Supreme Court Decides on DOMA

[nightfalls]

"DOMA is unconstitutional as a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth Amendment. DOMA singles out a class of persons deemed by a State entitled ot recognition and protection to enhance their own liberty."

http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions...2-307_g2bh.pdf - 5-4 (Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor, Kagan)

-from SCOTUSblog


Opinions?


Update: Regarding Proposition 8: "The petitioners did not have standing to appeal the district court order." - 5-4 (Roberts with Scalia, Ginsburg, Breyer, and Kagan). Ruling: http://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions...2-144_8ok0.pdf

This means gay marriage is legal now in California (since the district court ruling was that Prop 8 was unconstitutional).

[KrazyK923]

While, as a gay person, I am extremely happy this happened, I cannot help but note the shadiness of doing this while also totally ruining a key part of the Voting Rights Act in the same week.

The conspiracy theorist in me is poking out and suggesting that maybe they hope that outrage over that would be muffled by this decision. I can't help but to at least partially believe both of these decisions were purposefully set up back-to-back.

[derpkitteh]

i am very happy. hopefully this is the start of change for the whole country <3

[Rukentuts]

"DOMA is unconstitutional as a deprivation of the equal liberty of persons that is protected by the Fifth Amendment. DOMA singles out a class of persons deemed by a State entitled ot recognition and protection to enhance their own liberty."

Opinions?

Easiest fucking thing to see ever. Now onto Prop 8.

[Dakia]

This was the right thing to do. I'm no legal analyst, so I'll have to do a lot more reading on the decision and other analysis to see what this will open up in terms of national gay marriage, but this was the right step forward in ensuring equal rights.

[yetgdhfgh]

Looks like gay marriage has been approved

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23068454

not that i care seeing that im straight and against marriage of any sort lol

[nightfalls]

While, as a gay person, I am extremely happy this happened, I cannot help but note the shadiness of doing this while also totally ruining a key part of the Voting Rights Act in the same week.

I'm glad they did that too, as a straight person. Hell, it's about time.

Around 2004-2005 I changed my views on gay marriage (granted, I didn't really have an "adult" opinion beforehand ~14-15 years old and only just getting to know gay people / having people I know come out of the closet). That time I realized the longer we held off on recognizing gay couples and gay marriage the more we would look back at this era with the same shame we look back on interracial marriages and civil rights. So glad we got this done, and hopefully we can look back regretting this wasn't done sooner, but also more positively that people did see the light and faster at it.

---

Per Voting Rights Act: I'm not so sure what to think about this. The Court isn't supposed to actually give decisions based on political matters or things, and the act they were ruling basically read: "These cities/states are bad and need to be watched and can't make decisions without Federal approval because we don't trust them." The ruling wasn't that you could say that such cities/states were bad, just that Congress needs to update their list, which they aren't going to do because... Congress.

The effect of the ruling is that that part of the Voting Rights Act will effectively be killed off. And that has to play a part in the Court's decisions, but the Court can't simply decide solely based on impact, it has to decide based on principles.

[oblivionx]

Is this the thread where you applaud this decision and then call them racists and wrong for their previous one?

[Rukentuts]

Looks like gay marriage has been approved

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-23068454

not that i care seeing that im straight and against marriage of any sort lol

5-4?!?!?

Let's see what bullshit Scalia and Thomas conjured to support their idiotic and bigoted opinions this time.

[KrazyK923]

Is this the thread where you applaud this decision and then call them racists and wrong for their previous one?

Shockingly, people have different opinions on different subjects. I know, its a novel concept.

John Roberts has always been on the pro-gay rights side. That doesn't mean all of his other bullshit he's pulled is fine now. It just means ON THIS ISSUE he was right.

But I am glad that your implication is that people have to either be fully supporting something/somebody or fully against that. Definitely isn't a super childish mindset that having multiple opinions on multiple subjects can't happen.

[shadowfyre27]

I am personally very happy they finally made this ruling as has been mentioned maybe this is the beginning of a change for this nation.

[Reeve]

Well that's unsurprising. I'm more interested in the Prop 8 ruling.

[Reeve]

Easiest fucking thing to see ever. Now onto Prop 8.

Actually that's surprising to me. I thought they'd go with the Full Faith and Credit Clause(Article IV, section 1), not the 5th Amendment.

[Deleted]

Funny part is a lot of gay people are not even remotely interested in getting married :P But still, it's a step forward for equal rights and paves the way for more changes.

[Dakia]

First the Texas ban on aborton fails, then DOMA is struck down.

This was a good day for America.

It wasn't an outright ban on abortion.

[Rukentuts]

Actually that's surprising to me. I thought they'd go with the Full Faith and Credit Clause(Article IV, section 1), not the 5th Amendment.

I would have guessed Equal Protection Clause like Loving v. Virgina.

[Darsithis]

This is the best news I've heard in my adult life. I'm finally equal with heterosexual couples.

[Olo]

Well that's unsurprising. I'm more interested in the Prop 8 ruling.

i got a feeling theyre gonna punt on prob 8

[nadileal]

No freedom till we’re equal, damn right I support it

[yetgdhfgh]

Everyone has a right to be happy and im glad gay people can now enjoy the same rights as straight couples

But tbh iam waiting for the war on drugs to be declared unconstitutional like it should be then we can all light up be happy and marry who ever we like