January 26, 2015
Same-Sex Marriage
For the past several years, same-sex marriage has become a bit of a norm of the nation. One by one, 36 out of 50 states (as well as the District of Columbia) have each allowed same-sex couples to marry. Now, the U.S. Supreme Court will rule whether same-sex couples have a right to marry and be recognized everywhere in America under the Constitution.
The 6 male and 3 female justices have decided to take up gay-rights cases that asked them to overturn bans in 4 states and declare for the entire nation that people can marry the partners of their choice, regardless of gender. The cases will be argued in April with a decision expected by late June.
Same-sex marriage supporters expect the court to settle the matter once and for all with a decision that will invalidate those few remaining state provisions that define marriage as solely between a man and a woman.
“We are now that much closer to being fully recognized as a family, and we are thrilled,” said April DeBoer, a hospital nurse from Hazel Park, Michigan, after the justices said they would hear an appeal from DeBoer and partner Jayne Rowse. “This opportunity for our case to be heard by the Supreme Court gives us and families like ours so much reason to be hopeful.”
However, traditional marriage advocates and religious zealots want the court to prevent marriage from becoming a national issue and to leave such a decision up to individual states.
Same-Sex Marriage
“The people of every state should remain free to affirm marriage as the union of a man and a woman in their laws,” said Austin R. Nimocks, senior counsel for the anti-gay marriage group Alliance Defending Freedom.
Initially, the Supreme Court declined to hear gay marriage appeals from 5 states seeking to preserve their bans on same-sex marriage, choosing instead to allow lower courts and states to settle the issue locally. However, with just 14 states remaining where same-sex couples cannot wed, the court’s decision to get involved now is a clear indicator of the rapid change that has redefined societal norms in the space of a generation.
In yet another example of the changing of times, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said the Obama administration would urge the court “to make marriage equality a reality for all Americans.”
Should the entire United States allow and recognize couples of any gender to marry the partner of their choice?
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It's plain as day that keeping gay people from getting married is discrimination. All the people who have a problem with it keep trying to put their morals on gays like it will stop them from being gay or something but that's not how it works. Gay or straight, or whatever everybody has rights under the constitution. If everybody just mind their own business and let grown people make grown people decisions we'd be ok.