragging its collective feet) since it was legalised in, IIRC, 1967. I was 27 then and male homosexuality was illegal and could result in prison sentences for so-called gross indecency. I can't recall the figures but the percentage of the population accepting the legitimacy of same sex relationships has gone from something like 20% to 80% and probably higher than that for those under (say) 30.
However the UK is not a very religious society and I know very few practicing Christians (or any other group for that matter) unlike what seems to be the case in the USA. Perhaps things will happen at a slower rate there but I'm sure it will happen.
I'm heterosexual but gay/lesbian relationships are fine by me as long as they don't make it compulsory :) I'm always amazed that some are so concerned about what others do in the privacy of their own homes provided it's between consenting adults.
Robi
Why people are opposed?
I come back today to a conversation I had with my mother two Saturdays ago, during our weekly dinner. She was complaining about her church attacking other religions, mainly Mormons and Catholics (during my youth, we were members of the Mormon church for a while).
My response holds just as much for that question as it does for same sex marriage, race, or all of the other topics that have come to enjoy civil rights protection, as well as others I'm sure will join them in the future.
"People fear things that are not like them."
Not rationally, of course. Just as a primal sort of fear.
Thankfully, we have moved on from the question of same sex marriage, and can hopefully broaden it further to other LGBTQ+ issues, as well as other groups that deserve the same protections.
A good start
The fact that the court justified the decision under the equal protection clause might well be cited as precedent when people sue to overturn other discrimination against same-sex couples.
marriage equality nationwide
Its a step forward and really excited for a lot of my friends.
-Elsbeth
Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste.
Broken Irish is better than clever English.
Thank god for google.
Your tagline. "Is fearr Gaeilge briste, ná Béarla clíste" means something like "Broken Irish is better then clever English"
Its interesting that even the Irish disagree about how to say that though. Have you ever googled that phrase?
Dayna.
It's Been a Remarkable Week
I'm so happy for those that will continue to have health care and those that can now marry. I'm amazed at the response of the victims families in South Carolina and the change that tragic event appears to be leading to.
Now that the GLB folks got most of what they want
HRC 'may' finally throw some help our way. Despite that infamous apology at Southern Comfort, I don't buy that HRC is really pushing our agenda. We are still in the back of the bus as far as they are concerned. Folks like Barney Frank unfortunately are very common in the non-trans parts of the GLB community.
People like Barney Frank. . .
. . .are very common.
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Indeed, too common
Goes to show anyone can be bigoted. I've heard a very compassionate and liberal gay physician and educator, whom I've known for decades and admire greatly in many ways, speak disdainfully of a "pre-op tranny" patient. Shocking, actually.